ST. PETERSBURG -- With the June 1 start of hurricane season knocking at the door, it's a great time to start thinking about emergency preparedness when it comes to severe weather events.

  • 'Storm Threat 2016' airs Saturday, May 28, and Sunday, May 29, at 7 p.m., and Monday, May 30, at 4 p.m.
  • Special program looks at weather patterns, getting the latest weather and how to be prepared

Bay News 9  presents "Storm Threat 2016: Keeping You Safe."  This 30-minute special, hosted by Bay News 9 Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay, talks about the upcoming hurricane season, as well as Florida's reputation as the lightning capital of North America, and what researchers are doing to build better-constructed homes that can withstand hurricane-force winds.

Meteorologist Diane Kacmarick takes a look at 2016 compared to 1998 in terms of similar weather patters. In 1998, there was a strong El Nino pattern, followed by a strong La Nina pattern. That shift brought drought-like conditions to the area for two months heading into the hot season, and then wildfires lit up at the end of June and into early July of that year.

If you're outdoors and a storm rolls up, what do you do?

The quick answer is "get inside," but what do you do if you're out golfing or at the theme parks? Clay talks to a local golf course and a representative from Camping World Stadium (formerly the Citrus Bowl) about how they prepare for the day ahead, as well as plans they have in place to get people to safety when storms roll in at a moment's notice.

Also included in the special is how the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety studies the effects of wind and rain on homes by recreating full-scale reenactments in their warehouse-sized laboratory in South Carolina.

Meteorologist Josh Linker shows us how they use huge array of fans and megawatts of power as the driving force that, in many cases, leads to the destruction of roofs and houses. The research facility at IBHS recreates not only powerful winds in a controlled setting, but can also unleash hail and rain at a rate of up to eight inches per hour. IBHS headquarters are located in Tampa.

"Storm Threat 2016: Keeping You Safe" airs Saturday, May 28, and Sunday, May 29, at 7:00 p.m., and again on Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day) at 4:00 p.m on Bay News 9.