2024’s Most Vulnerable Counties for Tornado Damage

What are three misconceptions about tornadoes?

There are many misconceptions about tornadoes and related preparedness. As a bonus, here are six…

1) There are about 1200 verified tornadoes in the U.S. per year. While most tend to occur in the late afternoon or early evening, many do not (especially in the mid-South and Southeast). Night-time tornadoes are especially dangerous. You must have a plan and a way to receive warnings.

2) Not all tornadoes appear as classic funnels. They may take on a wedge shape, rope shape, have a funnel that does not reach the ground (even though its winds do!), or be wrapped in rain and not be visible at all.

3) Not all move in from the west or southwest. While many or most do, tornadoes (and their parent thunderstorms) can approach from virtually any direction.

4) Do not open windows in your building. The idea that tornadoes cause buildings to explode is a myth. Opening windows can actually increase the likelihood of significant damage.

5) A lingering myth is that the best location in a basement is the southwest corner. The center of the basement is better as debris is more likely to fall into the corners.

6) Another myth is that tornadoes are less likely to impact cities. This is simply false. There have been many examples of tornadoes impacting cities just in the last few years.

What are three ways to prepare in advance of a tornado?

Make sure you have at least one way to receive timely bulletins or warnings. This could be NOAA Weather Radio, portable AM radio and/or cell phone. Make sure the batteries to these devices are charged in the event of a power loss.

Have a plan for you and your family. Designate a shelter (safe spot) location. If possible, when a tornado watch is issued, prepare the space as discussed below…just in case of a warning.

Gather and secure any outside items that may become airborne in high winds. This includes, garbage cans, chairs, tables, umbrellas, etc. Put your vehicle(s) in the garage, if possible.

Finally, if your family or group is not together, indicate a rendezvous spot to meet (if possible) after the storm passes.

What should you do when you hear a tornado warning?

Stay calm. In most circumstances, the tornado (or at least its most intense winds) will miss your location. Do not attempt to observe the storm. Lightning or a rain-wrapped tornado could strike without warning. Execute your preparedness plan. Make sure you take a bicycle helmet, flashlight, small air horn and shoes to your safe spot. It’s best to take shelter in a basement or cellar, beneath the stairs or in another smaller space, and under a sturdy table or other furniture. Take a radio or other portable media in order to keep up with the situation. Do not exit your safe spot until the warning expires or is cancelled.

If you are in a vehicle, take shelter in a sturdy structure if at all possible. Do not try to outrun the storm or take shelter under an overpass. Abandon mobile homes for a safer shelter.

What should you do in the aftermath of a tornado?

If you are able to safely do so, exit any wreckage and debris. Be very careful to avoid downed wires and standing water due to the risk of electrocution. Minimize the use of cell phones unless you are in an emergency situation (injuries, pinned in wreckage, etc.). This allows services to focus on those who remain in truly life-threatening situations. If you are trapped, blow that air horn to alert others of your situation.

If you don’t have a basement or cellar, where are the best places to take shelter from a tornado?

There are really three things to keep in mind in this regard. Lacking a basement or cellar, take shelter in the lowest level of a sturdy building; the smaller the room, the better. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible. Get under something sturdy, with shoes and a helmet on to protect yourself Again, abandon mobile homes for sturdier shelter. Mobile homes are not constructed to withstand the winds of even a modest tornado.

What are three misconceptions about tornadoes?

If you live outside of the midwestern states, tornadoes are not a concern.

About one thousand tornadoes occur annually in the United States, and they strike throughout the continental United States. When we think of tornadoes, we typically associate them with states in the Midwest and Southeast. While these geographic areas are at highest tornado risk due to their recurrent weather patterns and topography, tornadoes can (and do) appear all around the country. They can hit at any time of the day and during any month of the year.

If you see a tornado approaching from a distance away, simply get out of its path.

Tornadoes rarely follow a straight line. They can zigzag, change course, and even reverse and return to a location that they have already impacted. Never try to outrun a tornado in your car – leave it immediately and seek safe shelter.

If you are expecting a tornado, you should open the windows of your house to equalize the pressure inside and outside.

Most structural damage caused to buildings during a tornado is due to debris (that has been energized by violent winds) slamming into buildings. The low pressure associated with tornadoes does not cause buildings to explode. Opening windows is more likely to allow damaging winds to enter your home. Additionally, the time it takes to open all the windows could be better used to seek and move to safe shelter.

What are three ways to prepare in advance of a tornado?

Have a plan! There are many free, helpful resources available online (such as at Ready.gov). Know in advance where you will shelter in your home, school, or at work.

Be alert! Get in the habit of monitoring the weather and know several trusted news sources that you can turn to if severe weather is expected. Most deaths and injuries from tornadoes happen to people who were unaware and uninformed.

Assemble a kit! Gather materials for an emergency storm kit including a battery powered radio (preferably with a warning alert tone), extra money, flashlight, batteries, bottled water, essential medicines, extra clothes, canned food, blankets, and simple first aid items in a waterproof container.

Practice! Discuss the possibility of a tornado with your family members and ensure that all are aware of the best places(s) to shelter in place. Establish a predetermined location to meet after a storm if gathering at your home is not an option. Conduct frequent drills with your family at different times of the day and under varied circumstances.

