Prepare for Severe Spring Storms Now

March 16, 2021

A dangerous severe thunderstorm outbreak is expected in the South through Thursday, March 18, including tornadoes as well as widespread damaging winds and large hail.

When severe storms strike, they can produce high winds and tornadoes. Damaging winds can wreak havoc on your ministry’s property and to buildings. A high wind event can crash debris through your windows, strip your siding, down trees on your parking lot, peel shingles off your roof, and fling back the flashing.

Here are three things you can do today to prepare if a storm with high winds is in the forecast:

Shutter windows to prevent breakage and brace outside doors.
Move ministry vehicles to concrete parking garages, if possible, or allow staff and approved volunteers to drive vehicles home, spreading the risk.
Close all interior and exterior doors and windows. This helps compartmentalize the pressure inside the building and reduce wind forces on the roof.

And prior to a windstorm, make a list of unsecured outdoor objects, like lawn furniture and garbage cans, that could blow away or crash into windows. If high winds come up with little warning, staff or volunteers can use the list to locate and store these items quickly. Be sure your list includes seasonal decorations and objects from patios and balconies.

For more information on preparing for hazardous winds that come with spring and summer storms visit the Hazardous Winds section of the Brotherhood Mutual Safety Library