Prepare now for severe weather (it doesn't take too long)

Dalhart Weather Review
(Mar 17 - Mar 30)
by Aaron Graves
 

Storm clouds hang over Dalhart. Are you ready for severe weather season?

Spring has sprung! Officially, it began back on March 20. Lawns around town are turning various
shades of green. Red-winged blackbirds can be heard at the lake, and a group of pelicans were spotted a week ago. Temperatures have been mild, generally in the 60's for the last half of March, with a few 80 degree days thrown in here and there for good measure. 

Unfortunately, March seems to have left us high and dry. We picked up another 0.06" of rain from some light showers back on March 19, which brought March's precipitation total to 0.08".  Thus, the month ended 1.09" below normal. However, our year-to-date precipitation total is 3.39", which is 1.30" above normal. Hopeful April will bring us more rain.

Of course, that rain usually comes with thunderstorms, which have been known to produce damaging winds, large hail, and the occasional tornado to Dallam and Hartley counties. Thus, now is a good time to prepare for severe weather, and it will only take a few minutes to do so. 

In 2010, this tornado touched down after dark north of Conlen.

Preparing involves two things: 1) have a way to receive storm warnings, and 2) decide now where you will go and what you will do in case things get bad. This is important. If you live in a mobile home, or you feel like your house has no safe area to take shelter in, then you need to know where to go, and you need to be there before the storms arrive.

What is the best way to receive a severe weather warning? The National Weather Service says you should have more than one way. For example, don't depend just on the outdoor tornado sirens. You may not be within earshot of them, or the storm might have knocked out the power.

If you live in southern Hartley county - around the Channing area - you might be within range of the NOAA Weather Radio signal that originates from the NWS office in Amarillo. If so, make sure your NOAA weather radio weather is plugged in and has a fresh set of back-up batteries in it.

All residents in the Texas panhandle can sign up for text message and e-mail alerts at www.r2beready.com. The nice thing about this system is that you don't have to have a smart phone to use it, just a phone that can receive text messages. The web address will take you to the Panhandle Area Regional Information System (PARIS) website. From there, click on the Resolve To Be Ready icon on the left side of the screen. Last year, I wrote a blog post walking you through the sign up process, which you can read here:

There are smart phone apps that will alert you to severe weather. For example, the Red Cross has a free app available to iPhone and Android users. Weather Radio by WDT - the makers of Radar Scope - costs $5 on the Apple store and is said to be one of the best apps on the market. Other apps I have used for weather warnings were reviewed in this blog post here:

A tornado warning will do you no good, however, if you are don't know where to take shelter. It is important to decide ahead of time where you will go if you find yourself in the path of a dangerous storm. The Storm Prediction Center offers these tips:

In a well built house, go to the basement and under some kind of sturdy protection. In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: go to the lowest floor, a small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stairwell, or in an interior hallway with no windows.

In a mobile home: Get out! Know ahead of time where the nearest shelter or sturdy building is, and be there before the storms arrive.

In an office building, hospital, nursing home, gymnasium, movie theater: go to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building,away from glass and on the lowest floor possible. 

At school: Follow the drill.

In a car or truck: There is no safe option. Safely park out of the roadway and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If that is not possible, and the tornado is far enough away, drive out of its path. If the tornado is too close and you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, leave your car and lie in that area. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges.

Again, it will only take a few minutes to download an app and decide where to take shelter. But those few minutes could end up saving your life. 


High and low temps the past two weeks

Mar 17: 55, 39
Mar 18: 64, 39
Mar 19: 52, 43
Mar 20: 62, 40
Mar 21: 69, 34
Mar 22: 81, 35
Mar 23: 77, 39
Mar 24: 75, 39
Mar 25: 65, 38
Mar 26: 67, 30
Mar 27: 72, 33
Mar 28: 84, 39
Mar 29: 73, 43
Mar 30: 80, 42