What Are The Signs of A Tornado?

10/22/2020 (Permalink)

Tornadoes can cause entire trees to fall on your home.

When a tornado comes barreling through New Jersey, it can bring intense winds of over 200 MPH, leaving a path of destruction behind it. A tornado can strike almost out of nowhere and destroy buildings, flip cars, and send debris flying through the air. Knowing the tornado warning signs will help you stay safe and seek shelter before it hits.

Warning Signs of a Tornado

If you see these warning signs, go inside immediately and check your local weather announcements.

• Dark, green tinted sky
• Wall clouds, or a cloud of debris
• A funnel-shaped cloud
• Large hail without rain
• Roaring noise, similar to a freight train
• Unusual calmness of wind

Tornado Watch Vs. Warning

A tornado watch means that the current weather conditions are supportive of generating a tornado. When these come through, you should keep an eye on the weather announcements for any changes.

A tornado warning means that a tornado has been identified in the surrounding area and that you should immediate take cover.

What Should You Do When A Tornado Hits?

When you get notification that your area is under a tornado warning, you should do the following according to ready.gov:

• If you are near a building, go inside immediately.
• Go to a safe room, basement or cellar. If there is no basement, take shelter in a small interior room on the lowest floor of the building.
• Stay away from any windows, doors, or outside walls.
• Stay away from bridges or overpasses - look for low, flat locations to take shelter.
• Stay aware of any flying debris that could injure you when looking for shelter.
• Be sure to use your arms to protect you head.

During a tornado, you should do the following to stay safe:

• Stay in your safe location you found when you got the tornado warning and do not leave until you know it is safe to do so.
• Shield yourself further by putting your arms around your head and neck, and barricading furniture or blankets around you to protect from heavy objects.
• Keep listening to your local emergency or weather station for updates.
• If not in a safe building, do not try to outrun tornadoes in a car.

What Do You Do After?

• Continue listening for weather updates.
• If you are trapped, cover your mouth to not breath in dust or debris. Try and send a text, bang on a wall or a pipe, or whistle rather than shouting for help.
• Stay clear of any fallen power lines or trees.
• Do not reenter buildings that have been damages until you're told it is safe.
• When cleaning up debris, be sure to wear thick gloves and work boots.
• Call your insurance company if your home or business has been damaged by the tornado.

Experiencing a tornado can be a scary experience, and overwhelming when it does damage to your home or business. Once you call your insurance company, you will want to call a storm damage restoration company to help you cleanup debris and handle any water damage or structural damages caused by the tornado.

Need Help After A Storm? Call SERVPRO- 800-734-3213

SERVPRO of Morristown is a 24/7 damage restoration company specializing in water damage, storm damage, fire damage, and mold remediation. Whatever the disaster, we work hard to make it "Like it never even happened."