IMG_3203Today we kick off severe weather awareness week talking about thunderstorms.

Dallas County Emergency Management Coordinator Barry Halling says the criteria for a severe thunderstorm include at least 50 mile-per-hour winds or one-half inch size hail. He points out that thunderstorms can happen anytime day or night from now until November. If the requirements for a severe thunderstorm are present, the National Weather Service will issue a severe thunderstorm watch, which is usually followed by a warning.

Halling says thunderstorms typically aren’t as bad at night compared to day due to the heating of the daylight, but there are exceptions.

“Sometimes thunderstorms become perpetual and they feed on themselves and the heating of the day really doesn’t seem to make as much of a difference. So you could end up having really bad severe wind and thunderstorms take place after midnight.”

Anytime severe weather goes through Dallas, Greene or Guthrie counties, Raccoon Valley Radio’s Severe Weather Action Team will provide live wall-to-wall coverage until the severe levels drop below or move out of our listening area.