Late last year, the seemingly unthinkable occurred in metro St. Louis: An EF-3 tornado with estimated peak winds of 150 miles per hour hit Edwardsville close to 8:30 p.m. on December 10. It caused the collapse of an Amazon warehouse, killing six people.
The event was a tragic reminder that tornadoes don’t just occur during spring and summer, though the majority of them—83 percent—happen between noon and midnight, says state climatologist Pat Guinan of the University of Missouri Extension.
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“The clash of air masses occur over Missouri during spring, especially in April and May, as remnants of winter do not want to let go and summer heat is just around the corner,” Guinan says. You’ll see thunderstorms during this season, and while their rumbles may seem innocuous, severe thunderstorms in many years cause “hundreds of injuries and deaths and billions in property and crop damages,” says the National Weather Service. NWS data show that an estimated 100,000 thunderstorms occur each year in the United States, and about 10,000 of them reach severe levels that can produce lightning, high winds, hail, and heavy rain that can cause flash floods.
More elusive is the tornado—Missouri experiences about 30 a year, according to Guinan. As we head into spring, preparing is key. In the event of severe weather, here are some steps you can take to keep you, your family, and your workplace safe.
How can I best prepare for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes?
In the event of a severe thunderstorm or tornado, according to the NWS, you should remember to:
- Stay away from windows and avoid electrical equipment and plumbing.
- Bring pets inside.
- Postpone outdoor activities.
- If caught outside in a thunderstorm, take shelter in a sturdy enclosed building.
- Avoid open spaces, isolated objects, high ground and metallic objects.
- Get out of boats and away from bodies of water.
- Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning.
- In general, get as low as you can. A basement below ground level or the lowest floor of a building offers the greatest safety. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible. Avoid windows.
- If possible, get under something sturdy like a heavy table. Protect yourself from flying debris with pillows, heavy coats, blankets or quilts. Use bicycle or motorcycle helmets to protect your head.
- In mobile homes: Leave well in advance of the approaching severe weather and go to a strong building. If there is no shelter nearby, get into the nearest ditch. Lie flat, covering your head with your hands for protection.
- In vehicles or outdoors: If caught outside, find shelter in a ditch or remain in your vehicle and cover your head for protection. Do not take shelter under a highway overpass, where wind speeds can increase due to a tunneling effect.
Drills, kits, and other resources should be a part of emergency planning by families, schools, businesses, and other organizations, according to K. Charles Mullenger, chairman of St. Louis–based Ethos Preparedness. Sarah Russell, commissioner of emergency management for the City of St. Louis, says she makes three main points when talking about severe weather preparedness: “Be informed. Make a plan. Build a kit.” The emergency management agency, Russell notes, provides online resources to assist preparedness, including:
This page outlines steps to being prepared for a disaster or emergency.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills.
Links to help you prepare for natural or man-made emergency situations
Emergency Preparedness for Businesses
Information and helpful links to help businesses prepare for emergency situations
Emergency Preparedness for Kids
Emergency preparedness information and resources for children
What about the possibility of an earthquake?
Raising public awareness about the potential for a major earthquake radiating from the New Madrid Fault Line is also important, says Russell. Some scientists believe there is a 7–10 percent chance of a magnitude 7.0 or greater earthquake in the next 50 years within the New Madrid zone.
While a major earthquake might not occur any time soon, Steven Eberlein, workplace resilience and engagement manager for Ethos Preparedness, writes that “knowledge of major earthquakes was virtually buried until the second half of the 20th century. Places like Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri weren’t built for earthquakes, and have floods and tornadoes competing for their attention.”
When it comes to earthquake preparedness, Eberlein offers four recommendations for families that he says can help with preparedness for all kinds of severe weather:
- Run earthquake drills at home.
- Secure furniture that could topple to your walls.
- Create a family reunification plan that you can conduct without the benefit of cell phone connectivity.
- Prepare for a simultaneous disruption of electricity, gas, phone and Internet communication, road availability, running water, and waste disposal.
Setting in place such steps is being an example for children, neighbors, and others, says Eberlein. “Perhaps the big one won’t happen in your lifetime, but it may in theirs,” he says. “We all learn best from example, so set the example for someone you love.”
What do tornadoes signal about climate change?
With tornadoes occurring in winter in the Midwest, inevitable questions arise about climate change. “Climate change is long-term. We are seeing increases in the numbers and strength of hurricanes due to warming of ocean waters,” says St. Louis NWS meteorologist Melissa Byrd. The link between climate change and tornadoes is not fully understood, according to the nonprofit Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, the successor to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Observes the Alexandria, Virginia–based center: “The growing intensity and frequency of severe weather events like extreme rainfall, extreme heat, and drought can be directly attributed to climate change, but the link between tornadoes and climate change is currently not fully understood.”
Want to be a storm spotter?
Aiding forecasts of severe weather throughout the country are Doppler radar, satellites, and computers, as well as on-the-ground eyes of volunteer storm spotters. “A lot has changed in the last half-century. We have more powerful computers to run our models to give us the idea of forecasts and what’s going to happen,” says Byrd. But even advanced technology cannot detect every instance of severe weather, says the NWS. And that is where, the agency says, that volunteer storm spotters—concerned citizens, amateur radio operators, truck drivers, airplane pilots, emergency management personnel, and public safety officials—provide additional information on how severe weather is affecting their communities. “Typically in the spring and sometimes in the fall, we [the NWS] will hold training sessions for people interested in becoming storm spotters,” Byrd says. Find more information about the program here.
Need more resources on preparing for a natural disaster?
This document from the Federal Emergency Management Agency has helpful information on securing important documents and personal belongings in case of an emergency.
