What to do when bad weather strikes

Weather-related natural disasters carry with them the threat of damage to personal safety and property. We can’t always avoid injuries or property loss when disaster strikes. But understanding the dangers of different weather-related threats and knowing how to be prepared can help minimize the damage.

HURRICANES/TROPICAL CYCLONES

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, with the peak season along the Atlantic coast from mid-August through October. The destructive power of tropical cyclones (including hurricanes, tropical storms and tropical depressions) comes from high wind speeds that can rip structures apart and hurl debris with damaging force, storm surges that can travel several miles inland along waterways, torrential rains, flooding, and tornadoes. Loss of power and water during storms can extend the impact of the catastrophe.

Before the storm:

  • Start paying close attention to the weather when you hear that your region is under a watch for a tropical storm, hurricane or storm surge. It means there is a strong possibility for these events in your area, and you need to be on alert for updates from local officials, including any orders to evacuate.
  • If warnings are issued for tropical cyclone conditions in your area, extreme weather is expected within 36 hours, and you need to be prepared to evacuate immediately, if instructed to do so.
  • Know your evacuation zone. SCEMD’s Know Your Zone campaign encourages S.C. residents, especially those in low-lying or coastal regions, to identify their evacuation zones and routes in advance of a disaster and to stay tuned for alerts when evacuation is necessary.
  • Your emergency preparations may need to include filling your car’s gas tank, boarding up windows, anchoring or storing outdoor objects that could become projectiles, charging cell phones, having a TV or radio tuned to weather updates, bookmarking emergency information websites on the computer, and filling containers with fresh water.
  • Have your storm kit stocked and ready. Make sure family members are aware of evacuation plans.
  • For more information, download SCEMD's Hurricane Guide.

If you must evacuate:

  • Know your destination and evacuation route. Determine where you will shelter before you get on the road. Make sure a close friend or family member has this information.
  • Leave in plenty of time before the storm. There will be extra traffic on the roads.
  • Before you leave the house, turn off electricity, gas and water.
  • Keep alert on the road to emergency weather updates and SCEMD resources.
  • Make sure pets are accounted for or properly sheltered.
  • Carry important documents with you, including insurance policies and contact information for your insurance agent. See a checklist in Build your own storm kit.

If you are sheltering at home:

  • Stay indoors and away from windows and glass doors.
  • Use a battery-powered radio to stay tuned in to weather updates and emergency notifications.
  • Turn your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings, and do not open them unless necessary. This will keep food colder if the power goes out.
  • Unplug other electric appliances and electronic devices, including heating and air conditioning systems, TVs, computers and microwave ovens.

After the storm:

  • Don’t return home until you have been informed by local authorities that it is safe to do so.
  • Plan to travel and arrive home during daylight hours, so you can steer clear of road debris, downed power lines and flooded areas.
  • Be alert to dangers. Stay away from downed power lines and poles—and anything in contact with them—because they may be energized. Don’t drive or walk through floodwaters, which may also be electrically charged or contain hidden debris or uneven ground. If you smell gas, stay out of the house and notify authorities.
  • Be cautious with electricity. Don’t use water-damaged appliances or electrical equipment; get them checked by a qualified repair person first. If your home has been without power, wait five to 10 minutes after power is restored before turning on electric-powered items. Do not touch a fuse box with wet hands or while standing on a wet/damp surface.

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TORNADOES/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS

Prime season for severe thunderstorms, which can spawn tornadoes, is spring through summer, often during afternoon and evening hours, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Severe Storms Laboratory. But tornadoes can occur nearly anytime. South Carolina averages 11 tornadoes a year. Their powerful winds can destroy homes and cause heavy objects to become airborne. Severe storms can also threaten lives and property through lightning, hail and flash flooding.

Be prepared:

  • Identify the safest place in your home to shelter during a storm, in a low spot away from windows and doors—for example, the basement, an interior room, or below stairs on the home’s lowest level.
  • Have a battery-powered radio, with extra batteries, and your storm kit handy.
  • Minimize property damage by removing diseased or damaged tree limbs before high winds occur. Likewise, secure lawn furniture, trash cans, patio plants and other objects that can be picked up by strong winds.
  • Know the warning signs. Tornadoes are often, but not always, preceded by a dark, greenish sky; hail; a dark, low-lying, possibly rotating cloud; and a loud roar, like a freight train or jet engine. Be alert to weather forecasts and warnings that indicate storms or tornadoes are possible.

