Traveling during severe weather can be stressful and risky, with potential delays and safety hazards. However, you can take several steps to prepare for inclement weather and ensure your safety. Here are six essential tips to help you navigate travel during severe weather conditions.
1. Use Travel Weather Apps
Downloading a reliable travel weather app can keep you informed about forecasts and alerts for your destination and route. Here are four excellent options:
- American Red Cross Emergency App: This free app offers real-time notifications for 40 different weather alerts and step-by-step guides for various weather events. It also has a map to locate American Red Cross shelters.
- Drive Weather: Ideal for road trips, this app highlights weather conditions along your route, including temperature, wind, and radar. It adjusts the forecast based on your driving speed and shows a user-friendly map. Free and paid versions are available.
- Sitata: Perfect for international travelers, this app provides 24/7 notifications about flight delays, disease outbreaks, civil unrest, and transit strikes. It also connects you with a virtual doctor and sends travel updates to loved ones. Most features are free.
- Weather Channel App: This free app offers weather forecasts and travel planning tools for U.S. and international destinations. It also includes guides to help you plan trips and manage weather-related health issues.
These apps are available for both Android and iOS devices and can supplement your existing local weather app.
2. Pack a Weather Radio
A NOAA weather radio is a valuable tool for receiving emergency alerts, especially if your phone doesn’t receive location-based alerts or you can’t access local news. These radios are inexpensive, costing as little as $30. For instance, the Midland WR120B NOAA Emergency Weather Alert Radio monitors seven NOAA channels, provides alerts for up to 60 hazards, and has an alarm clock. It only requires three AAA batteries.
3. Bring Extra Provisions
Carrying extra food, water, and essential travel gear can be crucial if you’re stranded or stores are closed. These supplies can fit into a car kit or carry-on. For cold weather, pack additional clothing layers to stay warm. In hot weather, ensure you have plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and a source of shade.
4. Tornado Safety Tips
Tornado season in the U.S. typically runs from March to July, with peak activity in the spring. Tornadoes are most common in “Tornado Alley,” which includes states like Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas. The Deep South, including Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, also faces increasing tornado risks.
- Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone for location-based warnings.
- Check warnings from the National Weather Service or local media.
- In an active tornado threat, move to the lowest floor and avoid windows. Seek shelter in buildings with wooden frames or cinder block constructions, avoiding structures with long roofs like malls and airports.
- If driving, pull over at rest areas or truck stops with storm shelters. Stay low and cover your head if you remain in the car. Avoid highway overpasses, which can intensify wind tunnel effects. Instead, stay in your vehicle or lie in a ditch for protection.
5. Hurricane Travel Safety Tips
Modern forecasting can predict hurricanes well in advance. Peak hurricane season is usually in the fall, but risks exist from June to November on the Atlantic coast and from June to November in the eastern Pacific.
- During a hurricane, stay on high ground or in an upper-floor room without windows.
- Avoid standing near trees to prevent injury from falling branches and debris.
- If driving, turn around on flooded roads and only drive during daylight for better visibility.
- Familiarize yourself with your hotel or resort’s storm policy and evacuation procedures.
6. Blizzard Travel Safety Tips
Winter storms and blizzards can pose significant risks. If driving becomes too hazardous, consider stopping and getting a hotel room until conditions improve.
If stuck on the road, run the vehicle for only 10 minutes per hour and open a window slightly to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Keep an interior dome light on or mark your vehicle with a bright cloth for visibility to first responders.
By following these tips, you can better prepare for and navigate severe weather conditions while traveling, ensuring your safety and minimizing disruptions. Stay informed, be prepared, and travel safely.
