Severe weather awareness week: Florida prepares residents for most common risks

Many residents across Florida could have received an alert on their phones about a tornado warning, but this was just a drill.

The State of Florida raises awareness every year during a week in the month of February about the most common hazards that affect our state. The tornado warning was part of a statewide drill where residents are urged to know what to do in case a tornado warning was issued.

One of the most crucial pieces of information you could know that could make the difference between staying safe or not, is to know the difference between a watch and a warning. A tornado watch means that conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form. A tornado warning means that a tornado has been visually spotted, or rotation has been noticed on the radar.

Florida is a beautiful state with many perks like its warm and sunny weather (mostly) year-round. But with all the perks it has specific threats. Severe storms can happen at any point of the year as long as the conditions are present, but they are most common on summer afternoons. Severe weather brings the threat of damaging gusts, hail, and tornadoes.

Lightning is also a great risk for residents and visitors everywhere in Florida, especially during the busy summer months. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to get struck by lightning.

Along the coast, Florida has the largest count of rip current deaths than any other state on average. Rip currents, like extreme heat, is known as a silent killer. It is key to know what the flags mean when you are at the beach, and it is always best to swim near a lifeguard.

Wildfires are also a great threat in Florida. 2008 was devastated by fires across the east-central coast. Due to the warming weather, and many times due to dry conditions, wildfires have become a year-round phenomenon. Residents are now encouraged to know if they live in an area more prone to fires and have an emergency kit ready in case one starts.

Lastly, the famous hurricanes. Florida is known to stick out like a sore thumb in hurricane alley. Luckily not every year the state gets directly impacted by a hurricane, but every year, we can say that there are close calls, and often tropical storms do impact both coasts. Hurricanes and tropical storms bring many other threats like flooding, beach erosion, rip currents, and depending on strengthened damaging winds can cause catastrophic impacts too.

Track the latest storms across the country or your city in our interactive WeatherMap.

Be always prepared ahead of time and know what to do if a hazard threatens your location. Always think about what would you do in case each of the threats would impact your most often visited locations. Also, have a plan with your family, consider medications, any special needs you might have at the moment, and most importantly know that each storm is different. Preparation is key.