If you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes. Just last week we had heavy snow and then ominous thunder. Mother Nature is indeed fickle at times. The old adage is true about Kansas' weather. However, if you're an outdoorsman or woman, you should heed the warning, particularly at this time of year.
Turkey hunters and anglers are at risk during severe weather. Tornadoes come to mind, but fortunately they're few and far between. Kansas leads the nation in the number of F5 tornadoes (winds from 261-318 mph) with 14 on record since 1880. But even an F1 tornado (winds from 73-112 mph) are cause for concern. I've lived in Kansas all my life and have never seen one and don't really care to. But I always pay attention to tornado watches (conditions are favorable) when I have outdoor plans.
Severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, high winds and lightning are much more frequent on the Kansas landscape. High winds can swamp boats and lightning can be deadly. The worst places to be are in the middle of a lake or open field when these storms hit. They typically provide plenty of warning as it's easy to hear thunder many miles away.
I check the forecast before every outdoor trip. Always keep one eye on the sky. Most cell phones have weather apps with radar. There's usually plenty of time to take evasive action. Put the boat back on the trailer or seek shelter if you're out in the open or in the woods. Thunderstorms typically pass and many times activities can be resumed. Just don't gamble and think nothing bad can happen because it can. There's no fish or fowl worth taking a chance of any kind when dealing with threatening weather.
Something that will keep one fishing during a lightening storm is when the 2 pound white bass are running down below John Redmond. Those bolts land mighty close and will shake you in your shoes but losing a chance at those fish is something we couldn't pass on that day. Would I do that again? Probably not.
ReplyDelete