Severe Weather Articles

Tornado Preparation: Safety Before, During & After a Storm

Being home during a tornado threat is not for the faint of heart. The sky turns dark quickly, which can make your home’s interior darker, even during the day. The wind picks up speed, and you may hear sounds you don’t normally hear: the rafters of your home creaking, branches scraping the house, the gusting…

The Importance of Anchors with Tornado Shelters

The threat of tornadoes is a constant reminder of nature’s unpredictable power. We understand the worry that comes with sheltering from a powerful tornado. We see this fear present in the questions asked by those who wonder how we can possibly anchor down something above ground against an EF5 tornado.The answer is in the science…

How to Gauge a Tornado Threat: Alerts and Polygons Explained

In many areas of the United States, tornado season is well underway. In the Southeast, states like Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee have already had a particularly rough start and they’ll be on edge until June. (And they may have a secondary tornado season in the fall, depending on weather conditions.) Residents of the Central US,…

2022 in Tornadoes – A Look at the “Worst”

Your past 12 months are likely full of ups and downs. Looking back at 2022, many people will size up the events in their lives and the significant accomplishments or setbacks. The purpose might be to set an intention for the coming year or to figure out what we want to accomplish.At Survive-A-Storm, we’d like…

Measuring Tornado Intensity-F5 or EF5? The Differences

When it comes to measuring the intensity of tornadoes, you may have seen an “F5 tornado” referenced or an “EF5 tornado.” So, what is the difference, or are they essentially the same? Let’s take a closer look.The F and the EF reference the Fujita scale and the Enhanced Fujita scale (EF scale).  Both of these scales…

Introducing StormWarn - A Tornado Alert That Removes Doubt

It’s National Preparedness Month, but how prepared will you be when a tornado touches down in your area? As you may have read, the area known as tornado alley is changing, and tornados have touched down in all 50 states.If you live in an area where tornados are a common occurrence during parts of the…

National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month, created by the federal government to encourage Americans to prepare for hazards of all kinds. At Survive-A-Storm, we understand safety and the importance of being prepared.What’s Your Tornado Plan?Will you be at work or at home? What’s your plan? How will you prepare? In our personal lives, that might mean…

How Are Tornadoes Formed?

Jo: [We’ll] get a profile [of the tornado’s structure] for the first time.Dr. Reeves: What will that do?Jo: If we know how tornadoes work, we can design a warning system.Dr. Reeves: Aren’t there warnings already?Jo: Right now, it’s three minutes. If we can get this information, we can increase it to 15, give people a…

When Is It Safe To Come Out of a Tornado Shelter After a Tornado Warning?

Tornado warnings and when it’s safe to come out. Being under a tornado warning is a stressful time. The thought of your home being damaged, eerie sirens screaming, and deep concern for your family by themselves is enough to get your blood pressure up. But, being in an unfamiliar location such as a bathtub, closet,…

Hurricane Preparation

No matter what else is happening in the world—we’ll still have to plan for hurricane season. Hurricanes, like tornadoes, aren’t going to stop forming just because our headlines are focusing on other events. And they aren’t going to be any less deadly, either. The Atlantic hurricane season officially lasts from June 1st to November 30th,…

Oklahoma Weather—Strange and Unusual

 So far, Mother Nature seems to be in stealth mode where tornadoes are concerned.  Is she is just being lazy or is this the calm before the storm?  Either way, the fact that not one tornado has been recorded in the state of Oklahoma since October 21, 2017 leaves many residents thankful for the quiet.  Rick…

Albany Tornadoes 2017: We Remember

One year ago, this month, Southwest Georgia area was caught off-guard by one of the sneakiest and most unexpected EF3 tornadoes.  Of course, there were a total of eight southern states that were affected by the swarm of tornadoes.For our Survive-a-Storm team members, however, the tornado that struck Albany was a grim reminder that what…