Panic button?

Question

so yea i live in central illinois and i don't know if any of you watch the weather channel but were getting pounded with storms right now. weve already had two tornadoes come through today and storm cell number two or three is here and im starting to get worried about my saftey, i don't really need and answers to any questions i just am really freaked out and am making myself paranoid and could use some calming down. its sad but im 19

Answer 1

I live in Southern Wisconsin, and there is a tornado going on right now about 20 miles away, I'm 14, and I'm home alone.  Don't worry, just check the radar periodically to see where the cell is headed.  If the weather starts to get real bad, then just get to a basement or storm cellar.

Answer 2

i live in illinois is your area effected by it i live in the south suburbs and really isnt close to it just be safe an know all the safety precautions maybe you should go to a friend or relatives house for a few days

Answer 3

Just have faith:]

and make sure you do a little praying

and know the proper

precautions if a tornado warning is issued"DD

i think the safest place to be would be in a basement or bathroom in the tubb with a conforter or mattress abouve you

if you are in a mobile home it is safer to go outside away from stuff and lay flat on the ground"]

hope i helped

Answer 4

its not sad i seen 30 years pulling there haie out over it for real,any way i will give u some tipsIn the United States, "tornado season" generally is in the spring when tornadoes are more prevalent from April through July, with May and June being the peak months. But like thunderstorms, tornadoes can form any time of the year.

The area in which tornadoes are most prevalent is known as "tornado alley," typically defined the region from Texas north to Nebraska. But, of course, tornadoes can and do occur in every state in the country.

For accurate and timely storm updates in your area, watch The Weather Channel, check for severe weather alerts, listen to NOAA Weather Radio, or get free severe weather alerts on your phone and in your email from The Weather Channel.

Slideshow: Tornado and severe thunderstorm watches and warnings



Tornado Watches and Warnings

Two key alerts relate specifically to tornado conditions.

Tornado Watch - Conditions are conducive to the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area.

Tornado Warning - A tornado has actually been sighted by spotters or indicated on radar and is occurring or imminent in the warning area.

In addition, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes, or cause damage of their own from wind gusts of 58 mph or greater and/or hail 3/4-inch in diameter or larger.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch - Conditions are conducive to the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning - A severe thunderstorm has actually been observed by spotters or indicated on radar, and is occurring or imminent in the warning area.

While tornadoes can still occur without a watch or warning being in effect, advances in the science and technology have greatly increased the ability of meteorologists to provide advance notice of them.

It is difficult to generalize the clues that portend tornadoes, and even potentially dangerous, because people looking for given conditions may be led to a false sense of security when these conditions are not present.

Tornado Facts

A tornado may be in close proximity to sunshine, or it may be totally enshrouded in heavy rain.

Sometimes the air before a twister hits is eerily calm; in other cases strong, gusty winds are followed by a tornado.

Large hail and tornadoes can be produced by the same thunderstorm. However, many hailstorms are not accompanied by tornadoes, and vice versa.

While many tornadoes move from a southwest direction, they can also travel from other directions such as west or northwest.

Twisters can take a variety of not only sizes but also shapes: from the traditional Wizard-of-Oz-like funnel, to snake-like "multiple vortices," from a drawn-out rope shape to a wide, churning, "smoky" appearance.

The sound of a tornado has been likened to that of a freight train or a jet engine, but there is no guarantee that you will hear such a noise before it's too late. Do you know if you live in a lightning-prone area?

Check the incidence of thunderstorms in your area by contacting an expert source. Check the business listing of your white pages.

For current conditions, watch The Weather Channel. Or check the severe weather alerts or the thunderstorm forecast map.



Do you know what a Severe Thunderstorm Watch or Warning means?

Anticipating Lightning

Lightning always accompanies thunderstorms, so your first line of defense is to keep an eye and ear to the sky.

Stu Ostro, a Senior Weather Specialist at The Weather Channel and WeatherReady's expert resource for meteorological science, urges an awareness of the swiftness with which thunderstorms can develop, and of lightning's capricious nature.

Equate thunder with lightning, even if lightning is not visible where you are. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Even if you can't hear thunder, you might nonetheless be at risk. The first bolts from a towering cloud overhead can catch you by surprise, and so-called "bolts from the blue" can extend way out from the edge of a thunderstorm and strike a point well away from where most of the thunder and lightning is occurring.

How Close Is The Lightning?

You can do a rough calculation this way: When you see the flash, begin to count the seconds until you hear the thunder. Divide this number by 5. The number you get is the approximate distance of the lightning in miles.

For example, if you count nine seconds between the flash and the thunder, the lightning struck just under two miles away.

How Will You Be Warned?

There are no watches or warnings issued for lightning per se.

Though severe thunderstorms can certainly contain a lot of lightning, not all of them do, and many thunderstorms laden with lightning occur without being designated "severe" and without any watches or warnings in effect.

Severe thunderstorms are defined as those which produce hail 3/4" in diameter or larger, wind gusts 58 mph or greater, and/or tornadoes. (Please see the Tornado section for more information.)

Severe Thunderstorm Watch - Conditions are conducive to the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning - A severe thunderstorm has actually been observed by spotters or indicated on radar, and is occurring or imminent in the warning area.

In lieu of official lightning warnings and watches, you can keep your own vigilant watch, both on the sky and the forecast.

Keep alert for thunder and lightning, and for signs that can be (though aren't always) associated with thunderstorms, such as darkening clouds and sudden wind shifts.

Tune into The Weather Channel and watch your local forecast on the 8's of every hour for updates for your area. You can also consult the NOAA Weather Radio for the latest storm updates.

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*NOTE*

I PRAYED FOR U SO I HOPE U IS OK

Answer 5

It's not sad. Everything will be ok. I am not sure if I am "qualified" to calm you down, because I live in Australia - but are there any things you can do to prepare? That might help you, if you prepare and have things you can take with you if you, you might not panic as much.

Answer 6

Tegan K is right. I live in South Central Kansas, so I understand exactly what you are going through. You want to have a workable plan. Have a safe place to go, and have supplies already stocked in that safe place. In the last 3 years, this is the first year I have actually been ready, and it is amazing how much better I feel about every storm that comes our way. If you would like more information about how to be prepared, I would be happy to help, just email me at [e-mail]. This is a stage name not a real one.