Severe Weather Teacher Guide - Nelsonville

Tornadoes
are dangerous
l POINTS TO COVER
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A tornado’s strength is hard to imagine, but it can spin at speeds
over 200 mph as it moves across land. Never try to outrun a tornado.
The best thing to do if a tornado is sighted is to seek safe shelter
immediately.
l HOW TORNADOES FORM
How a tornado is formed
Why a tornado is dangerous
When Ohio tornadoes usually occur
The purpose of Severe Weather Awareness Week
2011’s spring and summer tornado season is one of the deadliest and
most destructive in recent history. Learn more about the 2011 season
at http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/tornadoes/2011/13
l ACTIVITIES
Tornadoes form when cold, dry
air meets with warm, moist air. A
whirlwind is created by the gust of
warm air rising in a spiral motion,
causing water vapor to be swept
upward. As the warm air cools, a
twisting, spiral-shaped cloud forms.
This funnel cloud is what we know as a
tornado.
Cold air whirls around the
Reprinted, with permission, from Lake
outside of the funnel, causing a roar
Harbor Middle School, Mandeville, LA
that often sounds like a loud freight
train. Air pressure inside the tornado
is very low, as if there is a hole in the air. Outside, air spins into the hole
carrying with it anything in its path. The tornado travels as it spins.
A tornado usually lasts only minutes. Thunderstorms create the
energy that feeds tornadoes. As the rain accompanying a tornado falls
to earth, it cools the land. The tornado weakens as the steady supply of
warm, moist, rising air dies out.
Online resource: http://usat.ly/gYZiHB
1.Obtain two-2 liter pop bottles. Fill one with water. Connect the tops
of the bottles, using a washer and duct tape, or purchase a “Tornado
Tube” from a science or teacher supply store or online. Tip the full
bottle upside down and swirl the water to drain into the empty
bottle. The result depicts how a tornado forms.
2.Fill a mayonnaise or mason jar with water. Make the water swirl by
stirring it with a spoon. Drop in a few drops of food coloring or ink.
Or, mix water, food coloring and a few drops of liquid soap in a quart
jar. Tightly cap the jar. Give the jar a quick twist with both hands and
watch the vortex appear in the jar.
3.To depict a tornado’s force: Get a potato and a plastic drinking straw.
Hold the straw against the potato, and apply pressure (more than
likely the straw will bend and not penetrate the potato). Now, hold
the potato in one hand, and the straw in the other about 2 feet apart.
Thrust the straw into the potato (it should penetrate depicting the
force of wind). The greater the velocity of matter, the greater its momentum. The faster you make the straw move, the greater its force
when it strikes the potato and the deeper it will penetrate. The force
of a tornado has been known to drive straws right through boards!
4.Additional activity resources
• Scholastic http://bit.ly/hMkUtX
• Weather Wiz Kids http://bit.ly/hqFzcz
• National Geographic Kids www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids
• Ohio EMA Disaster Detectives http://bit.ly/xlRoLF
l TORNADO FACTS
NOTE: Additional Ohio tornado statistics at:
www.weathersafety.ohio.gov/TornadoFacts.aspx
• Ohio’s tornado activity varies each year. In 2011, 37 tornadoes
touched down in the Buckeye state. 48 occured in 2010 (six fatalities),
13 twisters were reported in 2009 and 15 in 2008. Ohio’s worst year
for tornadoes was 1992 when 60 were confirmed. Ohio averages 17
tornadoes and five tornado-related fatalities each year.
• Tornadoes are usually accompanied by hail, severe thunderstorms
and wind. Ohio thunderstorm activity averages 30–50 days annually.
• Ohio’s 2012 Severe Weather Awareness Week is March 25-31 and
serves as a reminder to brush-up on safety precautions. The statewide tornado drill is scheduled for Wednesday, March 28 at 9:50 a.m.
• Most tornadoes occur during spring and summer months in the late
afternoon on a hot day. Nationally, the peak months tend to be May,
June and July. About one in every four tornadoes occurs between
4–6 p.m. Peak season in Ohio is April through mid-July, with most
occurring between 2–10 p.m. But, tornadoes can strike anywhere, at
anytime of or night. Ohio experienced major tornadoes in September and October 2010 and in November 2002 and 2003.
• Tornadoes are also known as cyclones, twisters and funnel clouds.
