NOAA photo of a tornado in Kansas in May 2008
Tornadoes happen in every month of the year in the United States, but we are entering the time of year when the most tornadoes hit the nation.
There are 3 questions which may help you find the safest place in your home or building to increase your odds of surviving a tornado.
Nine out of 10 people injured or killed by a tornado are hit by flying debris. So, the objective is to find a place where flying debris will not hit you. Once you answer the questions below, think about where you live and come up with the safest place for you and your family during a tornado. These questions are for those in stick built homes or other standard construction. For mobile homes, find information with this video on mobile home tornado safety.
Question #1.
Is it safer to be upstairs or downstairs?
The winds in a tornado are highest higher up from the surface. This increases the risk of building failure to upper floors. As strong winds from a tornado enter a home, either through broken windows or a structure failure, the pressure rapidly increases inside the home. It is similar to blowing up a balloon. When too much air enters the balloon, it pops! The increased pressure inside the home causes the walls on the other side of the home to explode outward. If you can get to a floor below ground level, then you have found the safest floor during a tornado. So, the best answer is DOWNSTAIRS. If you don’t have a basement, the first floor of the home is best.
Question #2.
Is it safer to be in large rooms or small rooms?
The object here is to put more walls between yourself and the outside. Large rooms offer less support to the roof. A small room in the interior of your home or building will put more walls between you and the flying debris as well as support the ceiling. So, the best answer is SMALL ROOMS.
Question #3.
Is it safer to be near windows or away?
I saved the easiest question for last. Since our object is to avoid flying debris, being away from windows is the best place to be. Shards of glass are a significant threat during a tornado. This also leads me to answer an age old debate about whether you should open a window during a tornado. Research shows the best thing to do is go quickly to your safest location and avoid windows. If you open the wrong window, one which allows strong winds to enter the home, you will be increasing the chance your home suffers major damage. If 200 mph winds enter one side of your home, having a window open on the other side will not be enough to prevent significant damage. So the best answer is to get AWAY from windows.
Have you thought about the safest place to be in your home during a tornado? Use these 3 questions to help you find it.
Now that you’ve thought about the safest place in your home, you may realize you don’t have a small, interior room on the lowest floor away from windows. If that’s the case, then getting behind a sofa or under a sturdy table may offer some protection. Typically, a bathroom (in the tub) or a closet, or utility room tend to be the favored places. Under a staircase can be a good place to be as well. For much more information, check out the NOAA site for tornado safety.
Hopefully, you now have a plan to increase your odds of surviving a tornado and will remember these 3 questions. Share these questions with your family and friends. Wherever you are, answering these questions may assist you in finding the safest location. By the way, should you find yourself in a car or out in the open during a tornado, get out of the car, get down in a ditch or low spot, cover your head and hope flying debris passes over you.
Just this week tornadoes have touched down in parts of the United States. As of February 3rd, 40 tornadoes have touched down in the US. For more on frequency, history, and averages regarding tornadoes check out a great site for data at the Storm Prediction Center.
