New Guide Helps Growers Prepare for Severe Weather

From tornadoes and flash flooding to extreme heat, winter storms, and high winds, Kentucky experiences a wide range of severe weather events each year. As weather patterns become increasingly variable, preparation is more important than ever. Being prepared before disaster strikes can help protect lives, homes, farms, and businesses.

A new extension publication Preparing Greenhouses and High Tunnels for Severe Weather has been developed to help Kentucky controlled and protected environment growers better understand weather hazards and take practical steps to improve preparedness and resilience for their production structures (e.g., high tunnels and greenhouses).

The publication explains how to prepare production structures for some of Kentucky's most common weather-related emergencies, and post-emergency recovery and assessment, including: 

• High winds 
• Heavy snow and ice 
• Heat wave
• Heavy rainfall and flood events