Warm Temperatures and Warning Rise

A rise in warm weather is bringing bad weather as well to the Oxford community.

Recently Oxford, Mississippi has finally reached warm days as spring is in full bloom. However, April showers bring May flowers. As warm weather has increased, the amount of bad weather is also coming our way.

Along with this, bad weather has brought tornados in to the surrounding areas as close as several miles from where the students of the University of Mississippi live.

As this weather is getting increasingly worse so is the question of what to do when a bad weather situation arises. The University has put a weather alert system into effect called Rebel Alert, which sends students a text message if bad weather is coming or any other type of danger.

Places to go if a tornado is in the area has become a crucial question for the students and residents of the Oxford community.  Based on the history of weather that has been recorded in Oxford, Mississippi this area is only considered under moderate risk. The University of Mississippi has written a guide to how to handle the situation: http://www.olemiss.edu/emergency/tornado.html.

One of the most concerning parts of threatening weather is the access to safe shelters. Over the past few weeks many of the storms have come late in the evening making it even more difficult to spot a tornado. However, the City of Lafayette County does have shelters in effect as listed here: http://www.lafayettecoms.com/HTML/OAD/Departments/Emergency/Emergency.html.

Highland Square is a community where many students from the University of Mississippi live. When asked where residents should go if there are ever bad storms, leasing manager at Highland Square, Morgan Martin responded, “I would suggest to stay in your house and go to the smallest room with no windows.” Many other off-campus residents face this same issue as there is no basements or shelters to get to in the case of an emergency. In this case, each person must make the best of the situation that he or she is in. Mary Ellen Lewis, student and resident of Highland Square, said, “I would have no idea what to if a tornado were to come. We do not have basements or anywhere underground to take cover.”

Many of the residents on campus are not facing these same issues as many of the buildings and dorms have basements and places that are safe for the residents to take shelter. Kendal Herring who has been an on-campus resident says, “ I feel safe if bad weather were to take place because I have a basement that I can go to take cover in.”

Understanding the difference between a tornado warning and a tornado watch is a crucial piece of knowledge to have. A tornado watch is put in effect when there is a possibility of a tornado reaching a surrounding area. A tornado warning is when a tornado has already been spotted in the area and one should immediately take cover. The American Red Cross has a few helpful tips one should take if ever put in this kind of danger: http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/tornado .  The best advice that can be given to the students and residents in the Oxford community is to stay aware and be prepared if ever faced with a bad weather situation.