Tornado Safety

3/22/2022 (Permalink)

The internet is filled today with images of a red pickup truck being blown over by a tornado in Texas.  While tornadoes can occur anytime of the year, they are most common between the months of March and September, peaking in May, June and July.  So now is a good time to refresh ourselves about tornado safety. 

• A TORNADO WATCH means conditions are favorable for severe weather or a tornado to develop. People located in and around the watch area should keep an eye toward the sky and listen to your local tv or radio station, or weather radio, for further weather information. The watch is intended to give you time to prepare and review your safety rules.
• A TORNADO WARNING means that a tornado has been detected by the National Weather Service Doppler radar or a reliable report of a tornado has been reported from the field. A tornado warning is usually issued for portions of one or two counties for an hour or less. The storm could also produce large hail and destructive straight-line winds. If the tornado warning includes your neighborhood or workplace, you should seek safe shelter immediately.

While there is no place that is 100% safe from an incoming tornado, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends seeking shelter in the following areas of the home:

• In the basement, if the building has one
• An inside room on the lowest floor of the building, such as a bathroom or closet
• Interior hallways