Humboldt County predicted to be hit with first severe storm of the season

By KYLIE PORTZ

HUMBOLDT - Earlier this month, much of the state of Iowa was closed due to a winter storm that brought heavy snow and intense winds and now, despite the first day of spring still a week away, severe thunderstorms are back in the forecast for this weekend. This morning, the National Weather Service of Des Moines issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for portions of western and northwest Iowa. The outlook predicts a slight to enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms for Friday afternoon and early evening, with the primary threat being damaging winds due to fast-moving storms, with gusts over 70 mph possible. Large hail and a few tornadoes are also possible.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), approximately 1,000 tornadoes are reported across the United States each year. Iowa typically sees an average of 48 tornadoes in a year. Last year, the state experienced a record-breaking total of 125 tornadoes touching down. In typical Iowa fashion, accumulating snow is also in the forecast for northwest Iowa with gusty winds potentially causing blowing and drifting snow likely around Wednesday (March 19).

Last year, Humboldt County Emergency Management Director Kyle Bissell shared some tips with the Humboldt Independent on weather preparedness. One of the most important things to do to prepare, according to Bissell, is to download news apps or weather service apps that can alert you when storms are approaching your area. He also recommended purchasing a NOAA weather radio and subscribing to in-formation services like Alert Iowa and Smart911.

Another way to stay weather-informed is through watching weather broadcasts live on TV or through the internet to keep track of storms.

One broadcast that has gained traction in the past few years is the livestreams of Meteorologist Ryan Hall who streams on his YouTube channel, “Ryan Hall Y’all”, during severe weather events.

Hall’s YouTube channel has boasted over 200 million views. During his streams, Hall, along with his meteorologist Andy Hill, will provide radar coverage of the storms, informing viewers of new tornado warnings and updates on the storms. Using the live feeds of storm chasers on the ground, he can show footage of the storms live to his viewers.

Hall was live during the storm that struck Greenfield on May 21 last year with one of the storm chasers he partnered with, Reed Timmer, getting footage of the storm destroying a windmill farm outside of Greenfield.

During the streams Hall collects donations for his non-profit organization “The Ya’ll Squad” which provides immediate relief to communities struck by severe weather events. During the stream on May 21 Hall showed footage of the Y’all Squad team making their way through Fort Dodge to reach Greenfield with much needed supplies following the E-F4 storm that destroyed the town.

Bissell shared his concern with people relying solely on sirens to warn them.

“A lot of people rely on the outdoor weather sirens,” he said. “That’s what they are there for. When you are outdoors, not indoors. They were never meant to warn people who are indoors. Only if you are outdoors.”

The next tip Bissell had for preparing for storms is to “have a plan.”

He recommended that just as children have tornado drills at school, families implement drills at home so that every-one knows what steps need to be taken when a tornado warning is issued.

There are differences be-tween a tornado watch, a tornado warning, a severe thunderstorm warning etc. It can be hard to tell what alerts mean what.

First, a Severe Thunderstorm Watch means that conditions are favorable for a severe thunderstorm to develop. A warning means that a severe thunderstorm has been confirmed by the NWS. A severe thunderstorm is officially defined by the NWS as “storms that are capable of producing hail that is an inch or larger or wind gusts over 58 mph.”

Next, there is a tornado watch, which, similarly to a severe thunderstorm watch, simply means that conditions are favorable to see tornados.

The National Weather Service prediction center releases weekly weather outlooks that report on the probability of severe weather. There are five levels to the risk categories. Level 1 indicates a marginal risk, and level 5 indicates a high risk. This can be helpful when trying to determine what the risk of severe weather is for your area.

A tornado warning is issued when a tornado is indicated by radar or sighted by spotters. They usually are issued for around 30 minutes. There are multiple levels to a tornado warning. When long-lived, strong, and violent tornadoes are possible, a warning may be updated to a Particularly Dangerous Situation or PDS tornado warning.

When a tornado warning is issued for your area, you should move to an interior room on the lowest level of the building you are in. The basement is the safest place, but if you do not have a basement getting to a bathroom on that lower level is the next best option. The most important thing is to put as many walls between you and the storm as possible.

Weather expert Ryan Hall often recommends wearing a helmet to protect your head from debris. If you are sheltering in a bathroom, bringing pillows or mattresses to cover your body will help keep you safe from debris. If you live in a mobile home and are able, get to the closest and strongest shelter available. At many RV parks the bathhouse is a safe location to shelter in.

As tempting as it may be, do not stand outside to watch the storm blow in or go searching for the storm. The safest place to be during a storm is inside on the lowest floor. If you do happen to be stuck outside during a tornado and you see the storm coming towards you there are some ways to know if you are in the path of the storm or not. First, if the storm looks as though it is not moving, that means it is moving in your direction. You may be able to see the funnel cloud, but sometimes the storm is rain-wrapped, making it hard to decipher. In that case, you should look for a cloud of debris at ground level. You can also listen, as tornados often have been said to sound like a freight train. People also often report a shift in pressure as a storm passes through.

Another thing Bissell said is important when trying to be weather prepared is to make a kit.

Things to include in an Emergency Kit;
*Flashlights
*Blankets
*Battery packs and extra batteries
*Vital records
*Some money to get you through the following days if a storm hits
*Snack bars
*Small games to keep the children entertained
* Extra clothes.

He also said to make sure you have an extra pair of shoes because, according to Bissell, “These things, tornados can happen anytime day or night, let’s make sure we have some shoes in those buckets.”

He also suggested storm kits should include a noise maker, which can help alert first responders to your location in the chance that a storm does hit your home. Having something like a whistle or an air horn that can alert others to your position could be life-saving.

Bissell added, “I tell people also, be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours because that is typically how long it is going to take for those resources to start piling in.”

“Once the storm has passed over, go check on your neighbors. We’re Iowa; we do that anyway, but let’s make sure we check on our neighbors and our neighbors’ pets and make sure everyone is safe.” Bissell said.

Bissell, who works out of the Humboldt County Emergency Management Offices on Sumner Avenue. gave a tour of the space, which has been fortified to withstand an EF-5 tornado. In the event a tornado or other natural disaster were to hit the area, the office can be used for Emergency Response Operations.

He explained a little more about what his role is as Emergency Management Di-rector.

“What we will do is, we will coordinate all the resources that will come to bear on a disaster. We will work with the state, we will work with the federal resources, we will work with the local resources, to make sure that everything is happening correctly and at the time that it needs to hap-pen so that we can begin to recover from that disaster.”

Another aspect of Bissell’s role is creating plans. He created a community response plan so that officials can know what their role entails during the event of a natural disaster.

“That’s the key, is being prepared. Again, we are not going to stop the tornado, but how can we get through it?” he said.