What to do in a tornado: warnings, safest room and shelter¶

Tornadoes can form quickly and destroy a building in seconds. This page tells you what warnings mean, where to shelter, and what to do after one passes.

Do this now¶

1. Go to a safe room, storm shelter, or the lowest floor of a sturdy building as soon as a warning is issued.
2. Pick an interior room with no windows, such as a bathroom, closet, or hallway.
3. Get down low, face down, and cover your head and neck with your arms. Use a mattress, blankets, or a helmet if you have one.
4. Stay there until the danger has passed and officials say it is safe.
5. Leave a mobile home or vehicle for a sturdy building if you can reach one safely.

Know the warnings¶

A tornado watch means conditions are right for tornadoes to form. Be ready to act, and keep a way to get alerts. A tornado warning means a tornado has been seen or is shown by radar. Take shelter immediately.

Terms differ by country, but the idea is the same. Learn what your national weather service uses (the National Weather Service in the United States, Environment Canada, and the Met Office in the United Kingdom). Turn on wireless emergency alerts on your phone, and keep a battery or hand crank radio, because power and cell towers can fail.

Warning signs that a tornado may be near include a dark, greenish sky, large hail, a wall of cloud, a loud roar that sounds like a freight train, and debris in the air. A tornado may not have a visible funnel, especially in rain.

The safest place in a building¶

The best place is a purpose built storm shelter or safe room. If you do not have one, go to the lowest floor of a sturdy building, and as near the center as possible.

• Basement: go under a workbench or sturdy table if you can.
• No basement: use an interior room on the lowest floor, such as a bathroom or closet.
• Stay away from windows, doors, and outside walls.
• Keep away from large open rooms, such as gyms and auditoriums, that have wide roofs.
• In an apartment building, go to the lowest floor or a stairwell if no ground floor shelter exists.

Keep sturdy shoes, a flashlight, a whistle, and your phone in your shelter. Cover your head and neck with your arms, and use a helmet, if you have one, to protect against flying debris.

Mobile homes and vehicles¶

... danger "Mobile homes are not safe in a tornado" Even a tied down mobile home can be destroyed by tornado winds. When a watch is issued, plan to leave for a sturdy building or a community shelter, and go early, before the warning.

Do not try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle unless you can drive out of its path in open country, and traffic is clear. Cars can be lifted or tossed.

If you are in a vehicle when a tornado is close:

1. Drive to the nearest sturdy building if you can reach one quickly.
2. If you cannot, leave the car and lie flat in a low spot, such as a ditch, and cover your head with your hands. Watch for the risk of flooding in a low spot.
3. Never shelter under an overpass or bridge. Wind speeds can increase there, and debris can strike you.
4. If you stay in the car, keep your seat belt on, get your head below the windows, and cover it with a coat or blanket.

Choose the option that gets you out of the open and away from flying objects. No option is perfectly safe, and a sturdy building is always better.

If you are outside¶

Look for the nearest sturdy building and go inside. If there is none, lie flat in the lowest spot you can find, away from trees and cars, and cover your head and neck. Watch for flooding if you are in a ditch.

After the tornado¶

Stay in your shelter until the danger has passed. Another tornado can follow, so keep listening for official updates.

• Check yourself and others for injuries. Call your local emergency number (911 in the United States and Canada, 112 across the European Union, 999 in the United Kingdom) for serious injuries. See first aid.
• Wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and gloves before you walk through debris.
• Watch for broken glass, nails, and exposed wiring.
• Stay away from downed power lines, and report them.
• If you smell gas, leave and call the gas company from a safe distance.
• Use text messages rather than calls, so phone lines stay open.
• Check on neighbors if you can do so safely.

... warning "Damaged buildings" Do not go into a building that is leaning, has a damaged roof, or has shifted off its foundation. Wait for a professional to inspect it.

Take photos of the damage before you clean up, and keep receipts. Insurance and aid rules differ by country, so check with your local disaster agency or insurer.

Related guides¶

• Natural disasters overview
• Floods
• Emergency kit
• Family emergency plan
• Gas leak