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You’re sitting on the sofa all snuggled up for a night of movie watching, when the weather alert starts scrolling on the bottom of the screen.
It’s a tornado watch.
Do you:
(A) Keep watching the movie,
(B) Speed shuffle to your safe room,
(C) Go into tornado preparation mode.
If you said C, then you’d be correct…
A tornado watch comes from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Meteorologists at the Center monitor the weather 24 hours a day, 7 days a week specifically looking for weather conditions that are favorable for severe storms and tornados.
When a tornado watch is issued, it means that a tornado is a possibility based on current weather conditions for a broad area. That broad area may encompass a few counties, cities or even several states.
A tornado watch doesn’t mean a tornado is definitely going to happen.
But it does mean you need to be aware that a tornado is a possibility and prepare accordingly.
What to do when a tornado watch is issued
This is the time you need to pull out your NOAA weather radio.
I suggest a battery operated NOAA radio in case that tornado watch turns into a tornado warning, and you have to seek shelter in your safe room.
Cell phone towers may quickly go down, rendering your phone useless if you need to check the weather in your safe room.
The last thing you want to do is assume the storm is over, only to come out and have the tornado heading directly towards you. In that case, a weather radio could literally save your life.
It would also be a wise idea to gather your wallet, some cash, and your car/house keys just in case. Whenever I hear a tornado warning at home, I make sure I have sweat pants on and my heavy work boots nearby. I also make sure my phone is on the charger, just in case I have to grab it.
We each have a tornado supply backpack ready, and I’ll make sure those are in the safe room at that time. We also have a waterproof, fireproof bag where we store important documents and family photos. I make sure that’s in the safe room as well.
If you have any pets, this is the time to secure them. Bring them in from outside. Make sure there’s a crate in your safe room.
I know this may seem excessive to some people.
But remember, even though a tornado isn’t imminent under a tornado watch, it can literally take 10-20 minutes for a tornado to form.
This means, if you have to do any preparation, do it under the tornado watch. If you wait until a tornado warning, you won’t have time to do anything except go to your safe room.
What to do if a tornado warning is issued
If a tornado warning is issued for your area, immediately take cover.
When the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning, it means a tornado has formed and is visible on the weather radar in your area.
If you’re at home, head directly to your safe room.
If you’re in a building, head to the storm shelter. If they don’t have one, go to the lowest level of the building or a windowless interior room (like a bathroom).
If you hear the tornado approaching, stay low to the ground and cover your head with your arms. I suggest having a helmet, pillow or blanket in your safe room at home. With all the falling debris, head injuries are common.
Keep your NOAA weather radio on and in the safe room with you. If electricity and cell phone towers go down, this is your only connection to weather information.
What to do if you get a tornado watch, and you’re in a car
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a vehicle is NOT a safe space during a tornado. Neither is going under a bridge or an overpass.
Your best course of action is to find indoor shelter and go to the lowest level of the building, or into an interior windowless room.
If you can’t make it to shelter, look for a low lying area like a ditch. Abandon the vehicle, go into the ditch, lay low, and cover your head with your hands.
And if you cannot get out of the vehicle, crouch down on the floor as much as you can and cover your head with your hands.