Tornadoes

Rotating air

     One of nature’s most powerful forces is a tornado. A tornado is a violent column of rotating air that
comes down from a thunderstorm to reach the ground. Tornadoes usually last only a few minutes, but they can cause much damage as they travel along the ground. Some tornadoes can travel for many dozens of miles; other tornadoes may appear to skip above the ground for a few moments. Most tornadoes in Florida occur in June, July and August. However, the strongest tornadoes in Florida
usually occur in February, March and April.Check out this Q&A to be smart when tornadoes twist your way.

     At approximately 10:10 AM EST, 9:10 AM CST on February 4th, the National Weather Service forecast offices serving Florida will transmit a practice tornado warning.  A warning will be transmitted through NOAA Weather Radio.  Some of your local radio and TV stations and emergency management offices may also relay this warning in your area.  The practice tornado warning will be cancelled at 10:30 AM EST, 9:30 AM CST.

     Did your school conduct a tornado drill? What are your thoughts about the drill? Does the thought of a tornado coming through your neighborhood make you nervous? Share your thoughts here at the NIE Blogging Zone.

Extreme temperatures

It's the heat and the humidity

     Though Florida is known as the Sunshine State, the southwestern part of the country is really the sunniest place in the continental United States. But if you’ve ever spent a summer in Florida, you know
it also could qualify as the “Hot State.” Each summer, numerous tourists come from all over the world to enjoy the warm weather and sunny beaches, but most are unaware of just how hot it can get in Florida.

     Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, the state is always influenced by tropical moisture, especially in the summer. The humidity is a measure of how much water vapor is present in the air, and these percentages can be very high during the summer months.

     Tourists and residents alike need to know the dangers of the extreme temperatures in Florida. What advice can you give to people about the extreme heat we experience?

Flooding

Turn Around, Don't Drown

     We’ve all seen those photos in the newspaper: After heavy rain, someone in a canoe or kayak paddles down what is usually the middle of a street. It may look like fun, but it is dangerous.
Flooding can happen in Florida and any of the other 49 states. Even relatively dry states such as Nevada and Arizona have serious floods from time to time. In Florida, flooding occurs frequently, but often the floods are minor. Nonetheless, Floridians must be careful because even minor floods can take a life. Once in a while, Florida can experience major floods that can cause many deaths and loss of property. We must be prepared.

     Many people die from freshwater flooding because they try to drive through water that covers roads. Moving water only as deep as a car’s hubcaps can be enough to move the car, possibly into a river or a stream. Remember, when you approach water covering a roadway, turn around... don’t drown! Did you know that just 6 inches of fast-moving floodwater can knock you off your feet and 2 feet of water can sweep an SUV off a road? Each year, more deaths occur due to flooding than from any other thunderstorm-related hazard. The main reason is people underestimate the force and power of water. Many of the deaths occur in automobiles, as they are swept downstream. Of these drownings, many are preventable, but too many people continue to drive around the barriers that warn you the road is flooded.

     Floods can happen in most of the places where people live. Look in the St. Petersburg Times and on the archives at Tampabay.com to find information about when and where the risks of flooding are high. How did the weather create those conditions? How quickly did the water level rise? Did people prepare for the possibility in some way? Was there any property damage or loss of life? Who is responsible for monitoring and predicting these conditions in your area? Share the information you find and your thoughts here at the NIE Blogging Zone.

Hurricanes

It's not just the wind ...

     Tropical storms and hurricanes are a part of life in the Sunshine State. Ever since records have been kept, there have been plenty of stories about destructive winds originating in the tropics and sweeping across our state.

     Why is Florida in the path of so many hurricanes? It’s because of our unique geographical location. Florida lies in the subtropical zone, which extends roughly the length of the peninsula. As a result, storms developing in the tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea often are steered toward the state by the Bermuda or Subtropical High, a large area of high pressure that sits over the Atlantic during the summer months. We also are surrounded by very warm waters, which breed and support hurricanes: the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Caribbean Sea well to the south.

     Your main protection against hurricanes is to be prepared and have a plan. A hurricane plan doesn’t have to be anything extremely complicated, but should at least consist of the following two things. First, determine whether you live in an evacuation zone. This information can be obtained from your local emergency management office. If you live in an evacuation zone, know when and where you will be going to pass the storm. Have a list of emergency telephone numbers handy. Second, stock up on non-perishable supplies, batteries for electronic devices such as your NOAA Alert Radio, and have a disaster supply kit ready.

     Do you have a hurricane supply kit? What will you do if you lose electricity or you are trapped in your home because of flooding? Share your evacuation plan here, and tell other Tampa Bay area students what you have in your disaster supply kit.

Thunderstorms

Big, loud, booms

     Thunderstorms occur frequently across Florida. In fact, the Florida peninsula has the greatest number
of thunderstorms in the United States. One of the reasons Florida has so many thunderstorms is that many of the ingredients needed to create thunderstorms can be found here
almost every day.

     A thunderstorm is basically a huge engine that floats in the sky. Like a car engine, a thunderstorm needs fuel, a place to convert the fuel into power and an exhaust system. When everything is working correctly, a thunderstorm can have strong winds, hail, lightning, heavy rainfall and even tornadoes.

     It’s not easy to say how long a thunderstorm will last. Thunderstorms come in different forms, which will determine how long they might survive. Sometimes a storm has only one thunderstorm cloud and will last for 20 to 30 minutes. Look in the St. Petersburg Times for information about thunderstorms. Have thunderstorms ruined your weekday or weekend plans? Does thunder frighten your pets, siblings or friends? Share the information and your experiences here.

Lightning Strikes

Staying safe during a lightning storm

     When lightning is occurring, the most dangerous place to be is an open area, such as a sports field. Nearly half of all lightning deaths occur in open areas. Many people are struck when they go under a tree to keep dry during a storm. Outdoor water activities such as swimming, boating and fishing are very dangerous during lightning. Seek shelter in a substantial building such as a home, and do not be tempted to watch lightning from open windows or doors. A lightning strike to the ground or water can travel horizontally more than 30 feet in all directions. Therefore, when thunderstorms are approaching, avoid outdoor activities as if your life depends on it –because it does!

     Covered picnic shelters, tents and convertibles (even with the roof up) offer absolutely no protection from lightning. An automobile with a metal roof does provide safe shelter. However, contrary to popular belief, the rubber tires do not provide this protection for you. If lightning strikes an automobile, the electricity flows around the metal shell of a hardtop vehicle and is redirected to the ground, so the occupants inside are protected.

     Did you know that static electricity and lightning are both forms of energy? There are many different forms of energy. Look in the St. Petersburg Times for pictures and words that are forms of energy. What type of items did you find? Share your thoughts about the importance of energy and electricity here.