Severe thunderstorm warning
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A severe thunderstorm warning (SAME code: SVR) is issued when trained Skywarn spotters or a Doppler capable weather radar indicate a strong thunderstorm is producing dangerously large hail or high winds, capable of causing significant damage. It does not account for lightning or flooding. A warning must not be confused with a severe thunderstorm watch.
In the U.S., the National Weather Service defines a severe thunderstorm as having large hail being at least ¾ inch (19 mm) in diameter (1 inch in Central Region), high winds as being 58 miles per hour (93 km/h) or greater, producing tornadoes, or any combination of the three.[1] In Canada, a severe thunderstorm has one or more of the following:
- wind gusts of >90 km/h
- hail with a diameter of >20 mm
- rainfall of >50 mm in an hour or >75 mm in three hours
- tornadoes
A severe thunderstorm warning means there is significant danger for the warned area. Occasionally, severe thunderstorms can and do produce a tornado without warning. While not all severe thunderstorms produce tornadoes, they can produce serious wind damage as severe as a tornado. A severe thunderstorm warning can also be upgraded to a tornado warning if a tornado is detected on radar or actually spotted. Generally, but not always, a severe thunderstorm watch or tornado watch will precede a warning.
Some storms, especially in the Great Plains, may produce massive hailstones the size of baseballs, grapefruits, or even softballs , falling fast enough to kill a person by repeated blunt trauma.
In the United States, the National Weather Service issues warnings for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in polygon shapes. Warnings are usually delineated by county or by a section of a county.
A similar warning is issued by Environment Canada's Meteorological Service of Canada from their offices in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal and Dartmouth.
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[edit] Example of a Severe Thunderstorm Warning
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An example of a Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued by the National Weather Service in the United States.
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 802 AM CDT MON JUN 2 2008 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... SOUTHERN REPUBLIC COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 845 AM CDT * AT 800 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BASEBALL SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF COURTLAND...OR 22 MILES NORTHWEST OF CONCORDIA... MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SCANDIA... NORWAY... BELLEVILLE... CUBA... AGENDA... LARGE DESTRUCTIVE HAIL WILL OCCUR WITH THIS STORM. FOR YOUR SAFETY MOVE INDOORS NOW...AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION. LAT...LON 3990 9793 3991 9736 3965 9736 3971 9793 TIME...MOT...LOC 1302Z 272DEG 30KT 3980 9793 $$ CAVANAUGH
[edit] See also
Severe thunderstorm watch
Severe weather terminology (United States)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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