Tornado Disaster

[asian1]

How to survive a tornado?

Is it better to hide in basement or bathtub?
Is it better to open or close the windows?

Is there any sign of tornado?
(air pressure, temperature etc)

Anyone have real experience with tornado?
Thx.

[Fade]

"How to survive a tornado?"

First you have to move out of the state of Alabama.

"Is it better to hide in basement or bathtub?"

Better to hide in the basement because that bathtub is going to chase you around the house.

"Is there any sign of tornado?"

In Alabama, the first sign is usually watching your neighbor circle your house at a high rate of speed.

An F5 tornado can have speeds of from 261MPH to 318MPH (416 to 510km/h).
Kansas - Highest number of F5 tornadoes since 1880
Iowa -  Greatest number of F5's  per square mile
Alabama -  Highest percentage of tornadoes rated as of significant intensity
Kentucky - Highest percentage of all tornadoes ranked as violent (F4 or F5)

What makes Alabama's tornado alley so deadly is that it is both hilly and woody. Meaning that you can't see them coming. Most of the other places don't have both of these things to put up with.

"Anyone have real experience with tornado?"

In 1992 a tornado left a half mile path straight at my house only to turn and miss it by about 50 feet. It did take down about 25 to 30 trees on the edge of my yard, and I now have a half mile view through the woods behind my house.

In 1998 my wife's cousin was killed in this F5 torando. His name is the third one down on the left, on the memorial.

[metalman]

"For God's Sake, Take Cover!!!" - Bill Curtis WIBW TV

1966 Tornado

The Topeka Tornado of 1966

Sky was extremely dark in the middle of the afternoon, the clouds were churning and twisting, and there were Tornado's everywhere, I was 80 miles North from the F5 tornado that hit Topeka and another tornado that hit  Manhattan that day.

[Floid]

See that "highest-risk" patch in Connecticut (the square thing to the right of New York)?  That's where I live. :-)

Over here, the terrain means they both appear and peter-out quickly, and few people know the risk is that high.  But every once in a while, you'll hear about a lucky winner, sometimes on the order of a single house, or half of one.

I'd wager being in a basement, under something that'll protect you from collapsing structure is probably best, but that involves getting some warning.  Also, let it be said that the 'run around opening windows' thing is now known a myth, or at least an officially bad idea when you can use that time to go take cover.