Staying safe in severe weather

FOX TOLEDO NEWS - With the turn of the calendar to March, it's time to focus on spring severe weather and how to protect yourself and your family when severe weather invades.

Tornadoes are the fiercest atmospheric wind storms on earth. They are formed by violently rotating and highly destructive masses of air. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction, with wind speeds of 250 mph or more.

Damage paths can be in excess of one-mile wide and 50 miles long.

A tornado begins in a severe thunderstorm called a super cell. A super cell can last longer than a regular thunderstorm. The same property that keeps the storm going also produces most tornadoes.

The wind coming into the storm starts to swirl and forms a funnel. The air in the funnel spins faster and faster, and creates a very low pressure area which sucks more air and possibly objects into it.

There are ways you can stay safe if a tornado is heading in your direction.

When severe weather threatens, go to the lowest level, stay in the center of the building, trying to stay in the smallest room, and stay away from windows.

Actually, the best place to stay safe is the lowest level, whether it is your basement, or the main floor, take shelter in the lowest level of the building you are in. Go to the center of the building, go to the smallest room, and be sure to stay away from windows, they are the first things to break and flying glass can be deadly.

Another tip is to take shelter in a ditch if you are outside. If you are outside, take shelter in a ditch or ravine, leave your vehicle - do not try to outrun a tornado, and stay away from power lines, and if there is lightning, stay away from tall objects.

Make sure you leave your vehicle, and take shelter in that ditch or ravine, but never try to out run a tornado. Make sure you stay away from power lines, they can be deadly as well. If there is lightning, make sure you stay away from tall objects - that's where lightning will hit first.

Unfortunately there are some myths out there you should be aware of. A dangerous myth is that highway overpasses are a safe place for motorists to take shelter. Even though bridges are strong structures, you put yourself at greater risk for harm in a storm. Bridges are particularly dangerous because the winds will actually accelerate under an overpass.

Another myth is that opening your windows will equalize the pressure in your home and keep it from exploding when a tornado strikes. Studies have shown that the majority of damage from tornadoes is a result of the 100-300-plus mile per hour winds and not the pressure difference.

The idea that tornadoes never strike big cities is another myth that has been proven wrong in the past several years. A few recent examples of big cities being hit by tornadoes are: Miami on May 13, 1997; Nashville on April 16, 1997; and Oklahoma City on May 3, 1999 and May 26, 2001.

Many people believe that the safest part of a house to be in during a tornado is the southwest corner. This is also a myth. The south and west walls take the brunt of the storm force which means these walls are frequently penetrated by debris and are also more likely to fall inward than others.

Finally let's discuss the warnings and watches that are associated with the spring severe weather season.

A Severe thunderstorm and/or tornado watch: Conditions are favorable for the formation of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. When a watch is issued, monitor the weather as severe storms and tornadoes can develop suddenly.

Severe thunderstorm/tornado warning: A severe thunderstorm or tornado has either been observed by a trained weather spotter or detected by Doppler radar. Take shelter immediately.