Weather Warnings

The storm season for Arkansas generally runs from March through September with the strongest storms occurring during the spring of the year.  Recent years have shown that violent storms can occur at any time.  It is in everyone's best interest to be prepared for bad weather during any season.

The following is an explanation of weather warnings, procedures to be followed at Lyon College, and the location of shelter areas on campus.

1.  Weather Warnings.

A.  Thunderstorm Watch.  Indicates that conditions exist that could produce a thunderstorm.  This is the mildest weather warning, but could be an indicator of worsening weather conditions.   The announcement of a Watch will include the areas affected and the duration of the condition.

B.  Thunderstorm Warning.  Indicates that a thunderstorm in imminent.  A thunderstorm usually produces strong wind, lightning and heavy rain.  As with a Watch, the area affected and the duration will be announced with the warning.

C.  Tornado Watch.  Indicates that conditions exist that could produce a tornado.  At the issuance of a Tornado Watch, Campus Safety will notify each department and Student Life of the existence of the Watch and the duration.  Local radio stations should be monitored for changing conditions.

D.  Tornado Warning.  Indicates that a tornado has been sighted.  The warning will include the area affected and the projected path of the tornado.  In the event of a Tornado Warning for the Batesville area everyone should move to a sheltered area of their building until the warning is over.

2.  Warning Sirens.  Independence County has installed warning sirens throughout Batesville and the surrounding area.  The nearest siren is located at the Maintenance building and can be heard all over campus. The policy of sounding the sirens has changed in recent years.

Warning sirens will sound when a Tornado Warning is issued for any surrounding county as well as for Tornado Warnings issued for Independence county. There is no set pattern to the sirens, except that they will sound when Warnings are issued. Sirens may be sounded repeatedly as storm systems approach the county. When the Warning expires the sirens will NOT sound to signal All Clear.

3.  Shelter Areas.

A.  Where not to be.  Stay away from windows and large rooms (such as Nucor Auditorium, Edwards Dining Hall, and Brown Chapel).  If you are outside go to low ground.  Lie down in a ditch if necessary.  If you are driving do not try to run from the tornado.  Park your car and seek shelter in a ditch or solid structure. Leave any room in which chemicals are used or stored, such as labs in the Derby Center.

B.  Designated Shelter Areas.  By building, the following areas are the best places to be during a tornado.

Nichols:  Restrooms, dark room, vault and closets.

Brown Chapel:  Interior offices at the back of the chapel, first floor restrooms (front foyer), ladies restroom (back hallway), and the Bevens Kitchen.

Derby Science: Basement level interior hallway, storage rooms, and restrooms. First floor restrooms

Alphin Building:  Kresge Gallery, first floor hallways and restrooms.

Lyon Building:  First floor restrooms and hallways.

Mabee/Simpson Library: Mail room and Media center, or lower hallways away from the front doors.

Becknell Gym:  Lower level offices, dressing rooms, and restrooms.

Edwards Commons: Hallway between the game room and dining area, the hall behind the bookstore and the hall leading to the rear exit of the dining hall.

Admissions: Interior hallway, interior closets, and interior restrooms.

Holloway Theater: Interior hallways.

Morrow Quad: The hallway outside the nurses’ office.

Maintenance: Restrooms and interior hall.

Spragins Hall: Lower level hallway.

Love/Bryan/Blandford Halls:  Lower level hallways and lowest level of the stairwells.

Brown/Barton Apartments:  Downstairs hallways and bathrooms.

McRae/Wilson & Rogers: Ground floor hallways and bathrooms.

Hoke/McCain:  Ground floor hallways and restrooms.

New Art Studio: Restroom and cleaning room on the northeast side of the studio.

Scottish Heritage: Interior hallways.

Baseball Facility: Interior closets and restrooms.

Campus Safety Office: Storage closet.

4.  Nice to have items.  Power outages often occur when storms hit the area.  The following items could come in handy in the event of power loss on campus.

Flashlight with extra batteries.

Battery powered radio.

Extra Blankets.

5.  Information sources.  Campus Safety will notify campus residents of Tornado Watches and Warnings through the RA's and RD's.  Local radio stations such as FM 93.1 or FM 99.5 as well as local television channel 2, KAIT, also provide up to the date weather information.