Smartphones Can Help People Prepare When Severe Weather Strikes

Heat, rain and wind create weather elements that are perfect, powerful and painful. As the winter snow melts and temperatures rise, stormy days and nights are on the horizon. With a smartphone, many people can stay on top of outdoor conditions that can quickly turn from clear to cloudy.

“Spring weather is unpredictable as it can change from sunny skies to dark clouds in an instant,” said Mike Burwell, director of retail sales and operations for UScellular in Illinois. “Fortunately, today’s technology powered by our 5G network can keep you ahead of spring showers and storms.”

In honor of Severe Weather Awareness Week that runs from March 1-5 in Illinois, UScellular recommends the following tips to stay prepared:

• Charged Up: It’s a good idea to carry a car charger or portable battery pack, in case you lose power and are unable to charge a mobile device indoors.
• Prepare: Weather.gov reports that heat, floods and tornadoes are the top three weather fatality categories since 1990. The ready.gov website encourages families to develop and practice an emergency plan. Plans are available for all severe weather conditions that include extreme heat, floods, thunderstorms and tornadoes.
• Social Media Sources: Facebook and Twitter have become a preferred way to quickly get and share information. During severe weather, these sites can help provide real-time updates, keep people in touch with loved ones and let family and friends know you are safe.
• Timely Text: Texting can be helpful during severe weather. If phone service is impacted because of a storm or high call volume, text messages may still go through because they require less network bandwidth than calls.
• Top Weather Apps: AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, WeatherBug, Weather Line, Weather Underground and Yahoo Weather are among the best free weather apps on the App Store and Google Play.