ORLANDO, Fl. – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released their winter outlook in October and predict a wetter-than-average season in Central Florida, meaning the probability for active weather is above average.
Astronomical winter begins on Dec. 21, and this winter season may be different from winters in the past.
For the first time in four years, we’ll experience an El Nino-driven winter. During an El Niño winter event, a subtropical jet stream, a narrow band of air in the upper atmosphere drives weather systems across the country resulting in active weather.
This acts as a route for fronts to move across the Pacific into California, then the Southern Plains and Deep South and eventually into Florida.
When these frontal boundaries moving through Florida, there’s the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms to develop. And with thunderstorms, comes lightning.
Lightning is no stranger to Central Floridians, in fact Central Florida is the lightning capital in the country.
In Seminole County, several lightning detectors have been installed at parks and open fields keeping people safe from lightning.
“The great thing about our system is our emergency operation center. We have a display where we can see all of the lightning detectors and when a storm is moving in, our radar detectors are starting to go into yellow which is a warning for our park staff and then into red when it gets close enough and lightning is detected nearby,” said Alan Harris, emergency manager of Seminole County.
A few sensors are found on the roof of a building or installed on the ground. At every entrance to the park, there is information on the lightning detection systems and things that they could do to keep themselves and their families safe. There’s also a website listed to sign up for severe weather alerts and emergency notifications for Seminole County at AlertSeminole.org.
According to the county, the lightning detectors measures the static electricity in the atmosphere and how much energy is building and changing before lightning occurs. The horn will go off when lightning is detected 8-12 miles away, alerting people and park staff that it’s time to take cover. With the alarm there’s also a light that goes on, so if you have your headphones in or are hearing impaired, you’ll know that lightning is nearby.
When lightning is detected nearby, a 15-second siren will sound eight to 20 minutes in advance of a potential strike giving patrons time to quickly take cover. All activities must stop upon alert. Pavilions and dugouts are not the safest when a thunderstorm is close by.
An enclosed building offers the best protection from lightning but if there are no sturdy buildings nearby, your vehicle with the windows up is another safe location until the storm passes.
If someone has been struck with lightning, call 911 immediately. Give them first aid if you’re qualified and lightning victims are safe to touch and will need medical attention immediately.
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