A Full Guide To Staying Safe During Severe Weather
Whelp, it is inevitable, as much as we don't want it to be the case. When you're on the road as much as we are, encountering severe weather is very probable in areas prone to natural disasters. Our extremely close call with the "strong and dangerous F2 tornado" in Orange, Texas, made us realize that we were lucky to have known what to do. So many people were commenting on our video, saying, "I would have had no idea to get in that ditch!" Everyone should have a plan if severe weather strikes because anything can happen.
So, why not use that clip we posted on Twitter that just so happened to go viral to create awareness! Tornadoes are very dangerous and unpredictable and can happen within a moment's notice! Do not take them lightly. When a warning is issued, you could have seconds to respond. So what are the ways you can stay safe and be prepared during severe weather, you ask?
Yes, we are the couple that dives in a ditch during the tornadoes in Texas. As vloggers (and because of Zach's love for severe weather), our camera is always out and recording. We were fortunate and blessed that this tornado didn't take a wrong turn and head directly for us. We're also very lucky the path of destruction was, give or take, a couple hundred yards from us and our tiny home!
Severe Weather Preparedness! What Should You Do If Severe Weather Strikes Near You?
Stay Informed! During the tornado we were involved in on 1/24/23 in Orange, Texas, Zach and I had been closely monitoring the weather all afternoon. A few ways you can do this are…
Turn on notifications on your cell phone. This way, when a watch or warning is issued, you will receive the news from each of your favorite weather apps.
Use a radio or, in our case, a Ham Radio to listen for NOAA weather advisories. (Ultimately, this clued us in before our cell phone alerts).
Take watches and warnings seriously! If they've issued a watch, the conditions are favorable for severe weather. A warning means severe weather has been spotted, and you should take cover immediately!
Find A Safe Place or Shelter To Take Cover! In our case, we did not have a safe shelter or place to escape the severe weather. Had there been a more permanent and secure bathhouse, we would have gone there immediately after receiving the tornado warning!
If you're in a home. Move to an interior room, under a staircase, or in a bathroom without windows or glass doors.
Immediately evacuate mobile homes, campers, camper vans, travel trailers, etc. Any home that is lightweight and manufactured should be left immediately after receiving the warning!
Have a disaster kit or bug-out bag ready to go! In our case, we didn't have time to retrieve ours from the back of the van. Luckily, we did not need it. So, for next time (hopefully, there will be no next time), we will have our kit in an easily accessible place, stowed away in the van's cab.
If you live full-time in an area prone to natural disasters such as tornadoes, etc. Consider building a safe room or a storm shelter with all the essentials you'll need to survive a minimum of three days.
Have the proper gear on hand! When bad weather strikes, it is always best to have the appropriate equipment. These items include, but are not limited to, flashlights, batteries, bottled water, emergency blankets, first aid kits, and a battery powered weather alert radio.
Before the storm, secure all loose objects outside! At the first sign of inclement weather, put away all things outdoors. Secure any large objects, so they do not become a flying hazard.
Have a plan in place! Whether you're in a permanent home, mobile home, camper, grocery store, car, etc., have a preparedness plan in place with your loved ones! Where will you take shelter if you're together? How will you locate each other after the severe weather if you're separated? If you're in a store, find the bathrooms, shelters, storage rooms, etc.? Above all, be sure you and your family are on the same page about what to do in an emergency! It can be the difference between life or death!
Tornado Preparedness!!
If you’re caught in your car or truck!
Being in a vehicle during a tornado is extremely risky! However, this happens a lot. Sadly, there is no real "safe" option when caught in your car, just slightly less dangerous options.
If the traffic is light and you can easily see the tornado is far away, you can drive out of its path by moving at the right angles.
If you are caught in high winds and/or flying debris, park the vehicle as quickly and safely as possible out of the traffic lanes. Leave your seatbelt on, put your head below window level and cover yourself with a blanket, coat, cushion, etc.
If you can safely seek shelter in a sturdy building nearby, do so. If you are far from a sturdy structure, you can find a low-lying area such as a ditch and cover your head with your hands, blanket, coat, etc.
Avoid seeking shelter under bridges and overpasses as they create a funnel for dangerous flying debris with little to no protection.
If you’re in a manufactured/mobile home!
If you live in or find yourself in a mobile home, camper, travel trailer, camper van, or any home that is not secured with a permanent foundation. GET OUT! It is incredibly unsafe to be in such a lightweight home. A tornado's high winds can lift and toss mobile homes even if tied down. Not to mention, the thin walls are easily punctured by hazardous flying debris!
