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Severe Weather
Channel 2 WBAY
April 20,2006
By Jeff Alexander
This is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week throughout Wisconsin. Last year, our state experienced a record 62 tornadoes, including 27 on August 18th alone. One person died when an F-3 tornado hit a home in Dane County.
While tornadoes capture the most attention, there is a weather threat the National Weather Service says happens more often and causes much, much more damage in Wisconsin every year. When severe weather strikes, there is a better chance you will see this before you see a tornado.
On May 12, 2000, much of St. Nazianz in Manitowoc County was heavily damaged or destroyed.
On June 11, 2001, the violent weather left Oshkosh a mess.
On September 13, 2005, this destructive force collapsed buildings around Freedom.
Just last week, on April 13, it caused significant damage to homes, barns, and other structures in Calumet County.
In each case it wasn't a tornado but straight line winds that caused the destruction.
"Straight line winds occur much more often, frequently than tornados do, and the winds in straight line thunderstorms can reach in excess of 60-70 miles per hour, even greater than hurricane force," said Jeff Last of the National Weather Service.
Doppler radar technology lets meteorologists examine the wind structure inside a thunderstorm. In most severe cases it shows the wind pushing down and then out. Last said, "This is a signature we look for in a straight line wind or downburst thunderstorm."
If there is rotation, "In this case, we have a circulation forming, indication of a possible tornado."
Meteorologists say they can predict straight line winds in a storm about 17 to 20 minutes before they hit.
Even though straight line winds can reach 115 miles an hour and leave a path of destruction, the National Weather Service doesn't feel the winds get the respect they deserve.
"When a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, that's the time when people need to take shelter. They shouldn't wait for a tornado warning, shouldn't wait to see the storm approaching, because seconds save lives and they should take those warnings seriously."
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If you talk to the animals they will talk to you, If you do not talk to them you will not know them. And what you do not know you will fear. What one fears,one destroys. ~Chief Dan George. (1899 - 1981)
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