• Over the 10-year period 2001-2010, the US averaged 1,295 tornadoes
and 56 tornado-related deaths annually.
• In 2011, insured losses for tornadoes/thunderstorms exceeded $25
billion–more than double the previous recorded losses, according to
the Insurance Information Institute.
• According to the National Weather Service, about 1,700 tornadoes
touched down in the US in 2011, compared to 1,282 in 2010.
• The highest number of US tornadoes occurred in 2004 when 1,819
tornadoes touched down causing 36 deaths.
be prepared
Learn the difference between a tornado “watch” and “warning.”
• A Tornado WATCH means a tornado could occur—the climatic conditions are right for a tornado. When a watch is issued, be prepared
to seek shelter and stay tuned to the radio or television for weather
updates. Get National Weather Service updates by weather radio.
• A Tornado WARNING is your signal to SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY
—this means a tornado has been sighted in the area. The National
Weather Service, which tracks storms on radar, will issue a tornado
WATCH or WARNING as needed. Whenever there is danger of a tornado, it’s important to act quickly. Some communities have special
sirens to warn of an approaching tornado. Radio and television
stations will broadcast information about severe weather through
special weather bulletins, newscasts and station Web sites.
NOAA WEATHER RADIO
Public safety experts agree that every home should have a tone-alert
weather radio. Consider purchasing a National Oceanic & Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) weather radio which is activated during severe
weather. These radios sound an automatic alarm providing immediate
notification when a severe weather watch or warning is issued. Learn
more about these radios at www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr.
Encourage your students to participate in the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness Annual Poster Contest
Download details at http://bit.ly/wVE0XA
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l SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY KIT
seek safe shelter
Prepare a home severe weather safety kit. Items to include are a batteryoperated transistor radio, flashlight, candles, matches, extra batteries,
and a set of house and car keys. Learn more about kit preparation at:
• Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness
www.weathersafety.ohio.gov/HomePreparednessKit.aspx
• Ohio EMA Kid’s Kit: What to Pack in Case of a Disaster
www.ema.ohio.gov/kids_page/html/kit.htm
When severe weather threatens, the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness (OCSWA)
encourages you to DUCK:
l POINTS TO COVER
D — Go DOWN to the lowest level
U — Get UNDER something sturdy
C — COVER your head
K — KEEP in shelter until the storm has passed
• The difference between a tornado WATCH and WARNING
• How to keep posted on current weather conditions
• What to include in a severe weather safety kit
l ACTIVITIES
Some places are safer than others when a tornado strikes. If possible,
take a flashlight and a battery-operated radio with you when seeking
safety. Don’t forget your cell phone and charger. Memorize safe locations
ahead of time so you’re not caught “off guard”. The best defense when severe weather threatens is preparedness. Every
household, school and business should have an emergency preparedness plan. OCSWA offers the following tips:
1.Have students discuss the difference between WATCH and WARNING
with family members.
2.Have students prepare a severe weather safety kit.
3.Listen to the weather band radio station to obtain an idea of how
weather reports are issued. Or watch one of the cable weather channels for weather information when a storm is forecasted.
4.Invite a local meteorologist to your classroom to explain how tornadoes are sighted and tracked. Or, plan a trip to a TV station to watch a
meteorologist at work.
5.Have students check Web sites of local TV stations. Some have
“weather school programs” or educational links.
6.Visit weather-related Web sites to gather information and participate
in a variety of online activities. There are hundreds including:
1. Hold a family meeting. Discuss tornadoes and other types of severe
weather events that are common to your area. Develop an evacuation plan for each event. Don’t forget to include pets.
2. Develop a family escape/shelter plan. Sketch an overhead view of
your house. Determine two escape routes from every room if possible
(through doors, windows, etc.). Teach kids how to open windows and
screens. Remember to select an outside meeting place (large tree or
neighbor’s yard, etc.) in case of an emergency. Determine where to
shelter during a tornado.
3. Practice the plan. Conduct weather drills so everyone is prepared.
4. Organize your disaster preparedness kit. Info on the Severe
Weather Safety Kit can be found in section #2.
5. Know Where to Go
• IN HOMES AND OTHER SMALL BUILDINGS
Go to the lowest level and get as close to the center of the building
as possible. A basement is best. If none exists, seek shelter in a windowless closet, bathroom or inside hall. Stay away from windows,
doors and exterior walls.
