5 Things You Should Never Do During a Tornado and How to Prepare

Things are changing in Tornado alley and talk is alluding to Texas having something to worry about! We are bringing you 5 things that you can do to prepare your family and yourself if you ever encounter a tornado. These storm systems are nothing to mess with! We always hear about them on TV and see the destruction, but are fortunate enough to avoid most of them. 

AccuWeather released their weather observations for 2019 based on the year prior and it predicts that there'll be 1,075 tornadoes in 2019, which is up from the 2018 prediction of 987. The other fascinating part about this report is that it breaks down the weather in months. It's Springtime and that only means one thing, some rain for the Houston area. Strap in because we are predicted more than just some rain this year because the radar service predicts there will be 525 tornadoes from March through May, which as AccuWeather pointed out, is the normal average for those months of the year using computer models. Even better, in 2018, there were only 345 recorded tornadoes from March to May.

Read up! We searched the web for you and found the 5 things you should never do during a tornado and how to prepare if one may ever impact you and your family.

The First Big Don't: 

Ignoring the Warnings

We've all thought about it...Tornado warnings aren't a big deal, I've never even seen one.

This may be the first thought someone has when they hear the tornado warning over the TV, but it's the wrong thought. Tornado warnings are nothing to be taken lightly. Mass destruction to tons of rural and suburban areas in a matter of seconds is something to be taken seriously. Sometimes lasting only a few seconds it can twist your world upside down. A big part of this first big no is the corrective action to make sure you and your family are safe. Make sure you know where your safe place is. You'll want to have a part of the house that is central to the structure and does not have any windows. If you are out and around town when you hear the sirens or hear the radio warning, get back home immediately!

The Second Don't: 

Look for the Tornado Outside or Open a Window

"Woah! Did you see how windy it is outside?" Is the WRONG thing to be doing during a warning.

Most people are curious. It's human nature to want to go outside and see what's going on during a big storm. It's extremely dangerous at the same time. Tornados have the capacity to produce winds up to 300 mph and to drive straw into trees. Yes, straw into trees. The damage path can be as far away as 50 miles from the actual tornado. Let's just say we HIGHLY recommend taking shelter, step 1, and staying indoors with the windows and doors shut. 

The Third Don't:

Trying to Outrun a Tornado

It’s A Sign To… 

We speak to it in the first 2 recommendations, but if you are out and about and are about to take on outrunning a tornado thing again. Tornados have average speeds of 10-20 mph across the ground and can reach speeds up to 60 mph. The moment you see a sign or hear a siren for a tornado warning seek cover indoors immediately. If you are nowhere near a shelter, you should stay in your car and buckle up or if possible, get below the level of the road like a ditch. 

The Fourth Don't: 

Turn Off The TV or Radio

Think about it... you'll be out of the loop.

Unfortunately, there are some people out there that just need to watch their favorite TV shows. Calling local TV stations because their service was interrupted...don't be that person! Pay attention to the news and make sure you are as informed as you can be in case the power does go out. 

The Fifth Don't: 

Parking Under an Overpass

You may think this is smart, but it's the wrong place to be.

What if you were caught out on the highway and heard the sirens or the warning on the radio. The first place you may look on is the overpass. It's covered, you think, you'll be safe here. This thought is unfortunately wrong. Overpasses actually increase wind speed. It's similar to being downtown on a normal day and all of the sudden feeling a gust of wind. In some cases, wind blowing under an overpass at a high velocity can actually collapse the bridge or pick whatever is underneath up...

What Can You Do: 

It's never to early to prepare

Make sure your home is outfitted with the best Standby Generator

Keeping your family safe and comfortable during a storm is your #1 priority. There are ways to work around it, but there's nothing like not losing power when things go wrong. The power going means a lot of different things. Your food could spoil, you may not have batteries for flashlights, your AC goes out, the list goes on. Our generators are there to help when the storm does bring you no power. Contact us today.