AccuWeather warns businesses across the South earlier and better for a deadly tornado outbreak

Destructive tornado outbreak decimates the South

A devastating tornado outbreak spanned five states in the South at the end of March 2023. These tornadoes decimated buildings across several communities, including in Rolling Fork, MS, where a deadly EF-4 tornado destroyed the town. Although warnings saved many lives, nearly two dozen people died, and over 1,600 homes were damaged.

AccuWeather is the only source to provide the earliest and most accurate notifications. AccuWeather For Business customers had access to one-on-one consultations with meteorologists before, during, and after the outbreak. AccuWeather meteorologists began highlighting the threat of severe weather in these areas five days in advance. AccuWeather For Business issued its first exclusive Storm Potential Notice alerting organizations to the tornado outbreak five days in advance and before all other sources. This actionable information allowed AccuWeather For Business clients to be better prepared and keep their employees safer. 

• AccuWeather For Business clients received five days advance notice of a potential outbreak allowing them to use AccuWeather’s AssetReport™ to identify assets at risk. 
  
  
• AccuWeather meteorologists exclusively provided seven additional minutes of advance notice on the most destructive and deadly tornado of the outbreak in Rolling Fork, MS. That is 58% more advance notice than all other sources - including the government. 
  
  
• AccuWeather meteorologists issued a SkyGuard^® Tornado Warning, which provided 20 minutes of advance notice BEFORE an EF-3 tornado touched down just southwest of Amory, MS. 
• The government and all other sources only issued a warning one minute BEFORE the tornado developed. 

• Three EF1 tornadoes also touched down in western Mississippi in Panola and Lafayette counties. AccuWeather meteorologists issued a SkyGuard Tornado Warning, which exclusively provided 12 minutes of ADDITIONAL valuable time for each of these tornadoes compared to the government and all other sources.

One of AccuWeather For Business’s automotive clients kept in constant telephone contact with our expert meteorologists throughout the storm to make sure they had the most up-to-date information to secure their assets. Other industries that utilized AccuWeather For Business resources were construction equipment companies, and manufacturers. 

Superior Accuracy™: Better informed, Better protected, Better prepared.

Be proactive with AccuWeather SkyGuard Warnings backed by Superior Accuracy™, which will deliver site-specific alerts and warnings well before severe weather hits, giving you more much-needed time to prepare. 

 Benefits of SkyGuard® Warnings: 

• Proactive, site-specific warnings sent well before severe weather impacts occur
• Live, one-on-one, or group consultation provided by our weather experts 24x7x365
• Reviewed Tornado Notifications alert you when a tornado isn't threatening your assets
• Alerts are delivered in a format that aligns with your organizational emergency management plan, including push notifications from the SkyGuard mobile app
• All-clear notifications are sent when a threat is over, minimizing weather-related downtime

On average, when tornadoes are in the forecast, businesses receive 16 minutes of advance notice compared to an average of 8 minutes from other sources. Want to learn more about how we can help you? Demo SkyGuard today so your business will be better informed, better protected, and better prepared.

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