The 2025 Kentucky Statewide Tornado Drill is next Wednesday, March 5, at 10:07 a.m. Now is a great time to brush up on your tornado knowledge!
What are Tornadoes?
Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can cause fatalities and devastate neighborhoods in seconds. Tornadoes appear as rotating, funnel-shaped clouds and can reach wind speeds of 300 miles per hour. The Enhanced Fujita Scale helps categorize the severity of each tornado, from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (strongest).
A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. Stay tuned in and be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued.
A tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property. Take shelter immediately.
Damage results from the strong winds in a tornado. The most violent tornadoes can lift vehicles off the ground, destroy homes, and send debris flying. Debris is the biggest concern for humans during a tornado, so it’s important to take shelter immediately and use protective coverings.
Unstable weather conditions sometimes lead to tornado formation. Here are a few common ingredients:
- Strong thunderstorms (supercells) release large amounts of energy
- Warm, moist air collides with cool, dry air
- Rapid changes in wind speed and direction create violently rotating air columns
Tornadoes don’t form every time these conditions are present, but it’s important to be prepared, just in case. This is why meteorologists, storm spotters, emergency management centers, and the media all keep a close eye on severe weather radars.
Be Prepared
If severe weather conditions arise, you may need to take shelter. Here are some tips for being prepared.
- Gather food, water, and medicine. Organize supplies into a Go-Kit and a Stay-at-Home Kit.
- A Go-Kit contains at least three days of supplies that you can carry with you, including batteries and chargers for your devices.
- A Stay-at-Home Kit includes at least two weeks of supplies.
- Keep medicine in a child- and pet-proof container – at least a month’s worth – along with any other medical supplies. You may want to create a list of medications and dosages to carry with you. Keep multiple copies of important records.
When creating a supply kit, there are a lot of things you may need to include. Visit ready.gov/kit for more information and tips for building your own kit.
Prepare Before a Tornado
In addition to building supply kits, there are steps you can take with your family to better protect yourselves in the event of a tornado. BeReady Lexington outlines the following steps in case of an emergency.
Stay informed. Check weather forecasts during severe weather season. You can also get a weather radio to receive early warnings. Familiarize yourself with Lexington’s outdoor warning system.
Stay in touch. Designate a meeting place for your family to go after a tornado. Pick an alternate location in case the primary is inaccessible. Designate an out-of-town contact to keep friends and relatives in the know. Save that person as a contact in every cell phone in your family. Notify the contact that you’ve picked them for this duty.
Prepare your home. Reduce potential debris by bringing inside outdoor furniture and decorations. Designate a safe room. Choose an interior room on the lowest level of your house, as far away as possible from windows, doors, and exterior walls. Equip the safe room with supplies, such as food, water, medicine, and first aid.
Visit https://www.bereadylexington.com/tornado/ for more information.
Article by: Maeve Miller
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