For the past several days the media has been showing images of a smoke plume reaching from wildfires in Saskatchewan across the Midwest and farther south. From the ground the smoke appears as a haze high in the sky and may filter the sun. Sunrises and sunsets in the areas where there is smoke in the atmosphere have been more colorful than usual.
While such events occur fairly frequently, this one has garnered additional attention because of the vast area that is reporting at least some smoke. It is expected the area will shift to the east as the weather pattern changes over the holiday weekend.
Here’s what the sky looked like in central Illinois at about 11AM on Wednesday, July 1, 2015. The darker parts of the image are clouds, put the sun is seen filtered in part by the smokey haze.
At the current time most of the smoke is high in the atmosphere and is not likely to be able to be smelled nor is it a particular threat to those with breathing difficulties. However, the situation is different in parts of Alaska where a Dense Smoke Advisory has been issued near some wildfires. There people have been cautioned not only about limited visibility but the possibility of health impacts.
Nearly all of the wildfires have been caused by lightning.
As we approach the July 4th holiday, please keep those fireworks under control and don’t contribute to any new wildfires.
It’s often said in areas of drought in the southern U.S. that it takes a tropical storm to reverse the situation. This year, as we know, the Texas-Oklahoma drought was fairly well broken by a lingering storm system over Memorial Day weekend which resulted in more than 30 deaths.
Now comes what is left of Tropical Storm Bill, already as of this morning, reduced to a tropical depression. Some parts of Texas into Arkansas may see 2 to 5-inches of rain in the next day. While these rain totals don’t match some from the Memorial Day storms, they are excessive and flash flooding is a possibility.
As the remnants of Bill move slowly to the northeast across the next several days the heaviest rain will eventually spread into southern Illinois and on to Indiana by late Friday night into Saturday. Here’s the latest hydrological forecast discussion.
In fact, the remnants of Bill will interact with a stalled frontal system which has caused periodic heavy rain for more than a week as it waffled up and down across Illinois and nearby states. Flood warnings have been issued for several rivers in Illinois and extend into portions of the Mississippi River bordering the state. Flooding in Illinois ranges from major to minor and areas of heaviest precipitation have varied daily.
On Monday, tornado warning sirens sounded in downtown Chicago, a relatively rare occurrence. A funnel cloud was observed east of Midway Airport and another near Millenium Park which is just east of Michigan Avenue in the heart of the city. No touchdowns were reported, but some photos taken at the time show an unmistakable wall cloud.
From time to time on Weather Wednesday we will step away from purely meteorological topics to address preparedness. This week we’ll discuss one of the most basic preparedness items, a personal or family Go Kit.
A Go Kit should be assembled and customized according to individual needs following some general guidelines from FEMA. Be sure to look under the tabs for additional suggested items.
Let’s look at some of the items which should be included:
Water, one gallon per person per day for three days for drinking and sanitation. For long term storage the crystal clear containers hold up better, but water and food stocks should be rotated out regularly.
Food, a three day supply of non-perishable food. If using canned food, be sure to include a can opener. Specialty meals designed for use by campers are also a good option. Check preparation instructions to be sure you have all of the necessary equipment.
Battery powered, hand cranked and/or solar powered radio capable of receiving NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio and standard broadcast. Carry extra batteries.
Flashlight and extra batteries. Batteries will generally last considerably longer in LED flashlights.
First aid kit. A good basic kit will suffice unless special needs are involved.
Whistle to signal for help. A small air horn is also a good addition, but you can’t beat a whistle for convenience. It takes less volume of air to blow a whistle than to yell which can be important if one is trapped by debris. A whistle or horn also has a better chance of being heard over heavy equipment.
Plastic sheet and tape if asked to shelter in place.
Local maps. Remember, familiar landmarks may be destroyed in some disasters.
Cell phone with chargers, inverters, solar power, charging packs, etc. Note, avoid using accessories such as the built in flashlight which tend to run down the battery rapidly.
Prescription medications and glasses. Setting aside medication can be problematic so work with your physician and pharmacist to see what can be done.
Cash and change. If the power is out or communications lines down, ATMs will be out of service.
Copies of insurance papers, account numbers, etc. Do keep these in a special place in the kit so you can keep track of them.
Infant formula, diapers, pet food, etc if applicable. Include a leash for your pet and count their water needs as well.
Change of clothes. Err on the side of warmth and waterproof items.
A couple of items recent experience has shown to be very valuable. Sturdy shoes or boots. Sandals and flip flops are not at all useful when walking through debris. If you have identified a shelter area in your home, you might want to keep the spare shoes/boots there.
Bicycle helmets or hard hats may also be useful if easily accessible to your shelter area.
Remember a Go kit should be able to do just that, pick up and go, should the need arise. It is important to temperate the desire to plan for all contingencies with the practical need to perhaps carry the kit for some distance. Kits are also available from retailers, but make sure to customize to your needs.