Days are getting shorter as we move through July (and will continue to do so through December). So, we have fewer and fewer hours and minutes of the sun’s heat than we did in June, for example.
How come, then, that August is our hottest month of the year–when the days are shorter?
(We’ll choose one entry from among the correct answers to receive–free–2 tickets to a show in Branson. Let’s hear from you.)
A cold front will come close to the northern border of Arkansas tomorrow (7/9) and Thursday (7/10). We already have plenty of moisture and heat in place, and the cold front will be the trigger for t-storms–some could be severe. They won’t be widespread, but the northern one-third of the state will be the favored area for storm development. KFFB will broadcast any warnings that affect north central Arkansas.
Since February, the people of Arkansas have experienced severe storms, flooding and tornado devastation first hand, but many survived these deadly storms because they were prepared. The message is clear— severe storm and tornado preparation pays off.
The best defense against tornadoes is making preparedness a priority. Severe storms and tornadoes can approach quickly, and there may be only a short amount of time to make life-or-death decisions. Advance planning and quick response are the keys to surviving.
There are basic steps everyone can take to prepare for and to survive severe storms and tornadoes:
Assemble an emergency kit that should include:
. Flashlight and extra batteries;
. Portable, battery-operated radio or weather radio, and extra batteries;
. First aid kit;
. Emergency food and water;
. Non-electric can opener;
. Essential medicines;
. Cash and credit cards;
. Bedding or a sleeping bag; and
. Sturdy shoes and a change of clothes.
Create a family communication plan, so that if your family is not together when a tornado strikes, you’ll have contact numbers to keep in touch. Sometimes calling an out-of-state relative as a main point of contact is a good idea, since phone lines may be down. Also, families at home need to “shelter in place” during a tornado. Plan to meet family members in the lowest part of the home, preferably a basement or safe room. If there is no basement, choose an interior room where there are few or no windows.
Learn these tornado danger signs:
An approaching cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even if a funnel is not visible;
Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still; and
Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm. It is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado.
When a tornado is sighted, the most important rule is to get low and stay low.
• At home—Seek shelter in a basement; storm shelter or safe room; interior room on the lowest floor of the home, such as a bathroom; or a closet or room without windows.
• At work—Go to an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor.
• In a mobile home—Leave your mobile home and take shelter in a nearby building. If no building is nearby, lie flat in a ditch or ravine.
• In an automobile—Leave the car and lie flat in a ditch or a ravine. If a building is nearby, take shelter inside. Never try to outrun a tornado in your car.
• At school—Follow plans and go to a designated shelter area, usually interior hallways on the lowest floor. Avoid auditoriums, cafeterias, or gyms and areas with wide, free-span roofs.
• At a shopping center—Go to the interior rooms and halls on the lowest floor of a shopping center. Do not leave the shopping center to get in your car.
• Outside in the open—Take cover on low, protected ground.
The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) is the state’s homeland security and emergency management agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies.
FEMA coordinates the Federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terrorism.
Editors: For more information on Arkansas disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.adem.arkansas.gov/.
Disaster recovery assistance is available to any individual without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed the northern one-half of the state in a slight risk category for severe thunderstorms on Friday. A cold front will be making its way into the state, and severe thunderstorms could accompany the front.
The KFFB Weather Team will monitor the situation and broadcast any watches and warnings.
High pressure covering the southeastern United States is serving as a block to keep weather systems away from Arkansas. They are forced to go around the dome of high pressure and the result is storms in the Midwest–not here. It will stay quite warm and humid on into the weekend with 90s for highs and 70s for lows. We may have a shot at thunderstorms (isolated to scattered) on Friday.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed the northern one-half of the state in a slight risk category for severe thunderstorms both today and tomorrow. Tornadoes are not mentioned–mainly a threat from hail and damaging winds during the afternoons and evenings.
We will be on hand to broadcast watches and warnings that affect North Central Arkansas.
This afternoon and evening could bring more severe thunderstorms to the northern third of the state, and they could continue into the nighttime hours as well. Damaging winds and large hail would be the main threats, though an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.
Tomorrow a cold front will be working its way through the state. Thunderstorms in north Arkansas will be pushing southward during the day. All sections of the state will have some chance for severe weather. Again, large hail and damaging winds are possible. We do expect quite a few warnings for severe thunderstorms will be issued. We’ll broadcast the watches and warnings on KFFB, 106.1FM.
PATCHY FOG WILL LINGER INTO SUNDAY MORNING. IMPROVEMENT TO VISIBILITY SHOULD TAKE PLACE AROUND MID MORNING. A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. CHANCES FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL LIKELY DIMINISH ON MEMORIAL DAY... BUT THEN INCREASE AGAIN ON TUESDAY AS A COLD FRONT MAKES ITS WAY INTO ARKANSAS. Keep you radio tuned to KFFB 106.1 FM and kffb.com for more info..
Isolated severe thunderstorms will be on the increase as we go through Tuesday. The western half of the state is the favored territory this afternoon–then the emphasis moves east. Tonight and overnight are the prime hours as a cold front comes through the state. Coverage should be isolated–both for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Hail is a good possibility from some of the thunderstorms. Tomorrow the southern half of the state will be the focus of any more severe storms. Heavy rain is another concern since high probabilities continue into Thursday morning.
The KFFB weather team will be on duty all night, if necessary.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed Arkansas in a moderate risk category for severe weather on Saturday. Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are a good bet. The National Weather Service Office in North Little Rock tells us that they are expecting a “significant severe weather threat”. And that the threat may become “a severe weather outbreak”. They further state that the atmosphere will be very unstable–especially over the southern 2/3 of the state. They expect quite a few severe thunderstorm warnings to be issued for damaging winds and large hail; plus, there will be an “enhanced chance for tornadoes”.
The main threat will come in the afternoon and evening hours of Saturday. We will be on the air with any watches and warnings–with continuous coverage if necessary.