Presented by VE3LXV .. 2003

Severe Storms

Tornados

Tornados form suddenly, are often preceded by warm humid weather and always produced by thunderstorms - although not every thunderstorm produces a tornado.   There are warning signs, including: severe thunderstorms with frequent thunder and lighning an extremely dark sky sometimes highlighted by green or yellow clouds a rumbling sound, such as a freight train might make or a whistling sound such as a jet aircraft might make a funnel cloud at the rear base of a thunder cloud often behind a curtain of heavy rain or hail.   Tornados are violent windstorms characterized by a twisting funnel-shaped cloud which forms at the base of cloud banks and points towards the ground. Tornados usually move over the ground at anywhere from 20 to 90 km/h and often travel from the southwest to the northeast. They are erratic and can change course suddenly. It is not a good idea to chase tornados.   Generally speaking, May to September are prime tornado months. Tornados usually hit in the afternoon and early evening but they have been known to strike at night too.   Canada has several high risk areas including Alberta, southern Ontario, southwestern Quebec and a band of land which stretches from southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba through to Thunder Bay, Ontario. There are also tornado zones in the interior of British Columbia and in western New Brunswick.

What To Do During A Tornado

What to do if you are in a building.

If you are at home, go to the basement or take shelter in a small interior ground floor room such as a bathroom, closet or hallway. If there isn't one, crouch or lie flat (under heavy furniture). In all cases, stay away from windows and outside walls and doors.   If you are at the office or in an apartment building, take shelter in an inner hallway or room, ideally in the basement or the ground floor. Do not use the elevator and stay away from windows.   Avoid buildings such as gymnasiums, churches and auditoriums with freespan roofs. These roofs do not have supports in the middle and may collapse if a tornado hits them. If you are in one of these buildings take cover under a sturdy structure.   Do not get caught in a mobile home. More than 50 per cent of all deaths from tornados happen in mobile homes. Take shelter elsewhere -- such as a building with a strong foundation.   If no shelter is available, lie down in a ditch away from the automobile or mobile home.

What to do if you are caught outside.

If there is no shelter, crouch down in a ditch or ravine.

What to do if you are driving.

If you are driving and spot a tornado in the distance, try to get to a nearby shelter.   If the tornado is close by, get out of and away from your car, it could be blown through the air or roll over on you, and take cover in a low-lying area.   If a tornado seems to be standing still then it is either travelling away from you or heading right for you.

In all cases, get as close to the ground as possible, protect your head and watch out for flying debris. Small objects such as sticks and straws can become lethal weapons when driven by a tornado’s winds.