• IN SCHOOL
Listen to your teacher. Go to an inside wall on the lowest floor.
Kneel on the floor facing the wall with your hands covering your
head and neck. Avoid places like auditoriums, gymnasiums or other
areas with large roofs that could collapse.
• IN CARS
Buckle up, keep your head low and listen to the adult in the car.
• IN MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES OR OUTSIDE
Move to the closest shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. If
you live in or frequently visit a mobile home, be sure to know where
the tornado shelter is located. If you can’t reach a shelter or building, lie flat in a ditch or low area, covering your head and the back of
your neck with your hands.
• IN MALLS OR LARGE BUILDINGS
Many public buildings have designated shelter areas. Become
familiar with signs posted in these buildings. If you can’t locate the
designated area, go to a middle hallway on the lowest level.
l ONLINE WEATHER RESOURCES
• www.weathersafety.ohio.gov
Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness — Resource for
educators, consumers and reporters on Ohio severe weather.
• www.ema.ohio.gov/kids_page/html/games.htm
Ohio’s Emergency Management Agency provides a special “EMA
Kid’s Site” that offers fun and games, cool links and info for teachers.
• http://bit.ly/fwr98D
Download Owlie Skywarn’s weather book for information on what
to do should severe weather threaten.
• www.tornadoproject.com
Tornado information with a twist including tornado myths and
oddities, personal experiences, and tornado chasing.
• www.fema.gov/kids
FEMA’s Area for Kids—Kids learn about tornadoes, earthquakes and
other feats of nature.
• www.theweatherchannelkids.com/weather_games
Weather Channel provides weather photos and games for students.
• www.weatherclub.org
Visit the Weather Safety Club for Kids for cool games and activities.
• http://bit.ly/gKVRbr
Weather Channel offers a teacher guide including resources,
weather encyclopedia and severe weather challenge.
• www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/teachers.htm
Provides lightning safety tools for teachers.
• www.spc.noaa.gov
The Storm Prediction Center monitors and forecasts tornadoes,
thunderstorms and other weather phenomena across the US 24/7.
• www.fema.gov/kids/v_lib.htm
Provides free online clips on disaster preparation.
• www.education.noaa.gov/tweather.html
For teaching tools and reference materials on a variety of weather
issues.
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l ONLINE LIGHTNING RESOURCES
l POINTS TO COVER
• www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov
Check the NOAA Lightning Safety Team site for handouts, safety
tips, medical facts, history, photos, teacher tools and more. Lightning Safety Awareness Week is June 24-30, 2012.
• www.lightning.org
The Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) has information on lightning, the severity of lightning strikes and protection systems.
• http://usat.ly/cAQruI
Visit the Interactive Graphics Weather section of the USA Today site
for info on lightning basics, different forms of lightning, lightning
rods, research and much more.
• www.science.howstuffworks.com/lightning.htm
Explains how lightning works, along with links to related info.
• http://bit.ly/fk8phm
This maze helps young children learn how to play it safe during a
thunderstorm.
• www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/lightning_map.htm
National Weather Service map depicting US lightning strikes.
• The proper position to assume for protection
• Where to go when a tornado strikes at home, outside, in a car, school
or other building
• What to include in a disaster preparedness kit
• Emergency preparedness planning
l ACTIVITIES
1.Have students perform a home tornado drill skit. Action may be
different depending on type of residence (home with/without
basement, apartment, mobile/manufactured home, etc.).
2. Make sure all students participate in a tornado drill. State drill
requirements for schools are available at http://bit.ly/ft7pqF
3. Have students practice the proper position to assume during a
tornado at school.
4. Have students explain where they would go if a tornado warning is
issued while at home.
5. Have students develop a basic home emergency preparedness plan.
Suggest they share the plans during a family meeting (go to http://
bit.ly/fF74Hd).
watch for
lightning
l LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS
1.Outdoor Tips
• Avoid water, especially swimming pools, and metal objects such
as electrical wires, fences, golf clubs, machinery, power tools and
railroad tracks.
• Unsafe places during lightning include tents, golf carts, small
open-sided shelters and under isolated trees.
• Avoid wide open spaces and high terrain such as hilltops.
• When possible, get to a building or fully enclosed shelter like a car
or truck and close the windows.
• If lightning strikes are nearby, avoid direct contact with others.
