Tornado Preparedness

The first thing to better prepare yourself for a tornado, is to understand the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.

Do you know the difference?

• Tornado Watch – issued when conditions are favorable for tornado development. People located in and around the watch area should keep an eye to the sky and listen to their NOAA weather radio all hazards or tune to local broadcast media for further weather information. The watch is intended to give you time to prepare and time to review your safety rules.

• Tornado Warning – issued when a developing tornado has been detected by National Weather Service doppler radar or a reliable report of a tornado has been reported. A tornado warning is usually issued for portions of one or two counties, for an hour or less. The storm could also produce large hail and destructive straight line winds. If the tornado warning includes your neighborhood or work place, you should seek safe shelter immediately.

Additional Safety Tips

• Identify a safe interior room or have a plan to move to a safe shelter
• Trim trees around your home
• Learn how to turn off utilities (such as gas)
• Keep your roof in good condition
• Create a basic disaster supplies kit
• Participate in drills or practice with your family how to react when the weather turns severe