Severe Weather

By MaryHelen Swanson
On the morning of June 18, 2001, while most people in Rush City were rubbing the sand out of their eyes and planning schedules for another summerís day, a sudden storm rushed in pelting every home and business in the area with giant hailstones.
Car hoods were pocked by the massive balls of ice, windows were smashed, roofs shattered, and trees stripped.
In a few minutes, the ravaging storm headed off toward Wisconsin leaving a town blanketed in shredded leaves and people gasping in amazement of what had just occurred. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Later that day, whirling winds formed into a tornado west of Braham in Isanti County and headed eastward, passing over the northernmost edge of Chisago County ending up in Siren, Wisc., where the twister devastated the town.
Folks in Siren, or Rush City, for that matter, wonít soon forget that frightful day.
Summer and severe weather are not strangers from frost out to first freeze. Being prepared for storms is a first step in surviving even the most dangerous of Mother Natureís outbursts.
This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week and tomorrow, Thursday, April 10, is Tornado Drill Day.
This statewide event is the time to focus on proper sheltering during severe weather.
In Chisago County, there will be two tornado drills: one at 1:45 p.m. and another at 6:55 p.m. to give people a chance to practice their sheltering plans at work, school and at home.
Each year people are confused about the severe weather warnings. To review: watches are issued when conditions are favorable for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms or flash floods and warnings are issued when severe weather has been reported or is imminent.
You should seek shelter immediately if you are in or near the path of the storm when a warning is issued.
Warnings are issued by county names.
Tornado safety information
When a tornado warning is issued for your county, if you are in the house, go to the basement. Get under a table, workbench or other sturdy furniture.
If there is no basement, go into a small interior room on the lowest floor.
Closets, bathrooms and interior halls afford the best protection. Stay away from windows.
If you are in an apartment, school or office building, move to the innermost room on the lowest level or to a pre-designated shelter area. Crouch down and protect your head from flying debris. Avoid areas with glass and large roof spans.
If you are in a mobile home or vehicle, abandon it immediately and seek a sturdy shelter or permanent structure.
Other severe weather events
Severe weather such as a thunderstorm, with high winds and hail, can also do significant damage. These storms can overturn mobile homes, tear roofs off houses and topple trees.
Hail annually causes nearly $1 billion in damage nationally. Large hailstones, such as those that fell in Rush City two years ago, can fall at speeds faster than 100 mph and have been known to kill people.
Lightning is another severe weather event that kills around 100 Americans annually, with about 300 others injured.
Other severe weather events include flash floods and heat waves.
In 2002, there were 34 tornadoes in Minnesota: 24 F0s (less than 73 miles per hour), nine F1s (73-112 mph) and 1 F2 (113-157 mph).
There were no deaths or injuries from these tornadoes.
Chisago County has recorded nine tornadoes from 1950-2002.
During Severe Weather Awareness Week, take time to review with your family, co-workers or students the steps you will take to protect yourself in the event of one of natureís wild warm weather events.

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