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"There\u2019s a slight risk for severe weather this weekend, but as we move into severe weather season, it\u2019s a good time to review what you need to know.First of all, what is severe weather?Severe storms produce one or more of the following: 1-inch hail, wind gusts of 58 mph, a tornado, wind damage, flash flooding or flooding that causes property damage or death.A Severe Thunderstorm Watch or Tornado Watch is issued for a large area like southeast Louisiana and south Mississippi about six hours before the event.\u00A0It means: keep an eye to the sky, and pay attention to the weather. Be aware of the potential development of severe storms.\u00A0 It\u2019s not the time to go out in the lake fishing or plan an extended outdoor picnic.A Severe Thunderstorm Warning or Tornado Warning means severe weather has been spotted. It may be 30 minutes away or minutes away. It means to take shelter if you are in the storm\u2019s path. Severe thunderstorms or tornadoes can move at 60 mph. You may not have much time to get to safety, so you need to have a plan.\u00A0 Warnings are issued for smaller areas like parts of one or more parishes or counties.Severe weather in southeast Louisiana and south Mississippi is most likely to occur in March, April and May, when cold fronts are colliding with warm, moist air from the Gulf, but it can happen anytime of the year.We have a second peak in November. We also historically have a lot of activity in January and February.The most active time of the day is in the afternoon and early evening because of the daytime heat. The most dangerous time period for severe weather is of course at night, because you can\u2019t see the storms coming.\u00A0 It\u2019s also difficult to see flooded roadways.\u00A0 Remember, \"Turn around, don\u2019t drown.\"If a tornado is approaching your home, go to the bottom floor, an interior room without windows, and get under a sturdy piece of furniture.\u00A0 I used to keep a mattress in the bathtub of the downstairs bathroom for my kids.If you are in a mobile home, seek shelter in a stronger building. Mobile homes can be turned over in strong winds and the walls punctured by flying debris.If you are in a shopping center or building with a large span roof like a grocery store, or a school, go to the lowest floor, and smallest room like a bathroom or interior hallway without windows, crouch down and put your hands over your head.If you are driving and a tornado is approaching, do not seek shelter under an overpass. The wind will actually be stronger there. Get out of the path of the tornado, or seek shelter in a sturdy building.Remember tornadoes can move as fast as cars, so don\u2019t try to outrun them. During the severe weather outbreak in Texas, cars could be seen taking shelter under an overpass on Thursday.If you can\u2019t escape the tornado, pull over. Put a blanket over your body, and stay below the windows -- make sure the seat belt is on. If you can, get out of the car and into a ditch if it's lower than the street level. Cover your body with a blanket if possible. Keep blankets in your car. Neither one of these options are great. It\u2019s only as a last resort.If you are outside look for signs of severe weather.\u00A0 A dark greenish sky, the sound of the freight train, large hail, high winds, a wall cloud, frequent lightning are all signs that the weather is going downhill, and you should get to a sturdy building.The best thing you can do is stay up to date on the weather. NOAA has a weather radio that broadcast warnings in the middle of the night when you may be sleeping.WDSU-TV will also be on the air with warnings and post warnings on Facebook and Twitter. \u00A0You can also follow WDSU on Twitter @wdsu or you can follow me @margaretorr for all warnings.Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox.\u00A0Click here to sign up!u local weather"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.wdsu.com/article/margaret-orr-what-you-need-to-know-about-severe-weather/3370404>