On Aug. 7, a severe weather outbreak moved through the eastern United States, causing extensive damage and multiple tornadoes. The storms closed roads, knocked down trees and wires and caused power outages, which resulted in disruptions to business. AccuWeather For Business provided the most advance notice and accurate forecasts, proving why they are the go-to source for companies and communities when severe weather is in the forecast.
Better prepared with AccuWeather For Business
While other sources were caught off guard, AccuWeather For Business warned companies and communities across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic FIVE DAYS ADVANCE the severe weather outbreak. A day before the storm, AccuWeather was the first to tell businesses to expect a "significant and highly impactful severe weather outbreak," highlighting the severity when all other weather providers remained silent.
Accurate forecasts provide actionable insights before the storms hit
AccuWeather's expert meteorologists provided the most accurate forecasts for businesses in Pennsylvania, surpassing all other weather sources. While publicly available forecasts predicted a "40% chance of afternoon thunderstorms," AccuWeather identified the risk of severe thunderstorms and upgraded it to a "high-risk" level a day before the storm hit.
These precise forecasts gave AccuWeather’s Department of Transportation clients real-time notifications and customized forecasts ahead of any other source, enabling them to prepare and then manage the impacts of the storms more effectively.
Severe storms caused travel disruptions in major East Coast cities during the Monday evening commute. Flight cancellations reached over 1,700 for routes within, into or out of the U.S., with an additional 8,900 flights experiencing delays.
Ahead of other sources, AccuWeather For Business correctly forecast the main impacts, including “strong winds can bring down trees and power lines” and “timing of the severe storms is expected to impact the evening rush hour in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.”
Minutes matter to AccuWeather
When severe weather threatens, minutes can be the difference between safety and disaster. AccuWeather understands this and ensured businesses had ample time to better prepare for dangerous weather.
For example, AccuWeather's SkyGuard® Wind Warning alerted businesses in Frederick County, Maryland, 50 minutes BEFORE damaging winds arrived. Government agencies and other sources only provided 6 minutes of advance notice.
AccuWeather's additional 44 minutes of preparation time proved invaluable, giving businesses time to enact their emergency plans, secure loose equipment, move employees to shelter, and prepare for potential power outages.
>>READ MORE: When minutes matter: how to plan for and respond to a SkyGuard Tornado Warning
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 much-needed time to prepare.
Want to learn more about how we can help your business better prepare for severe weather? Demo SkyGuard today and protect your business, employees, and assets.
