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As I fly back from Atlanta to Oklahoma City I've had a few minutes to reflect upon some of what I have seen on social media the past couple of days. My thoughts (and mine only): (Thread) (1/17)
There is a lot of genuine concern about tomorrow's (20 May 2019) severe weather potential. Unfortunately, there is a lot of panic and misinformation. Here's what you need to know: (2/17)
The only similarity between tomorrow (20 May 2019) and 6-years ago (20 May 2013) is the date and the fact severe weather is possible. The atmosphere does not know how to read a calendar, nor does it know where certain cities are located. (3/17)
Will there be tornadoes? Quite likely. Will they be big nasty ones? It's certainly possible. (4/17)
Does this mean you should be scared or panic? A healthy dose of fear is reasonable and nothing from which to hide. However, at this time, there is nothing about which to panic. (5/17)
The vast majority of locations tomorrow will not experience a tornado. Even if your area experiences a tornado, the worst part of the tornado is generally small and impacts only a small subset of the tornado damage. (6/17)
And if you are in the worst part of the tornado, your chances of survival are not as dire as some would have you believe. And they can be significantly increased by taking a few simple precautions: (7/17)
First, seek shelter in a well-framed and permanent structure. (8/17)
Second, get to the lowest floor. THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE UNDERGROUND. (9/17)
Third, put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. (10/17)
Lastly, cover yourself with blankets or pillows or cushions -- this is to protect from flying glass and other debris. In a nutshell: "Get in. Get down. Cover up." (11/17)
Congratulations, if you have read this far, you have already started your preparedness plans for tomorrow. Knowing what to do in the heat of the moment is huge. (12/17)
What else? Take a few minutes right now to think about your activities for tomorrow. Should you cancel your plan? Not necessarily. (13/17)
Instead figure out how you are going to receive weather information tomorrow. And, where the nearest permanent structure will be should you have to take action quickly. (14/17)
And if you cannot answer those questions, or if you do not like your answers to those questions, then consider rescheduling or postponing your plans. (15/17)
Am I taking tomorrow seriously? You bet. What am *I* doing? The things I just shared. Not only for me, but also for the rest of my family. (16/17)
To round this out, be kind tomorrow. For many it will be stressful. Showing kindness can go a long way. (17/17)
