Weather Tidbits: Severe Thunderstorms

This Weather Tidbits will discuss what defines a severe thunderstorm. There is a criteria for a thunderstorm to be severe. Winds produced must be 58 mph or greater and/or hail produced must be 1.oo” or greater in diameter. The thunderstorm does not need to feature both of these to be severe. It can be both or either or. Thus, when the National Weather Service issues a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, these are the base level threats to prepare for.

Additionally, there are two other damage threat categories to Severe Thunderstorm Warnings. First there is the base threat, then there’s the considerable threat, and finally there’s the destructive category. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning under a considerable threat tag will have winds at or in excess of 70 mph and/or hail 1.75″ in diameter or greater. A warning with a destructive threat tag will suggest winds of 80 mph or greater and/or hail 2.75″ in diameter or greater. Warnings with the destructive tag will automatically activate a Wireless Emergency Alert on your phone.