Untitled - Ohio Insurance Institute

Tornadoes
are dangerous
A tornado’s strength is hard to imagine, but it can spin at speeds exceeding
200 mph as it moves across land. Never try to outrun a tornado,
since it can change direction in an instant. The best thing to do if a
tornado is sighted is to seek safe shelter immediately.
l HOW TORNADOES ARE FORMED
Tornadoes form when cold, dry air meets with warm, moist air. A whirlwind
is created by the gust of warm air rising in a spiral motion, causing
water vapor to be swept upward. As the warm air cools, a twisting,
spiral-shaped cloud forms. This funnel cloud is what we know as a
tornado.
Cold air whirls around the outside of the funnel, causing a roar that
often sounds like a loud freight train. Air pressure inside the tornado is
very low, as if there is a hole in the air. Outside, air spins into the hole
carrying with it anything in its path. The tornado travels as it spins.
A tornado usually lasts only minutes. Thunderstorms create the
energy that feeds tornadoes. As the rain accompanying a tornado falls
to earth, it cools the land. The tornado weakens as the steady supply of
warm, moist, rising air dies out. The spinning motion slows down as the
heated air is no longer pushed up, and is replaced by the cooler, heavier
inflowing air.
Ohio averages 16 tornadoes and five tornado-related fatalities each
year.
l TORNADO FACTS
• Ohio’s tornado activity has been below average for the past few
years. Four tornadoes were reported in 2005, causing no injuries or
deaths. Ohio’s eight tornadoes in 2004 caused one injury and no
deaths; while 12 tornadoes resulted in 18 injuries in 2003. Ohio’s
tornado activity in 2002 was above average—22 tornadoes resulted
in 16 injuries and five deaths. Ohio’s worst year for tornadoes was
1992 when 60 tornadoes were confirmed. Texas holds the record for
the greatest number—178 tornadoes occurred in the Lone Star state
in 2004.
NOTE: (Additional tornado statistics can be found online at www.
weathersafety.ohio.gov.)
• Tornadoes are usually accompanied by hail, severe thunderstorms
and wind. Ohio experiences thunderstorm activity an average of
30–50 days annually.
• Severe Weather Awareness Week in Ohio is held annually, usually
in March, to serve as a reminder to “brush up” on safety precautions
prior to the height of severe weather season.
• Most tornadoes occur during spring and summer months in the late
afternoon on a hot day. Nationally, the peak months tend to be May,
June and July. About one in every four tornadoes occurs between
4–6 p.m. Peak season in Ohio is April through mid-July, with most
occurring between 2–10 p.m. But, tornadoes can strike anywhere, at
anytime of day or night. Ohio experienced damage-causing tornadoes
in November 2002 and 2003.
• A “waterspout” is a tornado over the water. Tornadoes are also
known as cyclones, twisters and funnel clouds.
• Over the 10-year period, 1996–2005, the US averaged 1,278 tornadoes
and 58 tornado-related deaths per year. In the prior 10 years
(1986–1995), the US averaged 1,003 tornadoes and 42 deaths per
year. A record-breaker occurred in 2004 when 1,819 tornadoes
touched down in the US, which caused 36 deaths.
l POINTS TO COVER
• How a tornado is formed
• Why a tornado is dangerous
• When Ohio tornadoes usually occur
• The purpose of Severe Weather Awareness Week
l ACTIVITIES
1. Obtain two-2 liter pop bottles. Fill one with water. Connect the tops
of the bottles, using a washer and duct tape, or purchase a “Tornado
Tube” from a science or teacher supply store or online. Tip the full
bottle upside down and swirl the water to drain into the empty
bottle. The result depicts how a tornado forms.
2. Fill a mayonnaise or mason jar with water. Make the water swirl by
stirring it with a spoon. Drop in a few drops of food coloring or ink.
Another way to make a tornado in a bottle is to mix water, food
coloring and a few drops of liquid soap in a quart jar. Tightly cap the
jar. Give the jar a quick twist with both hands and watch the vortex
appear in the jar.
3. To depict a tornado’s force: Get a potato and a plastic drinking straw.
Hold the straw against the potato, and apply pressure (more than
likely the straw will bend and not penetrate the potato). Now, hold
the potato in one hand, and the straw in the other about 2 feet apart.
Thrust the straw into the potato (it should penetrate depicting the
force of wind). The greater the velocity of matter, the greater its momentum.
