A few weeks ago, Barton Community College hosted a storm chaser meeting featuring meteorologists and chasers. March 4-8 was Weather Awareness Week, and the City participated in the statewide tornado siren drill. This past Thursday, Barton County Emergency Management Director Sean Kelly hosted Storm Fury on the Plains, featuring a PowerPoint presentation by Andy Kleinsasser of the Wichita office of the National Weather Service.

As Monday’s temperatures near 80 might indicate, spring is on its way and, with that, so is severe spring weather.

Barton County is no stranger to severe spring weather as it has been hit by major storms in the past few years, the last one coming in July 2023 when a tornado warned Supercell blew through Great Bend. 

Earlier that year, a major hailstorm rocked Great Bend in late May, damaging residential and commercial properties and pounding many vehicles.

As unpredictable and as damaging as the storms have become, always stay informed through weather updates and alerts to avoid being caught off guard by a sudden storm. Preparedness and swift action are your best defense when the sky turns turbulent. 

“We’re typically looking into the future,” Kleinsasser said. “But in order to figure out what’s going to happen in the future, you’ve got to see what happened in the past. Going back and looking at past weather patterns, you can see what has happened in Kansas and across various parts of the country. 

“You can see that the Gulf Coast – Florida and Alabama – typically have more hurricanes. California, they have earthquakes. You look at Kansas, and we have severe weather.” 

Kleinsasser said it was around 1950 when reliable severe weather records started coming into play in Kansas. 

“You go back to 1950 in Kansas, it tells us that we’re the bull’s-eye of severe weather,” he said. “In fact, we’re number one out of all the 50 states in total severe weather reports – which would be tornadoes, golf ball size hail and larger, and 70 mile per hour winds or stronger. We average roughly 61 reports per year per 10,000 square miles.”

“Like those folks in California who have to have drills and need to be educated about earthquakes, and folks along the Gulf Coast need to be educated and have drills on hurricanes, we need to be educated among severe weather - tornadoes, - so we know what to do when a tornado or severe weather strikes.”

Oklahoma is second in severe weather reports with Iowa third and Nebraska fourth.

 Tornado and high wind safety

• Do not take shelter in a mobile home, trailer or manufactured home.

• Avoid the second and third levels of a home or building.

• Do not try to ride out a tornado in a vehicle.

• Do go to the lowest level in the building, preferably an interior room or basement.

When a tornado warning is issued, immediately seek shelter in a sturdy, windowless interior room on the lowest level of your home, such as a basement or storm cellar. If no basement is available, move to a small, central room like a bathroom or closet. Avoid taking shelter in areas with large spans of roof or wide, open spaces, such as gyms or auditoriums, as these are more susceptible to collapse. 

If you’re caught outside and unable to reach shelter, lie flat in a low-lying area, such as a ditch, covering your head and neck with your arms. If you are caught driving, it’s safest to pull over to the side of the road, keep your seat belt on, and duck down below the windows.

 Lightning safety

• Avoid outside activities where you have no overhead protection.

• Do not stay in a swimming pool.

• Under trees is not a safe place as lightning generally strikes at the tallest point.

If you’re close enough to hear thunder, you’re close enough to be struck by lightning. Responsible for numerous injuries and fatalities each year, the safest place to be during a lightning event is indoors, away from windows, doors, and any conductive materials such as electrical wiring or plumbing. Avoid using wired electronics, including phones and computers, as lightning can travel through power lines and cause serious harm. If you are caught outside, seek shelter in a building or a car immediately. A car can provide excellent protection from a lightning strike. If there is no immediate shelter, avoid taking cover under tall trees or structures like flagpoles, as these can attract lightning. 

Hailstorm safety

• If at home, head indoors immediately.

• If time allows, close all drapes, blinds or shades to prevent broken glass from entering your home.

• Stay away from outside doors, windows and skylights and head to a safe location in your home.

• If driving, stay in your vehicle.

• Slow down or pull over and stop in a safe location.

• Turn your back to windows or cover yourself with a blanket, coat or spare clothing to protect yourself from broken glass.

The safest place to take cover during a hailstorm is indoors, away from windows, skylights, and glass doors. If you’re driving, pull over to the side of the road, find a safe place to park, and keep the vehicle’s engine running to avoid being caught in a potential flood. It’s also crucial to cover your head and neck with something sturdy to protect yourself from hailstones, which can range from small pellets to the size of softballs. 

If you’re in a building, stay inside and away from exterior walls to avoid being injured by flying debris. For those in areas prone to hailstorms, installing impact-resistant roofing and windows can offer long-term protection. 

It is recommended to purchase a weather radio and download severe weather warning apps to your phone.