Tornadoes and mosquitoes in Georgia

It appears that the SPC is now forecasting the Dewvoid. All severe weather area have been drawn well to my north.

A tornado watch has just been issued for most of north and central Georgia until 7PM. This morning, the same line wreaked havoc in Mississippi and Alabama, with a tornado reported in Cullman, AL, (Alabama Mike's neck of the woods.. who was incidentally in Huntsville), has destroyed mobile homes and trapping people inside with injuries, downed trees and caused significant damage. Today's event features a typical Georgia squall line with embedded supercell potential is approaching the area in north and central Georgia. Unfortunately, conditions allow for discrete supercells to form ahead of the line of storms as the air mass destabilizes with day time heating. As this occurs, tornadoes could form seemingly out of the blue. Please take all weather warnings seriously. Keep those weather radios turned on.

1030 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF:

LARGE PART OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA
MUCH OF NORTH AND PARTS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA
PARTS OF WESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA

TORNADOES... HAIL TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER (TENNIS BALL SIZED)... THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH... AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

2.5" hail can be deadly and destructive to property. If large hail starts to fall, seek shelter. Try to park your vehicle under a covering.

Aside from that, locally, since it is now May (regardless of when the mosquito population becomes a problem, locally spraying for mosquitoes starts in May), they have starting spraying for mosquitoes. We have had one confirmed case of West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) Virus in a human (little girl) here in town in the past, and with recent flooding, the threat is greatly increased, especially since according to this graphic,... a mosquito has already tested positive for West Nile Virus in my county, despite what might have been said. My dear mother-in-law has said that they sprayed her Valdosta Meadowbrook neighborhood... the recently majorly flooded area (speaking of that, the local FEMA office will close here on Thursday at 7PM)... twice already. I shot these this morning. They were in my home. They are no longer with us... Some consider the mosquito the state bird! Not surprising considering how large some of them are.

Health authorities in south Georgia have declared a health emergency for Lowndes County because of an extremely high volume of mosquitoes in the area.

South District Health Director Dr. Lynne Feldman said recent flooding has caused the increase. The number of mosquitoes caught in traps in Lowndes County has increased from an average of nine per trap a month ago to an average of 786 per trap now.
~source

It's not like I didn't warn them... link to blog, where I suggested not enough was being done to control the mosquito population locally. Averages of 9 per trap a month up to 786 per trap!!! An 8733% increase!

A Declaration of Health Emergency for Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Tift and Turner Counties has been made by Lynne Feldman, M.D., MPH, District Health Director for the South Health District.

UNBELIEVABLE! Some helpful tips suggested by the South Health District:

**Using an insect repellent containing an EPA-registered active ingredient when outdoors.
**Stay indoors during dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active. If you have to be outdoors during these times be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants.
**Make sure screens on your windows and doors fit properly and are not ripped to keep mosquitoes out.
**When weather permits, wear long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes with repellent will give extra precaution.

According to our county, we should observe the 5D's...

Be Mosquito Smart! - Prevent mosquito-borne diseases. Follow the 5 D's:
Dusk and Dawn (avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are seeking blood)
Dress (wear clothing that covers skin)
DEET (use mosquito repellents including DEET on skin or clothing when outside)
Drainage (dump standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs)

Bottom line is they are now a threat to be taken quite seriously. Be Mosquito SMART!

~Dewdrop