Book excerpt: This preparedness guide explains thunderstorms and related hazards and suggests life-saving actions you can take. With this information, you can recognize severe weather, develop a plan, and be ready to act when threatening weather approaches. Tornadoes cause an average of 70 fatalities and 1,500 injuries each year. Lightning, which occurs with all thunderstorms, causes an average of 80 fatalities and 300 injuries each year. Strong winds can cause damage equal to a tornado and can be extremely dangerous to aviation. Flash flooding is the #1 cause of deaths associated with thunderstorms -- more than 140 fatalities each years. Hail causes more than $1 billion in crop and property damage each year. Color illustrations.