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Tornadoes are nature’s
most violent storms. Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can
cause fatalities and devastate a neighborhood in seconds. A tornado
appears as a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a
thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 miles
per hour. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles
long. Every state is at some risk from this hazard.
Some tornadoes are clearly visible, while rain or nearby low-hanging
clouds obscure others. Occasionally, tornadoes develop so rapidly that
little, if any, advance warning is possible.
Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become
very still. A cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even
if a funnel is not visible. Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing
edge of a thunderstorm. It is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies
behind a tornado.
The following are facts about tornadoes:
- They may strike quickly,
with little or no warning.
- They may appear nearly
transparent until dust and
debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
- The average tornado
moves Southwest to Northeast, but
tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
- The average forward
speed of a tornado is 30 MPH, but
may vary from stationary to 70 MPH.
- Tornadoes can accompany
tropical storms and
hurricanes as they move onto land.
- Waterspouts are
tornadoes that form over water.
- Tornadoes are most
frequently reported east of the
Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months.
- Peak tornado season in
the southern states is March
through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early
summer.
- Tornadoes are most
likely to occur between 3 p.m. and
9 p.m., but can occur at any time.
Familiarize yourself with
these terms to help identify a tornado hazard:
- Tornado Watch
- Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for
approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio,
commercial radio, or television for information.
- Tornado Warning
- A tornado has been
sighted or indicated by weather
radar. Take shelter immediately.
If you are under a
tornado WARNING, seek shelter immediately!
| If you
are in: |
Then: |
| A structure (e.g.
residence, small building, school, nursing home, hospital, factory,
shopping center, high-rise building) |
Go to a
pre-designated shelter area such as a safe room, basement,
storm cellar, or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go
to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior
hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls.
Put as
many walls as possible between you and the outside.
Get under a sturdy
table and use your arms to protect your head and neck.
Do not open
windows. |
| A vehicle, trailer,
or mobile home |
Get out immediately
and go
to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter.
Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from
tornadoes. |
| The outside with no
shelter |
Lie flat in a nearby
ditch or
depression and cover your head with your hands.
Be aware of the
potential for flooding.
Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat
location.
Never try to out run a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or
truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter.
Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most
fatalities and injuries. |
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