It’s that time of year. The cold temperatures and snow are fading as warmer temperatures creep in. And with this increase in temperature comes an increase in severe weather. Specifically, for those in Tornado Alley. For some during this time of year, it seems as though every other week a siren is blaring in the distance, and weather channels are freaking out about some severe thunderstorm that is rolling by on the radio as we hunker down in our basements, closets, or bathtubs.
With tornado season just around the corner, specifically April and June as they are the most active months here in Texas, it is important to be informed and up to date on the latest weather patterns. On top of this, it is crucial to know what to do in the event a tornado forms during a severe thunderstorm. The worst thing you can do is think it won’t happen to you. Tornadoes can form anywhere, even in unusual places. No one who was affected by a tornado thought it would happen to them; keep that in mind.
In the event that a tornado does form, if you are in your home, get to the lowest level possible. For some that may be a basement, and for others that may be the ground floor. Once you are at the lowest level, get to the centermost point on that level. That is the place in which there are the most walls between you and the elements outside. It can vary from house to house, but it is usually a closet, bathroom, hallway, or laundry room. Once you have located this safe space, don’t stop there. Remember, it’s not the wind that often kills, but the deadly debris it picks up. Get helmets, blankets, mattresses, bullet proof vests if that’s what you have. Anything that can shield you if debris were to enter your safe space is better than nothing. After this, make sure you have anything important on you. This could be your phone, wallet, important documents, or sentimental items. Once you have done all of this, you will be ready to get down and endure the storm if it were to hit your house. Make sure you don’t get out of your safe space until you are 100% sure the storm has passed. Tornadoes can lift and drop back down even more violently. Being out in the open when it touches back down could be detrimental. And finally, make sure you are wearing shoes. Because remember, once you survive the storm, you then have to walk through the debris that was left behind. And within this debris can be nails, wood shards, pieces of glass or broken dishes.
If you are on the highway and see that a tornado has formed and is near, do not stay in the car! I repeat, do not stay in the car! During a tornado, cars are picked up, thrown, and folded as easily as tin-cans. You do not want to be in your vehicle as this is happening. Also, while it may seem like the safest and strongest place, do not take shelter under an overpass. Overpasses, while being concrete and steel, act as wind tunnels for the storm, and intensify the winds as they pass under the bridge above. These intensified winds suck in more debris making it an extremely dangerous place to be if a tornado were passing above. Instead, find a deep ditch off to the side of the road. Leave your vehicle behind, get down as low as you can into the ditch below and cover your head from the debris that will be flying above you. While it may not seem like the safest option, you will realize afterwards as you get up and brush yourself off and see that your car is in a mangled mess yards away, and that the overpass you thought was safe is filled with debris itself that you picked the safest place.
If you are in a building, whether it be a school, supermarket, or some other type of store, the rules for taking shelter in a house mainly apply to this situation as well. If you are in a school, avoid staying in classrooms unless they are the centermost point of the building. Get down low, use a desk, jacket, backpack, or all to shield yourself from debris. Keep your phone and anything else that is considered important or personal to you. If you are in a large store or supermarket, do not stay out in the large open spaces used for shopping. Instead get to a more confined space like a bathroom or storage room often located near the back of the store. The main thing you should focus on if you are in a building is the most important rule if you are in any structure, put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. Go as low as the building allows you. Don’t underestimate the strength of the storm, cinder blocks cannot stop everything. And shield yourself using anything you can find. When your life is on the line, there are no rules to what you can use to protect yourself. What matters is that you are unharmed.
While we use the terms “tornado alley” and “tornado season” often, it is important to remember that tornadoes can happen anywhere in any given time of the year. While the words “most importantly” and “main focus” have been thrown around many times throughout this article, the number one most important thing of all is something we are all capable of. Never underestimate any storm that is labeled as one that is capable of producing a tornado. No matter the time of year. No matter where you are at. Stay informed. Stay prepared. And most importantly, stay safe!
