email:  ckoplien@todaystmj4.com

Today is the Day 2 of Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin.  All week I'll be posting important information here on the blog that you can use to help keep your family safe.



...TORNADO AND SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IS APRIL 21-25...

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...TORNADO BASICS...
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...TORNADOES IN GENERAL...
TORNADOES ARE ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL AND VIOLENT STORMS THAT
NATURE CAN PRODUCE.  THEY COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND CAN OCCUR
IN EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY...ON ANY DAY OF THE YEAR...AND AT ANY
HOUR OF THE DAY.  HOWEVER...ONE THING THAT ALL TORNADOES HAVE IN
COMMON IS THAT THEY CAN BE A DIRECT THREAT TO YOUR SAFETY.

...DEFINITION OF A TORNADO...
A TORNADO BY DEFINITION IS A VIOLENTLY ROTATING COLUMN OF AIR THAT
EXTENDS FROM THE BASE OF A CONVECTIVE CLOUD DOWN TO THE GROUND.
THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE A VISIBLE CONDENSATION FUNNEL INSIDE THE
TORNADO. IN OTHER WORDS...THE SO-CALLED CONDENSATION FUNNEL IS NOT
THE TORNADO.

     ...FOR MANY YEARS IT WAS ASSUMED THAT MOST TORNADOES DEVELOP
        DOWNWARD FROM THE CLOUD BASE TO THE GROUND. RECENT RESEARCH
        AND EYEWITNESS REPORTS INDICATE TORNADOES CAN ACTUALLY SPIN
        UP BELOW THE CLOUD BASE. IN OTHER WORDS...THE CONDENSATION
        FUNNEL...IF PRESENT AT ALL...DOES NOT HAVE TO TOUCH THE
        GROUND IN ORDER TO HAVE A TORNADO. THE NEARLY INVISIBLE
        TORNADO MAY SPIN UP BEFORE THERE IS A VISIBLE CONDENSATION
        FUNNEL.

     ...FREQUENTLY...DIRT AND DEBRIS VIOLENTLY ROTATING AT THE
        GROUND LEVEL ALONG WITH CLOUD-BASE ROTATION ABOVE...IS A
        GOOD CONFIRMATION OF A TORNADO.

...WISCONSIN TORNADO STATISTICS...
IN WISCONSIN THE PEAK TORNADO SEASON IS MAY THROUGH AUGUST. TORNADOES
CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY.

     ...THE PEAK HOURS OF OCCURRENCE IN WISCONSIN ARE BETWEEN
        2 PM AND 10 PM.

     ...THE PEAK HOUR FOR TORNADO INITIATION IN WISCONSIN IS
        BETWEEN 6 AND 7 PM.

     ...ON AVERAGE...WISCONSIN SEES 21 TORNADOES A YEAR...BASED ON
        THE PERIOD OF 1971-2000.

     ...ON AVERAGE...WISCONSIN HAS AN AVERAGE OF 1 FATALITY EACH YEAR
        DUE TO TORNADO-RELATED INJURIES.

     ...FOR THE PERIOD OF 1982-2008...THE AVERAGE WISCONSIN TORNADO
        LASTED ABOUT 7.1 MINUTES...HAD A PATH LENGTH OF ABOUT 3.7
        MILES...HAD A PATH WIDTH OF ABOUT 118 YARDS...AND HAD AN
        AVERAGE FUJITA-SCALE STRENGTH OF 0.7 /ALMOST F1/.

...TORNADO SAFETY TIPS...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECOMMENDS TAKING SHELTER IN A PERMANENT
STRUCTURE/S INTERIOR HALLWAY...BATHROOM...OR CLOSET ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR.  PUT AS MANY WALLS BETWEEN YOU AND THE OUTSIDE OF THE
BUILDING.

     ...IF AVAILABLE...A BASEMENT IS THE BEST CHOICE TO TAKE COVER.
        AUDITORIUMS...OR OTHER STRUCTURES WITH LARGE UNSUPPORTED
        ROOFS...OR AREAS WITH WINDOWS SHOULD BE AVOIDED. IN LAST
        MINUTE SITUATIONS A DESK MAY USED FOR COVER.

     ...THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE BASEMENT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE
        SAFEST PLACE...BECAUSE LARGE OBJECTS SUCH AS CARS AND TRUCKS
        CAN BE DEPOSITED INTO BASEMENTS. YOU NEED SOMETHING STURDY
        OVERHEAD...SUCH AS AN I-BEAM.  ANOTHER OPTION IN THE BASEMENT
        IS TO GET UNDERNEATH A HEAVY DESK OR TABLE...OR THE
        STAIRCASE.

     ...IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE IN THE OPEN DURING A TORNADO...LIE
        FLAT AND COVER YOUR HEAD.  IF YOU CAN...WRAP A COVERING
        AROUND EXPOSED PORTIONS OF YOUR BODY.

