<p>My wife and son are going on the final college tour next week. We are from CA. The thought of instant death falling from the sky is a bit intimidating. Intellectually I realize the chance of encountering a tornado is minimal however the irrational part of me says WHAT THE HECK!</p>
<p>They are driving in a loop, Cedar Rapids, IA to Decorah, IA to Rock Island IL to Kirksville MO and back to Cedar Rapids. The information I printed from the internet indicates if you see a tornado while driving try to drive away from it (duh!) but if you can’t avoid it leave your car and lay face down in an open field. Right.</p>
<p>For those of you in tornado country: Are these things announced on the radio? AM or FM? Is there some general alert issued for a large part of a state? What do you experienced hands do if you are driving and see a tornado?</p>
<p>Before they see the tornado they have seen threatening weather so they call you and you pull up the radar on your laptop and guide them to safety.</p>
<p>We have had tornadoes here in MI recently. The weather alerts are always on AM radio, and they were on FM, too, while I was on my way home from work. I’m lucky to live on the east side of the state and the counties to the west of us always get tornado warnings before us, so I know they’re coming and can prepare. My boyfriend and I are house hunting and presence of a basement is non-negotiable, however I spent a tornado-filled night in a dorm once and felt safer there than in the basement of my house-- sturdier building. Tornadoes are usually not out of the blue, watches are issued early and warnings are issued whenever conditions are right for one to form. There are sirens. The warning system is not perfect, but it’s quite good. I’ve seen them in FL while driving and have always been able to drive away because I was lucky enough to see them from a GREAT distance away… otherwise I would try to find a sturdy building, or as a last resort lie flat in a field. Don’t be a sitting duck in the car. </p>
<p>This is really nothing to worry about as long as you educate yourself on the proper precautions to take and heed weather warnings. As someone who lives in an area with tornadoes (albeit not tornado alley), I find the fact that you’re worried about this and from California slightly amusing… if I were traveling in your neck of the woods I’d be just as irrationally terrified of earthquakes. :)</p>
<p>Tornadoes really are rare, so it is highly unlikely that you will have to worry about this. Watch the local weather forecast on the news in the evening, or check out the Weather Channel. They usually have a pretty good idea if there is a risk for storms in the area the next day.</p>
<p>If there is a chance of tornadoes, then just keep the radio on in the car - AM or FM. If conditions are “good” for a tornado to form, then a Tornado Watch will be issued, and you will hear about it on the radio (or TV). If a tornado has actually been spotted, then they will issue a Tornado Warning. You might hear sirens outside if that’s the case. If you are in your car, try to find somewhere you can pull in like a store or something. If you are in a hotel, just go to the lowest floor and to an interior space.</p>
<p>Again, it’s really really unlikely that you will have to worry about this, but hopefully this post is helpful.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this varies, but this isn’t the case anymore where I live. They give a “warning” if conditions are right for one to form, one does not have to be spotted-- which I guess makes sense since once one is spotted it is already too late for somebody. I have no idea what the rules are for a “watch” anymore but our siren goes off several times a year now because of the change.</p>
<p>I understand your fears from having grown up in the Midwest. I’m glad we live in Oregon now and that we don’t have that worry anymore. </p>
<p>I really think your danger is very very minimal. The biggest issue with tornadoes is losing your house or severe damage. Since you’re just visiting you don’t have that “skin in the game” so to speak. You can move or take cover rather easily yourself. If you happen to be around when there are major storms, just stay inside - preferably ina pretty strong building or basement.</p>
<p>Tornadoes don’t just pop up - they are cause by a front moving through, so just pay attention to the weather channel and know if bad weather is forecasted and keep your eyes to the west. You will see the front moving in - if so, take cover. Even if there isn’t a tornado, this could be quite fierce weather with hail & blinding rain. (I lived in Wisconsin 4 years and several tornado warnings, regretting buying a house with no basement).</p>
<p>Tornado warnings are blared over AM and FM. </p>
<p>If the weather gets bad, go into a building. Tornadoes don’t come out of nowhere. There are warnings. If the weather is THAT bad then you just need to get off the road. </p>
<p>Your fears are overblown. Tornadoes have warnings. Earthquakes do not. I’d be much more worried in CA than any tornado state.</p>
<p>*I don’t know if this varies, but this isn’t the case anymore where I live. They give a “warning” if conditions are right for one to form, one does not have to be spotted-- which I guess makes sense since once one is spotted it is already too late for somebody. I have no idea what the rules are for a “watch” anymore but our siren goes off several times a year now because of the change. *</p>
