Identify the Safest Hiding Place During a Tornado With This Drawing.
Although the peak tornado season is technically between April and June in the United States, cyclones can occur during other times of the year. If you grew up in an area prone to tornadoes, you probably did tornado training with firefighters at school and learned how to find and hide during a violent storm . But the school was a long time ago, and perhaps you grew up somewhere else and then moved to a tornado zone.
Either way, it’s probably a good idea to take a moment to explore the best hiding spots during these violent storms. To make it a little easier, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has created infographics showing options ranging from worst to best. Here’s what you need to know.
Where to hide during a tornado
When this National Meteorological Service issues a tornado warning for your area, it means you should seek refuge immediately. But what are the safest designs? This infographic from NOAA ranks your options:
The good news is that your chances of surviving a tornado are pretty high if you can take cover in time, and knowing the closest and safest places can help you get inside and stay safe.
If you’ve seen footage of tornado destruction on the news, it may have included footage of mobile homes completely overturned or destroyed. According to NOAA, they are among the worst places to hide during tornadoes, along with vehicles and under a highway overpass. Large open rooms (like gyms) and industrial apartment buildings are a little safer, but definitely not ideal.
For most people, the safest and most accessible place during a tornado is the basement of a building – be it your home, apartment building, office, or wherever you are at the moment. The interior room of a well-built house or building is also fine. The safest of all locations are official tornado shelters that are NSSA / ICC 500 compliant (above or below ground) or specially designed F EMA Safe Rooms , although not everyone has access to them (especially in the short term).