Weather Quiz 2008: Answers

1. It was in Aurora where the largest hail stone ever recorded was recovered, in June of 2003. The stone was seven inches in diameter with a circumference of 18.75 inches.

2. False. By climbing up under an overpass people expose themselves to higher wind speeds and more debris flying at a higher velocity which makes ordinary items like boards, dishes, or cans, deadly missiles. Also if an overpass is directly in the path of a tornado the wind will change direction almost 180 degrees as the vortex passes. If one side was protected from the highest winds as the tornado approached, that side would be exposed to those winds and subsequent debris as the storm moves away. Overpasses are NEVER safe places to go during a tornado.

3. First, find a low spot away from trees, fences and poles. If you feel your skin tingle or your hair stands on end, squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet. Place your hands over your ears and your head between your knees. Make yourself as small of a target as possible. Minimize contact with the ground and do NOT get on all fours or lie down.

4. By definition, a tornado is a violently rotating column of air. Since air is invisible, a tornado may sometimes be indistinguishable especially in its initial stages before it can ingest moisture, dirt and debris. Sometimes as a tornado gets close it loses its identity with the only thing being visible is flying debris.
Also tornadoes can sometimes be wrapped in blinding rain, making it difficult to distinguish.

5. Count the number of seconds between the time in which you see a lightning flash and hear the first clap of thunder. Divide the number by 5 to get the distance in miles. Example: If the interval is 10 seconds, then the storm is approximately 2 miles away.