It’s severe storm season, and Lexington is no stranger to severe weather. The area may experience tornadoes during the severe weather season. However, tornadoes can happen at any time. Before a tornado watch or warning is issued, you can prepare by learning about tornadoes and what to do if one is forecasted.
About Tornadoes
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.
Tornado Safety
- Stay informed. Check daily forecasts and tune in to weather radios, which can be kept in your home or workplace.
- Plan ahead. Know your designated shelter locations at home and in the workplace. Practice tornado drills and make a communication plan with your family so everyone is on the same page.
- Be prepared. Gather emergency supplies, especially food, water, and medicine. It may be helpful to have two kits – a Go-Kit with at least three days of supplies (including batteries and device chargers), and a Stay-at-Home Kit with at least two weeks of supplies. Keep copies of important records. Store protective coverings in or near your shelter space.
- Be aware. Monitor weather conditions and seek shelter if a warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is coming.
- Protect yourself. Use helmets and any other protective equipment to cover your head and neck. Flying debris is the greatest danger in tornadoes.
- Seek shelter. Avoid windows! Go to the lowest level of the building and take shelter in an interior room. Cover yourself with thick padding, like a mattress or blankets, if you can. Do not seek shelter under bridges; they may collapse.
- In a house with a basement: Seek shelter in the basement and hide under sturdy protection (like a heavy table or workbench).
- In a dorm, apartment, or house without a basement: Seek shelter in a small interior room on the lowest level.
- In a car or truck: Park quickly and safely out of the traffic lanes. Stay in your car with the seatbelt on and put your head down below the windows. Cover your head. If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, leave your car and lie in that area instead.
- In the open outdoors: Lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as you can.
- Remain calm and alert. Stay in your shelter until the tornado warning is over. Listen to the radio or TV for instructions from authorities. Keep your family together and wait for emergency personnel to arrive.
- Treat injuries. If anyone has been injured, provide first aid. Do not attempt to move anyone with a back or neck injury unless they are in immediate danger. Seek medical assistance.
- Avoid hazards. These include downed power lines, broken glass, nails, and other sharp objects. Steer clear of heavily damaged houses or buildings. Do not use matches or lighters; natural gas pipes or fuel tanks might be leaking nearby.
Article by: Maeve Miller
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