It starts with a thunderstorm. Inside the thunderclouds, warm, humid air rises and cool air falls. This can cause winds to spin violently and dip to the ground, becoming the destructive force of nature known as a tornado.
This type of extreme -- and possibly deadly -- weather can form anytime, anywhere. Here’s what you can do before, during, and after a tornado strikes.
Which Parts of the Country Are at Risk?
Tornadoes can appear in all 50 states but are most common in the:
- Central Plains
- Midwest
- Southeast
In the Southeast, they’re more likely to form during cooler months of the year. In the Southern and Central Plains, they’re more common in May and June. And in the Northern Plains and Midwest, tornado activity tends to pick up in the early summer.
It’s not always easy to spot a tornado, but when they’re visible, many look narrow and rope-like. Others look like wide funnels.
How Do You Make a Tornado Emergency Plan?
Choose a safe place for everyone in your home, including pets, to gather during a tornado.
If you live in a house, the basement is the safest place. If you don’t have one, pick an inside room on the lowest floor of your home, such as a bathroom, closet, or center hallway. Avoid a room with windows that can burst during a tornado or beneath a floor with heavy objects like a fridge or piano that could fall through the ceiling.
If you live in a high-rise, shelter in a hallway in the center of the building. Head down to the lowest floor if possible.
Mobile homes are not safe during a tornado. Instead, take shelter in a study building nearby. Look for a public storm shelter that’s built to ICC 500 standards (an international code that sets quality standards for design and construction) or a community “safe room” built according to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines. If you decide to stay in one of these, remember to pack face masks and hand sanitizer to help protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Draw a floor plan of your home if you plan to shelter there. Note which room or area you’ll take cover in. Also, walk through the other rooms and mark down:
- A second way to exit from each room (like a window) in case your usual exits are blocked
- Places where you’ve stored first-aid kits and fire extinguishers
- Rooms that have utility switches or valves, so you can shut them off if you have time before a tornado strikes
If your community has a tornado warning system, familiarize yourself and your family with it.
Many places that get a lot of tornadoes have an outdoor siren system with a different sound to warn when a tornado might be coming (tornado watch) and one for when it’s been spotted (tornado warning).
You might also receive text messages from government agencies, like the National Weather Service, called wireless emergency alerts (WEA). These keep you up to date on any tornadoes in your area and offer safety recommendations. If you live in a hurricane-prone area and you haven’t received these text alerts before, call your wireless carrier and ask if they participate in a WEA program. Also ask if your cell phone is “WEA-capable.”
Brush up on basic safety measures. You and your family should learn how to:
- Give first aid
- Use a fire extinguisher
- Know how and when to turn off the utilities in your home in case of a tornado
If you work on site, ask your employer if they have a tornado emergency plan. For instance, is there a designated shelter that you and your co-workers would go to? Is there a tornado drill that you’ll need to practice?
If you have children:
- Learn their school’s emergency dismissal policy
- Teach them about tornadoes and tornado watches and warnings
- Remind them what county (or parish) they live in, since tornado warnings are issued by region
- Make sure they know how to take shelter during a tornado at school or at home
If you live with a loved one who has a disability, make a list of things they may need help with during a tornado. Write down their needs, physical abilities and challenges, and any medications they take. Give a copy of this list to a relative or a close friend who will agree to help you care for your loved one in case of an emergency. If this person doesn’t already have a key to your home, you could give them a spare.
Once you’ve come up with a tornado emergency plan, discuss it with your family and practice it. Do a drill where everyone in your home quickly goes to the agreed-upon safe place. Do this drill multiple times throughout the year to reinforce the plan.
What Supplies Should You Stock Up On?
Make an emergency supply kit for your family. Include important items that you might need after a tornado, like:
- A deluxe family first aid kit
- At least 3 days’ worth of water (1 gallon per person, per day)
- At least 3 days’ worth of food (non-perishable items)
- Flashlight or hand-crank lanterns
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Extra batteries
- A week's worth of medications and supplies if a loved one takes meds
- Multi-purpose tool
- Hand sanitizer and other items for personal hygiene
- Waterproof safe or containers to store important documents and medications
- Cell phone with charger
- Emergency contact information
- Extra cash
- Emergency blankets
- Local maps
- A deck of cards or a board game
- A whistle to signal for help
- Dust masks to filter contaminated air
- Plastic sheeting and duct tape
Make an emergency kit for your pets. If you have a furry or feathered loved one, stock up on supplies like these:
- At least 2 weeks’ worth of water, food, and any meds
- Copies of medical records
- Bowls for food and water
- Manual can opener if your pet eats canned food
- Cat litter and pan
- Leashes, harnesses, or carriers
- Pet first aid kit
- Recent photos of your pet in case they run off and get lost
- Your veterinarian’s contact information
- Pet beds and toys
What Important Documents Should You Store?
