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So you are out driving just after a thunderstorm rumbled through the area and you come across a large tree that's been blown over on its side. What should you do?

• Call your local National Weather Service Office via phone (216.265.2372) or via Amateur Radio and call or e-mail NewsChannel 5 (216.431.3700)
• State your name (tell them if you are a trained spotter)
• Give the location where the severe weather event occured including city or town, street, and house address (if available)
• Give the time when the severe weather occurred
• Give a specific description of the severe weather or damage you witnessed
• If event is still occurring, (for example: a tornado is still on the ground or flooding is still occuring) provide frequent updates.
• Be as detailed as possible and don't exaggerate! Just the facts, please. While it can be exciting to witness Mother Nature's fury, keep in mind that storm spotting is not a competition. Unfortunately, the proliferation of storm chasers can, at times, create a competitive environment as many want to be the one to see the most tornadoes. This can produce some questionable reports of funnel clouds, tornadoes, and high winds.

This makes a Meteorologist's job even more difficult because we have to sort out the accurate reports from those highly "enhanced reports." If you are uncertain about some aspect of the weather phenomenon you are observing, let the Weather Service and TV-5 folks know that you are unsure. For example, if you see what you believe is a funnel cloud, but are not certain because you do not see rotation, then make sure you specify that you do not see rotation, but that it looks like a funnel cloud. Also, if relaying second-hand information, please tell us that you have not witnessed the event first-hand. Remember: A sloppy or exaggerated storm report will likely be thrown out!

We get calls from viewers all the time telling us its hailing in their backyard. But how big is the hail? If the hail is penny-sized or larger, then the thunderstorm is considered severe. If the hail is smaller, we just consider it a fiesty, non-severe thunderstorm. Take the time to measure the hail size and then give us a call!

Wind damage is another tricky subject. If branches are blown down in your yard, are they small twigs or major pieces of wood? Its important to tell us, so we can assess the storm and adjust the warnings!