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Stay Safe During Monsoon Season

01 Aug 2016

If you live in the southwest, it is important to know how to stay safe during monsoon season (which officially runs from June 15 to September 30). The monsoon is a period of extreme heat that may be followed by an influx of moisture leading to daily rounds of thunderstorms.

Know weather warning terminology so you can take appropriate action during monsoon season:

  • A watch means that severe weather has not occurred yet, but weather conditions are becoming highly volatile. Pay close attention to the weather, and tune into TV, radio, or NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts frequently.
  • Warnings (Severe Thunderstorm, Flash Flood, Dust Storm, or in rare cases, Tornado) mean that life-threatening weather is about to occur, or has been reported. Take action immediately.
  • Flood Advisories mean heavy rains will cause minor flooding of washes, streams, and typical flood-prone areas. Flooding in this situation is usually not serious. If the flooding does become life threatening, then the flood advisory is upgraded to a Flash Flood Warning.

Warnings are not issued for lightning, mainly because most thunderstorms, no matter how weak, produce deadly cloud-to-ground lightning.

To stay safe during a thunderstorm follow the adage, “When thunder roars go indoors.” If you can hear thunder you are close enough to get struck by lightening – which can strike up to 15 miles away from where rain is falling. There are only two safe places to go when it is lightening – a big, grounded building and a fully-enclosed metal-topped car. Avoid contacting wiring and plumbing during a thunderstorm.

In the past 10 years, there have been 14 fatalities from lightening in Arizona. The victims were hiking, fishing, sheltering in tents or stuck on a rock outcropping. If you are going to be outside during monsoon season, know where you will seek shelter at the first sound of thunder and determine how long it will take you to get there.  Also, wait in the safe place for 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder.

Flash flooding is the #1 thunderstorm-related killer.  Most flash flood deaths occur in vehicles that are swept away by moving water. Water only one to two feet deep will carry away most vehicles. Stay away from creeks and washes that are flowing from heavy rains. Be especially careful at night when water depth and road conditions are harder to see and flowing water is harder to judge.

Other monsoon related hazards are downburst winds, dust storms and wildfire.

To learn more, go to http://monsoonsafety.org/

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