The Severe Weather Awareness Week Topic for Monday is Weather Alerts and Warnings with Crookston Firefighter Christopher Klawitter. According to Klawitter, the National Weather Service (NWS) has three types of alerts to issue severe weather to the public. Those being a Weather Watch, Warning, and Advisory, which can be in effect for severe thunderstorms, blizzards, high winds, tornados, high heat, flooding, etc. All warnings are issued by the National Weather Service.
The first alert, one that Crookston sees the most in the winter, is a Weather Advisory alert, which is defined as a low hazardous weather condition or less specific location. “It may still pose a significant risk or travel problem.” Firefighter Christopher Klawitter explained, “Situations could possibly be life-threatening or damage property. It’s a precursor to something that will happen somewhere, probably to a lesser extent than a Watch or Warning, but the possibility of severe weather is still there.”
A Weather Watch means that weather conditions are favorable for a hazardous weather event, and one may be possible with the present conditions. The National Weather Service will upgrade an advisory to a watch to try and get the public prepared for the coming weather and that conditions for them are more favorable for them to happen. “What you need to do is just be alert,” Klawitter explained, “Keep an eye on the changing conditions, have a backup plan for what you’re doing if the weather is going to affect them, and be aware of shelter options and evacuation routes if they become necessary.”
When a Watch turns into a Weather Warning, that means a dangerous weather event is occurring or is about to occur in the area soon. That there is a strong possibility of a significant threat to life or property. “You should take protective actions immediately,” Klawitter explains, “Whether that is to seek shelter, get off the roads, or whatever it takes to make yourself safe.” In the case of a dangerous weather event, warning sirens are operated by each County, and the County or City can set them off on their own as a checks and balances system.
The Weather Warning sirens are tested on the first Wednesday of every month around 1:00 p.m. and sound for about two to three minutes before they time out and go silent. They will go off during a Weather Emergency to warn anybody outside of dangerous weather and immediately take shelter. Either in their private shelters or in public shelters such as the basement of City Hall. Klawitter also wanted to clarify that there is no such thing as an “All-Clear” siren, so even when the Weather Warning sirens time out and go silent, it does not mean that it is safe to go back outside. So, he advises everyone to listen to their media sources, NOAA Weather Radios, and other sources to know about the ends of dangerous weather events and when it is safe for people to go outside again. “In this day and age, we have a lot of different outlets to get our information.” Klawitter explained, “Like television, radio, social media, and everybody I know has a Weather App like AccuWeather, ones from TV stations, and other weather apps that will give you text messages and IMs when it comes to weather alerts. Our County even has a system that sends out alerts when there are blizzard warnings or severe weather events that are going on to keep everyone aware.”
Klawitter and the Crookston Fire Department encourage all residents to register for the Polk County alert system, Everbridge, which will send out weather alerts and other information about the weather. If you haven’t signed up for the Polk County alert system, you can do so here at https://member.everbridge.net/892807736729932/login.
Minnesota’s statewide tornado drill will take place on Thursday, April 7. Outdoor warning sirens and NOAA Weather Radios across the state will be sounded at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