The faster you make the straw move, the greater its force
when it strikes the potato and the deeper it will penetrate. The force
of a tornado has been known to drive straws right through boards!
4. Additional activity resources
• Scholastic http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/
tornadoes/experiments.htm
• Weather Wiz Kids (includes other types of weather experiments
too) http://www.weatherwizkids.com/WxExperiments.htm
• National Geographic Kids http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
ngkids/trythis/trythis_water/bottled-vortex.html
• Ohio EMA Disaster Detectives http://www.ema.ohio.gov/kids_
page/index.htm
be prepared
It’s important that students know the difference between a tornado
“watch” and “warning.”
• A Tornado WATCH means a tornado could occur—the climatic conditions
are right for a tornado. When a watch is issued, be prepared
to seek shelter and stay tuned to the radio or television for weather
updates. Or, listen to the National Weather Service updates on a
weather radio.
• A Tornado WARNING is your signal to SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY
—this means a tornado has been sighted in the area. The National
Weather Service, which tracks storms on radar, will issue a tornado
WATCH or WARNING as needed. Whenever there is danger of a tornado,
it’s very important that you are prepared to act quickly. Some
communities have special sirens to warn of an approaching tornado.
Radio and television stations will broadcast information about severe
weather through special weather bulletins and newscasts.
Encourage your students to participate in the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness Annual Poster Contest
Download details & entry requirements at www.weathersafety.ohio.gov
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l SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY KIT
Every home should prepare a severe weather safety kit in case a disaster
strikes. Items to include are a battery-operated transistor radio, flashlight,
candles, matches, extra batteries, and a set of house and car keys. Learn
about kit preparation online at these links:
• Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness
http://www.weathersafety.ohio.gov/homekit.aspx
• FEMA for Kids Create an Emergency Supply Kit
http://www.ready.gov/kids/step1/index.html
• Ohio EMA Kid’s Kit: What to Pack in Case of a Disaster
http://www.ema.ohio.gov/kids_page/html/kit.htm
• Weather Wiz Kids Disaster Supply Kit Word Search
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/wordsearch1.htm
• Weather Channel Family Supply Kit Word Search
http://www.weatherclassroom.com/resources/safeside/SS_WordSearch.
pdf
l POINTS TO COVER
• The difference between a tornado WATCH and WARNING
• How to keep posted on current weather conditions
• What to include in a severe weather safety kit
l ACTIVITIES
1. Have students explain the difference between WATCH and WARNING
with family members.
2. Have students prepare a severe weather safety kit at home or in the
classroom.
3. Listen to the weather band station on a radio to obtain an idea of how
weather reports are issued. Or watch one of the cable weather channels
for weather information when a storm is in the forecast.
4. Invite a local meteorologist to your classroom to explain how tornadoes
are sighted and tracked on Doppler radar. Or, plan a trip to a TV
station to watch a meteorologist at work.
5. Have students check Web sites of local TV stations. Some have
“weather school programs” or weather-related educational links.
6. Visit weather-related Web sites to gather weather information and
participate in a variety of online educational activities. There are hundreds
of tornado sites including:
l ONLINE WEATHER RESOURCES
• www.weathersafety.ohio.gov
Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness—Site contains
resource materials for educators, consumers and reporters about
severe weather in Ohio. Downloadable winter and spring safety
awareness campaign materials are provided.
• www.ema.ohio.gov/kids_page/html/jigsaw.htm
Ohio’s Emergency Management Agency provides a special “EMA
Kids Site” that offers fun and games, cool links and info for teachers.
• www.ema.ohio.gov/PDFs/Severe_Weather/Owlie_Skywarn.pdf
Download Owlie Skywarn’s weather book for information on what
to do should tornadoes, lightning, flash floods or winter storms
threaten.
• www.tornadoproject.com/
The Tornado Project Online—This company researches, compiles
and provides tornado information with a twist including tornado
myths and oddities, personal experiences, tornado chasing and
safety issues.
• www.fema.gov/kids/
FEMA’s Area for Kids—Kids learn about tornadoes, earthquakes and
other feats of nature. Links take you to such features as creating
a “virtual” emergency supply kit, educational comic strips, crosswords,
free supplies and much more.
• www.weatherclassroom.com/login.php?vtype=teachers&url=http
%3A%2F%2Fwww.weatherclassroom.com%2Fhome_teachers.php
This Weather Channel link provides weather info, games and activities
for teachers. Registration is required.
