A Tornado Warning

10/26/2023 (Permalink)

What is the difference between a 'tornado watch' and a 'tornado warning'?  According to the Red Cross, a 'tornado watch' means that there is potential for a tornado to form.  A 'tornado warning' means that there is already a tornado or one is about to form.  

So what do you do in this situation?  Chances are, if you've been tied into a tornado warning before, you already have an idea of what to keep with you.  However, if you're new to a location that is known to participate in Mother Nature's spinoff (no pun intended) of the children's game 'Twister', there are a few things that you should know as far as preparation goes.

What to Do When You Get Word of a Tornado Watch:

Don't wait for the tornado watch to turn into a tornado warning before stocking your safe space.  When you receive word of a watch, immediately begin packing your safe space (which we'll get to in a minute).  Also keep the news or a radio on and listen to the current weather report.  You'll want to keep track of what is going on and when it is going on so you know how to better prepare.  Let your children, spouse, or other housemates know what's going on so they can stay in the loop (also no pun intended).  Communication in this situation truly is key as we don't want anybody unaware of the determined procedure.  You may consider walking to a neighbor or a friend's house nearby if they have a storm shelter or basement to seek refuge in.  

Where should your refuge be located:

One thing is for certain: if you live in a trailer house or mobile home, you'll want to find a sturdier structure to seek shelter in.  In fact, if you  live in a mobile home in an area that is at risk for having a tornado, you might consider investing in placing a storm shelter on site.

Other practical places to seek refuge include 

• basements
• rooms with no windows and few doors located on the lowest floor
• bathrooms
• under a sturdy piece of furniture with a mattress, blanket, or towel covering your head and neck
• closets
• pantries

Where not to seek refuge

• rooms or spaces located on the top floor of the house or building
• cars
• rooms with windows
• avoid being near bridges or highway overpasses if you are outside during this time
• areas located directly underneath a heavy object (ex. when in the basement, don't hide directly under the fridge or piano located in the room above.  The structure of the house could be compromised, causing the object to fall through.)

If you are outside when a tornado hits, run to the nearest sturdy building or even a drainpipe.  The car is not a safe place to seek refuge in this situation.  However, if you do get trapped in the car, keep your seatbelt on, the engine running,  tuck your head down below the windows, and cover as much of your body, especially your head with a blanket or coat to protect against broken glass or flying debris.

Now that we have determined where the safe space should be located, it's time to determine what needs to be placed inside of that safe space.

What to pack in your safe space

• non perishable food items
• water
• flashlight
• radio
• portable charger
• batteries
• blankets
• diapers, bottles, formula, etc. if you have a baby
• toys for children
• medication

Now that you have your safe space picked out and fully stocked with what you need, it's time to really start watching the weather.  Hopefully you have been listening to the weather report this whole time though.  Here are a few things that you should look for as far as weather conditions go.

Weather conditions that indicate a tornado

• a dark green colored sky
• a large, dark, low lying cloud
• large hail
• a loud sound that sounds like a freight train

If any of these weather conditions occur, seek refuge IMMEDIATELY!  Fortunately, you already know where to hide at this point and you have all of the materials you need already placed in the shelter.  Once the tornado hits, there's not much you can do except protect yourself and wait it out.  As always, if your home or business does happen to play victim to tornado damage and you are in need of a crew to help clean it up, you can trust SERVPRO of Parker and Northeast Hood Counties to do the job.  Give us a call at 817-596-8714.