Tornado Preparedness at Home
Shelter locations, NOAA alerts, and after-storm safety — NOAA Storm Prediction Center aligned.
Identify shelter now
Best available options in most homes:
- Basement or storm cellar
- Interior room on lowest floor, no windows (closet, bathroom)
- Avoid mobile homes — community shelter if available
Practice a 60-second drill with household twice yearly.
Alerts
- Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on phones.
- NOAA Weather Radio with battery backup for overnight events.
- Know difference between watch (possible) and warning (take shelter now).
During a warning
Ready.gov: get to shelter immediately; protect head and neck; bring shoes in case of debris after.
After passage
Watch for downed power lines, gas smells, structural damage. Photograph for insurance before cleanup.
Key takeaways
- Lowest interior floor, away from windows.
- Warnings mean shelter now — not “watch the sky.”
- Shoes and helmet in shelter kit reduce post-storm injuries.