What a difference a mere couple weeks can make. While many areas are just now enjoying snow free yards a large portion of the Midwest and Southeast are preparing for severe weather today. The Storm Prediction Center shows many states with up to a 15% of tornadoes today (see map above).
It's days like today that Weather Defender can really pay for itself. In addition to being able to watch the radar for approaching storms, there's a long list of other layers that can be added that help prepare you for what could be coming. Some of these are:
- Storm reports (review reports from spotters as the storm approaches)
- Storm tracks (see where a certain cell is going and how fast it's getting there)
- Lightning Strikes - Premium addition (allows you to see how much lightning is involved with a storm)
- MESO (shows where possible mesocyclones, storms with rotation as indicated by radar, are)
- Storm Attributes (helps pinpoint where hail could occur and how large it could be)
- Watches/warnings (see up-to-date watches and warnings posted on your map as they are issued)
As always, make sure you have multiple sources of information for severe weather including Weather Defender, other internet sources, weather radio and television.