Remove metal objects from your pockets and crouch low to the
ground on the balls of your feet. Place hands on your knees with
your head between them.
• If you’re in the woods, take shelter under the lowest tree or under
a bush.
When Thunder Roars...Go Indoors! Severe lightning often
accompanies tornadoes, yet the threat lightning poses is often
overlooked. The US averages 25 million lightning flashes annually. Over
the past 30 years, National Weather Service figures show that lightning
caused an average of 62 deaths per year.
In 2010, it’s estimated that lightning caused more than $1 billion in
insurance losses, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Use
surge protectors for computers, TVs and other electronics.
l LIGHTNING FACTS
• The frequency of lightning strikes varies by region. Ohio averages
30–50 thunderstorm days a year.
• Structures located on high terrain, such as mountain ranges or buildings that are substantially higher than those adjacent to them are
at a higher risk of lightning strikes. Structures adjacent to water also
have a higher susceptibility rate, since water serves as a conductor.
• A typical thunderstorm is 15 miles in diameter and lasts an average of
30 minutes. Nearly 1,800 occur at any moment around the world—
that’s 16 million a year!
• Of the estimated 100,000 that occur in the US annually, about 10%
are classified as severe. The National Weather Service considers a
thunderstorm severe if it produces hail at least 3/4 inch in diameter
and/or includes damaging winds clocked at 58 mph or higher.
• According to the Lightning Protection Institute, roofs and projections, such as chimneys and steeples are most frequently hit by
lightning strikes. Kids can play Leon the Lion’s Lightning Safety Game
online at http://bit.ly/dUt9h8
2.Indoor Tips
• Avoid contact with water including showers, baths or laundry. Stay
away from open doors and windows.
• Avoid using a land-line phone during a lightning outbreak because
the lightning charge can travel through electrical lines. A cell
phone is a safer means of communication.
• As an extra precaution unplug computers, stereos, power tools,
TVs and DVDs, and other unnecessary appliances. Consider using
surge protectors for electronics.
• Stay inside until the storm subsides.
3.First Aid for Lightning Victims
• Call 911 immediately.
• A person struck by lightning may be burned, but does not carry an
electrical charge. So begin first aid procedures immediately.
• If the victim is not breathing but has a pulse, administer mouth-tomouth resuscitation. If there’s no pulse, begin CPR.
l WHAT CAUSES LIGHTNING?
l POINTS TO COVER
The action of rising and descending air within a thunderstorm separates positive and negative charges. Lightning results from the buildup
and discharge of electrical energy between positively and negatively
charged areas.
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•
•
•
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Where to go in case of lightning
What to avoid in case of lightning
Types of materials that attract lightning
General lightning safety tips (http://bit.ly/hsx1F0)
A TORNADO STRIKES
l ACTIVITIES
1.Discuss dangerous home activities during severe lightning (bath/
shower, using the phone and electronics, etc.).
2. Plan a field trip to a science/technology exhibit center like the Center
of Science and Industry in Columbus (www.cosi.org, 614-228-2674) or
Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Center (www.greatscience.com, 216694-2000). Or invite a local television meteorologist to visit your class.
3. Visit the National Severe Storms Laboratory for useful lightning
research at www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu.
4. Learn CPR—Contact local American Red Cross chapters and fire
departments for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation class offerings.
5. Lightning and related experiments online:
www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-lightning.htm
www.eo.ucar.edu/webweather/forecasttips.html
6. Research the invention and uses of lightning rods.
3 p.m.
5 p.m.
100–
SPIRALING W
Source: Portions excerpted from Tornadoes, written by Ann Armbruster and
Elizabeth A. Taylor, 1989.
1. Tornadoes can occur at
any time, but they favor
the warmest part of the
day, when thunderstorms
are strongest.
2. A TORNADO WATCH has
been in effect since 3 p.m.
Questions? Contact Ohio Insurance Institute, 172 E. State St., Ste.
201, Columbus, OH 43215-4321, 614-228-1593 •
www.ohioinsurance.org • e-mail: [email protected] •
Weather Safety Club - www.weatherclub.org
3. A funnel cloud is sighted
but doesn’t touch the
ground. Funnel clouds
can appear white against
a dark sky and then
sometimes disappear.
4. A TORNADO WARNING is
issued.
