The Chronicle

ARE you prepared for storm season on the Sunshine Coast?

The storm season has commenced on the Sunshine Coast with “a crackin’ good electrical storm”, signaling the unofficial start to the Sunshine Coast storm season. The clear message to local communities on the Sunshine Coast is that you should prepare now for what the weather may bring, to help keep you and your family storm-safe.

Our storm safety checklist below gives you some tips and advice to make sure you are prepared for whatever this season throws up.

Tropical storm safety checklist

Before the storm season starts

Did you know that tree branches can block gutters with debris such as leaves and sticks?  Overhanging branches should be pruned so that they don't impose on either your home or other outdoor structures. If you identify trees that are positioned near powerlines, ENERGEX should be made aware of the locality of those trees so they can address the problem. Do not attempt to prune branches of trees that are located anywhere near powerlines.

Check your property for loose objects that could become airborne projectiles such as pool equipment, outdoor furniture, umbrellas,garden tools, outdoor toys and bikes, as these objects can pose a significant danger to people and property in strong winds.

Keeping a battery-operated torch in an easy to reach place can save you a lot of fumbling around if the lights go out. Using candles in a black-out isn't advisable as they can easily lead to a house fire if left unattended.

A portable radio that is tuned to your local station is also a good item to keep handy as it will help keep you informed and updated with the storm’s progress and how it will affect you. Ideally you should locate your radio where you can access it easily.  Having spare batteries for both your radio and torch is also a good idea.

Another valuable resource in a storm is a fully charged laptop computer with wireless internet. This will allow you to access storm information sites such as The Bureau of Meteorology that can provide you with a radar view of the storm’s approach and intensity and enable you to look at weather conditions such as rainfall, wind and hail that may affect you.

Using your mobile phone during a storm is a better choice than your land line as it doesn't require mains power to run, which could potentially expose you to a nasty shock if a power surge comes calling down your line. Check your mobile is fully charged to ensure your not left out of the loop.

During the storm

If power is lost during a storm be proactive and unplug all electrical appliances and turn off at the wall to avoid power surges that may irreparably damage your electrical appliances.

Tune your radio to your favourite local radio station for updates on the storm. For more storm information visit the Bureau of Meteorology using your laptop.

Have your battery operated torch ready and accessible in the event of power loss.  Remember a candle can be dangerous if used in a storm if left unattended.

If electrical appliances are inadvertently damaged by rain they should not be used under any circumstances due to a high risk of electrical shock or fire. Seek professional assistance to ensure they are safe prior to using the appliances again.

Once the storm has passed

Fallen powerlines are dangerous as they could be live. Don’t take any chances and report any fallen lines to the proper authorities and make others are aware of their location.

If possible, warn other people of any potential hazards that may have been caused by the storm such as flooding, fallen trees or erosion.

The State Emergency Service office can provide assistance with damage or injury caused by the storm and its aftermath. They can be contacted on 132 500.

Are you interested in storms?

If you would like to become involved as a member of the community network to assist the Bureau of Meteorology in gathering weather information, you could become a storm spotter. What do storm spotters do? The community network of storm spotters observe and report thunderstorms to the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting offices to assist them with storm tracking and forecasting.

Another helpful tool is the ENERGEX Lightning Tracker, which allows you to track lightning strikes across your region.

Need to know about your local weather?

Visit The Daily weather page to see the seven day outlook, tide times, surfcams, winds and swell.