All About Hurricanes

Tornadoes

As if the hurricane itself isn't bad enough, these storms have the nasty tendency to spawn tornadoes in their wake. Tornadoes are by nature more localized than hurricanes, but they're much, much more destructive.

Watch and Listen for Tornadoes

The TV and Radio are your best early warning systems for tornadoes. If the hurricane is spawning tornadoes, you'll hear about it from your TV and radio weatherpeople. They'll let you know if a certain section of the hurricane has spawned tornadoes, and where that part of the storm is moving. You can then plan what you do from there. Of course, the fact that there have been no reports of tornadoes related to the hurricane doesn't mean that you're out of danger. Your neighborhood could always be the first one that hits the area. Even if the hurricane hits your area during the daytime, the clouds and rain will make it dark outside, possibly too dark to see a tornado as it's traveling towards you. That means the best way you can tell when a tornado is coming is to listen. Tornadoes make a very distinct sound when approaching, that of a roaring freight train. You won't have much time to react if you hear that sound, so it's important to be aware of tornadoes and be ready to do what you can if one strikes your home.

When a Tornado Strikes...

If a tornado comes skipping through your neighborhood, your first thought is to get to the center of the house. Stay away from all windows, doors, and outside walls. If a tornado strikes your home, it's may well blow the roof off the house and knock down the outside walls. Inside walls, such as those around a bathroom have the best chance of staying up. A basement or storm shelter would be the safest place you could go, but most houses in New Orleans don't have either of these. Head for a bathroom, closet, or an interior bedroom, and try to get under something sturdy, like a table or other strong piece of furniture. Moving to the interior of the house protects you from the exterior walls, windows and doors collapsing, and getting under something sturdy protects you from falling debris if the roof blows off.

If you're in a trailer, mobile home, or in a vehicle on the road, get out and head for the lowest ground you can find. Try to find a ditch or other depression in the ground, lay flat and cover your head with your arms. You shouldn't be riding a hurricane out in a mobile home in the first place, much less stay in one if a tornado threatens. Tornadoes have picked up mobile homes and thrown them down the street, shattering them into splinters. Automobiles and other vehicles also offer little to no protection. Get out, get on the ground, and hope the thing skips over you.

Move On to "After the Hurricane Passes," the next file in this series.

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