What makes a Thunderstorm severe?

What exactly makes a thunder storm “severe”? One of several things:

1. a tornado
2. winds at or above 58 mph
3. or quarter-size (one inch diameter) hail or larger.

Did you know there are different types of thunderstorms?

• Single cell thunderstorms usually occur during the summer months when the air is warm, moist, and unstable, and winds are weak. These thunderstorms, also known as pulse or airmass storms, form as unorganized clusters and have little to no movement.
• Multicell thunderstorms and squall lines are organized complexes of thunderstorms that cover large areas. These storms are more likely to produce severe weather, particularly damaging winds, since they move rapidly across an area. Tornadoes, hail and flash flooding are also possible.
• Supercell thunderstorms are the strongest and most dangerous and can produce long-lived tornadoes, winds in excess of 100 mph, and large hail. Fortunately, these storms are rare.

Bottom Line

The best defense against thunderstorms is to stay inside a building or shelter for protection from lightning, wind, hail, and heavy rain. For tornado protection you need a substantial shelter or basement, preferably far from windows. But don't think a storm is "ignorable" just because there's no tornado, damaging wind events occur 10 to 20 times more often than tornadoes. Initial storm reports often erroneously attribute significant damage to tornadoes when actually strong, straight-line winds from thunderstorms are responsible.

Fortunately, thunderstorms generally pass within an hour. When thunderstorms are expected, stay tuned to your NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards for up to date information. Postpone outdoor activities.

Would you take shelter inside an animal?

Sleeping bag

"This may smell bad, kid, but it'll keep you warm until I get the shelter up... Ugh. And I thought they smelled bad on the outside."
-Han Solo, The Empire Strike Back

Continuing the topic of off-beat ways to stay warm, StraightDope.com was recently asked, "What’s the best animal to slice open and crawl inside to stay warm?" In Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Luke is put inside a freshly killed tauntaun to avoid freezing on the ice planet Hoth. Would this work in real life?

Cecil Adams first offers some silly answers,

"taking shelter inside dead animals can’t really be considered an affordable housing option ... Many large warm-blooded critters would do, such as a bear, water buffalo, or rhinoceros. Historically, however, the emergency refuge of choice was a horse. ... Slice one open even in case of dire necessity and you’re likely to hear from one PO’d little girl or dressage buff. Cows are less of an issue, but you still take the chance of having PETA come over and picket your house."

Then he gets serious,

"I could find only one case where someone had actually climbed into an animal to survive the cold as opposed to trying to get on TV, namely an intrepid pioneer priest named Father Goiffon. [He became lost in North Dakota in a snowy November]  When his horse finally died, the enterprising priest cut open its belly and crawled inside the carcass. He was mostly successful — his equine sleeping bag saved his life, but he lost his leg due to frostbite."

Bottom Line

Cecil concludes with an example that also sheds some light on my question from a few days ago, when does cold weather became too dangerous to endure?

How much time would sheltering in a deceased animal buy you? Assuming a bitterly cold day (9 degrees Fahrenheit), a stiff wind (12 miles per hour) [about -5 wind chill], and a 500-kilogram cow with half its insides scooped out, and factoring in the heat produced by the resident human, my assistant Una estimates the cow’s body would lose about 3 degrees per hour. She concludes you’d have right around 15 hours, best case, before hypothermia set in.

A Very Knotty Post

"Aye, new yew wood knot"
- Answer to the question, is that a new wood carving? Also an example of the flexibility of the English language - the exact same spoken sentence but with totally different meaning called be spelled "I knew you would not".

Boy Scouts and knot lovers alike should check out Andy's Most Useful Knots at ASiteAboutNothing.net. Andy begins with

"For a long time, I wished I knew a set of knots that would be the knot equivalent of a Swiss army knife. I knew a few good knots, but every once in a while I'd try to do something like lashing two pieces of wood together and I'd grunt at the end because I didn't know a satisfying way to stop the rope."

I had the same experience recently while assisting our local Boy Scout Troop. They were lashing logs to make a tent and I realized I had no clue what to do. I know many knots but not lashing.

Since Andy's Knot page includes great knot tying pictures I won't every try to summarize it here. I will note something important that I learned.

When I teach Cub Scouts I point out that yes the Square Knot is wonderful. Easy to tie, a symbol of Webelos and Scouting friendship, etc. But I would not trust my life to it. People often tie it incorrectly and make a granny knot instead of a square knot with right over left, then left over right to get the classic intertwined loop look. The granny knot is not as secure and could come unbound under stress. Even when the square knot is properly made, it does NOT bind two ropes together well if the ropes are different widths or different materials. Instead I teach a sheet bend to connect two ropes.

