Severe weather, including tornadoes, might strike the Augusta area this afternoon or evening, according to emergency and weather officials. Meteorologist Gregory Lamberty of the National Weather Service in West Columbia, S.C., said Monday that there is a 45 percent chance of a severe thunderstorm hitting the Augusta area.

A line of intense thunderstorms moving east has already produced tornadoes, hail, heavy rains and downburst winds, said Columbia County Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker.

BE PREPARED

Inside: If a tornado is imminent, move to a shelter or to the center-most room in the lowest floor of a building.

Avoid windows. If possible, seek shelter in a closet, bathroom or hallway below a sturdy piece of furniture.

Those in mobile homes should move to a sturdier building or storm shelter.

On the road: Do not try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle. Motorists near a tornado should abandon their vehicles and lie flat in a ditch or depression.

Getting ready: Mrs. Tucker suggested that families prepare before a storm hits by designating a room to hide in and putting together an emergency kit with at least a three-day supply of water and food, an evacuation plan, out-of-town contacts and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration alert radio.

She said the radios are available at many department stores.

HEED THE SIGNS

Atmospheric conditions that signal a tornado include dark, often greenish skies; large hail; dark, low-lying, possibly rotating clouds; and a loud roar similar to a freight train, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Anyone who spots a tornado can call the National Weather Service report line at (800) 775-7199.

WATCH VS. WARNING

A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for a tornado but there is no imminent threat.

A tornado warning means a tornado has been detected and people should take immediate action to protect themselves.

Mrs. Tucker warned that tornadoes often strike with no warning. "If you have a watch, that means these things can fall out of these thunderstorms pretty quick."

OTHER DANGERS

Aside from tornadoes, severe storm fronts might also bring hail, heavy rains, lightning strikes and downburst winds.

"We've had numerous downburst winds," Mrs. Tucker said Monday.

"Those can be just as bad, even though they're not called tornadoes. They're probably more of what we're looking at with this system."

TORNADO HISTORY

Tornado season in the Southeast typically lasts from March through May. On March 1, 2007, tornadoes killed nine people and caused $210 million in damage in Georgia, including McDuffie County.