Your Insurance Policy covers damages by a tornado. However, do you know the facts and safety procedures regarding tornadoes?

Tornadoes occur on nearly all continents, but are particularly sever in the United States. They occur most often in mid-western, southern, and central states, but they can hit any of the fifty states. Tornadoes most often occur from the month of March through September.

Weather conditions are most often hot and humid, southerly winds and a threatening and menacing sky. An hour or two before a tornado, thunderstorm clouds often have a greenish-black color and appear to be topsy-turvy, bulging down instead of up.

A tornado is observed as a funnel shaped cloud extending downward from the base of a thundercloud. As it touches the earth, it writhes and twists throwing up debris in all directions. It is usually accompanied by hail, violent thunderstorms and wind. Its noise is deafening and has been compared to the combined roar of hundreds of jet aircraft.

In most cases, a tornado moves from a westerly-southwesterly direction at a travel speed of 25-40 miles per hour with estimated wind speeds within the funnel cloud of 500 miles per hour. Path length can estimate up to 40 miles, with a path width of one-quarter of a mile. Most tornadoes last for only four or five minutes, for two miles.

Destruction from a tornado is caused by violent winds that uproot trees, destroy buildings and create serious hazards from objects blown through the air. Further destruction results from the difference in air pressure, which can lift automobiles and cause buildings and other structures to collapse.

Tornado Safety Tips

• In your home, move to the southwest corner of your basement, under a heavy table or bench, if possible. If your home does not have a basement, take cover under sturdy furniture in the center of the house. A closet in the center of the house also offers good protection.
• In an office building or a school, if the building is of strongly reinforced construction, remain near an inside wall on the lowest floor. Stay away from windows and avoid auditoriums, gymnasiums, or other structures with wide, free span roofs.
• In a factory or industrial plant, go to the section of the plant offering the greatest protection in accordance with advance safety plans. If no plan exists, go to a shelter or basement area. Advance preparation should be made for shutting off electrical circuits and fuel lines as a tornado approaches the plant.
• \In a city or town, seek shelter inside a strongly reinforced building. Stay away from windows.
• In open country, move at a right angle from the tornado’s path. Most tornadoes move from southwest to northeast. If there is no time to escape, lie flat in a depression or ditch.
• Do not remain in a car or mobile home, as this may be the worst place to be. Take cover elsewhere.
• Don’t panic. Remain calm at all times.

Tornado Aftermath

• After the tornado has passed, carefully inspect your property, including automobiles, for damage. Check immediately for electrical problems and gas leaks and report any possible danger points to the utilities or fire department.
• If you have extensive damage, contact your insurance agent or company immediately and secure your property from further damage or theft. Remember, heavy rains often follow a tornado.
• Take an inventory of the damage to speed your insurance settlement. Your Homeowners Policy provides coverage for additional living expenses if you are not able to stay in your home. The expense of debris removal is also covered by a policy provision.
• If you have not suffered damage, pitch in and help your neighbors who need it.
• Do not telephone or visit a disaster are, unless you have a specific reason for doing so. Spectators and curiosity seekers can greatly hamper rescue operations.

Know the Difference

Tornado Warning

A tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted. The warning will indicate where the tornado was sighted, the area in which it is expected to move and the time periods during which the tornado will move through the area. Persons in the indicated path should immediately take necessary safety precautions.

Tornado Watch

A tornado watch is an alert of the possibility that a tornado may develop. Keep tuned to your local radio or television station for the latest information.