Personally, I love a good storm. As long as I’m in the comfort and safety of my own home, I am more than happy to listen to thunder roar and watch lightning flashes through the window all evening long. The smell of rain is so refreshing, and seeing lightning strike is absolutely mesmerizing. But as much fun as being a spectator of a strong summer storm is, the sad reality is that extreme storms can take and destroy people’s lives.

According to CISA, there have been 186 severe storms in the United States since 1980 that have each caused over $1 billion in damage. Over 100,000 thunderstorms hit the U.S. every year, and about one in ten reaches a severe level. This means that the storm includes winds of 58 miles per hour or more, pieces of hail one inch in diameter or larger and/or tornadic activity.    

It’s no surprise that these severe storms can have a huge impact on the environment and residents’ lives. Sadly, climate disasters and extreme weather killed over 5,000 Americans between 2016 and 2022, Climate.gov reports. And it appears that severe weather and climate disasters are only becoming more and more common.

The Office for Coastal Management notes on their site that 2022 was a particularly devastating year, as the United States was hit with 18 climate disasters that each cost the country over a billion dollars. 2023 also managed to set multiple weather and climate records as well, with the sea surface temperature reaching +1.78°F or +0.99°C for the first time in the 174 years that NOAA has been recording its temperature.  

To learn more about how to prepare for extreme weather, we reached out to Jacquelyn Fitzpatrick, Senior Brand Manager at Nielsen-Kellerman, who was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda.

"Using an Ambient Weather® station is one of the most effective ways to prepare for severe weather because it provides real-time data right from your own backyard," Jacquelyn shared. "Unlike generalized weather reports, your Ambient Weather station monitors the exact conditions at your home, allowing you to detect critical changes in temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed, and more as storms approach."

"Pairing your station with the free Ambient Weather Network™ (AWN) app enhances this by giving you instant access to customized weather alerts and detailed forecasts," the expert continued. "Regularly monitoring this hyper-localized data gives you the crucial insight needed to make timely decisions that protect your home and family."

We also asked Jacquelyn if there are any common mistakes people often make when prepping for severe weather. She noted that relying solely on generalized weather reports can be a mistake, as they often come from airports miles away from your location.

"These reports may not accurately reflect the conditions in your immediate area, leading to underestimating the severity of an approaching storm," she explained. "Using an Ambient Weather® station with the AWN app can help you monitor hyper-localized conditions in your exact location. This ensures you have the most accurate and relevant data, allowing you to make better-informed decisions for storm preparation."

And if you don't have a weather station, Jacquelyn says you can still rely on the free and ad-free Ambient Weather Network™ app to access real-time weather data from nearby stations.

"AWN is an open-source website and app that allows you to access hundreds of thousands of public PWS weather stations, including government stations. When you open the app, you will encounter an interactive map of weather stations, weather cameras, and map layers that provide an incredibly detailed and hyper-local view of current conditions," she told Bored Panda.

"With this data, you can easily find information about localized temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, and precipitation levels at critical points like your home, neighborhood, or evacuation route, allowing you to better prepare for the storm's impact. Download the app on iOS and Android or visit www.ambientweather.net."

"In addition to the steps mentioned, we recommend regular maintenance of your personal weather station to ensure it's always ready when you need it most," Jacquelyn added. "Keeping your sensors clean and well-calibrated and checking the station's connectivity can provide you with the most accurate and timely information."

"Being prepared isn't just about having the right tools; it's about ensuring those tools are in top working order," the expert says. "Stay safe, stay informed, and trust in your Ambient Weather station to help you navigate through any storm."

We were also lucky enough to get in touch with Jonathan Erdman, senior meteorologist for The Weather Company's Weather.com, to hear his thoughts on this topic.

When prepping for severe weather, Jonathan says to first figure out where you’re going to take shelter if necessary. "If you live in a mobile home, figure out where either a designated storm shelter or the nearest sturdy building is that you can get to quickly," he shared. "Then, be aware of the threat of severe weather. Check your forecast every day. If it mentions severe thunderstorms possible, know that you may have to take shelter later in the day if severe weather moves into your area."

"Have multiple ways of receiving watches and warnings from the National Weather Service. That includes a NOAA weather radio and a smartphone app with alerts turned on that can wake you up if you’re sleeping," the meteorologist added.

"A good excuse to keep your garage clean is the ability to park your vehicle in the garage when either a hailstorm or damaging thunderstorm winds approach," Jonathan added. "Don’t neglect maintaining trees near your home. If any are leaning toward your house, have sagging branches or have died, have that tree work done as soon as possible. It’s much less hassle and less dangerous than having a tree fall on your home and dealing with your insurer."

"By the way, this threat of falling trees is dangerous. It doesn’t take severe weather, either. Strong winds, heavy, wet snow or ice accumulation can down limbs or trees," Jonathan told Bored Panda.

"When I receive a severe thunderstorm warning on my smartphone that mentions strong wind gusts, I head to my basement for that very reason. It almost goes without saying, but try not to drive in severe thunderstorms," the expert added. "Falling trees or large limbs can crush some vehicles."

We hope you’re enjoying the creative photos on this list, pandas. But hopefully you won’t be hit with any serious storms any time soon! Keep upvoting the pics you find most amusing, and let us know your best storm-prep tips in the comments below. Then, if you’d like to check out even more photos of wild weather, we recommend reading this Bored Panda article next!