THE VAN WERT TORNADO
NOVEMBER 10, 2002
Revised March 2012
This November storm spawned several tornadoes in Ohio killing
five and injuring 26. At least four tornadoes with winds exceeding
100 mph were reported in Van Wert County. The National Weather
Service tracked a tornado through Twinsburg, Macedonia and
Solon. Another twister hit Ashland and Medina counties, and yet
another touched down in Wayne County.
According to a preliminary survey by the Ohio Insurance
Institute, losses from this storm exceeded $103 million.
Download OII’s Severe
Weather Safety color
sheet and crossword
challenge at
http://bit.ly/zNORFf
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Detail area
ANSWER KEY:
TORNADO
CROSSWORD
CHALLENGE
Toledo
4
Fort
Wayne
OHIO
Defiance
INDIANA
Columbus
Ayersville
Holgate
108
Paulding
Melrose
PAULDING
COUNTY
ANSWER KEY:
IND.
TORNADO
WORDSEARCH
PUZZLER
OHIO
Tornado path
Cavett
Tornado moved
VAN WERT
southwest to
COUNTY
northeast
224
3
N MILES
15
Ottawa
Grover Hill
Scott
Wren
Continental
Oakwood
224
30
PUTNAM
COUNTY
Delphos
Van Wert
Lima
75
127
TOM BAKER | DISPATCH
Source: Graphic used with permission from Columbus Dispatch,
November 12, 2002
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AVERAGE
PATH
LENGTH
6 TO
9 MILES
AVERAGE
PATH
LENGTH
IS IS
6 TO
9 MILES
5:04 p.m.
5:09 p.m.
5:15 p.m.
5:12 p.m.
1000FEET
FEET
1000
DEBRIS CLOUD
100–250
100-250MPH
MPH
SPIRALING
WINDS
30–40
MPH
SPIRALING
WINDS
30-40
MPH
AVERAGE
WIDTH
IS IS
420
FEET
AVERAGE
WIDTH
420
FEET
5. A funnel cloud touches
the ground and becomes
a tornado.
6. The winds pick up dirt and
debris from the ground.
7. Path of damage is at its
widest.
8. The tornado is vertical and
moves from southwest to
northeast at 35 mph.
9. Funnel darkens with
debris.
10. The funnel narrows and
tilts away from its vertical
position.
11. The path of damage
becomes smaller.
BETWEEN 3 AND 5 P.M. APRIL 3, 1974
XENIA-OHIO’S WORST DISASTER
This is how the weather map looked as the worst of the
tornado outbreak was descending on the Ohio Valley.
A “superoutbreak”
Sometimes tornadoes occur in multiple outbreaks. On April 3 and 4,
1974, tornadoes swarmed in greater numbers and across a wider area
than anytime in recent history. Some were among the strongest ever
recorded.
The tornadoes began in Indiana around 9:30 a.m. April 3. The last
tornado struck North Carolina 24 hours later. The hardest hit town was
Xenia, Ohio. The Arrowhead neighborhood was destroyed.
Cold, dry air
4:50 p.m.
19 killed in Monticello, Ind.
Cool, humid air
Columbus
Storm
center
over
Iowa
Dry air
12. The funnel weakens into
a rope-like shape then
disappears. The average
duration of a tornado is 15
minutes.
Warm front has
cleared central
Ohio
The two-day toll
• 148 tornadoes struck 11 states from Michigan to Alabama.
• 315 people were killed and about 5,000 were injured. More than
27,590 families suffered some kind of loss.
• Total damage exceeded $600 million ($2.6 billion in 2010 dollars).
• The weather system produced at least six violent tornadoes,
including the one at Xenia. That’s about as many as are normally
recorded in a decade.
3:40 p.m.
35 killed in
Xenia, Ohio
4:10 p.m.
31 killed in Brandenburg, Ky.
Warm, humid air
Cold
front
advancing
eastward
Source: Portions excerpted from Columbus Dispatch, March 20, 1996
Not all tornadoes are funnel-shaped.
The Xenia tornado was a half-mile wide,
whirling dark cloud. Top winds were
estimated at 250 mph. The path of
damage was as wide as eight football
fields.
Check out the Ohio Tornado Database
online at the Columbus Dispatch.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/pages/data/weather/tornado.html
The force of a tornado is measured by the Enhanced Fujita scale.
Learn more about the scale from the National Weather Service at www.spc.noaa.gov/efscale
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