How does a thunderstorm forecast affect US consumers?

Baltimore, the largest and most populous city in Maryland and the 31st in the entire United States, is accustomed to receiving rain all around the year.

But, United States National Weather Service yesterday warned the people of the Charm City of an approaching thunderstorm.

As a result, people have been confined to their homes and taking work from home to ensure that they are safe and avoid getting stuck in the middle of a thunderstorm.

Along with Baltimore, a similar thunderstorm situation is also approaching the Anne Arundel and Prince George's Counties in the United States.

While the storms are predicted to be moving like a thunderbolt with a speed of 30 mph, the citizens are scared of the difficulty posed by the gusting winds and the destruction caused by the catastrophe.

Winds which are as strong as the ones approaching Baltimore are infamous for disrupting human life by causing significant damage to trees, electrical power lines, small settlements, and even lead to flooding.

Do you know what a thunderstorm is? I hope you do, but, in case you don't- A thunderstorm is a regionalized storm comprising of a combination of both thunder and lighting. It is often believed to bring strong and gusty winds and bountiful rainfall, making the weather really wintry and freakishly freezing.

The probable and potential consequences of some of the significantly worse thunderstorms lead to dangerously spiraling thunderstorms and hail storms.

While the geographically localized snow squall or heavy snow showers merged with thunder and lightning can be seen chiefly during stark winter,  summer thunderstorms in the western United States are mostly dry and only bring with them a unison of lighting and thunder.

Now that you know what thunderstorms are, do you want to know how does a thunderstorm originates?

In a layman's terminology, a thunderstorm originates when a series of heavy and dense vertical clouds, known as cumulonimbus clouds, develop speedily due to the quick rising of the air. Thunderstorms are found when the air in these clouds out of strain or tenacity rises quickly due to sunlight or any other natural parameters.

In such adverse weather, it is highly advisable to limit to your safehouses, your homes. But, if you are at your office, you should stay put and not leave it until the situation improves.

As the famous saying goes, 'Better late than never, it is essential to understand the severity of the situation and not breach safety lines.

Also, why is hassle venturing out when you can order at home or even request home delivery of all the ingredients required to cook your favorite meal while you enjoy binge-watching your favorite shows in your comfy pajamas or fleece hoodies?

Why do you think stores are jampacked with thousands of people overcrowding the streets of the American superpower as soon as NWS forecasts terrible weather? The most probable reason for this store congestion is the habit of stockpiling daily needs items from the stores as a preventive measure to avoid future inconvenience.

As feeble as it seems, it has saved many procrastinators, especially during the pandemic.

Like the widely famous English idiom, 'A stitch in time, saves nine!' indicates that it is imperative to solve a problem as soon as it arises rather than waiting for it to become a nemesis at a later stage. 

Keeping this in mind, people start hoarding at the forecast of an adversary. But what do you think is the right purchase to prepare yourself for a rain check or an utterly unprecedented situation in the USA?

Americans are well-advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to keep a week or two's worth of supplies in-store to avoid the inconvenience.

What do you end up buying when you pay a visit to a US store after you read the news of a bad weather condition approaching? Well, you would be astonished to know what do Americans buy on their pre-storm shopping spree.

The products that top the list of America's pre-storm shopping cart preparations are:

1. Milk and Water

Most US citizens hoard bottled or tetra-pack Milk to their shopping carts during an impending storm. It is a must-have, but it is also essential to keep in mind to stock up on bottled water, which has a longer shelf life and can become handy in case your pipe freezes and blocks off your access to potable water. Powdered Milk and sports drinks like Gatorade are two more shelf-stable beverage alternatives you would need for your stay-in.

2. Bread and Carbohydrate Centric Edible Supplies

Bread is a must-grab and perfect go-to item for many anxious consumers when a storm is forecasted in the United States. Unlike Milk and water, Bread can become musty and stale and can be consumed rapidly, and thus you can outgo the purchased Bread if you're confined indoors for a significantly long time. The CDC has also suggested that Americans specifically pay attention to the stockpiling of carbohydrates like chips, biscuits, crackers, and beverages as they have a lasting shelf life and storability and won't betray you during your weather-tine.

3. Soup and Alcohol

Winters are meant for a bowl full of hot soup, irrespective of vegetarian, seafood, or nonvegetarian ingredients. Americans consume more than 10 billion bowls of soup per year, making soup one of their favorite meal for the day. In addition to home-cooked soups, Americans also use many canned or packaged soups, broth, and stock. Apart from soup, Americans cannot help but stock up in Liquor, Beer, and Wine in large amounts to satiate their obsession with liquid solace.

4. Meat and seafood

Leading superstores of America witness a spike in the sales of meat and seafood products, be it beef, pork, lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, duck, rabbit, or seafood items Americans require fresh steaks, chicken breasts, tuna for preparing their favorite hamburgers and their favorite dishes from several cuisines.

5. Medicines and Healthcare products

With over 97 percent of Americans failing to meet the standard benchmark for leading a healthy lifestyle, keeping an extra bottle, sachet, or tablet is crucial as a preventive measure in store for an emergency. Also, most Americans resort to different types of healthcare products, including vitamin supplements, protein shakes, and many others. So, to keep your routine in check, it is crucial to get yourself everything you require for survival.

Storms are not the only thing that can affect consumers' behavior. Several different factors affect the weather forecast in the US, including temperature and humidity, which impact a store's sales. But to stay prepared for any unprecedented situation, it is vital to have a backup option to fall on in distress times. Hope you liked our list of must-haves in your homes during an impending thunderstorm!