Human Behavior and Severe Weather

“Human Behavior and Severe Weather” Presentation by Professor Kevin Barrett, Thursday, April 19, 2018, 1-2 pm; TCC NE Campus Library Upper Level

As the old Texas saying goes: “If you don’t like the weather, stick around a few minutes; it’s bound to change.” Do you listen to weather reports daily? Do you have local weather station weather apps on your cellphone? Have you ever wondered how, when, and why weather alerts are broadcasted? Come and hear how your city, your roads, your house, your family, your community, and even your boss can affect what happens when a thunderstorm is near. Join former television weathercaster and current TCC NE geoscience Associate Professor Kevin Barrett as he explains how humans have a huge impact on severe weather.

Speaking of weather, below are some statistics and some links about the weather and how you can be prepared for the storms to come.

From the Handbook of Texas: “Most tornadoes (also called cyclones or twisters) in the United States occur along a belt skirting the eastern edge of the Great Plains from Iowa to Texas. They are most frequent in Texas during April, May, and June.” https://tshaonline.org/handbook
From Texas Almanac http://texasalmanac.com/
Some extreme Texas weather statistics:
• Since 1950, there have been six tornadoes recorded of the F5 category, that is, with winds between 261-318 mph.
• The Great Galveston Storm of Sept. 8–9, 1900, was the worst natural disaster in U.S. history in terms of human life. Loss of life has been estimated at 6,000 to 8,000, but the exact number has never been determined.
• Lowest recorded temperature in 1899 and 1933: -23 degrees F.
• Highest recorded temperature in 1936 and 1994: 120 degrees F.

https://www.weather.gov/
Thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning: a preparedness guide https://www.weather.gov/media/owlie/ttl6-10.pdf
Weather safety: lightning https://www.weather.gov/media/owlie/lightning-safety.pdf

NOAA Weather Map

Categorised in: NE Library, Science & Technology, STEM

This post was written by BETH MULLINS