Tornado Safety
When a tornado warning is issued, you may have only minutes to act. Knowing what to do BEFORE it happens is critical.
At Home or in a Building
Go to the lowest floor.
A basement is best. If you don't have one, get to the first floor.
Find an interior room.
A bathroom, closet, or hallway — away from windows. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside.
Cover yourself.
Get under a sturdy table. Use a mattress or heavy blankets. Protect your head and neck. A bike helmet is surprisingly effective.
Stay there.
Don't leave until the warning expires or the storm has clearly passed. Don't go outside just because it gets quiet — the eye of the storm can be deceiving.
In a Mobile Home
A mobile home is NOT safe in a tornado. Period. Even an EF0 tornado can destroy a mobile home. You must leave immediately.
- •Leave immediately and go to the nearest sturdy building or community shelter.
- •Know your shelter location before storm season starts.
- •If no building is available, lie flat in the lowest area you can find (like a ditch) and cover your head. This is a last resort.
In a Car
- •Get to a sturdy building if possible — a gas station, store, or restaurant.
- •Do NOT try to outrun it unless you can clearly see the tornado AND the road ahead is clear.
- •If you can't escape: Pull over, keep your seatbelt on, duck below the windows, and cover your head with your arms or a blanket.
Outside With No Shelter
This is the worst situation. If you absolutely cannot get to a building:
- •Lie flat in the lowest area you can find — a ditch, ravine, or depression.
- •Cover your head and neck with your arms.
- •Stay away from trees, cars, and structures that can collapse on you.
Dangerous Myths
MYTH: "Open windows to equalize pressure."
TRUTH: This is false and wastes precious time. The wind will blow your windows out regardless. Get to shelter instead.
MYTH: "Highway overpasses are good shelter."
TRUTH: Overpasses create a wind tunnel effect and concentrate debris. They're actually one of the MOST dangerous places to be. Several people have died sheltering under overpasses.
MYTH: "Tornadoes don't hit downtown areas or big cities."
TRUTH: They absolutely can and have. Nashville, Joplin, Moore, and Tuscaloosa have all been hit by major tornadoes.
MYTH: "The southwest corner of a building is the safest."
TRUTH: Tornadoes can come from any direction. The safest spot is always the most interior room on the lowest floor, regardless of which corner it's in.
Before Storm Season
The best time to prepare is before you need to. Do these things NOW:
- •Identify your shelter spot at home, work, school, and church. Practice getting there.
- •Keep shoes near your bed. If a tornado hits at night, you'll be walking through debris.
- •Have a weather radio or app that can wake you with alerts.
- •Set up Tornado Path alerts to get a phone call when a warning is issued for your address — even when you're sleeping.