     ...ANY DEBRIS DRIVEN BY TORNADO-STRENGTH WINDS HAS THE POTENTIAL
        TO CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY.  DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS HAVE DISCOVERED
        AMAZING EVENTS SUCH AS STRAW BEING THROWN THROUGH A CAR DOOR.
        DEBRIS ALSO TENDS TO COLLECT IN DITCHES AND RAVINES WHICH CAN
        FLOOD DUE TO RAIN...SO BE WARY OF DITCHES AND RAVINES.

     ...NEVER DRIVE DIRECTLY TOWARD OR INTO THE VICINITY OF A
        TORNADO.  ANY TORNADO CAN CHANGE DIRECTION OR SPEED AND PUT
        YOU DIRECTLY IN ITS PATH. DRIVE AT RIGHT ANGLES FROM THE
        TORNADO/S PATH OR GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE AND SEEK SHELTER
        IMMEDIATELY.

     ...HIGHWAY OVER-PASSES ARE NOT THE SAFEST OUTDOOR PLACE TO BE.
        PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED WHILE HIDING UNDERNEATH AN OVER-PASS
        AS A TORNADO MOVED OVERHEAD.  INSTEAD...SEEK A STURDY SHELTER
        OR LIE FLAT ON THE GROUND AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR
        ARMS.

...MOBILE HOMES...
IF YOU LIVE IN A MOBILE HOME...YOU SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS
DURING TIMES OF POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER.  MOST MOBILE HOMES ARE NOT
SAFE IN SEVERE WEATHER...ESPECIALLY TORNADOES.

     ...THE SIZE AND CONSTRUCTION OF MOBILE HOMES MAKES THEM
        PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO OVERTURNING IN HIGH WINDS.  SOME
        PROTECTION MAY BE PROVIDED AGAINST DAMAGE BY SECURING THEM
        WITH CABLES ANCHORED IN CONCRETE FOOTINGS.

     ...YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT WHEN HIGH WINDS OR TORNADIC ACTIVITY
        ARE IMMINENT...MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE EVACUATED. THE NATIONAL
        WEATHER SERVICE ADVISES THAT IN THESE CONDITIONS YOU SHOULD
        MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO A STURDY...PERMANENT STRUCTURE.

     ...IF NO STURDY SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT ON THE GROUND
        AND COVER YOUR HEAD. ACT QUICKLY...THE MAJORITY OF TORNADO-
        RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN MOBILE HOMES.  PREPARING AHEAD OF
        TIME COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.

...STANDARD HOMES...
IN THE HOME...YOUR BEST CHOICE FOR SAFETY IS AN INTERIOR ROOM WITH
NO WINDOWS ON THE LOWER LEVEL OF YOUR HOME...PREFERABLY A BASEMENT.
IF POSSIBLE GET UNDER A STURDY TABLE OR WORK BENCH.

     ...IF A CELLAR IS NOT AVAILABLE...TAKE COVER IN AN INTERIOR
        CLOSET...HALLWAY OR BATHROOM ON THE LOWEST LEVEL OF THE
        HOUSE.

     ...SOME PEOPLE SURVIVE A TORNADO IN AN EMPTY BATHTUB WITH A
        MATTRESS OVER THEIR HEAD FOR PROTECTION.  CONTRARY TO POPULAR
        MYTHS...DO NOT OPEN DOORS OR WINDOWS BEFORE TAKING COVER. IT
        WASTES PRECIOUS TIME THAT YOU NEED TO HEAD FOR SAFETY.
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...TORNADO STATISTICS...
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IN 2007...WISCONSIN HAD 18 DOCUMENTED TORNADOES. THESE TORNADOES DID
NOT RESULT IN ANY FATALITIES...BUT DID RESULT IN 4 DIRECTLY-RELATED
INJURIES.

THERE HAVE BEEN 1356 DOCUMENTED TORNADOES IN WISCONSIN SINCE
1844...CAUSING 510 DIRECTLY-RELATED DEATHS AND AT LEAST 3001
DIRECTLY-RELATED INJURIES.  DATA PRIOR TO 1950 IS INCOMPLETE BECAUSE
IN MANY CASES...ONLY LARGE TORNADOES WERE REPORTED AND MANY RURAL
TORNADOES WENT UNDETECTED.

THE FOLLOWING ARE WISCONSIN TORNADO OCCURRENCES BY MONTH...

1844-     J   F   M   A   M   J   J   A   S   O   N   D  TOTAL
2007......1   0  18  99 218 391 285 181 124  29   6   6   1356
IN 2007...0   0   1   0   2  13   0   0   1   1   0   0     18

30 YEAR NORMAL /1971-2000/  ...21 TORNADOES PER YEAR IN WISCONSIN.

THE YEAR OF 2005 HAD THE GREATEST STATE TOTAL WITH 62 TORNADOES.
OTHER YEARLY WISCONSIN TOTALS INCLUDE...

1980...43 1981...21 1982...16 1983...31 1984...34
1985...16 1986...14 1987...16 1988...35 1989...17
1990...09 1991...10 1992...26 1993...37 1994...35
1995...07 1996...21 1997...14 1998...11 1999...11
2000...18 2001...12 2002...26 2003...14 2004...36
2005...62 2006...13 2007...18

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THE FOLLOWING ARE STATISTICS FOR THE AVERAGE TORNADO IN WISCONSIN
FROM 1950 THROUGH JANUARY 2008...

