TORNADOES ARE ONE OF NATURE'S MOST VIOLENT STORMS. IN AN AVERAGE YEAR,
ABOUT 1,000 TORNADOES ARE REPORTED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, RESULTING
IN 85 DEATHS AND OVER 1,500 INJURIES. A TORNADO IS A VIOLENTLY
ROTATING COLUMN OF AIR EXTENDING FROM A THUNDERSTORM TO THE GROUND.
THE MOST VIOLENT TORNADOES ARE CAPABLE OF TREMENDOUS DESTRUCTION WITH
WIND SPEEDS OF 250 MPH OR MORE. DAMAGE PATHS CAN EXCEED A MILE IN
WIDTH AND 50 MILES IN LENGTH.
TORNADOES COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE IN THE
U.S. AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR. HOWEVER IN TEXAS, PEAK TORNADO SEASON IS
DURING THE MONTHS OF MARCH THROUGH JUNE WITH NEARLY 70% OF ALL TEXAS
TORNADOES OCCURING DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. THE MONTH OF MAY IS THE
SINGLE MOST ACTIVE TORNADO PRODUCING MONTH IN TEXAS.
TEXAS RANKS FIRST IN THE COUNTRY IN THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF REPORTED
TORNADOES WITH MORE THAN 130 OCCURRING EACH YEAR ACROSS THE STATE.
IN 2005 JUST OVER 100 TORNADOES WERE RECORDED IN THE STATE.
AFTER A TORNADO OCCUR...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) METEOROLOGISTS
MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE AND CLASSIFY THE STORM IN ONE
OF THREE MAIN CATEGORIES...WEAK...STRONG...OR VIOLENT. THIS
DETERMINATION IS MADE BY SURVEYING THE IMPACTED STRUCTURES ALONG THE
STORM PATH. IF A TORNADO HAS OCCURRED IN YOUR AREA…PLEASE REPORT IT TO
THE NWS WHEN IT’S SAFE TO DO SO...SO IT CAN BE PROPERLY DOCUMENTED.
...TORNADO SAFETY...
TORNADOES CAN DESTROY A BUILDING IN A FEW SHORT SECONDS…THEREFORE IT
IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE SAFETY RULES FOR SURVIVING A TORNADO.
IN HOMES AND SMALL BUILDINGS…GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR
ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET...BATHROOM...OR AN INTERIOR HALLWAY ON THE
LOWEST LEVEL. PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS WITH THICK
BLANKETS…SLEEPING BAGS OR MATTRESSES.
AT SCHOOLS...AS WELL AS HOSPITALS...FACTORIES AND SHOPPING MALLS... GO
TO THE DESIGNATED SHELTER AREAS...USUALLY AN INTERIOR HALLWAY ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR WITHOUT WINDOWS. KNEEL ON THE FLOOR AGAINST THE WALL AND
PLACE HANDS OVER YOUR HEAD TO PROVIDE SOME PROTECTION FOR YOUR HEAD.
FOR MOBILE HOMES...PORTABLE CLASSROOMS...OR VEHICLES...LEAVE THEM AND
GO TO A STRONG BUILDING FOR SHELTER. IF THERE IS NO SHELTER NEARBY...
GET INTO THE NEAREST DITCH OR DEPRESSION. LIE FLAT WITH YOUR HANDS
SHIELDING YOUR HEAD.
PLANNING AHEAD AND KNOWING THE SAFETY RULES IS ESSENTIAL IN BEING
PREPARED WHEN A TORNADO STRIKES.
