Seeing that tornado season is quickly ramping up with outbreaks occurring on a weekly basis as of late, it is beneficial to go over some common misconceptions bout tornadoes and tornado safety. Some of these misconceptions are not only time-wasters, but can end up putting your life or property in greater peril than it otherwise would be.
Don’t: Seek Shelter in a Car.
Although a car offers effective protection against another dangerous severe weather threat, lightning, it offers very little in the way of shelter in the path of a tornado. This is because tornadoes are very often strong enough to lift cars and toss them around, endangering anyone inside. People will often think they can outrun a tornado if they hop in their car and gun it on the interstate. This is a dangerous game to play seeing that the path of a tornado is often unpredictable, as is its speed, making it difficult to outrun even for trained professionals.
Do: Seek Shelter in a Sturdy Building.
Unlike a car, a building is anchored to the ground and will likely have a basement or interior room that will serve as better protection against the dangers of a tornado, if a designated underground tornado shelter is unavailable. Also, most safe buildings will have plumbing that will serve just as well as a car’s metal frame against a possible lightning strike.
Don’t: Seek Shelter Under an Overpass.
Another popular misconception is that an overpass will protect you and/or your car from wind-driven debris. This is incorrect, as winds are accelerated due to the tunneling effect underneath the overpass, making it more likely for anything under it- people, cars, other objects- to become flying debris- not exactly a safe scenario.
Do: Be Prepared Before Severe Weather Hits.
This includes having a shelter-in-place plan at both your work and home, an emergency kit with medical supplies, non-perishable food, important documents, et cetera (a more complete list can be found here). Having a pre-prepared kit and emergency plan will save valuable time if a tornado is imminent.
Do: Practice Situational Awareness.
Albeit easier said than done, being cognizant of what’s going on around you (not just weather-wise) can help you to avoid dangerous situations in the first place, or at the very least minimizing the amount of surprise they strike with. Practicing situational awareness can be as simple as paying attention to the skies- if you see menacing clouds, utilize modern technology and ensure there aren’t any watches or warnings issued for your area. The National Weather Service plays a vital role in saving lives in dangerous weather, constantly trying to improve warning time and minimize deaths in tornadic activity. That said, situational awareness can reduce the need to rely on warning time- if you can see, hear, or feel storms approaching, be proactive and prepare instead of waiting for the NWS to chime in.
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