Dixie County Emergency Management Disaster Planning
County Offices
County Services
DISASTER PLANNING: THUNDERSTORMS
Although every thunderstorm in Florida has the potential to cause death, injury or damage, about 10 % produce dangerous winds or hail that will likely exceed thresholds known to cause significant damage to well-built structures or cause bodily harm. These are known as severe thunderstorms. Severe thunderstorms produce hail the size of a dime or larger and/or winds of 58 miles per hour or greater.
What Makes a Severe Thunderstorm?
Hail (3/4 inch or greater)
Can cause significant damage to your vehicle, break windows and damage roofs.
Can cause significant bodily injuries such as broken bones and even blindness if wind blown.
Softball (4.5 inches) sized hail was reported in Lake Wales, Florida on March 30, 1996.
Hailstones the size of softballs can fall at speeds faster than 100 mph.
Hail-drifts, up to four feet deep of dime to nickel sized hail, occurred in low-lying areas near Zephyrhills, Florida on January 29, 1997.
| WATCH | means conditions are favorable for severe weather. |
| WARNING | means severe weather is occurring or has been detected by radar. |
What Makes a Severe Thunderstorm?
Although every thunderstorm in Florida has the potential to cause death, injury or damage, about 10 % produce dangerous winds or hail that will likely exceed thresholds known to cause significant damage to well-built structures or cause bodily harm. These are known as severe thunderstorms. Severe thunderstorms produce hail the size of a dime or larger and/or winds of 58 miles per hour or greater.
What Actions Should You Take To Be Prepared?
1. Build or identify a Safe-Room in your Home
2. Have a NOAA Weather Radio in your home with a tone alert feature. This will allow you to receive warnings issued by your local National Weather Service office.
Where Are Severe Thunderstorms Likely to Occur?
On average, the interior sections of central Florida receive the most thunderstorms with nearly 100 plus days per year. However, thunderstorms are also frequent along coastal areas which average 80 to 90 days per year. Although Florida thunderstorms are generally less than 15 miles in diameter, they can grow vertically to great heights in excess of 10 miles high into the atmosphere. This stacking effect of concentrated moisture can explain why a Florida thunderstorm directly overhead could produce four or more inches of rain in less than an hour while a location a few miles away may see only a trace.
Additional Disaster Information
Disaster Planning DIXIE COUNTY 411
PHONE BOOK |
| Clerk of Court Phone:352.498.1200 Fax:352.498.1201 |
| Commissioner Office Phone:352.498.1206 Fax:352.498.1207 |
| County Attorney Phone:352.498.5048 Fax:386.294.1689 |
| County Building Dept. Phone:352.498.1236 Fax:352.498.1286 |
| County Finance Office Phone:352.498.1205 Fax:352.498.1476 |
| County Health Dept. Phone:352.498.1360 Fax:352.498.1363 |
| County Jail Phone:352.498.1237 Fax:352.498. |
| County Judge Phone:352.498.1234 Fax:352.498.1477 |
| County Library Phone:352.498.1219 Fax:352.498.1408 |
| County Manager Phone:352.498.1426 Fax:352.498.1471 |
| County Public Works Phone:352.498.1239 Fax:352.498.1207 |
| Elections Supervisor Phone:352.498.1216 Fax:352.498.1218 |
| Emergency Services Phone:352.498.1240 Fax:352.498.1244 |
| Property Appraiser Phone:352.498.1212 Fax:352.498.1211 |
| School Superintendent Phone:352.498.6131 Fax:352.498.1308 |
| Tax Collector Phone:352.498.1213 Fax:352.498. |
| Sheriff Phone:352.498.1220 Fax:352.498.1226 |
| UF/IFAS Extension Phone:352.498.1237 Fax:352.498.1471 |
| Veteran's Affairs Phone:352.498.1246 Fax:352.498.1286 |