FOX 24 News is observing Severe Weather Awareness Week. Tuesday marks Thunderstorm Safety.

In Georgia, the biggest threat from severe thunderstorms is damaging straight line winds and large hail. Straight line winds can reach speeds excess of 100 mph and produce damage similar to a tornado. These winds occur, on average, 19 days per year in Georgia. These events have occurred in every month of the year, but are most common in the Spring and Summer months, peaking in the month of July. Large hail affects the state an average of 7 days per year with April being the peak month. Generally, most large hail is between 1 and 2 in diameter in Georgia.

The factors used by the National Weather Service to determine if a thunderstorm is severe are winds greater than 57 mph and hail greater than 1 inch in diameter or about the size of a penny. Typically, a severe thunderstorm lasts about 30 minutes and occurs in the afternoon and evening hours during the Spring and Summer months. However, severe weather is possible any time of the day and any time of the year. A special class of severe thunderstorms called "Supercells" are particularly violent and can last for several hours. Tornadoes are often produced from these supercell thunderstorms.

So what can you do to protect yourself and your family:

The best thing to do is to have a plan of action in place before threatening weather develops. Know what the difference between a watch and warning are. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms to develop, but there is not an imminent threat. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means a severe thunderstorm has been detected and an imminent threat to life and property has developed.

Know your area so you can track storms, listen to a weather radio and tune in to FOX 24 News for weather updates or visit Fox24.com. Make sure you have battery backup. Monitor any forecasts if threatening weather is possible and you are planning outdoor activities.

If severe weather is imminent, and you are inside, move to shelter such as a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of the building. Remember, it's best to put as many walls between you and the outside as possible.

If you are caught outside, try to seek shelter in a sturdy structure.

For more information on Severe Weather Awareness, visit http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/?n=swaw10_main

(Text courtesy of the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, GA)