• www.weatherclassroom.com/home_students.php
This Weather Channel link provides weather info, games and activities
geared toward kids.
• www.spc.noaa.gov/
Storm Prediction Center—SPC monitors and forecasts tornadoes,
thunderstorms and other weather phenomena across the US 24/7.
• www.fema.gov/kids/v_lib.htm
FEMA for Kids library provides free video clips on all types of disaster
preparation geared toward kids.
• www.stormvideo.com/tornado/index.html
View tornado footage from a variety of sources online from Storm
Video.
seek safe shelter
Whether practicing a tornado drill or seeking shelter during a warning,
the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness (OCSWA) encourages
all to DUCK:
D — Go DOWN to the lowest level
U — Get UNDER something sturdy
C — COVER your head
K — KEEP in shelter until the storm has passed
Some places are safer than others when a
tornado hits an area. If possible, take a flashlight
and a battery-operated radio with you when seeking safety. Be sure to
memorize these safe locations ahead of time, so you’re not caught “off
guard” if a tornado strikes.
The best defense when severe weather threatens is preparedness.
Every household, school and business should have an emergency preparedness
plan. OCSWA offers the following tips for inclement weather:
1. Hold a family meeting. Discuss tornadoes and other types of natural
disasters that are common to your area. Develop evacuation and
safety plans to address them. Don’t forget to include pets.
2. Develop a family escape/shelter plan. Sketch an overhead view of
your house. Determine two escape routes from every room if possible.
Teach kids how to open windows and screens. Remember to select an
outside meeting place (large tree or neighbor’s yard, etc.) in case of an
emergency. Determine where to shelter during a tornado.
3. Practice the plan. Conduct tornado drills so everyone is prepared.
4. Organize your disaster preparedness kit. Info on the Severe
Weather Safety Kit can be found at top of this page.
• IN HOMES AND OTHER SMALL BUILDINGS
Go to the lowest level and get as close to the center of the building
as possible. A basement is best. If none exists, seek shelter in a windowless
closet, bathroom or inside hall. Stay away from windows,
doors and exterior walls.
• IN SCHOOL
Listen to your teacher. Go to an inside wall on the lowest floor.
Kneel on the floor facing the wall with your hands covering your
head and neck. Avoid places like auditoriums, gymnasiums or other
areas with large roofs that could collapse.
• IN CARS OR MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES
GET OUT! If possible, take shelter in a building. If not an option, lie
flat in a ditch or low spot, covering your head and the back of your
neck with your hands.
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• IN MALLS OR LARGE BUILDINGS
Many large public buildings will have designated shelter areas.
Become familiar with signs posted in these buildings. If you can’t
locate the designated area, go to a middle hallway on the lowest
level.
• IF OUTSIDE
If you can’t reach a shelter or building, lie flat in a ditch or low area,
covering your head and the back of your neck with your hands.
Stay clear of tall trees and open water.
l POINTS TO COVER
• The proper position to assume for protection
• Where to go when a tornado strikes at home, outside, in a car, school
or other building
• Emergency preparedness plans
l ACTIVITIES
1. Have students act out a home tornado drill skit. Action may be different
depending on type of residence (home with/without basement,
apartment, mobile/manufactured home, etc.).
2. Make sure all students participate in a tornado drill.
3. Have students practice the proper position to assume during a tornado
at school.
4. Have students write a report that outlines where they would go if a
tornado warning was issued while home.
5. Have students develop a basic home emergency preparedness plan.
Suggest they share the plans during a family meeting (www.weather
safety.ohio.gov/disasterplan.aspx).
watch for
lightning
When a tornado strikes, severe lightning will often be present. Many
times the threat lightning poses is overlooked. According to the National
Weather Service, over the past 30 years lightning caused about
67 deaths and 300 injuries in the US each year—more than the average
number of deaths attributed to tornadoes or hurricanes.
l LIGHTNING FACTS
• The frequency of lightning strikes varies by region. In the northwest
area of the US, there are areas with fewer than five thunderstorms a
year, while areas of central Florida experience close to 90. Ohio averages
between 30–50 thunderstorm days a year.
• Structures located on high terrain, such as mountain ranges, or buildings
that are substantially higher than those adjacent to them are
at a higher risk of lightning strikes. Structures adjacent to water also
have a higher susceptibility rate, since water serves as a conductor.
