On the Road: Severe Weather

Category F5 tornado (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I was watching the Weather Channel and meteorologists were discussing my worst fear when I travel. Tornadoes were going through the Oklahoma City area and vehicles on Interstate 40 had been tossed by the storms. Traffic was backed up on Interstate 35 and the storms were headed for these cars. Authorities advised drivers to get off the interstates and seek shelter. Many people were killed, many people were injured and many cars and buildings were damaged or destroyed.

These storms were predicted earlier in the day, so residents had a warning for this situation. However, I wondered if vacationers who were traveling through the area had checked the weather report. Distances between interstate exits can be a couple of miles or dozens of miles, so finding an exit to look for shelter can be very challenging and frightening for drivers involved in a severe weather situation.

I try to be very vigilant about the weather when I am traveling. I know people think I am fanatical about this, but I never want to be caught in a situation like these poor drivers went through Friday evening. If I see red which designates severe weather on a weather map, I change my plans. I also avoid blue because high wind warnings especially in states like Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas can mean a dangerous situation.

If an area has a good chance of a severe weather situation, I want to stay out of the way. Newscasters will tell local residents to stay off the road. Many times vacationers will not know about those warnings unless the area has electronic highway signs. These people may still be on the highways possibly impeding the ability of emergency vehicles to reach their destinations.

Being aware of weather conditions when people are traveling is essential to the safety of drivers. I check the weather every morning when I travel. I have weather apps on my phone in case I need current information to keep me safe while I am on the road. I want to keep myself and my car out of harm's way. Taking the time to be aware of the weather situations in the areas in which drivers are traveling is just as important as making sure the car is in optimal condition for the trip.

Related articles

• Lesson from Friday's storm deaths: when weather is bad, stay home (earthsky.org)
• 'Sitting Ducks': Motorists trapped on roads amid tornadoes in Okla. (whas11.com)
• Semi Truck Accident Victims Center Urges All Drivers on Interstates to Be Cautious of Semi Trucks or Tractor Trailers Because Late Spring Means Unpredictable Weather (prweb.com)
• Top apps to track severe weather (reviews.cnet.com)