4-4.4 Summarize the conditions and effects of severe weather phenomena (including thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes) and related safety concerns.
Severe Weather
Essential Question: How does severe weather affect your safety?
Some weather conditions cause storms. In South Carolina, thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes are common. These storms can be very dangerous. It is important to know how to stay safe in different kinds of severe weather.
Essential Question: How does severe weather affect your safety?
Some weather conditions cause storms. In South Carolina, thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes are common. These storms can be very dangerous. It is important to know how to stay safe in different kinds of severe weather.
Thunderstorms
A thunderstorm is a heavy rainstorm with lightning, thunder, and strong winds. Hail may also fall. Hail is precipitation in the form of balls or chunks of ice. If you see very tall, dark cumulus clouds, a thunderstorm is likely coming. A cloud that brings a thunderstorm is sometimes called a thunderhead. In a thunderstorm, heavy rain can cause flooding. Lightning can start fires. Strong winds may blow down trees and power lines. It is important to stay inside during a thunderstorm so that you do not get hit by lightning. Lightning strikes very tall objects. If you cannot get inside, stay away from tall trees and other tall objects that the lightning might strike. If you are at a lake or swimming pool, stay out of the water. Flash and Boom! eBook How Can You Figure Out How Far Away Lightning Struck? |
Hurricanes
A hurricane is a large storm that brings very strong winds and heavy rain. Hurricanes form over warm ocean water. Winds blow in a circle around the center of the hurricane, which is called its eye. The eye of a hurricane is calm. If a hurricane moves over land, it can do heavy damage. The high winds suproot trees and blow down power lines. Some winds even blow down buildings. Heavy rains can cause floods. Winds also push ocean water onto the shore. These storm waves damage beaches, roads, and buildings. If you are warned that a hurricane is coming, help an adult board up windows in your home. Move farther inland if you live near the coast. Stay away from windows during a hurricane. Strong winds can break the glass. |
Reading A-Z: Hurricanes
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Tornadoes
A tornado is a whirling wind that looks like a dark cloud in the shape of a funnel. It comes down from a storm cloud during a thunderstorm. Unlike a hurricane, a tornado does not move over a wide area. But wherever it touches the ground, it destroys everything in its path. Tornadoes spin at very high speeds. These high winds can tear apart buildings. A tornado can pick up objects as big as a truck or a mobile home and drop them in new places. If a tornado is in your area, find shelter in a basement or a place that is far away from a window. If you cannot find shelter indoors, lie flat in a ditch or another low place. Do not stay inside a car. |