While driving through our area, you might see a sign attached to a city limit post, saying “StormReady Community.” What does that mean? 

What You Need To Know

  • St. Louis area has 8 StormReady communities

  • Designated communities undergo training and must meet certain criteria

  • Three counties in the area are StormReady counties

  • These communities assist before, during and after extreme weather events

Why the need?

Severe weather is prominent here in the Midwest and this year the region has experienced tornadoes to flash flooding. Both of which caused significant damage to the area. 

A StormReady community is about preparing your community for extreme weather and water events. Community leaders may rely on trained storm spotters during an event.

The July 26, 20222 flash flooding event had media outlets and government agencies using pictures and storm reports from the public. Most of the submitted reports came from trained spotters. 

Flooding in "Old Town" St. Peters, MO. Photo taken by Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

This program ensures communities have access to the communication and safety skills to help save lives and property before, during and after an event.  

St. Louis StormReady communities

There are 47 StormReady communities in the state of Missouri. 8 Communities in the St. Louis area, including: Ballwin, Clayton, St. Charles, St. Louis, St. Peters, Wentzville and Wildwood.

St. Charles, St. Louis and Lincoln counties are StormReady counties and Maryville, St. Louis University, Washington University and Webster University have even achieved status as StormReady Universities.  

Criteria 

To become a StormReady community, areas must meet certain criteria:

  • Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center
  • Have over one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public
  • Create a system that monitors weather locally
  • Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars
  • Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises

If interested, you can find your local Warning Coordination Meteorologist and learn more about how to sign up here. To find out if your community is already StormReady, you can check here.

As always, you can stay up to date with your latest forecast and be sure to enable the weather alerts on the Spectrum News app.