Weather and Emergencies
Preparation, Response and
Recovery
OSBIE 2015 Risk Management Seminar
Geoff Coulson
Warning Preparedness Meteorologist
October 29, 2015
Contents
• Recent Notable Weather
– December 2010 Intense Snow Squalls in Lambton/Middlesex
Counties
– August 2011 Goderich Tornado
– July 2013 Toronto/August 2014 Burlington Flash Floods
– December 2013 Ice Storm in Southern Ontario
• What’s in Store in the Coming Decades
• Staying on Top of the Weather
• Weather Safety
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Ontario has always experienced 4
full seasons of weather
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Images from Ontario Travel Blog, CBC, Where.ca, Toronto Sun, Sarah Dea Photography
December 13-14, 2010 Intense Snow
Squalls East of Sarnia
Tweet:
LambtonMall: Snow squall warnings continue Environment Canada says a snow squall warning
continues today for Sarnia, Petrolia, ...
http://ow.ly/1arHMc
Sarnia, ON
Dec 14, 2010 08:25 AM EST
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Goderich F3 Tornado – Aug 21 2011
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2011 Goderich F3
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July 2013 Toronto/August 2014
Burlington Flash Floods
Images from Cody
Law,
O.Canada.com,
CBC,
Lexikubrak.com
Toronto Star
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December 2013 Ice Storm Southern Ontario
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Ice Accretion
15
10-20 cm SNOW/IP
20
4
30
20
20-30 25
15-25 24.8
20
27.7
30-50 mm RAIN
Ice Accretion in mm
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What’s in Store in the Coming Decades?
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Cold Winter? What happened to
Global Warming/Climate Change?
• Climatologists study past trends and forecast future ones
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•
•
that stretch over decades
Still lots of potential for big variations from year to year
and season to season
Changes are global (i.e. Cold Winter in Prairies/Ontario
but milder winter in B.C./Yukon/Alaska)
Long-term trends become apparent when many years
are studied
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Winter 2014-15 warmest globally…but not
so much here in Eastern North America…
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Temperature
• Average temperatures in Canada up 1.5 deg C since
•
•
•
•
1950...greatest warming in the North and during winter
and spring
Increase in annual/seasonal temperature
Increase in number of hot days (T >= 32 Deg C) and heat
waves
Increase in number of heat-related mortalities
Decrease in number of extreme cold days
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Precipitation
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•
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•
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Canada has become generally wetter in recent decades
Increase in intensity and frequency of heavy rainfalls
Increase in frequency and severity of drought
More precipitation in the form of rain/freezing rain as
opposed to snow during the winter
Greater chance of “ice storm” type events
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More Extremes?
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•
•
•
Thunderstorms?
Tornadoes?
Blizzards?
Windstorms?
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Staying on top of the Weather
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Ontario Storm Prediction Centre
• Responsible for Weather Program across Ontario
• Operates 24/7
• One of 7 Weather Centres in Canada
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Short-Fuse vs. Longer Lead Time
Short-Fuse…perhaps minutes…
Longer lead time…perhaps hours
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EC Messages
• Special Weather Statement
– Interesting, noteworthy, some possible impacts
• Advisory
– Impacts likely (frost, fog, blowing snow)
• Watch
– Potential for significant weather/impacts
• Warning
– Significant weather/impacts likely
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ECAlertMe – Email Weather Alerts
• User-configurable program to receive emails of severe
•
•
weather watches/warnings
Can decide to only receive first warning and last
warning…reduce avalanche of messages
https://ecalertme.weather.gc.ca
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Weatheradio
• Continuous broadcast of weather info
• Line of sight broadcast…trees, hills may
•
•
•
disrupt signal
Standby mode
Tone Alert when
Warnings issued
Specific Area MEessaging – SAME Get the Warnings for YOUR area
Special frequencies…so require a
special receiver
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Google Public Alerts
• Environment Canada now using Common Alerting
•
•
Protocol (CAP) format for all of our weather warnings
This will allow more 3rd parties to receive and display our
warnings along with American warnings
Google one of the first companies to take advantage on
their Google Public Alert site at…
– http://www.google.org/publicalerts
• In the U.S. many alert types available (i.e. Presidential
Warnings, Amber Alerts, Missing Persons etc..)
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Warnings Through Twitter and ATOM on
Weather.gc.ca
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Alert Ready
• CRTC ruling earlier this year that broadcast media must
•
•
immediately send out alerts to the public related to
threats that pose an imminent threat to life or property
In addition to Alerts that are related to weather (i.e.
tornado, severe thunderstorm, flash flood), Alerts related
to widespread fires, biological hazards, hazardous
material spills/releases etc...could also be sent out
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/public-alerts/#alerttwn
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Radar Imagery – Intellicast.com
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Smartphone Apps Radarscope, Degrees, Storm
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Weather Safety
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Shane Coulas
WeatherNetwork
16
Lightning Safety
• Biggest summer severe weather hazard
• Environment Canada does not issue watches or warnings if
•
lightning is the only threat
First strike can occur nearby with no previous lightning
Ken Rivas – WeatherNetwork
24 2011
Page
33 – November-5-15
Mississauga
Aug
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Lightning Strike – Close Call
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Lightning Safety Rule
• When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors
• Seek solid/best shelter immediately
• Remain in that shelter for a full 30 minutes after the
last rumble of thunder
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Bolt from the Blue
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Lightning Safety
• Best Shelter
– Solidly constructed building…away from
windows, doors, plumbing…don’t use landline
phone.
– Car/Truck…if no solid shelter nearby…BUT
Car/Truck must have metal roof
– NO place outside is safe during a
thunderstorm…make every effort to find solid
shelter
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EC Lightning Danger Map
• Weather.gc.ca/lightning
• Based on recent lightning activity, map shows where
lightning danger may exist over the next 10 minutes
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Lightning Info – lightningmaps.org
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Tornado/Downburst Safety
• Best shelter…well•
•
constructed building in the
basement
As many walls between
you and the outside as
possible…away from
windows
AVOID…shopping malls,
arenas, gymnasiums
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Remember what we said about
gymnasiums??
• March 2, 2012 – Henryville, Indiana – EF4 tornado hits
high school
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Tornado/Downburst Safety
• Outdoors…make best of a bad
•
situation
Cabin/Cottage?
– Centre of structure…under sturdy
furniture
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•
•
•
•
Campground washrooms?
Car/Truck?
Avoid tall trees
Low-lying area…lie flat, protect
head
Flying debris injures and kills
Deb Ellis
Page 43 – November-5-15
Dangerous Misconceptions
• Highway overpass is a good shelter. WRONG...overpass can
funnel winds and collect debris...very dangerous place to be
• I should open the windows in my house in advance of a strong
storm/tornado to “equalize” pressure. WRONG...opening
windows allow wind forces inside your home...can help to lift
off roof and collapse walls
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Rochelle, Illinois EF4 Tornado –
April 9, 2015
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Flash Flood Safety – Turn
Around, Don’t Drown
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Winter Weather Safety
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•
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Monitor the weather forecast
Dress in layers
Limit time outdoors
Get out of the wind, if possible
Stay dry
Stay active
Watch for signs of frostbite
Car emergency kit
Home emergency kit (i.e. 72 Hours)
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