Did you know a tornado is as a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 mph? If you didn‘t, that’s fine. But what’s not fine is not knowing how to survive a tornado!

Before tornado season starts, make sure you have an emergency supplies box. First off, try to find bottled water, a flashlight, and something you can eat. But remember not to lose track of the tornado, keep listening to the news or continue to watch it. Lastly, go through your supplies double checking everything.

When you see or hear a tornado the first thing you should do is tell your family and go to the lowest ground possible, like a basement, storm shelter, or even your neighbor’s basement. If you have time, get belongings (shoes are very important in a tornadic situation) and don’t forget your pet! Make sure everyone in your family is accounted for and you lay down and cover your head! Lastly, make sure you are in the center of your basement (if you have one) like a bathroom.

Once you do the previous steps, set up your safe place. Make sure to get rid of any glass or breakable items (besides your phone). If you know the tornado is about to strike then make sure to get down and cover your head. Make sure everyone is doing the same and before the tornado hits take a deep breath, tornado’s will literally suck the air out of you. And if you took shelter with more people tell them to take a deep breath.

I also need to tell you not to ever go under an overpass when you see a tornado because if the tornado goes over you will be slung hundreds of yards from the overpass. I hope you never encounter this situation, but you will know what to do. This is a link to the most powerful tornado of the century! (The Reno, Oklahoma Tornado)