Gimme Shelter

"If I don't get some shelter, yeah I gonna fade away." -Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones

Growing up in the Southeaster United States, I was raised with both:

• a healthy fear of tornadoes, and
• a love of the Rolling Stones.

The former was from my mother, who grew up near the coast under the annual threat of hurricanes. Upon moving west across the Appalachians, she was a shocked to learn just how devastating the high wind speeds of a tornado could be. "Pine needles shot into trees like nails." she would sometimes gasp.

The latter was from my father. Himself growing up near Memphis, TN, he listened to all the great blues, rock, and soul music from both the U.S. and the U.K. including, of course, the Rolling Stones.

Growing up, one of the often repeated bits of advice regarding tornadoes was—should you find yourself in a car when within the path of such a storm—that you should seek shelter under a highway overpass, presumably by hiking up to the abutment to sit out the storm between bearings. The thought being that the heavy and strong structure would resist the powerful winds. This is true… for the structure, at least.

As it turns out, this is a very bad place for a person to seek shelter from the storm. The overpass can act like a channel for the strong winds and the debris which they carry. Large debris carried by the powerful winds can cause life-threatening injuries. Even dust or sand-sized debris can result in vision or respiratory issues. Lastly, any vehicles left stranded along the roadway can impede people hoping to flee the storm or rescue vehicles.

So, what should you do if you find yourself in the terrible predicament of being in a tornado's path? I'll let the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explain:

The safest course of action when a tornado approaches is to get out of the tornado’s path, or
to seek shelter in a sturdy, well-constructed building. Lying flat in a ditch, ravine, or below
grade culvert also offers protection from flying tornadic debris. Do not try to outrun a tornado in
a car. Be aware of your surroundings, check  weather forecasts often in changing conditions
and take personal responsibility for your own safety.

Remember:   Overpasses offer no protection from a direct hit from a tornado, and should not be used as shelter.

As the U.S. has seen an increase in these deadly storms this year, I hope spreading some of the best advice on what to do is helpful.

(Found on the BoingBoing blog.)