Tornado Safety

Severe Weather Preparedness

Tornadoes and Flash Floods

Multiple Choice

Each of the "lower" 48 states has experienced the wrath of a tornado.

• True

• False

From NOAA historical records:

All 48 US continental states have been impacted by tornados.

Fill in the Blanks

"A TORNADO WARNING is issued when a tornado is happening or about to happen. Immediately seek shelter in a safe place " 

Multiple Choice

What is the highest measured windspeed of a tornado in the US?

• 210 MPH

• 256 MPH

• 302 MPH

• 350 MPH

​May 3rd, 1999 6:23 - 7:48 CDT

Bridge Creek, Oklahoma

Winds from this monster storm reached 302 MPH

36 fatalities

$1,000,000,000 of damage

Multiple Choice

If you are driving and you are caught in the path of an imminient tornado, what should you do?

• Get under a bridge

• Stay in the car, put your seatbelt on, keep your head down and cover yourseld

• Reverse direction and drive as fast as possible in the opposite direction

• drive in a right angle to the storm

" If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head, or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch or ravine " 

​FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

Multiple Select

In case of a tornado warning while at the RRO, what is a safe place to find refuge?

(can be more than one answer)

• The stairwell

• The basement

• The bathroom

• The parking lot

Multiple Choice

Tornadoes occur most frequently during which season

• Summer

• Fall

• Spring

• Winter

Multiple Choice

In an average year, how many fatalities are attributed to tornados?

• 20

• 50

• 70

• more than 100

Based on 30 years of data collected between 1993 and 2022, the average annual death toll linked to tornadoes is 71 people in the U.S., according to the National Weather Service.

Multiple Choice

In which direction do tornadoes usually move?

• west to east

• east to west

• southwest to northeast

• northwest to southeast

A typical tornado moves from southwest to northeast, though they can move in any direction.

Multiple Choice

At what time of day do tornadoes usually occur?

• between 7 a.m and 9 a.m.

• between 11 a.m and 2 p.m.

• between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

• between 9 p.m. and 12 p.m.

Although they can occur at any time of day, tornadoes usually happen between the hours of 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Multiple Choice

When is it safe to leave your safe room after a tornado has hit?

• when police and public safety officials have announced that the storm has passed.

• when you see that the storm has passed your home

• when you stop hearing rain and wind

• as soon as possible

• Wear sturdy shoes, long sleeves and gloves when cleaning up debris

• Only use flashlights

• Contact your family and loved ones

• Only use power tools unless properly trained

• Only when you determine it is safe, check on neighbors

​Do's

After a tornado passes

• Walk over downed power lines

• Assume that power lines are dead, if they are on the ground

• Use matches, lighters or candles. You could have a gas line rupture

• Enter a building that is damaged

• Walk around barefoot

​Don'ts

After a tornado passes

Multiple Choice

In the past 10 years, (______) flash flood warnings have been issued in North Carolina.

• 399

• 575

• 850

• over 1000

Flash Floods

Flash flooding in North Carolina usually occurs when a large amount of rain falls in an area over a short period of time. The ground can only soak up so much water in a given time, and when the rain rate exceeds what can infiltrate into the ground or run off into drainage systems or streams, flooding is likely to occur.

Multiple Choice

Most flood fatalities occur in vehicles, and it only takes 24 inches of water to sweep a car away

• True

• False

Most flood fatalities occur in vehicles, and it only takes 12 inches of water to sweep a car away. Sometimes the difference between life and death are small decisions. Small decisions like turning around and not driving through a flooded roadway, not driving around barricades, and delaying travel until conditions improve, can make a big impact on whether you keep your car…or even your life

Draw

Draw a tornado for bonus points