Weather Experts Give 5 Tips For Avoiding Severe Summer Weather Hazards

How can people and businesses best prepare for summer weather? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Answer by WeatherWorks, Your Weather Experts for over 35 Years, on Quora:

Summer is fast approaching, and with it comes unique weather threats. Whether you’re part of a business or not, it’s important to know some basic information on what you can do to prepare for summer weather extremes. Here are some weather hazards to look out for:

1. Heat: This may seem like an obvious one, but the heat is no joke! When combined with high humidity, it can be deadly. Heat waves are becoming more and more common here in the United States, so it’s important to know your risks to the heat. Make sure you drink plenty of water and limit your workload if you are outside. If you’re a business, invest in central air or cooling units for your buildings.
2. Severe Weather/Tornadoes: Thunderstorms can occur all year, but they are more likely to turn strong to severe in the summer time months. The heat and humidity are the culprits to their strength. Make sure you keep tabs to your local weather forecast and heed any watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service. If you are under a Thunderstorm or Tornado warning, make sure you seek shelter away from any windows and hold tight until the storm passes.
3. Lightning: In addition to severe weather, lightning is one of the more dangerous aspects to thunderstorms. While the statistics still say you are very unlikely to get struck, lightning kills 20 people each year. Don’t become part of that statistic. When thunder roars, head indoors and stay away from windows. Avoid any metallic surface and don’t come into contact with any indoor plumbing.
4. Flooding: Thunderstorms are notorious for dropping heavy rain, but slower moving ones can lead to areas picking up large quantities of rainfall in a short amount of time. These cause what are known as “flash floods”. They sneak up on people and can lead to flooded roads and overflowing streams/creeks. Just 6″ of standing water can knock a person over, with over a foot of water having the ability to carry a small car. Make sure you also know what your risk is to flooding, whether it’s for your residence or business.
5. Tropical Weather: Hurricane Season runs from June to November and affects not just the immediate coastline of the United States. To learn more about what you can do to prepare, check out our other answer to this here.

This question originally appeared on Quora – the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.