Tornadoes
Knowing what to do when you see a tornado, or when you hear a tornado warning, can help protect you and your family. During a tornado, people face hazards from extremely high winds and risk being struck by flying and falling objects. After a tornado, the wreckage left behind poses additional injury risks. Although nothing can be done to prevent tornadoes, there are actions you can take for your health and safety. This pamphlet provides information to help you to watch for tornadoes, to plan ahead to reduce hazards, and to avoid injuries during and after the storm.
Although tornadoes are occasionally reported in other parts of the world, most occur in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains during the spring and summer. However, tornadoes can occur in any state at any time of the year. Nationally, an average of 800 tornadoes are sighted each year, causing about 80 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries.
A tornado is a violent whirlwind--a rotating funnel of air that extends from a cloud to the ground. Tornadoes can travel for many miles at speeds of 250 miles per hour or more. These storms change direction without warning, randomly destroying homes and power lines, uprooting trees, and even hurling large objects--such as automobiles--over long distances.
Tornadoes usually accompany severe thunderstorms. The path of damage left behind by a tornado averages 9 miles long by 200 yards wide, but a severe tornado can damage an area up to 50 miles long and a mile wide.
Stay Tuned for Storm Watches and Warnings When there are thunderstorms in your area, turn on your radio or TV to get the latest emergency information from local authorities. Listen for announcements of a tornado watch or tornado warning.
Local Warning System Learn about the tornado warning system of your county or locality. Most tornado-prone areas have a siren system. Know how to distinguish between the siren's warnings for a tornado watch and a tornado warning.
A tornado watch is issued when weather conditions favor the formation of tornadoes, for example, during a severe thunderstorm.
During a tornado watch,
- Stay tuned to local radio and TV stations or a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio for further weather information.
- Watch the weather and be prepared to take shelter immediately if conditions worsen.
A tornado warning is issued when a tornado funnel is sighted or indicated by weather radar. You should take shelter immediately.
Signs of an Approaching Storm
Some tornadoes strike rapidly, without time for a tornado warning, and sometimes without a thunderstorm in the vicinity. When you are watching for rapidly emerging tornadoes, it is important to know that you cannot depend on seeing a funnel: clouds or rain may block your view. The following weather signs may mean that a tornado is approaching:
- A dark or green-colored sky.
- A large, dark, low-lying cloud.
- Large hail.
- A loud roar that sounds like a freight train.
If you notice any of these weather conditions, take cover immediately, and keep tuned to local radio and TV stations or to a NOAA weather radio.
If you see a funnel cloud nearby, take shelter immediately.
Your family could be anywhere when a tornado strikes--at home, at work, at school, or in the car. Discuss with your family where the best tornado shelters are and how family members can protect themselves from flying and falling debris. The key to surviving a tornado and reducing the risk of injury lies in planning, preparing, and practicing what you and your family will do if a tornado strikes. Flying debris causes most deaths and injuries during a tornado. Although there is no completely safe place during a tornado, some locations are much safer than others.
At Home:
Pick a place in the home where family members can gather if a tornado is headed your way. One basic rule is AVOID WINDOWS. An exploding window can injure or kill.
The safest place in the home is the interior part of a basement. If there is no basement, go to an inside room, without windows, on the lowest floor. This could be a center hallway, bathroom, or closet.
For added protection, get under something sturdy such as a heavy table or workbench. If possible, cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress, and protect your head with anything available--even your hands. Avoid taking shelter where there are heavy objects, such as pianos or refrigerators, on the area of floor that is directly above you. They could fall though the floor if the tornado strikes your house.
On the Road:
The least desirable place to be during a tornado is in a motor vehicle. Cars, buses, and trucks are easily tossed by tornado winds. DO NOT TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO IN YOUR CAR. If you see a tornado, stop your vehicle and get out. Do not get under your vehicle. Follow the directions for seeking shelter outdoors (see next section).
Outdoors:
If you are caught outside during a tornado and there is no adequate shelter immediately available--
- Avoid areas with many trees.
- Avoid vehicles.
- Lie down flat in a gully, ditch, or low spot on the ground.
- Protect your head with an object or with your arms.
Summary:
Because tornadoes are the most unpredictable of storms, the time between the first warning of a tornado and its arrival may be very short. Sometimes, weather conditions change so rapidly that no tornado warning is possible. It is important that you and your family plan for an emergency by reducing home safety hazards, learning to recognize the signs of an approaching tornado, learning the emergency warning system for your area, and finding out how to reach the best available shelter.
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