Spring is the time of year when many things change—including the weather. Temperatures can swing back and forth between balmy and frigid. Sunny days may be followed by a week of stormy weather. Sometimes extreme weather changes can occur even within the same day. Mark Twain once said, "In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours."

Thunderstorms can bring lightning, tornadoes and flooding. Whenever warm, moist air collides with cool, dry air, thunderstorms can occur. For much of the world, this happens in spring and summer.

Advance planning for thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes and floods requires specific safety precautions, but you can follow many of the same steps for all extreme weather events. The following is a list of items to have on hand in extreme weather conditions:

• A battery-operated flashlight, a battery-operated NOAA Weather Radio, and extra batteries for both
• An emergency evacuation plan, including a map of your home and, for every type of severe weather emergency, routes to safety from each room
• A list of important personal information, including
  • telephone numbers of neighbors, family and friends
  • insurance and property information
  • telephone numbers of utility companies
  • medical information
• A first aid kit may include
  • non-latex gloves
  • assortment of adhesive bandages
  • antibiotic ointment
  • sterile gauze pads in assorted sizes
  • absorbent compress dressings
  • tweezers
  • scissors
  • adhesive cloth tape
  • aspirin packets (81 mg each)
  • first aid instruction booklet

(Note: Customize your first aid kit to meet your individual and family needs.)

• A 3–5 day supply of bottled water and nonperishable food
• Personal hygiene items
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• An emergency kit in your car

Prepare your family members for the possibility of severe weather. Tell them where to seek appropriate shelter as soon as they are aware of an approaching storm. Practice your emergency plan for every type of severe weather. Show family members where the emergency supplies are stored, and make sure they know how to turn off the water, gas, and electricity in your home.

Unfortunately, few of us get much advance notice of a severe weather event. Often by the time we are aware of an approaching storm, we have little, if any, time to prepare for it. But we do know that when spring arrives, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and floods are real possibilities. So why not take the surprise factor out of severe weather and prepare yourself, your family, and your home? If thunderstorms, tornadoes and floods do occur, you'll be ready for them.

This information is courtesy of the CDC and the National Center for Environmental Health.