UGA’s Dr. Marshall Shepherd of the Atmospheric Sciences program wrote an article for Forbes.com about the deadly tornadoes that occurred overnight in Kentucky and surrounding states that may be useful for us here in the Southeast as well. His main points: 1) Tornadoes are often deadlier at night because people are not paying attention and may not hear alarms; 2) Long-track tornadoes are often the most deadly because they are usually strong and can last for hours; 3) People are distracted by other things this time of year and are not expecting severe weather. Scientists will be looking at this outbreak for years to come, trying to understand how the ingredients for this tragedy came together. Please do your part by following his suggestions for getting ready for severe weather any time of year and be safe.
