Weather knows no borders. It’s something I have said before now on-air, but never has it been more true than with the events of the past month. Just days after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, China suffered its worst earthquake in over 30 years and in the United States an unusually severe, killer tornado season has begun. May 2008 will long be remembered as one of the worst months for natural disasters.

Cyclone Nargis will go down in history as one of the deadliest tropical cyclones of all time. With the unofficial death toll of 100,000 people and over 200,000 missing, it currently ranks as the 10th deadliest storm in world history, but as aid efforts continue to be blocked, that death toll could rise further making Cyclone Nargis second only to the Great Bhola Cyclone of 1970 which struck Bangledesh, killing close to half a million people.

With the onset of the Southwest Monsoon season, weather conditions across Myanmar will only worsen, heavy rain and flooding will compound the misery and increase the risk of disease for the hundreds of thousands of survivors.

This month on Weather FX, we focus on severe weather and in particular – severe thunderstorms. What makes some parts of the world more vulnerable than others? Why and how does a tornado form? Just how dangerous is lightning and where does it strike most? These are a few of the questions we hope to answer in this month’s show, at the same time we’ll give you some tips on how to stay safe when a severe thunderstorm is heading your way.

All across the northern hemisphere as the summer months beckon, we start to plan outdoor activities, anything from a simple family picnic, a golfing tournament, to a small village fete or a large town festival. The weather does not discriminate, affecting each and every one of us. We can’t prevent the weather, but we can go a long way to prevent placing ourselves in harms way…….

So, tune in to the show, then head outdoors to make the most of the coming months ... and, enjoy ...