Safe and sound

Where to shelter in a tornado

Pick the lowest inside room now, so everyone is there with heads covered in under a minute when the warning sounds.

Time20 min

LevelEasy

Steps6

Official sources3

Why it matters

Tornadoes can form with only minutes of warning. Choosing the shelter spot now means everyone moves at once when the warning sounds.

What you need

Gather these before you start.

Helmets (bike or sports): 1 per person
Blankets, sleeping bags or a mattress: enough to cover everyone
Sturdy shoes: 1 pair per person, kept in the shelter spot
Battery or hand-crank weather radio
Flashlight
Whistle

Step by step

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Know watch from warning

A tornado watch means conditions are right for tornadoes, so stay alert and ready. A tornado warning means one has been seen or picked up on radar: shelter now.

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Pick the spot now

Choose a basement, a storm shelter, or a small room with no windows on the lowest floor, such as a closet, a bathroom or an inside hallway. Keep shoes, helmets and a flashlight there.

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Get down and cover up

Crouch low, under a sturdy table if you can, and cover your head and neck with your arms. Pull blankets or a mattress over everyone and put on helmets.

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Mobile homes and cars

Mobile homes give almost no protection: leave for a sturdy building or shelter as soon as a watch is issued. If you are caught in a car, drive to a sturdy building if you can; if not, stay buckled, duck below the windows and cover your head.

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Never under a bridge

Do not shelter under a highway overpass. The wind speeds up underneath it and carries debris.

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After it passes

Stay in the shelter until officials give the all-clear. Watch for broken glass, nails and downed power lines, and leave if you smell gas.

The numbers

What	Amount
Helmets (bike or sports)	1 per person
Sturdy shoes in the shelter spot	1 pair per person
Time to get everyone into the shelter	Under 1 minute
Shelter drill with the family	1 a year, before storm season

Ready.gov, Tornadoes

Stay safe

Stay away from windows during a tornado warning.
Keep clear of downed power lines and report them.
If you are trapped, cover your mouth with cloth and use a whistle or tap on pipes to signal.

When you're done

Result	Everyone in the lowest inside room, heads covered, in under a minute.
Keep it ready	Practice getting to the shelter spot with the family once a year, before storm season.

Questions people ask

Where is the safest place in a house during a tornado?

A basement or storm shelter. Without one, use a small room with no windows on the lowest floor, such as a closet, a bathroom or an inside hallway.

Where do you take shelter during a tornado without a basement?

Go to the smallest windowless room on the lowest floor and crouch under a sturdy table if there is one. Cover your head and neck with your arms and pull blankets or a mattress over everyone.

What is the difference between a tornado watch and a warning?

A watch means conditions are right for tornadoes, so stay alert. A warning means a tornado has been seen or picked up on radar: go to your shelter now.