Severe Weather Series - Toronado

Ready.gov has their section on the Severe Weather. Now this website is very good for a base understanding of potential threats and damages that a serve weather event can cause. The following is from Ready.gov (with my comments will be bold)

Before we start, is important to understand this point made by Roger Edwards of the Storm Prediction Center: "There is no such thing as guaranteed safety inside a tornado. Freak accidents happen; and the most violent tornado can level and blow away almost any house and its occupants." 

A tornado is an act of God, and as such there is only so much we can do. That being the case, we here at the Brief feel that even a little bit of preparedness is better than none. Here we go:

• Before a Tornado:
• Build an emergency kit and make a family communication plan (I will detail these two things in coming posts) 
• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or commercial radio or television newscast for the latest information.
• I will list several options as well, because you cannot rely on just one source for your information (remember 2=1 & 1=0) 
•  Download one of the following apps to your phone:
• FEMA: not a bad option, gives you NWS alerts, etc
•  NOAA: Weather Radar: Real time HD animated radar. 
• Consider a Walkie-Talkie with an emergency scanner.
•  Be alert to changing weather conditions. Look for approaching storms
• Look for the following danger signs:
• Dark, often greenish sky
• Large hail
• A large, dark, low-lying cloud
• Loud roar, similar to a freight train

• During a Tornado 
• If you are under a tornado warning, seek shelter ASAP! Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so protect your head
• If you are in a structure (such as a residence, small building, school, nursing home, hospital, factory, shopping center, high-rise building)
• Go to a per-designated area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest level in the building. 
• If there is no basement, go to the center of a small interior room, once again on the lowest level (such as a closet or interior hallway)
• Make sure you are away from corners, windows, doors, or outside walls. 
• Make sure to put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. 
• If it is available, get under a sturdy table and use your arms to once again protect your head. 
• If you are in a high rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. 
• DO NOT OPEN WINDOW
• A manufactured home or office:
•  Get out immediately and go to a per-identified location such as the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes. 
•  The outside with no shelter: (If you are not in a study building, there is no single research based recommendation for what last-resort action to take because many factors can affect your decision, the following are possible actions)
• Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter, if the traffic is light. 
• If you are caught by extreme winds or flying debris, park the car as quickly and safely as possible. Stay in the car with the seat belt on and get your head down below the windows and cover your head. 
• If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway.
• DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A BRIDGE: it offers little protection against flying degree. 
• If you have no access to a car, lie in a area noticeably lower than the level of the roadway. 
•  Long-Span Buildings
• A long span-building, such as a shopping mall, theater, or gymnasium, is especially dangerous because the roof structure is usually supported solely by the outside walls, so most of these types of buildings cannot withstand the enormous pressure and will simply collapse.
• If you find yourself in one of these buildings in this event, once again stay away from windows, and get to the lowest level of the building.
• If not possible, find a door frame or against something that will support or deflect falling debris. (tables, heavy shelves, etc) Your best bet in one of these place is to get to an interior bathroom or storage room. 

Quick facts you should know 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 pm and 9 pm, but can occur at any time.

Good Luck and Good Hunting