• A typical thunderstorm is 15 miles in diameter and lasts an average of
30 minutes. Nearly 1,800 occur at any moment around the world—
that’s 16 million a year!
• Of the estimated 100,000 that occur in the US annually, about 10%
are classified as severe. The National Weather Service considers a
thunderstorm severe if it produces hail at least 3/4 inch in diameter
and/or includes damaging winds clocked at 58 mph or higher.
• According to the Lightning Protection Institute, roofs and projections,
such as chimneys and steeples are most frequently hit by
lightning strikes.
l WHAT CAUSES LIGHTNING?
The action of rising and descending air within a thunderstorm separates
positive and negative charges. Lightning results from the buildup
and discharge of electrical energy between positively and negatively
charged areas.
l OTHER ONLINE LIGHTNING RESOURCES
• www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov
Check the NOAA Lightning Safety Team site for handouts, indoor
and outdoor safety tips, medical facts, history, survivor stories,
photos, teacher tools and more. Lightning Safety Awareness Week
is June 24–30, 2007. Additional NOAA site info on lightning is available
at www.noaa.gov/lightning.html.
• www.lightning.org
The Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) presents information designed
to provide a basic understanding of lightning, the severity
of lightning strikes and lightning protection systems.
• www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/basics/wlightning.htm
Visit the Lightning Science and Safety section of the USA Today site
for info on lightning basics, different forms of lightning, lightning
rods, research and much more.
• www.science.howstuffworks.com/lightning.htm
This site explains how lightning works along with links to related
info.
l LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS
1. Outdoor Tips
• Avoid water, especially swimming pools, and metal objects such
as electrical wires, fences, golf clubs, machinery, power tools and
railroad tracks.
• Unsafe places during lightning include tents, golf carts, small
open-sided shelters and under isolated trees.
• Avoid wide open spaces and high terrain such as hilltops.
• When possible, get to a building or fully enclosed shelter like a car
or truck and close the windows.
• If lightning strikes are nearby, avoid direct contact with others;
remove metal objects from your pockets and crouch low to the
ground on the balls of your feet, place hands on your knees with
your head between them.
• If you’re in the woods, take shelter under the lowest tree or under
a bush.
2. Indoor Tips
• Avoid contact with water including showers, baths or laundry. Stay
away from open doors and windows.
• Don’t use corded or cordless phones or headsets during lightning
storms because a strike could send shocks through the electric or
phone line. A cell phone is the safest mode of communication during
thunderstorms.
• As an extra precaution unplug computers, stereos, power tools,
TVs and DVDs, and other unnecessary appliances.
• Stay inside until the storm subsides.
3. First Aid for Lightning Victims
• Call 911 immediately.
• A person struck by lightning may be burned, but does not carry an
electrical charge. So begin first aid procedures immediately.
• If the victim is not breathing but has a pulse, administer mouth-tomouth
resuscitation. If there’s no pulse, begin CPR.
l POINTS TO COVER
• Where to go in case of lightning
• What to avoid in case of lightning
• Types of materials that attract lightning
• General lightning safety tips (available at www.weathersafety.ohio.
gov/thunderstormslightning.aspx)
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l ACTIVITIES
1. Have students discuss dangerous home locations during severe lightning
(bath/shower, using the phone, using electrical appliances, etc.).
2. Plan a field trip to a science/technology exhibit center like the Center
of Science and Industry in Columbus (614-228-2674) or Toledo (419-
244-2674). Or invite a local television meteorologist to visit your class.
3. Visit the National Severe Storms Laboratory on the Web for useful
lightning research and reference information at www.nssl.noaa.
gov/edu/.
4. Learn CPR—contact local American Red Cross chapters and fire departments
to determine if they offer Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
classes.
5. Lightning and related experiments online:
www.weatherwizkids.com/lightning.htm
www.eo.ucar.edu/webweather/forecasttips.html
http://weathereye.kgan.com/cadet/lightning/experiment.html
6. Research the invention and uses of lightning rods.
Source: Portions excerpted from Tornadoes, written by Ann Armbruster and
Elizabeth A. Taylor, 1989.
Questions? Contact Ohio Insurance Institute, 172 E. State St., Ste.
