Tips to Stay Safe from Major Weather Events

Planning for Major Weather Events

This list can help you prepare your family and your farm ahead of major weather events:

Have a communication plan

At the most basic level, your communication plan should plan for whether you will have a specific person identified to contact for status updates or a safe location to meet up with family members, or both. You should also create a list of all of your important contacts. For example, the list should include your family members, workers, and their families (if applicable), neighbors, and essential farm service providers such as your vet, milk hauler, feed mill, insurance agent, utilities, trucking company (in case you need to evacuate livestock), electricity company, etc.

Sign up for emergency alerts and warnings

If you have a cellphone, make sure that it is set up properly to receive emergency alerts from the National Weather Service. In Pennsylvania, you can also sign up for the CodeRed system. This free service provides alerts by call, text, or email about severe weather, emergencies at chosen location(s), building alerts, and health notifications.

Assemble an emergency kit

It is good practice to always have enough food, water, medicine, and fuel to last you at least 3 days. You should also have blankets, a light source, a first aid kit, rubber boots, rubber gloves, and a NOAA Weather Radio with batteries. You can also include copies of identification and other important administrative documents. Make sure that your emergency kit also includes what you need for your livestock and pets.

Know your risk

This means thinking through major weather events that can happen in your area and how you might be vulnerable to them. For example, is your home, farm, or school in a floodplain? Where is water likely to collect on the roadways you most often travel? What is the fastest way to get to higher ground? Where are the areas most at risk for lightning strikes?

Prepare for sheltering-in-place and potential evacuation

Make sure everyone knows the best escape routes out of the house and farm buildings. Talk about the best places to shelter in place for you and your livestock. Pack your emergency kit in advance in case you need to be evacuated. Identify several places you could go to with your family (e.g., hotel, home of a relative/friends at a safe distance, evacuation shelter – consider your pets' needs). For livestock, identify shelters along escape routes such as other farms, a fairground, a convention center, or a racetrack. If you can't transport the livestock yourself, arrange for transportation with experienced handlers and drivers. Because each farm is different, it might also be helpful to talk with the local first responders, the local management emergency authority, and/or the county animal rescue team to think through a plan for your livestock.

Lightning Safety

Thunder is caused by lightning. If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to pose an immediate threat. Lightning often strikes outside the area of heavy rain and may strike more than 10 miles from any rainfall. Many lightning deaths occur ahead of storms before any rain arrives or after storms have seemingly passed and the rain has ended. People working in agriculture are particularly at risk of being struck by lightning because they often work in open spaces, near tall objects, or close to conductive materials such as water and metal.

How to stay safe during lightning

• Plan ahead by thinking about the places you commonly work on the farm, various places where you can shelter, and how long it takes to get there. Fully enclosed buildings are best. Sheds or covered porches do not protect from lightning.
• Monitor the weather by checking weather reports before going outside. Once outside, look for signs of a developing or approaching thunderstorm such as towering clouds, darkening skies, or flashes of lightning.
• If you hear thunder, even a distant rumble, seek safety immediately. Stay inside until at least 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder.
• Avoid electrical equipment, plumbing, and corded phone during a thunderstorm. This is because lightning will travel through any wiring and plumbing if your building is struck. Don't take a bath or shower, or wash dishes during a storm.
• If you can't get to a safe building:
  • Avoid open areas.
  • Stay away from isolated tall trees, towers, or utility poles. Lightning tends to strike the taller objects in an area.
  • Stay away from conductors such as water and metal wires or fences. Water and metal do not attract lightning, but lightning can travel long distances through it.
  • Minimize your contact with the ground as lightning can travel through it. If you feel that the hair on your neck starts rising, crouch down with only the balls of your feet touching the ground (if possible) and do not lie down.
  • If you are with a group of people, spread out. While this actually increases the chance that someone might get struck, it tends to prevent multiple casualties and increases the chances that someone could help if a person is struck.

What to do if someone is struck

Being struck by lightning can lead to death, primarily due to cardiac arrest. If someone is struck, here are the steps to follow: 

• Call 9-1-1 for help if possible.
• Don't become a victim too. If possible, move the victim to a safer place. Lightning can strike the same location twice.
• Give first aid. Begin CPR if you are trained.
• Use an Automatic External Defibrillator if one is available and you are trained to use it. While this is likely not available on the farm, that's an important piece of information in case you are ever faced with the situation in a public location that has one.

Flooding Safety

Floods can roll boulders the size of cars, tear out trees, destroy buildings and bridges. Therefore, they pose a significant threat to humans and livestock. Floods kill, on average, more people in the United States than other types of severe weather. Flash floods are the most dangerous kind of floods because they combine destructive power with speed. They can develop in minutes and downstream from where the rainfall actually occurred. They can also have an element of surprise as they can take place in locations that do not normally experience river flooding.

How to stay safe during floods 

• Stay informed: The weather report that you normally consult (on TV, online, or through your phone) should provide weather alerts. If cell reception is spotty or power loss is frequent, you can also keep a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio.
• Be on the lookout for alerts, the National Weather Service uses two levels:
  • Flood Watch (Be Prepared): A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it could occur if rain continues or begins
  • Flash Flood Warning (Take Action!): A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood-prone area (in a valley and/or near a creek/stream that is rising), move immediately to higher ground.
• Get to higher ground: If you live in a flood-prone area and a flash flood warning is issued, get to higher ground immediately. If you have livestock, follow your pre-established emergency plan.
• Obey evacuation orders: If told to evacuate, do so immediately. Lock your home when you leave. If you have livestock, follow your pre-established emergency plan.
• Practice electrical safety: If you see sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping, or popping noises--stay away! Do not drive over/under loose electrical wires. Stay out of water that may have electricity in it.
• Avoid flood waters: Water may be deeper than it appears and can hide hazards such as sharp objects, washed out road surfaces, electrical wires, chemicals, etc. In addition, it only takes 6 inches of moving water to knock you off your feet. Therefore, don't walk through flood waters. If you are trapped by moving water, move to the highest possible point. Do not travel into flooded roadways or around a barricade; Turn Around, Don't Drown!