DURATION....9.8 MINUTES
LENGTH......5.5 MILES
MAX WIDTH...121 YARDS
INTENSITY...1.1 ON THE EF-SCALE

THE FOLLOWING ARE STATISTICS FOR THE AVERAGE TORNADO IN WISCONSIN
FROM 1982 THROUGH JANUARY 2008...

DURATION...7.1 MINUTES
LENGTH.....3.7 MILES
WIDTH......118 YARDS
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...WISCONSIN`S WORST TORNADO...
     NEW RICHMOND /ST. CROIX COUNTY/ TORNADO ON JUNE 12 1899...
     KILLING 117...INJURING 125...AND DESTROYING OVER 300 BUILDINGS.

...OTHER COSTLY WISCONSIN TORNADOES INCLUDE...
     OAKFIELD /FOND DU LAC COUNTY/ TORNADO ON JULY 18 1996...INJURING
     ONLY 12 WITH DAMAGE PEGGED AT 40.4 MILLION DOLLARS /1996
     DOLLARS/. IT BECAME A F5 TORNADO EAST OF OAKFIELD.

     BARNEVELD/IOWA COUNTY/ TORNADO ON JUNE 8 1984...KILLED 9 AND
     INJURING 200 WITH WITH DAMAGED PEGGED AT 40 MILLION DOLLARS
     /1984 DOLLARS/. THIS WAS AN F5 TORNADO.

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...NUMBER OF THUNDERSTORM DAYS IN WISCONSIN...
ON AVERAGE...THE NUMBER OF DAYS PER YEAR WITH THUNDERSTORMS RANGES
FROM AROUND 30 ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE TO AROUND 40 OVER
THE SOUTHWEST THIRD OF THE STATE.

...NUMBER OF TORNADO DAYS IN WISCONSIN...
IN THE TORNADO DEPARTMENT...SOUTHWESTERN WISCONSIN NEAR THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AVERAGES ABOUT 1 DAY PER YEAR WITH A TORNADO. THIS
AVERAGE DECREASES DOWN TO 0.7 DAYS PER YEAR FOR THE MADISON AREA...
0.6 TORNADO DAYS PER YEAR FOR MILWAUKEE AREA...0.4 DAYS PER YEAR
FOR THE GREEN BAY AREA...AND 0.2 TORNADO DAYS PER YEAR FOR NORTHERN
WISCONSIN.

...NUMBER OF WARNINGS PER YEAR IN WISCONSIN...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES THAT SERVICE WISCONSIN ISSUE...ON
AVERAGE...ONLY 1 TO 2 TORNADO WARNINGS AND 5 TO 10 SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS PER COUNTY PER YEAR FOR THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES.
THE AVERAGES ARE LESS FOR NORTHERN WISCONSIN COUNTIES.

...NUMBER OF WATCHES PER YEAR IN WISCONSIN...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WISCONSIN ISSUES ON AVERAGE ABOUT
30 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES PER YEAR THAT COVER AT LEAST SOME PART
OF WISCONSIN. THE NUMBER FOR TORNADO WATCHES IN WISCONSIN IS ABOUT
10 PER YEAR.

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THE U.S. NATIONAL AVERAGES FOR THE PERIOD 1982-2007...
     ...1090 TORNADOES PER YEAR
     ...56 DEATHS PER YEAR
     ...21 KILLER TORNADOES PER YEAR

YEAR-BY-YEAR BREAKDOWN FOR U.S. FOR 1982-2007 FOLLOWS...

    YEAR        TORNADOES         DEATHS           KILLER TORNADOES
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    1982          1047               64                   31
    1983           812               34                   26
    1984           907              122                   33
    1985           684               94                   20
    1986           713               15                   11
    1987           656               59                   14
    1988           698               32                   19
    1989           856               50                   13
    1990          1133               53                   17
    1991          1127               39                   15
    1992          1297               39                   16
    1993          1173               33                   16
    1994          1085               68                   23
    1995          1234               29                   14
    1996          1173               25                   13
    1997          1148               67                   22
    1998          1417              130                   33
    1999          1300               95                   29
    2000          1071               40                   14
    2001          1216               40                   23
    2002           941               55                   28
    2003          1376               54                   23
    2004          1819               36                   20
    2005          1264               38                   13
    2006          1106               67                   25
    2007          1095               81                   26

       /TOTAL OF 1819 IN 2004 IS AN ALL-TIME YEARLY RECORD/

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TORNADOES...PLEASE REFER TO:

HTTP://SPC.NOAA.GOV/FAQ/TORNADO/PAGELIST.HTM        /ALL LOWER CASE/

FOR ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION...UP TO DATE FORECASTS...
AND ANY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES PLEASE VISIT:

HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MILWAUKEE                    /ALL LOWER CASE/