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Go to the basement or an inside room without windows on the lowest floor (bathroom, closet, center hallway). If possible, avoid sheltering in a room with windows. For added protection get under something sturdy (a heavy table or workbench). Cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag or mattress.
What should you not do during a tornado?
Things to Avoid Doing During a Tornado Not taking tornado warnings seriously. There are tornado warning false alarms all of the time. Look out the window. Open the windows of your house. Try to outrun a tornado. Take cover underneath an overpass.
What are the 5 steps to prepare for a tornado?
Survive a Tornado with these 5 Steps Have a Plan. It’s important to be prepared for these types of situations before the weather turns sour. Move Outdoor Things Inside. Make sure to bring in outdoor furniture, toys, garden tools, etc. Take Shelter. Stay Away From Windows. Take Cover.
What are two things you should do when a tornado is coming?
Take shelter immediately if there is a tornado warning or if you see signs of a tornado Take shelter immediately during a tornado warning. Take shelter if you see signs of a tornado. Keep tuned to local radio and TV stations, a NOAA weather radio , or your mobile phone.
What do you hear before a tornado?
Continuous Rumble As the tornado is coming down, you should hear a loud, persistent roar. It is going to sound a lot like a freight train moving past your building. If there are not any train tracks near you, then you need to take action.
Is a closet under the stairs safe during tornado?
In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: Avoid windows. Go to the lowest floor, small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stairwell, or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands.
How can kids prepare for tornadoes?
Make sure you know which county or parish you live in. Prepare a disaster supplies kit for your home and car. Include a first aid kit, canned food and a can opener, bottled water, battery-operated radio, flashlight, protective clothing and written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas, and water.
What happens after a tornado?
Since tornadoes are often spawned from thunderstorms, there is usually a heavy downpour of rain after the tornado passes, even though there may be no rain present during the actual tornado. Flooding is a very real possibility. There may also be damaging hail.
How do you tell if a tornado is coming towards you?
A sound a little like a waterfall or rushing air at first, then turning into a roar as it comes closer. If you see a tornado and it is not moving to the right or to the left relative to trees or power poles, it may be moving towards you. Tornados usually move from the southwest to northeast.
How can you tell if a tornado is coming at night?
Here are a few ways to be prepared and have advance warning about a tornado coming at night. Hear an Undulating Roaring Sound. Witness a Strong Wind Shift. Spot Bright Ground Flashes. Notice a Green Sky. You Experience Hail or Heavy Rain With a Strong Wind Shift. See a Wall Cloud. Listen to Local News and Radio.
What does a tornado smell like?
If [the tornado is] in an open field, it sounds like a waterfall. If it’s in a populated area, it becomes more of a thundering sound. And then actually even the smell of tornadoes—if you’re in the right place, you get a strong odor of fresh-cut grass, or occasionally, if it’s destroyed a house, natural gas.
Why does it get quiet before a tornado?
Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still. This is the calm before the storm. Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm and it is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado.
What does it mean if a tornado isn’t moving?
The Left to Right Rule: “If the tornado isn’t moving from left to right on the horizon, you are not safe.” Also, in some cases, tornadoes can turn right. For this reason, I am not saying the “Left to Right Rule” ensures safety. Instead, the rule means you aren’t in the most dangerous spot.
Is the bathroom safe during a tornado?
Bathroom. Even if they have an exterior wall or windows, bathrooms are safe because the thick pipes inside the walls insulate you during a tornado. Climb into the bathtub if you have one and bring in your bed’s mattress to serve as a cover.
Are brick houses safer in a tornado?
The case study concluded, “In general, single-story homes–many of those sheathed in brick–fared much better than their two-story wood counterparts. Tornadoes can exert enormous pressure on a building. At 300 mph, wind pressure equals 404 pounds per square foot.
Is a closet or bathroom safer in a tornado?
Although there is no completely safe place during a tornado, some locations are much safer than others. Go to the basement or an inside room without windows on the lowest floor (bathroom, closet, center hallway). If possible, avoid sheltering in a room with windows.
