A tornado is a mobile, destructive vortex of violently rotating winds having the appearance of a funnel shaped cloud and advancing beneath a large storm system. Tornadoes are unpredictable and occur frequently in the southeast. Tornado's have recently touched down in Florida more than ever before. Here are some helpful tools and resources to prepare yourself and your family for the 2020 storm season.
Tornados are hurricanes wild sibling. They are erratic and unpredictable. They can travel for miles in one direction and suddenly change their course. When a severe thunderstorms occurs make sure to keep an eye out for a tornado watch. A tornado watch occurs when there are favorable weather conditions for a tornado to form. A tornado warning is given when the tornados funnel is sighted or indicated by radar. When there is an active tornado warning you should take shelter immediately this means a tornado is or has formed. Since tornados form quickly there might not be an official tornado watch or tornado warning. Be sure to keep an eye out for heavy storms and funnel clouds.
Tornado Tips
Keep your home safe during a tornado! Make sure all doors and windows are tightly sealed. Keep away from all windows. Windows can burst in a tornado and flying glass can be deadly. The safest place in your home during a tornado is on a bottom floor in a room with no windows like a closet, bathroom, or even a hallway. Always protect your head. Take shelter under something sturdy like a table or a workbench.
Know the signs
Know your area; identify how frequently tornados have occurred in your area in the past. Look out for rotating funnel shaped clouds. It is important to get to a secure covered area before the funnel clouds have an opportunity to pass over any debris. During storm season make sure you have access to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA.) Your local weather station should provide you with alerts and updates as well.
Plan ahead where you will shelter if a tornado forms in your area. Identify a windowless room on the bottom floor preferable in the central area of the home. If you are in a mobile home, it is important to identify a safe space to shelter that is not in your home. A mobile home is one of the most dangerous places to be in a tornado. Time out how long it will take you to get from your mobile home to the safe location. If you do not have time to get to your designated safe location take shelter in a ditch or low-lying ground.
If you are in a car when the tornado strikes do not try to outrun the tornado. If you are in your car and can see a low-lying area such as a ditch that is lower than the road get out of your car and take shelter there. If you cannot identify a low-lying ditch stay in your car, try to get lower than the windows and cover your head with your hands, a jacket, or anything within reach.
For more tips on what to do in the event of a tornado go to: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/features/tornadosafety/index.html
For more information on storm damage click here.