The Second EF5 Tornado in Over a Decade Just Hit Indiana

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I realized something last spring when a late frost killed half my garden. I had winterized the house, swapped out the car kit, and stocked up on cold-weather gear. Then warm weather arrived and I just kind of stopped thinking about it. Turns out, seasonal preparedness is not something you do once. It is a rotation. Let's get into it.

Your Plan Should Change With the Weather

Most people build their preparedness around one scenario. Usually winter storms or hurricanes, depending on where they live. That makes sense as a starting point, but it leaves gaps the rest of the year. The truth is, every season brings a different set of risks, and your supplies, your vehicle kit, and your household plan should shift to match.

Spring means flooding, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes in large parts of the country. It also means the tail end of flu season and the start of wildfire risk in the West. If you spent the winter burning through your backup heating fuel or running your generator, spring is when you refill and restock. Check your storm shelter. Test your weather radio. Make sure your sump pump works before the first heavy rain.

Summer brings heat, which is the deadliest weather hazard in the United States most years. It also brings hurricanes from June through November. Your car kit needs different contents in July than it does in January. Swap the extra blankets for extra water, sunscreen, and electrolyte packets. If you have a portable power station, keep it charged. Air conditioning loss during a heat wave is a genuine medical risk for the elderly and young children.

Fall is transition season. It is the best time to do a full preparedness audit, winterize your home, and rotate stored food before holiday schedules make everything harder. Service your generator. Stock heating fuel. Update your family communication plan before everyone scatters for the holidays.

Winter means ice, power outages, frozen pipes, and reduced mobility. Your vehicle should carry traction aids, a blanket, hand warmers, and a charged phone battery. Keep your pantry stocked deeper than usual because roads and supply chains slow down.

The practical move is to set four calendar reminders, one at the start of each season, with a short checklist tailored to your region. Fifteen minutes of adjustment four times a year keeps you ahead of the obvious threats instead of reacting to them.

Set four seasonal reminders on your phone right now.

Pick the first day of March, June, September, and December. Label each one "Seasonal Prep Check." You do not need the full checklist yet. Just get the reminders in place. Future you will thank present you. Takes two minutes.

U.S. Cattle Herd Hits 75-Year Low as Retail Beef Reaches $9.55 Per Pound

As of January 2026, the U.S. cattle inventory stands at 86.2 million head — the lowest since 1951. Beef cows that have calved are at their lowest count since 1961, at 27.6 million. That supply constraint pushed composite retail beef prices to $9.55 per pound in December 2025, a new record high every month since June. Analysts expect prices to remain elevated through at least 2027. If beef is a regular part of your food storage, rotation planning is now more important — and more expensive — than it was two years ago.

Source: USDA ERS, Drovers

Joel Lambert is a 10-year Navy SEAL veteran and SERE specialist who spent years operating in environments where conditions changed fast and the unprepared paid for it. In his book A Navy SEAL's Bug-In Guide, he writes about the importance of adapting your approach to match your environment rather than forcing one plan onto every situation. Lambert's military training emphasized reading conditions and adjusting gear, routes, and tactics accordingly. The same principle applies at home. A static preparedness plan is better than nothing, but a plan that shifts with the seasons is dramatically more effective. Adaptability is not a bonus feature. It is the core skill.

Only the Second EF5 Tornado in the U.S. Since 2013 Touched Down in Indiana

Two rounds of severe weather in the first two weeks of March brought 30 confirmed tornadoes across the central United States, killing 8 people and injuring 29 more. The strongest was an EF5 in eastern Indiana on March 10 — only the second tornado at that rating since 2013 — with winds exceeding 200 mph and a 14.6-mile damage path. A second wave on March 5 to 7 produced multiple significant tornadoes from Oklahoma through Indiana.

Spring is peak tornado season across a large portion of the country. If your household plan does not account for shelter locations and early warning triggers, this is the time to close that gap. A NOAA weather radio is one of the cheapest and most reliable ways to get a warning without depending on your phone.

Source: DisasterAWARE, Grokipedia

Midland WR400 Weather Radio

I have had a Midland WR400 on my nightstand for about six months now, and it has earned its spot. It picks up all seven NOAA channels, has S.A.M.E. county-level alerts so you only hear warnings for your area, and runs on AC power with a battery backup. The alarm is loud enough to wake you up, which is the whole point. Display is clear and the programming takes about five minutes. Around $100 online. If you want weather awareness without checking your phone constantly, this is the move.

→ Midland WR400 on Amazon

Budget alternative: Midland ER210 Emergency Crank Radio. About $60, adds hand crank and solar charging, but lacks S.A.M.E. filtering.

Overrated: Relying on phone alerts for severe weather. Push notifications get delayed, phones die, and silent mode defeats the purpose. A dedicated weather radio works when your phone does not.

Underrated: A printed seasonal checklist on the fridge. Low tech, always visible, and nobody has to log in to see it.

NOAA Storm Prediction Center — Severe weather outlooks updated daily. Learn to read them and you will never be caught off guard.

WatchDuty.org — Real-time wildfire tracking with verified incident reports. Essential if you live anywhere near grass or timber.

Windy.com — Interactive weather visualization that shows wind, rain, and temperature patterns in a way that actually makes sense.

FEMA Flood Maps — Look up your exact flood zone. Many people are surprised to learn they are in one.

Drought Monitor — Weekly US drought conditions map. Useful for tracking water supply and wildfire risk.

GasBuddy — Find the cheapest gas nearby, but more importantly, track station outages during shortages.

Next week we are building evacuation plans that actually work. Not the generic "grab your bag and go" advice, but the specific details that matter when you have 30 minutes to leave.

I keep a different car kit for summer and winter. Might be overkill. Might be the smartest thing I do. Still deciding.