Take 5 To Prepare

Join NewsChannel 5's First Alert Weather team and the National Weather Service on Saturday, February 23rd for Take 5 to Prepare in partnership with Lane House Construction!

The workshop begins at 10:00 a.m. in the Exploradome at the St. Louis Science Center. Admission to this special event is free! Those attending will have a chance to win a NOAA Weather Radio from Midland Weather Radio.

Special guest, Melodee Colbert Kean, the Mayor of Joplin, Missouri shares her firsthand account of the power, the force and the toll severe weather can take on communities and how important it is for you to prepare.

The workshop includes special video presentations from NewsChannel 5's First Alert Weather Team of Meteorologists - Cindy Preszler, Mike Roberts, Scott Connell, Bree Smith and Chester Lampkin.

Other special guests include Jim Kramper and Wes Browning from the National Weather Service and Bruce Thomas, President of Midland Weather Radio.

Are St. Louis storm sirens working?

10:51 PM, Apr 17, 2013

After last week's storms, NewsChannel 5 heard complaints from some St. Louis residents that warning sirens never went off.

• St. Louis County adds tornado sirens, tweaks test
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  Take 5 to prepare: Where do you get your weather information?
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  Take 5 to prepare: Severe weather kit
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  Take 5 to prepare: Tornado safety in your car
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  Take 5 to prepare: Tornado safety at home
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  Take 5 to prepare: How are severe weather warnings issued?

How to Keep Safe During Severe Weather (pdf)

Go to the lowest interior level

Stay away from windows and exterior walls

Bring a cushion or large pillow to shield yourself from debris

Have your severe weather kit already in your safe place...shoes, helmet, flashlight & batteries, NOAA Weather Radio & batteries, cell phone, and gloves.

Get inside a sturdy structure

Go to the lowest level

Stay away from windows & doors

Move vehicles into a garage

Avoid traveling...pull over if necessary

Go inside an enclosed structure

Stay inside a hard topped all-metal vehicle

Get out of the water

Do not use electrical appliances

Stay off hard line phones

Never drive into a flooded area

Turn Around! Don't Drown!

Avoid camping along small rivers or streams when heavy rain is forecast

6 inches of swiftly flowing water can knock a person over

2 feet of water will make most vehicles float

Large Hail
Severe thunderstorms often produce large hail. Such hail has been known to damage vehicles, crops and roofs. By large, the National Weather Service looks for hail that is at least the size of a penny...or 3/4 inch in diameter.

Damaging Winds
Severe thunderstorms also produce damaging winds on occasion. These winds have downed trees, large tree limbs and power lines. Some structural damage has also resulted. Wind speeds of 58 mph or greater are considered severe.

Tornadoes
Not surprisingly, tornadoes (whether they cause damage or not) are considered severe.

Tornado Watches: Watches imply that the weather threat in question is possible. Forecasters have determined that the threat may occur given trends shown by the latest data. Watches are usually broad in scope.

Tornado Warnings: Warnings imply that the severe weather threat in question is imminent. Forecasters have determined that the threat will occur given trends shown by the latest data. Warnings are narrow in scope, and issued on a county by county basis.

How do you receive watches and warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS)? The NWS has its own radio network with weather information presented 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOAA Weather Radio is considered the voice of the National Weather Service.  You can also sign up for weather alerts from KSDK.com.