If you are under a tornado warning, seek shelter immediately! Know the signs of a tornado: Weather forecasting is not perfect and some tornadoes do occur without a tornado warning.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO LOOK AND LISTEN FOR:
1. Strong, persistent rotation in the cloud base.
2. Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base.
3. Hail or heavy rain followed by either dead calm or a fast, intense wind shift. Many tornadoes are wrapped in heavy precipitation and can’t be seen.
4. Day or night – Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn’t fade in a few seconds like thunder
or at Night – Persistent lowering from the cloud base, illuminated or silhouetted by lightening.
TIPS ON WHAT TO DO (NOAA):
1. Do not get under an overpass or bridge.
2. Never try to outrun a tornado in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle and immediately seek shelter.
3. In a house 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. A bathtub may offer a shell of partial protection.
4. In an office building, hospital or nursing home: Go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building – away from glass and on the lowest floor possible. Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter, and if not crowded, allow you to get to a lower level quickly. Stay off the elevators; if power is lost you could become trapped.
5. In a mobile home: Get out! Seek shelter in a nearby permanent building. Most tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile homes.
6. At school: Follow the drill! Go to the interior hall or windowless room in an orderly way as you are told. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.
7. In a car or truck: Vehicles are extremely risky in a tornado. There is no safe option when caught in a tornado in a car, just slightly less-dangerous ones. If the tornado is visible, far way, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Seek shelter in a study building, or underground if possible. If you’re caught by extreme winds or flying debris, park the car as quickly as possible – out of the traffic lanes. Stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows; cover your head with your hands and a blanket, coat, or other cushion if possible. I you can safely get noticeable lower than the level of the roadway, leave your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris.
8. In the open outdoors: If possible, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If not, lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your hear with your arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as you can.
AFTER THE TORNADO:
1. Keep your family together and wait for emergency personnel to arrive.
2. Stay away from power lines and puddles with wires in the; they may still be carrying electricity!