What should you do when you hear a tornado warning?

First of all, if you are outside, move inside immediately. Seek an interior location and cover yourself as indicated below. Bear in mind that mobile homes (which are constructed of lightweight material) and large empty spaces (such as school auditoriums, cafeterias, and warehouses) are not safe, as they are all vulnerable to collapse. Vehicles are also not safe, so do not attempt to drive.

Finally, remember that flying debris from tornadoes is responsible for most injuries and fatalities. When taking protective actions, your goal should be to minimize your risk of exposure to this debris.

What should you do in the aftermath of a tornado?

When returning to a tornado-impacted area, exercise extreme caution. The stability of structures may be severely compromised. Standing water may be either toxic (from hazardous materials) or energized (from downed power lines). Water from municipal plumbing may no longer be safe to drink (due to cracked pipes and exposure to sewer water). Injuries from improper use of chainsaws and other power equipment, bites/stings from disrupted wildlife, and fires are all commonly seen during post-tornado recovery.

If you don’t have a basement or cellar, where are the best places to take shelter from a tornado?

The safest place of all is a space that has been specifically designed for tornado safety. Second to that would be a subterranean basement. In the absence of a tornado shelter or underground room, quickly move to a small, reinforced room on the lowest floor of the house (think of a closet, bathroom, or hallway). If this is not possible, consider moving under the stairs or even under a heavy piece of furniture. The space should be near the center of the building, as far from exterior doors and windows as possible. The goal is to position yourself so that there are as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Cover yourself (especially your head) with thick blankets, pillows, mattresses, couch cushions… whatever you can quickly obtain to protect you from glass and flying debris. Also consider if there are any heavy objects on the floor(s) above you (safes, refrigerators, pianos, brickwork, etc.) and bear in mind that they might fall through (so don’t shelter directly underneath).

What are three misconceptions about tornadoes?

1. Tornadoes actually form from the ground up, not from the cloud down. Our eye sees the funnel cloud which does form from the cloud to the ground, but the tornado strength rotation actually begins at the ground, and it sucks upward, intensifying in the process.

2. Hills and mountainous terrain do not protect you, or guarantee that you will not experience a tornado. Similarly, tornadoes can and do move through city environments.

3. You should never seek shelter from a tornado under a highway overpass. The bridge actually creates a wind tunnel and accelerates winds, potentially sucking humans out.

What are three ways to prepare in advance of a tornado?

1. Identify a safe place in your home and place of work — or other places you frequently spend time — where you can shelter in the case of a tornado. If you live in a mobile home, make plans with a nearby friend, neighbor, or relative who has a home with a solid foundation or basement to take shelter in. Mobile homes are never safe in a tornado.

2. Purchase a bicycle or motorcycle helmet for everyone in your home and keep in your safe place. Head trauma due to flying debris is the number one cause of fatality from tornadoes. Wearing a helmet significantly reduces this risk. Also, purchase a battery-operated NOAA weather radio. If there is truly a tornado, it will likely take out the electricity to the cell network and your home. You may not be able to receive warning information in this case.

3. Talk about your plan and practice it at home and at work. If your employer does not have a plan in place, strongly encourage them and work with them to create a plan for what to do in the event of a tornado. Then, communicate the plan to employees.

4. BONUS: Prepare a grab bag of items that you might need in the face of a tornado ahead of time.

Items in this bag should include:

• A spare car key.
• Medications.
• Diapers and/or baby items if you have an infant.
• Sturdy-soled shoes for each person in your home (you may need to walk over dangerous debris to get out of your homes after the tornado).
• Leather work gloves (to move sharp or broken objects).
• A spare credit card or cash.
• Some non-perishable snacks.
• Any keepsakes or personal items that you would want to and be able to take with enshrouded.

Keep this bag in your safe place or an easily accessible location.

What should you do when you hear a tornado warning?
Any time you hear a warning alarm, that indicates that a tornado is either ongoing or could form at any minute. You should seek shelter in a sturdy building, ideally in a storm shelter or basement.

• If these are not available then seek shelter in the lowest floor of your home, dorm, workplace, or apartment building, in a small interior room like a bathroom, closet, or walk-in food storage refrigerator (in restaurants, gas stations, etc.).
• If you are driving, seek shelter in a nearby study building immediately.
• If no sturdy building is available, drive in the direction of clear skies if possible. If you can see the tornado or are enshrouded by rain and are in immediate danger, pull over, turn off the car, buckle your seat belt, and crouch down, making your head be below the glass in the car.
• If you are outdoors and can access a sturdy structure, do so.
• If you are outdoors and cannot find shelter, look for a narrow ditch or depression in the land, and lie down on your stomach covering your head with your hands.

What should you do in the aftermath of a tornado?

If you are directly impacted, initially, the safest thing to do is to evacuate the premises right away. Resist the urge to rummage through the debris for personal items. There could be live wires, gas leaks, etc. that could be unsafe.

If you live in a rural area or otherwise have a concern that law enforcement might not be alerted to your situation, contact local county emergency managers and 911 to notify them. Help neighbors get out of their homes if you are able, and if needed.

If you don’t have a basement or cellar, where are the best places to take shelter from a tornado?

See answer above.