SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — It is severe weather awareness week in South Dakota and Minnesota.
One way you can be prepared for this type of weather is by knowing the risk for your area.
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Meteorologist Jaelyn Borresen explains a tool used to keep people informed on severe weather threats.
It won’t be long before we start to see more frequent thunderstorm activity in KELOLAND.When that happens we will be keeping a close eye on the severe thunderstorm outlook.
You’ve probably seen these maps before. The Storm Prediction Center, which is part of the National Weather Service, issues these outlooks eight days in advance and updates them frequently.
It can serve as a heads up to where the potential for severe weather is and the intensity of it. These outlooks are color-coded and divided into categories, from general thunderstorms to a high risk.
The criteria that’s considered includes wind gusts above 58 mph, hail at least 1 inch in diameter, and a risk for tornadoes. Not only are the risk levels about how the strength of the thunderstorms, but also how widespread the event could be.
Isolated and brief severe thunderstorms are usually associated with a marginal risk and the intensity after that category grows.
A high-risk event is only issued a handful of days each year, meaning a severe weather outbreak is likely with destructive hazards.
No matter the risk, it is always a good thing to stay weather-aware as every storm is different.
We will continue to stay quiet over this next week in KELOLAND, but it is never too early to start preparing your safety plan so that you can take action when severe weather strikes.
