WHAT MAKES A TORNADO?

1. On a hot, humid day a mass of cool, dry air meets a mass of warm, damp air coming from the other direction.
2. Large thunderclouds appear in the sky, and thunder begins to rumble far away.
3. The sky becomes dark and may have a green tint. A nearby cloud becomes dark and dense.
4. Rounded masses at the bottom of the cloud start to twist. One of the twisting masses then forms a funnel cloud that gradually extends downward.
5. Heavy rain and hail, sometimes as big as a nickel or larger, begin to fall, and lightening flashes.
6. A hissing sound begins as the funnel comes toward the ground. If it touches, it stirs up dirt and debris and sounds like the roar of a freight train or airplane at take off.

Tornadoes are very dangerous and they can destroy many houses very fast.

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Tornado Watch and Warning... What's the difference?
Tornado Watch: Tornadoes, thunderstorms or both are possible. Listen to the radio and television for weather reports and watch for changing weather.

Tornado Warning: Go to safety right away. A tornado has been sighted and may be headed your way.

A civil defense sign (CD) marks safe shelters to be used in an emergency like a tornado.

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WHAT TO DO AT HOME

• Have home tornado drills.
• Pick a safe place where your family can meet in an emergency. This cannot be the same place as your fire escape.
• Keep an emergency supply kit nearby containing extra batteries, canned food, water, and a first-aid kit.
• Keep calm.
• Stay in your shelter until the storm is over and the danger has passed.
• After the tornado, keep away from damaged areas and fallen power lines.

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WHERE TO TAKE SHELTER?

• Basement or storm cellar. Stay away from windows, doors, and walls that face the outside. In case the lights go out you will need a flashlight. To hear weather reports, bring a battery powered radio with you.
• Smallest room, closet or hallway near the middle of your house on the lowest level possible.
• Bathtub. Cover yourself with a blanket or cushions from a couch.
• Heavy table, bed or stairs. They are safer and sturdier.
• Wedge a plank of wood on an angle in a doorway. Take shelter underneath.

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WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE AT SCHOOL
Know where your class should go in case of a tornado. Marked shelters are best or a hallway in the middle of the school.

• Listen to your teacher and principal. They have training in handling emergencies.
• Stay away from windows and glass doors.
• Avoid seeking shelter in large open rooms like auditoriums and gymnasiums.
• Never board buses during a tornado warning.
• Know what to do if you are released from school when there is a tornado watch.

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IN OTHER BUILDINGS

• In a high-rise building, apartment or other public place, go to a small room or hallways in the middle of the building, on the lowest floor possible like a basement.
• In a mall, go to a marked emergency shelter that is in the center of the building on a lower level. Never seek shelter in a car.
• In a mobile home, go to a nearby safe shelter such as a neighbors basement, school or shopping center or lie flat, face down, in the nearest ditch, ravine or culvert with your hands covering your head.

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IN A CAR OR OUTSIDE

• Get out immediately and go to a safe shelter.
• If there is no shelter, lie flat, face down, in the nearest ditch, ravine, or culvert with your hands covering your head, staying as low as possible.
• Or take cover under a viaduct or highway overpass.
• Tornadoes are unpredictable so NEVER try to outrun them in a car.