A knot that I really like is the bowline which can be used for nearly everything. But Andy's page pointed that that the bowline suffers from the same flaw as the square knot. It is very easy to make a mistake. Hopefully you will recall the rabbit comes out of the hole, around the tree, and back down the hole for making the bowline. But what I and others have trouble remembering is the correct making of the hole itself. Does the loop for the hole cross on top or underneath the binding end of the rope? (Answer is on top) According to Andy, rock climbers now prefer the "threaded figure-eight" knot. 

Bottom Line

Every Knot has a purpose and limitations. Get to know the knot families and a good knot for each purpose:

1. Attaching a rope to boat, post, climber, etc.
2. A fixed loop in a rope
3. A sliding loop
4. A tension loop (grips under stress but can be adjusted)
5. Tie two ropes together (Bends)
6. Constricting knots (closing the mouth of a bag or tieing objects together)
7. Stopper knots  (making a kink to stop a rope from slipping out a hole)
8. Lashing

Free Outdoor Fun

Rows and flows of angel hair,
And ice cream castles in the air,
And feather canyons everywhere,
I've looked at clouds that way.
- lyrics from Both Sides Now (one of my favorite songs)

Continuing my theme of FREE things to do, here are
50+ Ways to Have Free Outdoor Fun from Julie Rains at WiseBread.com.

Relax and Contemplate

1. Gaze at the stars. Learn how to spot a satellite.
2. Walk a labyrinth.
3. Relax on a park bench.
4. Look at the clouds.
5. Watch a sunrise, sunset, or both: sunrise-sunset website.
6. Compose a letter, record your thoughts in a journal, or create a blog post.
7. Read a book or eBook outside.
8. Listen to the night sounds.
9. Do yoga poses or Tai Chi outside.
10. Visit a nearby river or creek or fountain and listen to the water flowing.

Learn Something New

11. Study various architectural styles in your neighborhood.
12. Visit public gardens.
13. Go on a bird walk.
14. Visit a national monument.
15. Go to an air show.
16. Take walk with a Park Ranger.

Hang Out With Your Kids

17. Look for four-leaf clovers.
18. Climb a tree.
19. Play at the playground.
20. Build a sand castle at the beach or playground.
21. Play flashlight tag after dark.
22. Teach your kids how to play outdoor games (or let them teach you the games they play).
23. Collect rocks from your backyard.
24. Watch construction from the visitor’s side of the fence.
25. Play catch.
26. Toss a Frisbee.
27. Go to a parade (or walk in one).
28. Cool off by wading in a creek, river, or lake.
29. Catch and release fireflies after dark.
30. Build a snowman, make snow angels, or have a friendly snowball fight.
31. Go leaf viewing.
32. Walk around to see blooming flowers in the spring.

Hang Out With Friends

33. Attend free outdoor concerts or plays.
34. Go window shopping in historic downtowns.
35. Visit street festivals.
36. Watch people rock climbing, kayaking, or sailing, to see if you would like to start a new sport.
37. Take in a kids’ ballgame.
38. Sit on the grass outside the stadium (if allowed) for college or professional events.
39. Talk with friends outside.

Be Productive While Having Fun

40. Volunteer for a charity bike ride, triathlon, or road race, such as a 5K or marathon. Find events using Active.com.
41. Take photos of your family members for your annual holiday cards.
42. Exercise your dog (and yourself).
43. Get involved in a community gardening.
44. Participate in a community cleanup or river cleanup project.

Move Around and Get Fit or Faster

45. Hike. Check out Backpacker Magazine's community recommendations.
46. Go running at a steady pace.
47. Do interval training.
48. Swim in a lake, river, or ocean. Be careful.
49. Take a stroll in your neighborhood. Stop and talk with your neighbors.
50. Take a bike ride alone or with a bike club.
51. Enjoy a multi-use trail. See trail finder.

Enjoy Nature

52. Visit a National Park.
53. Take photos of nature. See tips for capturing images of birds, flowing water, and more.
54. Watch the moon go through its phases.

Bottom Line

My wife & I have enjoyed many free concerts this summer at West Point with the Army Jazz Knights and Orchestra. The final performance on Labor Day Sunday included the 1812 Overture with real canons and fireworks afterwards. The fireworks were amazing close and filled the sky overhead!

On Labor Day Monday we enjoyed a "free" BBQ at home. We could have paid to attend a cookout but had more fun inviting a friend to share meats and veggies cooked on our grill.

Wilderness Medicine

“The clearest way to the Universe is through a forest wilderness”
-John Muir

Today I'll send you to a lecture on Emergency First Aid for the Wilderness. It's a hour-long lecture which begin at 2:20 on the YouTube video.

