Severe Local Storms Forecasting

Abstract

Atmospheric hazards are the deadliest of all natural disasters in the United States (White and Haas 1975; Petak and Atkisson 1982). Local convective storm-induced severe weather and floods result in approximately 400 fatalities annually, with excessive heat and cold accounting for about 600 deaths and hurricanes for more than 30 fatalities each year (Riebsame et al. 1986). Convective storm mortality rates have stabilized, or even decreased, in the United States and other industrialized countries, but they have generally increased in developing nations.