Thunderstorms can cause serious damage in Western Dutchess County

7/10/2019 (Permalink)

Don't underestimate the power of a thunderstorm!

Thunderstorms are pretty common during the summer months in the Hudson Valley. However, with these storms comes a chance for storm damage caused by those severe thunderstorms.

A little Thunderstorm 101 from SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County-

In the U.S., there are generally around 100,000 thunderstorms per year, and 10% of those that are considered severe. Compared to hurricanes and winter storms, thunderstorms affect relatively smaller areas.

Every thunderstorm needs 3 ingredients:

*Moisture- to form clouds and rain

*Unstable Air- warm air that can rise rapidly

*Lifts- fronts, sea breezes, and mountains can lift air to form thunderstorms

(This is why you often hear meteorologists’ reference when cold and warm fronts are about to intersect, creating dangerous conditions).

Damage from Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms can create many different dangerous situations that can occur during it, but debris flying around due to high winds is among the most dangerous to both property and humans.

Wind speeds can gust in a severe thunderstorm up to and over 57.5 mph. That is enough to cause damage to your property. If you have anything in your yard that’s not secured, including things like bikes or trash cans, those items can become projectiles quickly, causing damage to homes, businesses and cause personal injuries.

Thunderstorms can also produce the following damage besides wind damage:

Lightning damage. When lightning strikes a building, electricity moves through the wiring of the home. This can lead to appliances blowing out, along with an increased risk of fire.

Tornado damage. Consider this—the average storm has winds around 60 mph. The wind in a tornado can gust upward of 200 mph, which can wreak some serious havoc.

Hail damage. Did you know that according to NOAA, the cost of hail damage can reach $1 billion a year?

Flood damage. During storms, a lot of rain often falls in a small amount of time. This can make it impossible for the water to soak into the earth, leaving pools of water everywhere. This flash flooding can have dangerous consequences.

Dealing with storm damage to your home or business? Know that the team at SERVPRO® of Western Dutchess Countyis available 24/7 for emergencies to help with cleanup and restoration.