Harrowsmith Fall 2019 | 133WEATHERMYTH 8:
Big storms (hurricanes and
tornadoes) are the
deadliest type of weather.
Big storms get the headlines,
whether it be deaths from storm
winds, lighting or the storm surge
from a hurricane, but these are not
the deadliest types of weather.
Worldwide, the deadliest form of
weather is heat. According to the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, heat now causes more
deaths in U.S. cities than all other
weather events combined. In
recent years, we have seen the
planet breaking records for
warmest years on record, and
this trend is expected to continue.
So, always take precautions to
prepare for storms, but also
include taking care of yourself and
others during heat waves. The life
you save may be your own.
MYTH 9:
Nicknamed the Sunshine
State, Florida gets
abundant sunshine
(not really weather lore,
but still wrong).
Although we know Florida for
its year-round warm weather
(compared to Canada), long sandy
beaches, and bikini-clad bodies
walking the boardwalks, it is not
the true Sunshine State, despite
state legislature adopting that
tourism tag line in the ’70s.
Although it does get its fair share
of sunshine, Florida is actually
quite stormy and steamy, while
southwestern states, such as
Nevada and Arizona, consistently
have more sunny days than
Florida and also a 10th of the
rain. But without the seaside
beaches, most people skip these
states as tanning meccas and still
view Florida as their Sunshine
State. Why let science interfere
with that? H