National Geographic Extreme Weather Survival Guide: Understand, Prepare, Survive, Recover

338 Pages·2014·4.78 MB·English

by  Thomas M. Kostigen

Copyright © 2014 National Geographic Society. Text copyright © 2014 Thomas M. Kostigen.
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A mile-wide tornado kicks through north-central Kansas.
CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
WARNING
INTRODUCTION
PART 1
WET
CHAPTER 1 THUNDERSTORMS
CHAPTER 2 FLOODS
CHAPTER 3 HURRICANES
CHAPTER 4 TORNADOES
PART 2
DRY
CHAPTER 5 DROUGHT
CHAPTER 6 WILDFIRES
PART 3
HOT
CHAPTER 7 RISING TEMPERATURES
CHAPTER 8 HEAT WAVES
PART 4
COLD
CHAPTER 9 COLD WAVES
CHAPTER 10 BLIZZARDS
DOING YOUR PART
RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONS
EMERGENCY WEBSITES
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ILLUSTRATIONS CREDITS
WARNING
WE INVITE YOU to use this book many times and in many ways:
casual browsing, focused reading, and for reference when you
need it. Because much of its advice and information pertains to
times when reading is difficult-time is of the essence, power is
down, other demands are more pressing—the best approach
would be to roam and absorb the chapters on weather extremes
you are most likely to face, so you know the basics and the
organization of this book if and when catastrophe hits.
All content and information published in this book is provided to the reader “as is” and without any
warranties. The situations and activities described in the book carry inherent risks and hazards. The
reader must evaluate and bear all risks associated with use of the information provided in this book,
including those risks associated with reliance on the accuracy, thoroughness, utility, or appropriateness
of the information for any particular situation. The authors and publisher specifically disclaim any
responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence of
the use and application of any of the contents in this book.
Flooding from the Souris River breaches a highway in North Dakota.
GET READY
hurricane is coming. Do you have a plan? Should you leave
A
home or stay put? Do you know how to access local alerts?
At home, are you better off upstairs or downstairs? Is your yard
in order? Where would you go if you had to leave home? Do
you have what you need to make it through a power outage?
What about family members? What about pets? Perhaps you’ve
faced such an emergency. Were you ready? Did you even know
what to do to be sure you were ready? Many face those
questions in the heat of the moment, but it’s best to think the
answers through carefully, long before the storm begins. This
book tells you how. It will help you understand, prepare,
survive, and recover.
We seem to be getting slammed harder and more frequently by extreme
weather—with record-breaking temperatures, storm intensities, property
destruction, and even fatalities. The news is filled with catastrophic
events—Hurricane Sandy brought epic destruction to New York and New
Jersey in 2012; monster Typhoon Haiyan wrought havoc in the
Philippines in 2013; and a dip in the polar vortex in 2014 made Chicago
colder than the South Pole’s summer temperature. In many places,
summers are hotter, winters are colder, and new weather records seem
to be set all the time.
What’s causing all this destructive phenomena? Why do they appear to
be happening more frequently than they used to? Is climate change to
blame? If so, how and in what instances? We’ll discover the answers to
these questions and more in the pages that follow. What seems to be
certain: Abnormal is the new normal—we need to learn to expect the