This week’s Tip of the Week on WeatherNation with John Van Pelt is all about staying safe when heading outdoors. Whether you’re camping or hiking, it’s important to know the rules of the outdoors.
Question: Every summer, millions of American go outside to go camping and spend time in the great outdoors. What hazards should we keep in mind when we head to the backwoods.
Answer: It’s important to watch the weather. Especially in the summertime, we need to be on the watch for developing thunderstorms and the lightning they bring. It’s important to know how to stay safe when outdoors, and quickly move to shelter. No place is safe from lightning outdoors, but if you are caught outside, the most dangerous place to be is at peaks of hills or mountains, then wide open areas, under shallow overhangs, or near bodies of water. It’s very dangerous to shelter under tall or isolated trees. The very safest place to be is a sturdy building or inside a metal top car.
Question: What other things should we keep in mind when picking out a camp site or heading outside?
Answer: As thunderstorms pop up in the summertime, heavy rain and flash flooding are possible. It’s important to remember that these sudden downpours may happen far from where we are hiking or camping. Sudden runoff can inundate low lying areas downstream with little or no warning, so it’s essential you are ready to head to higher ground if flooding starts. Establish your campsite away from dry creek beds or low spots, surrounded by hills or mountains.
Question: Besides weather, what else do we have think about while heading outdoors?
Answer: Be aware of wildlife and store food in safe places so as not to tempt them. Use protection against bugs- wear safe repellents and keep them out of your tent. Finally, take care of your skin with hats and sunscreen to protect yourself.
Tune in every week on WeatherNation for a new Tip of the Week to stay ahead of the storm.