+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| # Tornadoes                                                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| [Tornadoes]{.underline} are powerful, circular windstorms that may be |
| accompanied by winds in excess of 250 miles per hour. Tornadoes       |
| typically develop during severe thunderstorms and may range in width  |
| from several hundred yards to more than a mile across.                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Tornadoes pose a high risk because the low atmospheric pressure,      |
| combined with high wind velocity, can:                                |
|                                                                       |
| -   Rip trees apart.                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   Destroy buildings.                                                |
|                                                                       |
| -   Uproot structures and objects.                                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| -   Send debris and glass flying.                                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   Overturn cars and mobile homes.                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| While tornadoes have been reported in every State, they are most      |
| prevalent east of the Colorado-Wyoming-New Mexico area. Most          |
| frequently, tornadoes are found in the area from Kansas to Kentucky,  |
| the Great Plains, and the Upper Midwest. "Tornado Alley" includes     |
| Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.                                          |
|                                                                       |
| More than 1,000 tornadoes are reported yearly.                        |
|                                                                       |
| Tornado season lasts from March to August, but can occur year-round.  |
| More than 80 percent of tornadoes occur between noon and midnight,    |
| and one quarter occur from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tornadoes are most  |
| likely to occur between 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.                       |
|                                                                       |
| 9,000 deaths have been attributed to tornadoes in the past 50 years.  |
| Each year about 100 people are killed. Annual damage from tornadoes   |
| can run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.                     |
|                                                                       |
| The population in the ten tornado-prone States is increasing because  |
| of more rapid urban development, which increases the likelihood of    |
| injuries and deaths.                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Fujita Wind-Damage Scale**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ###               | ### Wind Speed and Anticipated Damage            |
| Wind-Damage Level |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| F0                | -   Winds: Up to 72 miles per hour (mph)         |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | -   Damage: Light                                |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| F1                | -   Winds: 73--112 mph                           |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | -   Damage: Moderate                             |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| F2                | -   Winds: 113--157 mph                          |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | -   Damage: Considerable                         |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| F3                | -   Winds: 158--206 mph                          |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | -   Damage: Severe                               |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| F4                | -   Winds: 207--260 mph                          |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | -   Damage: Devastating                          |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| F5                | -   Winds: 261 mph or greater                    |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | -   Damage: Incredible                           |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| # Tornadoes (Continued)                                               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Although the Midwest and sections of the Southeast have the highest   |
| risk of tornadoes, with the help of sophisticated radar and other     |
| measures, meteorologists are now able to predict when conditions      |
| favorable for tornado formation exist and are able to warn the public |
| better. However, many tornadoes (usually F0 and F1) are still         |
| unreported or unconfirmed.                                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Do the following to prepare for a tornado:                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Know the risk]{.underline} for tornadoes in the area. Although   |
|     tornadoes have been reported throughout the United States, some   |
|     areas are clearly at higher risk than others.                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Identify a "safe" room]{.underline} where family members can     |
|     gather during a tornado.                                          |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   [In a home]{.underline}, the safest place to be is in the         |
|     basement, away from all windows. If the home has no basement, the |
|     safest place is an interior hallway or room on the lowest floor.  |
|                                                                       |
| -   [In a high-rise building]{.underline}, the safest place is in a   |
|     hallway in the center of the building.                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Mobile homes]{.underline} are not safe during a tornado. Those   |
|     who live in mobile homes should seek shelter in a nearby sturdy   |
|     building.                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| -   [Learn the community's warning system]{.underline}. Broad areas   |
|     use EAS to warn of imminent hazards. Within these areas, though,  |
|     communities may have other warning systems for tornadoes,         |
|     including sirens that are also used to signal fires and other     |
|     hazards. For those who live in communities that use sirens, it is |
|     critical to learn the siren warning tone to ensure recognition.   |
|     Also, when severe weather threatens, NOAA weather radio carries   |
|     current information and instructions.                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| -   [Conduct periodic tornado drills]{.underline} with your family to |
|     ensure that all family members know what to do and where to go    |
|     during a tornado emergency.                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The most obvious clues that a tornado may be forming or has formed    |
| are [high winds]{.underline} and [very large hail]{.underline}. Be    |
| alert for these clues and to take protective action, even if no       |
| tornado warning is issued.                                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| -   Damage often occurs when wind gets inside a home. [Keep all       |
|     windows and doors closed]{.underline}. Houses do not explode      |
|     because of air pressure differences.                              |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Go to the "safe" room or area]{.underline}. Stay away from       |
|     windows to avoid flying debris and glass.                         |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Listen to EAS or NOAA Weather Radio]{.underline} for current     |
|     emergency information and instructions.                           |
|                                                                       |
| If you are driving and see a tornado, [go to a nearby sturdy          |
| building]{.underline} and seek an area on the lowest level, without   |
| windows. If there are no buildings nearby, [get out and away from the |
| vehicle]{.underline} and lie down in a low spot on the ground.        |
| Protect the head and neck.                                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| # Tornadoes (Continued)                                               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Following a tornado, citizens should continue listening to EAS or     |
| NOAA weather radio for updated information and instructions. As with  |
| many other hazards, post-tornado actions include:                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Avoiding fallen power lines or broken utility lines]{.underline} |
|     and immediately reporting those you see.                          |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Staying out of damaged areas]{.underline} until told that it is  |
|     safe to enter.                                                    |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Staying out of damaged buildings]{.underline}.                   |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Using a flashlight to look for damage]{.underline} and fire      |
|     hazards and documenting damage for insurance purposes.            |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Turning off utilities]{.underline}, if necessary.                |
|                                                                       |
| -   [Reserving the telephone for emergencies]{.underline}.            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Tornado Myths and Facts**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Myth: | Areas near lakes, rivers, and mountains are safe from     |
|          | tornadoes.                                                |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Fact: | No place is safe from tornadoes. A tornado near           |
|          | Yellowstone National Park left a path of destruction up   |
|          | and down a 10,000-foot mountain.                          |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Myth: | The low pressure with a tornado causes buildings to       |
|          | explode as the tornado passes overhead.                   |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Fact: | Violent winds and debris slamming into buildings cause    |
|          | most structural damage.                                   |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Myth: | Windows should be opened before a tornado approaches to   |
|          | equalize pressure and minimize damage.                    |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Fact: | Windows should be left [closed]{.underline} to minimize   |
|          | damage from flying debris and to keep the high wind out   |
|          | of the structure.                                         |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Myth: | If you are driving and see a tornado, you should drive at |
|          | a right angle to the storm.                               |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Fact: | The best thing to do is seek the best available shelter.  |
|          | Many people are injured or killed by remaining in their   |
|          | vehicles.                                                 |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Myth: | People caught in the open should seek shelter under       |
|          | highway overpasses.                                       |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Fact: | Do [not]{.underline} seek shelter under highway           |
|          | overpasses or under bridges. If possible, take shelter in |
|          | a sturdy, reinforced building.                            |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

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