What to do after a flood 

• Stay Informed: Ensure water is safe to drink, cook, or clean with after a flood. Authorities may ask you to boil water for a while after a flood.
• Avoid Flood Waters: Standing water hides many dangers, including toxins and chemicals. There may be sharp objects under the water, or the road could have collapsed.
• Heed Road Closures: They are put in place for your safety, so don't try to cross a closed road.
• Wait for the 'All Clear': Do not enter a flood-damaged home or building until you're given the 'All Clear' by authorities. Water can cause walls to collapse, ceilings to fall, toxic molds, etc.
• Contact Your Family and Loved Ones: Let your family and close friends know that you're okay!

Tornado Safety

It's not just the Midwest that experiences tornadoes. In Pennsylvania, tornadoes have occurred during every month of the year and at every hour of the day. However, they occur most frequently from May through August and typically between 2 and 10 PM. Nighttime tornadoes are often more dangerous as they are harder to see, and most people are sleeping.

Signs that a tornado may be nearby include:

• Rotating funnel at the cloud base in contact with the ground
• Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn't fade in a few seconds like thunder.
• Strong, persistent rotation in the cloud base, often with a dark, greenish sky.
• Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base — tornadoes sometimes have no visible funnel, even though they are still in contact with the ground.
• Hail or heavy rain followed by a dead calm and/or fast, intense wind shift. Many tornadoes are wrapped in precipitation and cannot be seen.
• At night — persistent lowering from the cloud base, illuminated or silhouetted by lightning and possibly in contact with the ground.
• Small, bright blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm are an indicator that power lines are being snapped by very strong wind, possibly a tornado.

How to stay safe during a tornado 

• Stay informed: Similarly to flood safety, the weather report that you normally consult (on TV, online, or through your phone) should provide weather alerts. If cell reception is spotty or power loss is frequent, the purchase of a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio is recommended.
• Be on the lookout for the two levels of tornado alerts that the National Weather Service issues:
  • Tornado Watch (prepare): This level of alert is issued when conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes. This type of alert tends to be for a large region and is usually issued hours in advance.
  • Tornado Warning (take action): A Tornado Warning is issued when a tornado is imminent, or someone has observed a tornado ongoing. This type of alert tends to be for a small area and is issued minutes in advance.
• If you hear or see a tornado, here are the steps to follow immediately, depending on where you are:
  • Outside without nearby shelter: Do not try to outrun the tornado. Get off of farm machinery and get away from it as far as possible (i.e. do not seek shelter under it). Stay away from trees and get as low as possible, such as a ditch or ravine, lie flat face down to avoid flying debris, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Watch for rising water with heavy rainfall.
  • In an outbuilding or temporary shelter: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building away from windows and doors. Poorly constructed and long-span buildings can be torn to pieces and become wind-driven projectiles.
  • At your house: Go to your basement, storm shelter, or interior room away from windows. Under a sturdy table or work bench is ideal. Know where very heavy objects rest on the floor above (pianos, chests, etc.) and do not go under them. They may fall through a weakened floor. If your house doesn't have a basement, go to the lowest floor, small interior room, under a stairwell, or an interior hallway with no windows. Don't forget pets if time allows. Keep your head protected! Cover your head with your hands, arms, mattress, or heavy blanket.
  • For buildings in general: Proceed to a small interior location away from outside doors and glass windows. If not possible, get under tables or seats. Protect your head with arms and hands.

What to do after a tornado

• Stay aware: If the weather is still threatening, remain vigilant for additional storms. The next round of storms could bring another tornado or heavy rains/flooding. If able, continue listening for additional alerts and warnings.
• Ensure your family's safety: Locate each family member and check for injuries. Carefully administer or seek medical assistance as appropriate.
• Check in on the livestock: Make sure that they have enough food and water, remove debris that might cause them injury, and dispose of dead carcasses.
• Help your neighbor: If you see someone trapped or injured, provide assistance or seek additional help if needed.
• Assess the damage: After the tornado threat has ended, check for property damage. Be careful when walking through storm damage and watch for broken glass, nails, and other sharp objects. Be especially careful in heavily damaged buildings that could collapse. Stay away from downed power lines; they can be an electrocution hazard.

Additional Resources 

• Hazardous Weather Alert Phone Calls
• PA Ready
• Pennsylvania Animal Response Team
• FEMA (homepage) Mobile alert app
• NWS Weather Briefing
• Penn State Extension:
  • Weather Tools to Stay Safe on the Farm
  • ReadyAg Workbook
  • Resources to support well-being in agriculture

Resources Used to Develop this Article

This article is in part based on three separate articles on lightning, flooding, and tornadoes from the Weather Awareness for a Rural Nation (WARN) task force at the National Weather Service. We adapted the material to speak to the specific needs and realities of agricultural communities. Visit the NOAA website to see the original articles, along with additional weather safety resources.