Severe Weather Preparedness 101, Part 1- know your location.


Severe Weather Preparedness 101, Part 1- know your location.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to know where you are and where you are in relation to where the storms are. The United States is approximately 3.797 million square miles which is divided into 50 states, and each of the states are then divided into counties. 

It is very important to know what county you live in, where you are in that county, and what the surrounding counties are. 


For example, I know that I am in Bryan County, OK. I know that I have Atoka County to my north, Choctaw County to my east, Marshall County to my west, and Johnston County to my northwest. And since I live so close to the Texas border, I know that Grayson County is to my south and southwest, and Fannin County is to my southeast. 

Knowing where you are helps when looking at radar, knowing what the radar means does nothing to help you if you don’t know where in the state you are. 

Knowing your counties and surrounding counties helps when watches and warnings are issued. Knowing what county you’re in also helps you know which National Weather Service office covers your area. 



To find out where in the state you are, the maps or navigation app on your phone or tablet is your friend. You’ll usually have a dot, or some kind of indicator of where you are, zoom out until you see the whole state, and you’ll know where in the state you are. Your phone’s map app will also help you in seeing where a city is in relation to yours. But please use good judgment. If your area is in a tornado warning, go to your shelter spot before you start looking up where storms are. When it comes to severe weather, ALWAYS err on the side of caution. 

You can find out what county you are in by searching What county is (city you live in, state you live in) in? Some cities are in more than one state, so to avoid confusion specify your state. 


Thank you for reading. This is part of a multi-post series, so follow me on Facebook so you don't miss anything, and share this with your family and friends to help keep them safe.

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