Make copies of key paperwork and ID cards. Stash the originals in a fireproof and waterproof safe. Store things like:
- Birth certificates
- Vehicle titles
- Pet registrations
- Passports
- Medical records
- Social security cards
- Insurance policies
- Wills
- Photos of valuables and items in each room
- Driver's license
What Information Should You Write Down?
- Emergency phone numbers, like the police and fire departments, paramedics, and nearby hospitals
- Your insurance agent’s names, addresses, and phone number (along with your plan’s policy number)
- Phone numbers for your electric, gas, and water companies
- Close neighbors’ names and phone numbers
- The name and phone number of your landlord or property manager, if you have one
- Any important medical information about you or your loved ones (like allergies and medications)
- The year, model, license plate, and identification number for your vehicles
- Your bank or credit union’s phone number, along with your account numbers
How Can You Make Your Home Safer?
Check each room for possible risks. Make sure that:
- Your chairs or beds aren’t near windows or mirrors that could burst, or near large pictures that could fall or go flying.
- Heavy items aren’t stored on shelves more than 30 inches high.
- Big appliances, like your water heater, are secured with flexible cable, braided wire, or metal scrapping.
- Large pieces of furniture that could topple, like bookshelves and china cabinets, are secured with “L” brackets, corner brackets, aluminum molding, or eyebolts.
- Cabinet doors are secured with sliding bolts or childproof latches.
- Any toxic material or solvents are stored safely in a strong, locked cabinet in an area with good ventilation. (Keep them away from your emergency supplies and out of reach of children and pets.)
Check outside your home. Extreme winds can send heavy objects flying through windows and garage doors. To lower the chances of that happening:
- Make a list of items on your lawn or in your backyard to bring inside in case of a tornado
- Cut any diseased and damaged limbs from trees
- Remove fallen branches or other debris
Make sure your home is sturdy. It’s important to find out if:
- The walls are securely bolted to the foundation
- The wall studs are attached to the roof rafters with metal hurricane clips rather than nails
If you spot a possible problem, you can call your local city or county building inspectors. They might be able to help you find a qualified general contractor who can make any important repairs or upgrades for you.
If you’d rather have a professional inspect your home for structural issues, you can also search online for a local contractor who’s accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
Some homeowners also hire professionals to:
- Install permanent window shutters
- Strengthen the garage door
- Build a hardened, reinforced space within the home called a safe room. The government recommends that builders follow FEMA guidelines when they construct a safe room.
How Do You Spot an Incoming Tornado?
Track the weather. Tune in to local weather reports or check your smartphone for alerts. Pay extra attention to these when the weather calls for thunderstorms, since those can spawn tornadoes.
If your community is under a tornado watch, be prepared to take shelter right away in case a tornado is spotted. In the meantime, listen to local alerts on your radio or TV, a NOAA radio broadcast (which provides warnings from the National Weather Service), or the internet.
If there’s a tornado warning, that means a twister is coming and you need to take shelter immediately.
Learn the visual warning signs. If you’re in a situation where you’re not getting weather alerts, you might be able to spot signs of a tornado. Some of those are:
- A swirling, funnel-shaped cloud
- Approaching cloud of debris
- Dark or green sky
- Clouds that are large, dark, and low-lying
- Large hailstones
- Loud roar that sounds like a train
If you notice any of these signs, take cover right away and stay tuned to weather reports.
What Should You Do During a Tornado?
- Go to your safe location right away.
- For extra protection, you could get under a heavy table or workbench.
- If you can, cover yourself with a blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress and cover your head and neck with your arms.
- Keep up to date on weather reports.
- Stay calm.
If you’re at work or school, follow the tornado drill you’ve practiced. Avoid windows, and don’t take cover in large, open rooms like cafeterias, gyms, or auditoriums.
If you’re in a public building (like a mall, theater, or gym), go to the lowest floor -- ideally the basement. Stay away from windows as best you can.
If you can’t get to a lower level, try to position yourself under a door frame or up against something that could shield you from falling debris. For instance, if you’re in a department store, get up against sturdy shelves or counters. In a theater, crawl under the seats.
Tornadoes can make long-span buildings like these collapse. If you have enough time to safely go to a nearby storm shelter before the tornado strikes, it could give you more protection.
If you’re walking around outside, try to find a sturdy shelter right away. If there is no shelter nearby:
- Go to a low-lying area, like a ditch or ravine. Avoid places with lots of trees, if possible.
