When thunder roars, GO INDOORS! While this saying is commonly used for lightning safety, it's a good rule of thumb for any thunderstorm, especially severe thunderstorms! Severe thunderstorms are thunderstorms that meet one or more of the following criteria: damaging wind gusts in excess of 58 mph, large hail (at least 1" in diameter), or a tornado. Severe thunderstorms are most common during the hours of 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. between April and September, but in reality, can occur at any time of the day.
The strong wind gusts are the most common threat from severe thunderstorms, and are even more damaging if they are in the form of straight-line winds. While a tornado would only affect a relatively small region, straight-line winds can affect entire counties and can even blow at hurricane-force! In the mid to late 90's, La Crosse County was hit with straight-line winds, and the event is still evident today. If you drive south on HWY 35 out of La Crosse and look closely at the north side of a bluff near Goose Island Park, you'll notice many fallen trees from the event laying west to east.
While not considered a criteria for a severe thunderstorm, lightning almost always accompanies them. These electrical discharges from the skies can be hotter than the surface of the sun and are extremely deadly! Lightning, second to flash floods, are one of the major causes for death from thunderstorms. And you don't have to be under the thunderstorm to get struck. Lightning can travel for miles away from it's parent thunderstorm. So basically, when you hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck. So when thunder roars, go indoors!
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