We've been lucky enough to see a lull in severe thunderstorms over the past couple of months, sparing countless towns from damage or destruction. Unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end. Here's a primer on how to use severe weather forecasts to keep you and your loved ones safe this spring.

In a normal year, the southern United States would see severe weather on a weekly basis by the end of February. But that's a normal year, and this is 2015. For better or worse, severe weather across the United States is at an all-time low since records began nearly half a century ago.