Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
This chapter starts out with a list of tornado facts and common myths, so you might under-
stand more about tornadoes, is followed by a section on tornado prediction and warnings, and
ends with a list of tornado safety tips and recommended strategies. For an excellent up-to-date
online source of information on tornado safety, statistics, history, forecasting, and scientific re-
search, I highly recommend “The Online Tornado FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about
Tornadoes” by Roger Edwards at the Storm Prediction Center, which may be accessed at
Tornado Facts and Myths
• It is commonly believed that tornadoes happen mostly in the spring, but the peak of
tornado season varies with location, and tornadoes can occur any month of the year.
For example, the peak of tornado season in the northern plains and upper Midwest is
June or July but it is from May to early June in the southern plains, and even earlier
in the spring for the Gulf Coast.
• There is a myth that tornadoes can only spawn and strike in relatively flat areas, but
they have actually occurred in high areas of the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada,
and Appalachian Mountains. Though more frequent in the flatter areas of the plains
states and the southeast, tornadoes have been spotted in such varied locations as Ver-
mont, upstate New York, Nevada, and one hiker spotted and photographed a tornado
at 12,000 feet in the Sequoia National Park of California (Edwards 2011).
• A common myth is that trailer parks attract tornadoes. They certainly do not attract
tornadoes, but due to their light weight and lack of heavy-duty anchoring to strong
structural foundations, trailers are extremely vulnerable to damage from tornadoes.
• Another common myth is that you should open your windows to allow the pressure
to equalize should a tornado strike your home. Do not waste your time opening win-
dows. If a tornado strikes, it will blow out the windows, and the last place you should
be is near a window, where there is the greatest danger from flying debris and glass.
• There is a common myth that owing to the direction of rotation of tornadoes in the
Northern Hemisphere the southwest corner of a building is the safest place to be.
This myth is totally false. Corners are areas of buildings that are most prone to dam-
age. The safest areas are in the center of the building in a windowless room or closet,
and on the lowest level (in the basement if there is one).
• There is a common myth that highway overpasses provide protection from tornadoes.
In fact, the underside of a highway overpass often acts as a wind tunnel, channeling
high winds and debris, and there are a number of reported deaths of people who
parked under an overpass while seeking shelter from approaching tornadoes.
