Residents Urged to Stay Ready for Severe Weather
With the beginning of the spring storm season, emergency officials are reminding residents about the dangers of severe weather. The National Weather Service and emergency personnel are reminding residents that being prepared and being aware of developing weather and watches and warnings are the best ways to stay safe. Although severe weather seems to happen almost any month in West Tennessee severe thunderstorms and violent tornadoes are more common in March through May. Thunderstorms can produce straight-live winds that can exceed 80 miles per hour and tornadoes that can strike at a moments notice. Experts said the best way to survive a tornado is to be prepared and have immediate access to a safe shelter. “If you’ve got a disaster kit already made, then go through and check it again, update any information in it, also change out and medicines, you know prescriptions that you have listed and just go ahead and clean it up. Kind of like you do spring cleaning, get things ready to go,” said Marty Clements, director of the Madison Co. Emergency Management Agency. Emergency officials said during threatening weather be sure to monitor TV, radio and have a working NOAA Weather Radio with batteries in case you lose power.