Pair CVT with these resources to stay ahead of the storm
Know what to expect this spring with weather resources at your fingertips.
Before we even think of May flowers, the month of April has Alabamians thinking about rain showers, tornados and spring allergy season.
Whether it’s stormy or sunny outside, you need a fast internet connection you can depend on to make the most of your days. With Coosa Valley Technologies’ reliable service, you can download mobile apps you need to plan ahead and use them when you need them most.
FEMA: The Federal Emergency Management Agency app tells you the best ways to prepare for more than 20 types of weather-related emergencies. It can also link you to 911 and FEMA when you need assistance.
Alabama SAF-T-Net: This app works well for customized local weather alerts, and you can program it to warn you of severe weather before it hits home, work or your kids’ schools. It can alert you up to 15 minutes before a storm hits.
Red Cross Emergency app: The Red Cross Emergency app is not only a great resource to help you prepare ahead of severe weather, it also allows you to enable notifications for 40 different types of weather alerts in English or Spanish. An interactive map helps you locate open Red Cross shelters in your area for a safe place to ride out the storm. Be sure to check out other free emergency preparedness apps the Red Cross offers, such as First Aid.
RadarScope: This app will capture a storm-watcher’s heart. It comes highly recommended by meteorologists for its capability to show super high-resolution radar data, inform users of severe weather alerts and show predicted storm tracks based on up-to-date data from the National Weather Service.
Weather by WeatherBug: One of the most popular weather apps for mobile devices, Weather by WeatherBug promises the most accurate local weather forecast and comes with many key features such as Doppler radar, lightning tracker and even pollen count for those who suffer from seasonal allergies.
My Pollen Forecast: This stylish app shares hay fever forecasts and includes a diary for tracking your seasonal allergy symptoms. Check out maps of local areas with the highest pollen count, and learn about types of pollens that affect you the most.
Use Today's Tips, Tools & Technologies to Stay Safe
When severe weather comes knocking, don’t let it catch you rocking.
- “Respect the polygon!” — as James Spann, Alabama’s favorite weatherman, puts it. Today’s technology makes it possible for meteorologists to pinpoint warnings to small areas rather than an entire county. Take it seriously.
- Charge up. Every phone has Wireless Emergency Alerts built in to notify you when there are tornado warnings and flash flood alerts. The alarms are loud and obnoxious, perfect for waking you up when you’re asleep and the weather gets bad. Always charge all the devices you may want to use if electricity fails.
- Get a weather radio. OK, so this one is for grandma, but everyone should have one in their home. Cell networks can go down, so you might not hear the warning on your phone, and tornado sirens are meant to alert people outdoors as a last-ditch effort to get them indoors. A weather radio is a more reliable notification system and gives your home a vintage touch.
- Prepare your hidey-hole. First, figure out where you’re going to go. Maybe you have a storm shelter or basement or sturdy interior room with no windows. You are not safe in a mobile home. If a tornado hits, it will go flying. Think about somewhere secure to go nearby, like a convenience store or friend’s home.
- Suit up. A mini air horn can alert first responders to your location, and shoes will protect your feet from debris after a storm. Most importantly, wear a helmet. It may seem silly, but that accessory could save you from a lethal blunt-force trauma to your head. Being well-equipped could help you survive when the worst happens.