ATLANTA (AP) 鈥 With new innovations and technology, scientists have learned from major tornado outbreaks over the years how to improve safety guidance. During tornado season, forecasters try to get the word out about staying safe during a storm 鈥 but also planning for it ahead of time.
Tornado seasons typically begin at different times in different parts of the United States.
In what has historically been known as Tornado Alley 鈥 a designation that typically includes Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas 鈥 the peak of tornado season is May into early June. But the season starts earlier in what’s often called , made up of southern states such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
The idea of a tornado alley can be misleading, since tornadoes have been reported in all 50 states. About 1,200 tornadoes strike the U.S. every year, and each year violent twisters happen outside these traditional 鈥渁lleys鈥 of tornado outbreaks, according to the National Severe Storms Laboratory. Recent twisters have even struck in places unaccustomed to them, such as in 2023 that tore apart rooftops and injured one person.
When a tornado takes aim at your house, and the sirens are sounding, the dogs are barking and the children are screaming, there are some last-minute precautions that could save the lives of you and your loved ones.
Experts also recommend a few simple steps to prepare well before the twister is on your doorstep. Here鈥檚 a look at some tornado safety tips:
How do I get emergency updates?
Weather radios, specialized receivers that get alerts and can sound an alarm in an emergency, are something that every home and business should have, said Rick Smith, the warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service鈥檚 forecast office in Norman, Oklahoma.
鈥淚t does feel like old-school technology, but they are lifesaving devices,鈥 Smith said.
Radios can be particularly valuable in the South, where many when people are sleeping. 鈥淭his can wake you up in the middle of the night with the alarm,鈥 Smith said.
The National Weather Service encourages people to have multiple ways of being warned, which can include weather radios, a cellphone app or other method in case power is lost. Redundancy is key, Smith said.
Where should I take shelter?
The ideal places to take shelter are enclosed, underground shelters and basements, or a safe room above ground that鈥檚 designed to withstand tornadic winds.
But many people don鈥檛 have that option 鈥 in Oklahoma, for example, the clay soil makes building basements expensive, so lots of homes don鈥檛 have them.
If you have to be above ground in a tornado, 鈥測our goal is to put as many walls and barriers between you and the outside as you possibly can,鈥 Smith said.
Smith recommends using mattresses, couch cushions or other sturdy items to protect yourself from deadly flying or falling debris. Bicycle or sports helmets can provide crucial head protection. It’s important that they are stored in a convenient place so they can be retrieved quickly, when you have only minutes or seconds before the storm strikes.
A car seat can help protect a small child, Smith says, and can be brought inside ahead of time.
How can I keep my home safe?
Recent research has shown that closing your home鈥檚 garage door and all interior doors could ease the high winds inside somewhat by compartmentalizing them, according to Smith. Doing so by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.
That鈥檚 the opposite of a commonly held misconception: 鈥淭here鈥檚 still a chunk of people out there who think you鈥檙e supposed to open the doors and windows to equalize the pressure,鈥 Smith said.
It鈥檚 also important to prepare for the tornado鈥檚 aftermath, when you might emerge from a home or shelter to find downed trees and power lines and shredded buildings. Dress for disaster, such as wearing long pants and sturdy shoes, to make it easier to safely navigate treacherous terrain.
An emergency kit of essentials like drinking water and nonperishable food items is also a good idea.
What should I do if I’m driving?
Don’t look to Hollywood for sound tornado safety practices. The recent Hollywood film 鈥淭wisters鈥 shows the characters sprinting toward a highway underpass as a tornado approaches.
If you are in a car or truck, 鈥測ou really don鈥檛 have a lot of good options at that point,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淭ry not to get caught in that situation.鈥
The best thing to do is get off the road and try to find a building. If there鈥檚 nowhere to go, there are no guaranteed safe options.
When it comes to ditches, overpasses or staying inside a car, 鈥減eople have survived doing all of those, people have died doing all of those,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen cars rolled up into unrecognizable balls of metal.鈥
