Severe weather can happen at any time in Alabama. To help you prepare, The University of Alabama is offering information on severe weather and safety tips during Severe Weather Awareness Week, Feb. 21-25.
The best way to be prepared is to have a way to receive information about severe weather. The UA Safety app provides a seven-day weather forecast for campus, as well as weather alerts that include a map showing affected areas for Tuscaloosa County. In addition to the app, you should also purchase an NOAA Weather Radio for your home that will alert you to severe weather, especially while you are sleeping.
The University will always send a UA Alert for tornado watches and tornado warnings that are issued and include the UA campus. UA Alerts may be sent via text messages, phone calls, and emails simultaneously to the campus community. In addition, UA Alerts can also be received through the UA Safety app.
UA also uses Alertus Desktop Notificaton to provide information about severe weather and other emergencies on campus. Alertus, which is available for both PC and Mac computers, can be installed for free, and will provide an emergency message on the desktop if the computer is connected to a UA network such as Eduroam.
UA may also communicate about severe weather through digital signs located in most campus buildings, and through telephones in campus business offices.
Know about common severe weather in Alabama.
Know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.
While severe weather is happening, stay tuned to local sources of information like 92.5 FM UA Info Radio, which can be streamed through the UA Safety app, and WVUA 23.
Watch the video below to learn more about the UA Safety app.