201, Columbus, OH 43215-4321, 614-228-1593 •
www.ohioinsurance.org • e-mail: info@ohioinsurance.org •
Download OII’s Severe
Weather Safety color
sheet and crossword
challenge at
www.ohioinsurance.org/
pdf/SevereWeather
Coloring.pdf
ANSWER KEY:
TORNADO
CROSSWORD
CHALLENGE
ANSWER KEY:
TORNADO
WORDSEARCH
PUZZLER
4
4
Join OII’s Weather
Safety Club!
www.weatherclub.org
A TORNADO STRIKES
3 p.m. 5 p.m.
1. Tornadoes can occur at
any time, but they favor
the warmest part of the
day, when thunderstorms
are strongest.
2. A TORNADO WATCH has
been in effect since 3 p.m.
THE VAN WERT TORNADO
NOVEMBER 10, 2002
IND.
N
INDIANA
PAULDING
COUNTY
OHIO
Scott
Cavett
Tornado moved
southwest to
northeast
224
Wren
3
MILES
Detail area
Fort
Wayne
Toledo
Columbus
OHIO
Paulding
Melrose
Tornado path
VAN WERT
COUNTY
Van Wert
127
3. A funnel cloud is sighted
but doesn’t touch the
ground. Funnel clouds
often appear white
against a dark sky.
Sometimes funnel clouds
will disappear without
touching the ground.
4. A TORNADO WARNING is
issued.
This November storm spawned several tornadoes in Ohio killing five
and injuring 26. At least four tornadoes with winds exceeding 100
mph were reported in Van Wert County. The National Weather Service
tracked a tornado through Twinsburg, Macedonia and Solon.
Another twister hit Ashland and Medina counties, and yet another
touched down in Wayne County.
According to a survey by the Ohio Insurance Institute, losses
from this storm exceeded $103 million, making it one of the costliest
Ohio natural disasters in recent history.
Grover Hill
30
Delphos
Defiance
Ayersville
Continental
Oakwood
224
15
PUTNAM
COUNTY
Holgate
108
Ottawa
Lima 75
TOM BAKER | DISPATCH
Source: Graphic used with permission from Columbus Dispatch, November 12,
2002
5
100–
SPIRALING W

AVERAGE PATH LENGTH IS 6 TO 9 MILES
5:04 p.m. 5:09 p.m. 5:12 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
1000 FEET
DEBRIS CLOUD
100–250 MPH
SPIRALING WINDS 30–40 MPH
AVERAGE WIDTH IS 420 FEET
5. A funnel cloud touches
the ground and becomes
a tornado.
6. The winds pick up dirt and
debris from the ground.
7. Path of damage is at its
widest.
8. The tornado is vertical and
moves from the southwest
to the northeast at 35
mph.
9. Funnel darkens with
debris.
10. The funnel narrows and
tilts away from its vertical
position.
11. The path of damage
becomes smaller.
12. The funnel weakens into
a rope-like shape then
disappears. The average
duration of a tornado is 15
minutes.
This is how the weather map looked as the worst of the
tornado outbreak was descending on the Ohio Valley.
Cold, dry air
4:50 p.m.
19 killed in Monticello, Ind.
Cool, humid air
BETWEEN 3 AND 5 P.M. APRIL 3, 1974
XENIA-OHIO’S WORST DISASTER
A “superoutbreak”
Sometimes tornadoes occur in multiple outbreaks. On April 3 and
4, 1974, tornadoes swarmed in greater numbers and across a wider
area than anytime in recent history. Some were among the strongest
ever recorded.
The tornadoes began in Indiana around 9:30 a.m. April 3. The last
tornado struck North Carolina 24 hours later. The hardest hit town
was Xenia, Ohio. The Arrowhead neighborhood was devastated.
Dry air
Storm
center
over
Iowa
3:40 p.m.
35 killed in
Columbus
Warm front has
cleared central
Ohio
Xenia, Ohio
4:10 p.m.
31 killed in Brandenburg, Ky.
The two-day toll
• 148 tornadoes struck 11 states from Michigan to Alabama.
• 315 people were killed and about 5,000 were injured. More than
27,590 families suffered some kind of loss.
• Total damage exceeded $600 million.
• The weather system produced at least six violent tornadoes,
including the one at Xenia. That’s about as many as are normally
recorded in a decade.
Warm, humid air
Cold
front
advancing
eastward
Source: Portions excerpted from Columbus Dispatch, March 20, 1996
Not all tornadoes are funnel-shaped.
The Xenia tornado was a half-mile
wide, whirling dark cloud. Top winds
were estimated at 250 mph. The path
of damage was as wide as eight football
fields.
Feb. 2007
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