Fall Severe Weather Awareness
By Margie Gallagher
Librarian, J. L. Boren Elementary; Mansfield, TX
Most people think that severe weather season, including tornado season, ends in
August. Not so, especially here in Texas and the other states bordering the Gulf of
Mexico. There is a secondary severe weather season
that begins in late fall. November can be a very active
month when the warm, moist, humid air rising from the
south, in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, can
combine with the cold, dry air from Canada and the
north to form severe weather and tornadoes.
Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico can also create severe
weather and tornadoes.
Scientists do not know exactly why tornadoes form, but they do know that most
tornadoes form along a front between cool, dry air and warm, humid air. A narrow
zone of cumulonimbus or thunderstorm clouds
develop along the front called a squall line. The
violent weather produced by a squall line results
when a mass of warm, humid air rises extremely
rapidly. As the air rises, more warm air rushes in
to replace it. This rushing air also rises and, in
some cases, begins to rotate. The rotating air then
forms into a tornado.
Severe thunderstorms sometimes with tornadoes are
only one form of severe weather we experience in the
fall in the US. This is the time of year that we see early
season snowfalls that can sometimes be very wet and
heavy causing damage, closing schools and knocking
down power lines.
When severe weather strikes, you must be prepared. Your local weather service will
issue watches if weather conditions are present that may become severe or
warnings when severe weather is imminent.
www.WeatherBugSchools.com
You can use WeatherBug Achieve to track severe
weather watches and warnings. The Storm Display
tool displays weather watches and warnings for your
area or the entire US.
Students can use knowledge of the counties in the
area to determine if there is a warning or watch that
could affect the area.
Find a state with a weather warning or watch.
1. How many counties in that state currently have weather watches, warnings,
or advisories issued? ______________
2. If watches, warnings or advisories have been issued, list 3 of the counties and
the advisory.
County: ___________________ Advisory: _______________________
County: ___________________ Advisory: _______________________
County: ___________________ Advisory: _______________________
3. Name the states that border the state you have chosen.
4. What is the western most county in the state you chose? _____________
Extra!!!
If you were going to drive from your own state to the state you chose, how many
states would you have to drive through to get there? Chose the most direct route
with the least number of states
You need to be familiar with the counties in your area to know if severe weather is
approaching. Use a local map or go to the following website to find maps of the
counties in your state:
http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/count
ies/usamap.cfm
www.WeatherBugSchools.com