It is highly likely that you have heard the phrase “April showers bring may flowers”. However, you may not know that the proverb was first recorded in 1886 as being, “March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers.” So, lets talk about March, April and May and the hazards we may see here in the Mid Atlantic region.
March Winds
- During the second week of March in the MD, WV, VA and PA area dry conditions and high winds caused Fire Weather Watches and several multi-company brush and structure fire responses in each state.
- While the weather in MD became sunny after a mostly gloomy winter season, wind came with the mostly sunny skies. This caused a higher risk of cold weather injuries such as hypothermia due to people dressing for sunny skies while not considering wind chill. Information about wind chill can be found here: https://www.weather.gov/grb/windchill
- Tornadic activity: In Feb of 2020 alone, there were 6 Tornados that struck the MD and VA area. Over the last decade or so we have begun to see an increase in both the number of incidents as well as the severity. Luckily, to my knowledge, we have not exceeded an EF-2.
April Showers
Dependent on the amount of snow, ice, debris, changing weather patterns, and/or rainfall that has accumulated in the area, along with a series of other factors, April showers can easily bring spring flooding.
- Just 6 inches of rushing water is enough to bring a person off they are feet and wash them away. It also only takes 6 inches to stall out most vehicles on the road today.
- Downed powerlines can energize flood waters.
- HAVE A PLAN! Prepare an emergency kit, know where to go and how to get there if you must evacuate, avoid flooded roads and downed power lines.
- Most standard homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover flooding, whether from environmental incidents or due to back flow, neglect, or plumbing failures. Flood coverage is its own policy. Please utilize Flood Insurance Rate Map information and other resources at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
- Help yourself get the maximum compensation from your insurance company by creating a home inventory! If you must leave your home, do not forget your copies of insurance information.
- Take simple mitigation actions to prevent flooding and erosion like keeping gutters and drains clear. Installing a rain barrel is a simple, sustainable solution that reduces runoff and pooling, and can be used to water plants during drought conditions. Protecting your homes electrical system during a flood by turning off electricity at the breaker and moving items off the floor.
May Flowers
Do not let the title fool you, just because it’s May, that doesn’t mean we can just sit back on our laurels. While May is still a month from summer it is a great time to change the contents of your vehicle’s emergency kit, prepare for hot summer temperatures and begin/continue mitigation efforts to combat drought. Just because it is starting to get warm, it does not mean we are out of the woods for all the hazards we just covered. The best practice is always to take an all-hazards approach to life!
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