Whether or not you should drive through a storm is a complicated question. It would be important to know what kind of storm you are dealing with – is there a potential for tornadoes, hail, flash flooding, or blinding rain? If so, I would suggest leaving your car and taking shelter in a substantial building.

One of our scientists has compiled statistics on severe weather hazards for the U.S. You can click on your area and a graph will come up showing what days of the year have the most thunderstorms. You might consider contacting your local National Weather Service Forecast Office because they will be more in tune with local climatology.

No one really knows what causes thunderstorm clouds to look green at times. It could have something to do with sunlight refracting through the storm.

Yes, lightning is always produced by a thunderstorm. Lightning causes thunder, and you can';t have a thunderstorm without thunder. Thunderstorms are the only weather condition strong enough to carry water droplets to the upper parts of the atmosphere where they will freeze and become charged – because thunderstorms have an updraft. Never say always! Lightning USUALLY strikes the tallest object.

There is no one direction the wind comes from when thunderstorms or tornadoes occur. Where warm moist air is forced to rise by hills, mountains, or areas where warm/cold or wet/dry air bump together, thunderstorms can form. The surface direction of wind varies depending on your location (northern/southern hemisphere, and even coastal/plains/mountains), and what weather patterns usually affect the area.

Most thunderstorms occur in the late afternoon. By this time of day, the sun is setting. The orange hue is caused by the same process that causes the vivid colors at sunsets. Shorter wavelengths of light (blue) are scattered quickly, leaving only the yellow-orange-red end of the spectrum.

We are very cognizant that pain control is very important for the patient's well being. Medications are provided to control the level of pain. The typical patient, however, requires only Tylenol and occasional Tylenol with Codeine for control of pain.

Generally speaking, we do not want anyone to drive until approximately 30 days after surgery, just to let you get over some of the soreness from surgery without depending on your reaction time while turning the steering wheel or having to brake. Sometimes people can start driving earlier, but we certainly do not want patients who are on narcotics or pain pills to drive. We suggest when you start to drive, you drive in an area that is very quiet so you can get your "driving legs" back.

You will reduce your risk of injury from by not using any phone during a thunderstorm. However, cordless phones and cell phones are safer than corded models – as long as you are standing well away from the base. The main thing is to avoid coming into contact with wiring or plumbing, but there are a few reports of people being injured inside their home while not touching anything but the chair in which they were sitting.

A supercell is an organized thunderstorm that contains a very strong, rotating updraft. This rotation helps to produce severe weather events such as large hail, strong downbursts, and tornadoes. Supercell storms are usually isolated from other thunderstorms because it allows them to have more energy and moisture from miles around. These storms are rare, but always a threat to life and property.

In urban areas, buildings and city noise reduce your ability to hear thunder until it's only 10 miles away or less. Since lightning can easily travel 10 miles away from a thunderstorm, if you're in a city and can hear thunder, you are at risk from being hit by lightning. In quiet, rural areas, thunder can be heard from thunderstorms that are up to 15 or more miles away. The best course of action is to remain alert to your weather surroundings.

All play stop immediately. Get off the field and take shelter. Play can resume after 30 minutes has elapsed - timed from the last clap of thunder.

Stay inside the apartment and away from the windows. Be prepared for the power to go out. Tune your radio to 96.7 FM for weather updates.

Yes, you can learn or continue to drive. Licensing standards vary from state to state; however, all 50 states and the District of Columbia license drivers with one eye who pass their eye test. Yes, you may go swimming, although goggles or a mask are a good idea. If water skiing or diving, remove your prosthesis first, since it may become dislodged on impact.

It depends. The majority of people will be OK to drive after 3 – 4 days but it is important to check with your car insurance company that they will cover you after an operation.

Patients who have a history of loss of consciousness due to an arrhythmia in general should not drive. Those who have had symptomatic ventricular arrhythmias should be event free for six months before driving. Patients who have had an Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD) to prevent sudden death may drive. top

Islay is larger than most people think, so driving around can take some time. Don't expect the roads to be as wide, well maintained and fast as on the mainland and calculate your travelling time accordingly. The A846 between Port Ellen and Bowmore (also known as Low Road) looks deceptively straight and fast on a map, but as it ‘floats’ on the peat it is quite ‘bumpy’ and you can't drive as fast as you might think.

Should a thunderstorm come up shortly before the tour, the tour will be cancelled and you will be offered a substitute date if possible. Otherwise, we will refund the money to you. Should we be surprised on the river by a thunderstorm, we will break off the tour and leave the river via the next possible exit.