MAY/ JUNE 2013
VOLUME 6 
ISSUE 3
Whether working on a project around home or helping develop a new tree shelter belt in our neighborhood, one can usually find me carrying around some kind of measuring tool or instrument. I guess it’s the engineer in me!
Mother Nature is unpredictable, that’s for sure. You can check the Old Farmer’s Almanac, faithfully watch your favorite meteorologist, look to see if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, and still be caught off guard with the weather. For example, this spring is starting off slow. Nebraska saw below normal temperatures into April, and the U.S. Drought Monitor shows all of Nebraska in some level of drought.
Transmission line projects are springing up across the state so NPPD can provide relief to power congested areas and increase electrical reliability for customers when they need it most. Similarly, NPPD’s numerous, skilled line technicians also rise to the occasion as quickly as needed to ensure stability and reliability of NPPD’s transmission system – both new and old. They do so by climbing utility poles, repairing damaged lines during seasonal storms, and maintaining lines on a regular basis to ensure the lights are on – and stay on.
A thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces hail at least one inch in diameter or has wind gusts of at least 58 miles-per-hour. Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people each year than tornadoes or hurricanes. Heavy rain from thunderstorms can cause flash flooding, and high winds can damage homes and blow down trees and utility poles, causing widespread power outages. In the event of a storm, do you know the difference between a thunderstorm watch and warning?