Find a nearby permanent structure or retreat to a shelter. Use your evacuation plan! Your plan can even be to stay with a relative or friend who lives in a permanent establishment if a threat is in the forecast.
If in an RV park with a permanent bathhouse, retreat to the stable structure and stay away from windows and glass doors! Do this as soon as the warning alert is sounded. If there is no sturdy shelter to hide away in, find low-lying areas such as ditches as a last resort!
If you’re in the open outdoors!
How scary would it be to hear the alarm sound while being outdoors! This has happened, though. So what should you do if you're caught in this situation?
If possible, seek shelter in a permanent building or structure. However, when you're camping or hiking, this is typically not an option.
If you are near a ditch or low-lying area, get in and cover your head with your hands.
If you are near trees, move as far away from them as possible! Tornadoes can twist and rip off the tops of even the largest trees. It is unsafe to be near them as they can impale you when they hit the ground!
If there is no low-lying area, find the lowest point in the ground, lay flat on your stomach with your face on the ground and your hands covering your head.
If you are camping and have gear such as pillows, sleeping bags, blankets, etc., use them to cover yourself from flying debris while following the guidelines above.
If you’re in your home!
While being in a permanent building still has risks, you may have a better chance of survival if you use the following steps.
If your home has a basement!
Get to the basement and prepare yourself immediately following your warning signal.
Have a radio on and with you for further alarms and notifications.
Be aware of the large objects on the floor above you. You do not want to get caught under a grand piano when the floor above you becomes weak.
Shelter yourself under workbenches or sturdy furniture.
Cover yourself with blankets, pillows, etc. If possible, use a mattress to cover you for shelter.
A helmet for extra protection is always recommended to reduce the risks of head injuries.
If your home does not have a basement!
Move to the lowest level of the home and find an interior room.
Stay away from windows and doors.
Crouch as low as you can to the floor, facing down. Cover your head with your hands.
Use blankets, pillows, mattresses, etc., to shield you from flying debris and falling objects in case the ceiling was to collapse.
A helmet for extra protection is always recommended to reduce the risks of head injuries.
What did we do to prepare ourselves?
While in our camper van during the tornado in Orange, Texas, we were able to do a few things to prepare ourselves to take quick action.
We made a plan in advance, as a last resort, hoping we wouldn't need to use it.
We used our Ham Radios and located our area's NOAA weather alert station. Having this backup is good for when cell towers are down. Our Ham Radio is ultimately what alerted us of the tornado headed in our direction.
We gathered heavy blankets from the bed to shield ourselves from flying debris.
I leashed the dogs up as soon as we knew there were signs of tornadoes surrounding us. This way, they would be prepared if we needed to make a break for it.
When the time came, we evacuated without hesitation.
We made the right decision. Had things been any worse, this could have been a matter of life or death for us.
LIKE IT? PIN IT!
Facts about tornadoes you may or may not know!
While the majority of the time, a warning will give you a second's notice about a tornado heading in your direction. Weather forecasting is a science that has yet to be perfected. On occasion, one can appear without any sign or warning at all. In these cases, it is best to know the signs and sounds if one appears without any notification.
Look for solid and persistent rotation in the cloud base.
Tornadoes sometimes have no funnel! Keep an eye out for debris or dust circling under a cloud base or on the ground.
Many tornadoes are rain-wrapped, like the one we were in, so the path it is taking or the direction it is coming from is unclear. Note heavy rainfall or hail followed by dead calmness or fast and intense wind shifts.
At night, look for "small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm (as opposed to silvery lightning up in the clouds). These mean power lines are being snapped by very strong wind, maybe a tornado."
Also, at night, you can see "persistent lowering from the cloud base, illuminated or silhouetted by lightning -- especially if it is visually in ground contact or there is a blue-green-white power flash underneath."
Day or night, you can hear a low rumble or roar resembling a passing train or thunder. It is not thunder if it persists for more than a few seconds. It could be a tornado. Seek shelter immediately.
View Our Video Interviews Online
Inside Edition: View Ally’s recorded interview.
Fox Weather: View Ally’s live interview.
AccuWeather: View our live interview.
Weather Nation: View our recorded interview.
Thank you for taking the time to read this guide to staying safe during severe weather. We hope our experience will help educate others on how to stay safe during a tornado or severe weather outbreak! If you'd like to get in touch with us about the incident, we would love to chat with you.