The lecturer begins with the ABC's, Airway, Breathing, Circulation, but gives far more details than I have ever heard from the Red Cross training.

Bottom Line

This could save a life.

Smarter than the average bear

"I'm smarter than the average bear." - Yogi Bear

For you summertime travelers, here's a question I'm sure you've been worried about; if I travel to a National Park, what type of car is a bear most likely to break into? Well worry no more! The Journal of Mammalogy studied bear attacks in Yosemite Park published the following...

From 2001 to 2007, bears broke into 908 vehicles at the following rates: minivan (26.0%), sport–utility vehicle (22.5%), small car (17.1%), sedan (13.7%), truck (11.9%), van (4.2%), sports car (1.7%), coupe (1.7%), and station wagon (1.4%). Only use of minivans (29%) during 2004–2005 was significantly higher than expected (7%).

Bottom Line

Today it is rare to see a bear at a US National Park. My grandparents have photos of bears checking out cars when whey visited Yellowstone in the 40's. But I never saw one at Yellowstone in recent decades. Today any bear that gets near people is drugged by rangers and transported far away. Bears may be cute but they are dangerous; they can easily rip open cars and trailers to get to food inside. Do not encourage bears by feeding them.

Roughing It

“If you're not in New York, you're camping out.”- Thomas E. Dewey

Today I recommend an article by a former Scout, who is now the father of a Scout, and offers many suggestions for hiking gear. He also has a long section on sleeping in your car without getting caught. Perspectives on Roughing It and Covert Car Camping, by Jolly

Hiking:
* Buy a backpack one size smaller than what you think you need. You can pack more in than you imagine and most people pack too much.
* His #1 recommended hiking gear: a hooded rain poncho. This is followed by good hiking boots (be sure to break them in first) and a waterproof, warm hat.
* Jolly recommends Craigslist for camp gear bargains and has some suggestions for getting a great deal
* Buy a metal mess kit so you can eat and cook with it, saving pack weight

Car Sleeping:
I’ve slept in the car during a few cross county trips. I also once took a nap in the car after midnight when I was just too tired to reach the motel I had reservations with.

Many Wal-Marts allow RV’s to park overnight but not cars. Also it is illegal to spend the night at most rest stops along the interstate.

Jolly recommends parking at an apartment complex and blending in with the other cars. Be sure to park in a visitor’s spot and not a resident’s spot.

Bottom Line

Hotels are expensive. Consider camping outdoors or in your car to save money.

My wife and I have enjoyed several trips while sleeping in a tent. For us the most important thing was a comfortable bed for a good night’s sleep (followed by showers and flush toilets). While air mattresses are nice, I recall from childhood the enormous time my family spent inflating and deflating them. We found a quicker solution – a “bed” with a foundation of egg foam, real sheets, and a quilt for warmth. We would roll up the entire bed, sheets and all, and place it on the back seat of the car. To camp we move the bundle to the tent and just unroll it again. Worked great!

Lightning Myths

“There are only three things that can kill a farmer: lightning, rolling over in a tractor, and old age.”-Bill Bryson

According to the National Weather Service, “lightning kills on average more than 70 people and injures at least 300 each year in the U.S. Most people assume they will never get hit and yet they pour money into lotteries where your chance of winning is less likely than your odds of being struck by lightning. So the “Hey, you never know” lottery philosophy needs to be applied to lightning too.

Much about lightning that people think they know is false. Here are some common myths:

• Lightning never hits the same place twice
  False. The top of the Empire State Building is hit a hundred times a year.
  
• I’m safe if there’s blue-sky overhead
  False. Lightning can easily travel more than three miles from the thundercloud. 10-15 miles is rare but can happen. So distant clouds can be a local concern. Don’t wait for rain to stop a sports game. If you see dark, angry clouds approaching, call the game.
  
• A car is safe from lightning because of the rubber tires
  False. After traveling several miles through air, lightning will laugh at two feet of rubber. It is the metal body of the car that directs lightning around you and keeps you safe. This also means that fiberglass cars, bikes, motorcycles, and open cabin tractors will NOT keep you safe. Likewise rubber sneakers or a rubber rain jacket offer NO protection.
  
• Lightning is attracted to metal or take off anything metal
  False. Metal does not act as a lightning magnet; bolts are just as happy to hit trees and stony mountains. HOWEVER, when lightning does strike, it can travel over 100 yards through metal fences, cars, bleachers, etc.
  
• You can become electrified by touching a lightning victim.
  False. Humans are not batteries and do not store electricity. Give CPR immediately.
  