<p>I bet it does vary. That’s how they do it in my county - I’m in SW Ohio. They have changed things slightly lately, and will initiate the sirens if there is a Tornado Watch + Severe Thunderstorm Warning, but not for a Tornado Watch only. It can be confusing.</p>
<p>Here on campus we have an annual tornado warning drill. Sirens go off and we all go down to the what amounts to a sub-basement. If we are at home, the TV stations break-in to their normal broadcast. Assumedly the same thing happens on the radio. It’s worrisome, but preferable to the terrorist warning drills we had when I worked for the Feds in DC.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, there have been some bad tornadoes in nearby areas, but nothing of any real significance in Madison while I have been here. Hail and thunderstorms have been bad.</p>
<p>Your best bet in a Tornado if driving is to find shelter, an interior room or a basement is generally considered the best. I suspect that being in an interior room in a reinforced concrete or steel skeleton building would be the best bet, but the problem there are windows. On trick, if in a building try to be as far away from the southwest as possible, they often come from that direction from what I have read.</p>
<p>If there is no shelter, lie face down on the ground or better, in a depression (just be aware of flooding damage), and cover your head with your hands to protect against debris. One thing don’t do, don’t get under an overpass! It acts like a wind tunnel and magnifies the effect of the wind. </p>
<p>I suspect you won’t have much to worry about, Tornadoes don’t come out of nowhere, like one moment you are driving in sunny weather then suddenly you are swallowed up, Tornadoes come about when storm fronts pass through and there will be warning signs, plus warnings from meteorologists. If the forecast isn’t for strong thunderstorms, it is unlikely you would see tornadoes (though freak storms can happen). </p>
<p>Least that is what I remember from a first responder course on natural emergencies…</p>
<p>I guess it all depends what you are accustomed to. I have lived in CA for 50+ years. Earhtquakes, at least those that create meaningful damage, come very infrequently. When they do hit the life threatening damage is usually fairly localized. Closest we have ever come to harm was the 1989 quake where my wife was about 10 minutes past one of the collapsed freeways.</p>
<p>From my myopic west coast perspective tornadoes come every year, bouncing across the countryside, devouring small towns. Of course those tornadoes are probably spread over a vast geographic area so the chances of one particular area being hit by a tornado are small.</p>
<p>I still wanted to know what to do if you spot a tornado while driving. Watching the storm chasers on the weather channel does no good. The advice given / referenced above was helpful. It appears that, if you are paying attention, you should know that the conditions are ripe for the formation of a tornado.</p>
<p>I guess you haven’t watched the news in the last year or so? I would not consider tornadoes to be “infrequent” seeing as we’re already above average and the “tornado season” just began…</p>
<p>It varies drastically depending on where you are, and you also have to consider that there can be massive storms that produce 6, 10, 12, however many tornadoes despite only being one big storm. They certainly happen regularly in the plains but it’s not like they are frequent enough that an EF5 is going to drop from the sky at random and eat OP.</p>
<p>Interestingly, I read an article on the weather channel’s site last week which named FLORIDA as the state with the most frequent tornadoes! I’d believe it, I’ve probably seen half a dozen there just during our 2 week summer vacations over the last decade or so. Around there a waterspout can be right on the coast and people don’t even get off the beach!</p>
<p>I’ve already documented my fear of tornadoes in my “What are you afraid of?” thread. But even I would probably not rank fear of tornadoes high in my mind for a college visit. I’d probably be more worried about the possibility of a car wreck. Really, the chance of a tornado affecting any person in particular on a short term road trip is probably pretty small.</p>
<p>I too confirmed my tornado fear in the other thread. I live in Indiana; I think it’s well found, plus I’ve been through/too close to too many of them. For the plains/midwest, I’m going to go with hops rather than romani on this one. It’s a recurring spring threat.</p>
<p>Having said that, I wouldn’t be worried for a college viewing trip. As others noted, tornadoes don’t randomly drop down on a nice sunny day, nor an ordinary rainy day. There will usually be lots of info–radio/tv/internet–1-3 days before about approaching storm systems. </p>
<p>Something no one else mentioned, I have never been near the vicinity of a tornado that the entire sky/atmosphere did not turn the strangest color of greenish. Difficult to explain, if you’ve been there you’ll know what I mean.</p>
<p>To the OP, I’ve been here 48 years and sought a lot of tornado shelter. I would heavily advise, if at all possible, not to be anywhere near an automobile in these type of storms. One needs to be in sturdy shelter–in an interior, windowless room or a basement, and under something heavy that will offer protection.</p>