During a storm:

  • Stay tuned to local news or National Weather Service alerts for updates. A watch will be issued if conditions are right for the development of tornadoes or severe storms. A warning means a tornado has been spotted or a storm has been detected on radar for your area.
  • Stay indoors. There is no safe outdoor space during a tornado or severe thunderstorm. Open-sided structures or vehicles are likewise unsafe. If you are in a mobile home, find a sturdier shelter or move to a closed vehicle. Postpone outdoor activities until the threat has passed. Remain indoors for 30 minutes after the last thunderclap to ensure safety from lightning strikes.
  • Bring pets indoors or under shelter.
  • If you cannot find shelter, avoid high ground, water, metal and trees, and do not stand close to others. Stay low, in a crouched position with your head tucked, and cover your ears, but do not lie flat on the ground.
  • Unplug electronics, and do not use any electrical items or landline phones that can carry power surges.
  • Avoid water, including plumbing fixtures.
  • If you are driving during a severe storm, turn on emergency flashers, and try to find a safe place to exit and park until the storm passes. Stay in the vehicle. Do not use electronic devices or touch any metal surfaces if there is lightning.

After a storm:

  • Stay away from downed power lines or flooded areas where power lines may be submerged. Report them to your local utility immediately.
  • Do not use any wet electrical equipment, indoors or outdoors. Water damage to these items can create the possibility of shock or fire hazard.

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FLOODS

Floods, the most common weather-related natural disasters, are responsible for more U.S. deaths each year than hurricanes, tornadoes or lightning, according to the NOAA. Flooding may occur during heavy rains, during coastal storm surges or when dams break. Flash floods are particularly dangerous, because they bring rapidly rising waters with little or no warning. Flooded roads are among the most lethal dangers, when drivers attempt to drive through them.

Be prepared:

  • Know whether your property is in a high-risk flood zone, and consider flood insurance to protect your home and belongings.
  • Keep a prepared storm kit on hand in case of a flooding emergency.

In the event of flooding:

  • Stay tuned to local news or weather bulletins for updates. Follow any safety precautions recommended by your public safety officials, particularly advisories for staying away from flooded areas and not driving.
  • Never walk or drive through floodwaters. Just a few inches of fast-moving water can knock a pedestrian off his feet; two feet of floodwaters can easily move a vehicle, taking it out of the driver’s control.
  • Exercise caution around flooded areas, indoors or out. Submerged electrical outlets or cords indoors, as well as power lines outdoors, can mean waters are energized and pose the threat of electrocution.
  • Any electrical equipment or appliances that get wet should not be used until they have been checked by a qualified repair person. Items that were completely submerged should be replaced. Water damage to electrical parts can cause shocks or fires. If floodwaters have risen above your home’s electrical outlets, have a licensed electrician check the wiring before turning on your circuit breaker.
  • Flooding can persist for several days after a storm has ended. Continue to use caution.
  • Do not consume any foods or beverages that have been in contact with floodwaters. Visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website for resources for consumers with detailed instructions on when and how you can save undamaged food packages and cooking implements that are exposed to floodwaters. Read more at Food safety tips during a power outage. 

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ICE/SNOW STORMS

At the least, snow, sleet, freezing rain and ice create inconveniences. At their worst, they create dangers including traffic accidents on icy roads, hypothermia from exposure to cold, and carbon-monoxide poisoning from improper use of generators. If winter storms are severe enough to cause power outages, residents can take precautions to stay as safe as possible while utility crews work to get the power back on.

  • Be prepared ahead of the storm with nonperishable food and stored water to last for several days, in case you lose power. Foods that don’t need to be cooked and are good to have on hand include canned goods, crackers, cereal, dried fruits and peanut butter. Make sure you have enough baby food and pet food as well.
  • Keep away from power lines that may be downed from a build-up of heavy snow and ice. Even downed, they may be energized and dangerous. Report them to your local utility immediately. 
  • Notify your electric cooperative immediately if you experience an outage. Many electric cooperatives have a dedicated phone number for outage reports and web pages with maps that show current power outages. 
  • Avoid travel during the storm. If it is essential for you to be on the road, carry a storm kit with you.
  • Be safe with alternate heating sources while your power is out. Don’t leave fireplaces or wood stoves unattended while fires are burning. If you use a generator, be sure you know how to operate it safely, and never use it indoors. 

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GENERAL STORM SAFETY:

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Sources: The National Severe Storms Laboratory, the National Weather Service, Department of Homeland Security’s Ready.gov, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association