• Trees will protect you from lightning
  False. Anything tall attracts lightning and being under a tree is the second leading place for lightning deaths.
  
• I’m safe from lightning inside my house
  Yes, But… A lightning strike on the house can cause current to run through phone wires, electrical cords, metal window frames, water pipes (even plastic), etc. Stay away from windows and away from phones and appliances.
  
• A surge protector or UPS will protect my computer against lightning strikes
  False. A surge protector is great for normal, everyday spikes in electricity but lightning is off the scale. The only sure way to protect computers, TVs, etc during a storm is to unplug them.
  
• If lightning is about to strike you outdoors, lie flat on the ground
  False. Lightning can travel over 100 feet though the ground so you maximize your exposure by lying flat. Instead use the ‘Lightning Crouch’ – feet together, crouch low, head tucked, ears covered. You want to be low down with minimal ground contact.
  
• Lighting won’t strike water
  False. Lightning can strike water so boaters and swimmers are not safe in a storm.
  
• Stand near a tall object so the lightning will strike it instead of you.
  False. Lightning is very fickle. It prefers tall objects but it can and does strike anything it wants to. Even if the tall object is hit, you can still be fried if within 100 feet of the strike.
  
• Most lightning injuries occur to golfers
  False. Common victims include postal workers on foot, telephone repairmen, farmers in large fields, joggers, hikers, campers and of course, golfers.
  
• A lightning strike is always fatal
  False. A strike will instantly kill 20% to 30% of the time. Sometimes the heart is stopped and immediate CPR is needed. Sometimes lightning just flashes over the outside of a victim, blowing off the clothes but leaving few external signs of injury and few, if any, burns.

Bottom Line

This myth list is for information only. There is still much about lightning that is not understood. No guarantee of lightning safety is stated or implied.

Resources
www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/pdfs/LightningMyths-1.pdf
www.uic.edu/labs/lightninginjury/ltnfacts.htm
www.wvlightning.com/lmyths.shtml
www.essortment.com/hobbies/lightningthunde_scqd.htm

Sunburn

“Even if you've been fishing for 3 hours and haven't gotten anything except poison ivy and sunburn, you're still better off than the worm”

I’m not a summer person or a beach person because I do not tan easily. I burn.

Sunburn is caused by UV-radiation emitted by the sun. Since UV rays damage the DNA in skin cells, the body tries to defend itself by making the skin darker (i.e. tanning) to block or absorb the rays safely. UV related skin damage has been linked to skin cancer and doctors are seeing a cancer spike in tan-seeking youth.

Snow and light-colored sand reflect UV light and increase sunburn risk. In these situations, UV rays may reach exposed skin from both above and below. Even on cloudy days, UV radiation reaches the earth. [CDC] Injury can start within 30 minutes of exposure so always use an effective sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15. And don’t skimp on applying the sunscreen. Dermatologists prescribe the equivalent of a shot-glassful every single time you slather up-and a reslathering every two hours. Wear dark color clothes with a tight weave (ugh, heat!). Wear a hat and sunglasses to protect the eyes.

In an ironic twist, some recent research blames sunscreen for a rise in skin cancer. The argument goes like this: Sunscreen (SPF factor) blocks UV-B rays which cause sunburn and generate vitamin D in the body. Most sunscreens do not block UV-A rays which penetrate further and cause tanning and skin cancer and wrinkles. Hence many individuals, protected by sunscreen from burning, are staying out longer and overdosing on UV-A rays.

If, like me, you forget the sunscreen and get sunburned, here are some suggestions:

• take a cool (not cold) shower or bath immediately
• apply cool towels to the burn area for several hours to take away the heat
• symptoms usually start about 4 hours after sun exposure, worsen in 24-36 hours, and resolve in 3-5 days
• consume extra fluids for the next 2 or 3 days
• take ibuprofen, acetaminophen or (adults only) aspirin, if needed, to relieve the pain
• re-moisturize your skin with moisturizing cream, aloe, or 1% hydrocortisone cream (see Dr before using cream on children under age two).
• There is little you can do to stop skin from peeling after a sunburn-it is part of the healing process. Lotion may help relieve the itching.
• When you go out, cover the burned area with clothing so you don’t make it worse

When to visit a doctor for a sunburn:

• the skin blisters
• the pain is extreme or lasts more than two days
• your face swells
• the burn covers a large portion of the body (15%)
• you get a fever or chills
• you have a headache or feel faint
• you become dehydrated (dry eyes and mouth)
• your skin become infected

Bottom Line

Sunscreen is only a temporary protection from UVB rays. Most need to be reapplied every few hours and don’t skimp on the amount you use. Check the instructions.
Look for sunscreens with protection from UVA rays.