- Lie flat on the ground.
- Use your arms or an object to cover your head and neck.
If you’re driving, don’t try to race a tornado. The extreme winds could flip or toss your vehicle, even if you’re in a truck or bus. Instead, head to the closest shelter. Avoid highway overpasses or bridges because a tornado could make them collapse.
If you can’t make it to a shelter, take either of these steps:
- Pull over, get down in your vehicle, and cover your head and neck.
- Leave the vehicle and try to take cover in a low-lying area like a ravine or ditch.
What Should You Do After a Tornado?
Once you get an alert that the tornado is over, follow these tips to keep you and your family safe:
Check if anyone is hurt.
- Place direct pressure on a bleeding body part using gauze or other clean dressings.
- Clean open cuts or wounds with soap and clean water, then put on an antibiotic ointment.
- Call your doctor and ask if your loved one needs more treatment, like a tetanus shot.
- Get any puncture wound checked by a doctor.
- If a cut or wound becomes red, swollen, or leaky, it may be infected. Get medical care right away.
- If an injured person isn’t breathing, call 911. Give them CPR if you’re trained to do so.
- Call 911 if someone is severely hurt. Don’t try to move them unless they’re in immediate danger of getting injured again, like from falling wreckage.
Draw attention to yourself if you’re trapped. To help rescuers find you and your loved ones, you could:
- Call 911
- Bang on a wall or pipe
- Blow a whistle
Cover up with a cloth or mask to keep dust from getting in your mouth, nose, and eyes, too.
Check in with family and friends. Call to let them know you’re safe. If you can’t reach them by phone or if you’ve been separated, the Red Cross can help you reconnect with loved ones.
Use the power of social media to reach your friends as well.
Follow the local news or NOAA Weather Radio updates. These can bring you new information about the tornado or instructions from emergency management officials.
If you evacuated your home before a tornado, don’t go back inside until local authorities tell you it’s safe to do so.
Manage a power outage. If the tornado took out your home’s power, use flashlights instead of candles, so you’re less likely to have an accidental fire.
If you need to use candles, first make sure there are no gas leaks in your home. Place lit candles far away from anything flammable. Stay near to them in case you need to put them out. Keep a fire extinguisher on hand, too, and make sure everyone in your home knows how to use it.
Check your home for possible hazards, searching room by room for damage:
Watch where you step. Wear sturdy shoes and keep an eye out for exposed nails or broken glass. Wear gloves to protect your hands from splinters, glass, or other sharp objects caused by damaged materials.
Look carefully for signs of structural damage, like missing support beams or cracks in the foundation. If you notice any of these, consider moving to a shelter or another safe place until a professional can inspect your home. Get everyone out of the house right away if you hear noises that sound unusual, because it could mean your home is about to collapse.
Check to see if your gas, electrical, and water lines were damaged. If you smell gas, get everyone out of your home and shut off the main gas valve. If you think you might have a gas leak but you’re not sure, don’t use any matches, lighters, appliances, or light switches (since electrical items could spark, ignite gas, or cause an explosion).
Shut off your electrical system at the main circuit breaker right away if you notice any frayed wiring or sparks, or if you smell something burning.
Be mindful of carbon monoxide risks. Equipment that burns fuel -- like a generator, charcoal grill, or a portable gasoline “camp” stove -- creates a gas that you can’t see or smell called carbon monoxide. It can lead to sudden sickness and death if it builds up in your home.
To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning:
Never run portable gas- or coal-burning gear inside your home, basement, or garage. Use them outside at least 20 feet away from any windows, doors, and vents.
Use a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector whenever you run a generator or any fuel-burning equipment. If a detector starts beeping, go outside right away and call 911.
Eat and drink safely. These tips can lower your chances of getting ill from food poisoning:
If your power goes out, throw away any perishable foods that might have spoiled. Also throw out anything that smells, looks, or feels unusual or was soaked by storm water.
Stay tuned to local reports from officials about advice for using your tap water safely. You can check with your local, tribal, or state health department to find out whether you need to boil it. If you’ve been told your water is contaminated or if you think it might be, don’t use it to make ice or baby formula, brush teeth, drink, or wash your hands, food, or dishes.
Clean your home carefully. If you need to handle or walk on debris, put on:
- Thick-soled shoes or boots
- Long sleeves and pants
- Gloves
- A face covering or mask, especially if there’s mold
Be safe outside your home. Don’t go into a damaged building until local authorities say it’s safe to do so.
Also, stay away from any fallen power lines -- they could electrocute you. Call the power company to report them.