Tornado season is here. If you live in tornado alley or Dixie alley you are much more likely to see and experience a tornado than other parts of the country. But the fact is tornadoes can happen anywhere. And here’s why!
Tornadoes are created out of severe thunderstorms. The storms that make them up are called super cells. Specifically, rapidly rising warm air turns into a vortex that steadily increases in velocity until it is the fastest wind on earth-sometimes over 300 miles per hour.
Three out of every four tornadoes in the world happen in the United States which averages close to 800 tornadoes per year. This year, in 2014, because of the severe winter and with most of the United States blanketed in a snowpack that hit even into the deep South, it is anticipated that the number of these storms will be way below normal.
Usually tornadoes travel in a southwest to northeasterly direction. Daylight gives potential victims plenty of visual warning but a tornado at night can be particularly devastating. Many people claim that tornadoes sound like a freight train but not necessarily because some tornadoes are silent killers.
If you are lucky enough to live in a home that has a basement, that is the best place to go for protection-particularly the southwest corner. If not, place as many walls as you can between you and the tornado for protection. If you are outdoors, do not try to out run a tornado but rather find a slight ground depression, ditch or flat surface and lie down covering your head.
The damage done by tornadoes can be substantial both to your home and personal possessions as well as citywide infrastructure. It is not uncommon for them to cause power outages which can last for days and water shortages due to the water supply being at risk.
To help you prepare for any emergency, weather related or not, it is incumbent upon each of us to do a certain amount of disaster planning and emergency preparedness.
Normal support systems such as utility suppliers of water and gas, emergency responders and commercial stores may not be available. What do you do about food and water for your family?
This Survival Kit has enough food for 4 adults for a week.
And this 72 Hour Kit has emergency supplies of first aid, water and food all in a handy backpack.