Tornado

A tornado is a destructive wind event, often coinciding with a strong thunderstorm. Tornadoes are described in terms of their wind speed with the most powerful storms achieving 3 second gusts of over 200 miles per hour.

In advance of approaching storms, the National Weather Service issues severe weather watches and warnings so citizens are able to make sound judgments about the appropriate actions to take. Remember the following:

• Tornado watch indicates conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in the watch area.
  
• Tornado warning indicates that tornadic activity is imminent or already occurring in the warning area.
  

All severe weather watches and warnings are broadcast to NOAA Weather Radios as well as made available on the National Weather Service’s website.

If you receive notification that a tornado warning has been issued for Denton County, take the following actions:

• Secure sensitive areas. If you work in a sensitive area, such as a research lab, kitchen, or cash register, secure these areas before leaving if possible to help prevent theft.
  
• Go to the tornado shelter area. If outdoors, go indoors. If possible, take shelter in an interior room away from glass or windows on the lowest floor of the building. Before going to the shelter area, note the time that the warning is set to expire. Remain at the shelter area until the warning expires.
  
• Bring a radio. Bring a NOAA Weather Radio or other radio to the shelter area with you so you can monitor weather conditions and determine when it is safe to return to normal activity.
  

Posted on Oct 28, 2010 - 09:23 AM

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