Smartphones will soon receive emergency alerts for some severe thunderstorms -- What to know
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Beginning Aug. 2, some severe thunderstorms will activate emergency alerts that send to smartphones.
Storms that are deemed "destructive" will prompt the alert. The alerts are to warn people that urgent action is needed because there is a life-threatening event that may cause substantial damage to property.
A destructive damage threat includes baseball-sized hail that is at least 2.75 inches in diameter and/or 80 mph winds.
According to the National Weather Service, an average of 10% of all severe thunderstorms are considered destructive each year. The majority of these storms include damaging winds. Some of them are more intense storms that produce very large hail. They are known as "Supercell" storms.
To be considered a severe thunderstorm, there must be 1-inch hail and/or 58 mph winds. Severe thunderstorms that are not deemed destructive will not send an alert to phones.