Most everyone has seen the rolling dark blue-purple clouds in the southwest, building up on the horizon. In just a few blinks of an eye, it seems those clouds are on the edge of town, throwing bolts of lightning toward the earth, followed by great rumbles of thunder. The wind picks up. Sheets of rain punctuated by hail falls all around.

It’s called a severe thunderstorm. In Alabama, they can occur at any time of the day, month or year.

“Severe thunderstorms are defined as thunderstorms that produce 1 inch of hail or larger and/or strong wind gusts of 58 miles per hour or greater,

said Rhonda Abbott, director of the Dallas County Emergency Agency. “Severe hail that is once inch in diameter is roughly the size of a quarter.”

This is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Alabama. During this week, Alabamians are encouraged to learn and/or review the proper safety precautions necessary for protecting their lives during severe weather.

In Alabama, the severe weather potential peak occurs during March, April and May, according to the National Weather Service in Birmingham. During these months, severe thunderstorms usually form during the late afternoon and evening houra, but may form at any time, according to forecasters.

Forecasters say the state also has a Fall Severe Weather period from November until mid-December.

“Severe thunderstorms are possible any month of the year,” Abbott said.

All thunderstorms generate potentially deadly lightning, but lightning in a thunderstorm doesn’t necessarily mean the thunderstorm is severe, she said.

Also, a small percentage of severe thunderstorms produce tornadoes with little or no lightning.

Here are some safety tips for dealing with severe thunderstorms:

The best defense is to stay inside a sturdy, substantial building. Most thunderstorms do not last very long, and will most often pass by your location in less than one hour.

If caught outside, find shelter immediately.

Once in a shelter, stay away from windows and avoid electrical equipment.

Be sure to secure loose objects outside, as these objects often become dangerous flying debris in high winds.

A severe thunderstorm watch means condition are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. People located in and around the watch area should keep an eye to the sky and listen to their NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards or tune to the local broadcast media for further weather information. Typically, watches last around six hours and cover a relatively large area.

A severe thunderstorm warning means either a severe thunderstorm is occurring, has been detected by National Weather Service Doppler Radar, or a reliable report has been received. Persons in the warned area should take immediate action to protect their lives, lives of others and their property. Tornadoes can and occasionally do accompany severe thunderstorms. Treat this warning the same as you would for a tornado warning by taking the proper safety precautions. Warnings are issued for smaller, more specific locations and generally last for one hour or less.