Tornado season has started in Arlington...
March 29th, eight days after the first day of Spring, and we've had our first tornado watch alert. Usually it does not start till late March and goes till late May and lasts about 50 days, but for the past few years the weather has not "behaved" like normal. Also they normally hit between the times of 3pm and 9pm (although before or after is a possiblity to
Now, don't think "it'll never happen here" because it CAN. I have lived in Arlington 31 years and have been through lots of times when the storm alarms went off, green/yellow skys appeared, and hail fell so I thought the same too. UNTIL March 28, 2000 it happened and just missed my neighborhood by a few streets. It did go right by my sister in-laws house but thankgoodness missed it. It destroyed buildings in Ft.Worth, houses from there to here, business's, apartments etc. as it tore through from west to north (hooked a left we say).
So, do you know what the difference is between a Watch and a Warning? If a tornado "watch" is issued for your area, it means that a tornado is "possible." If a tornado "warning" is issued, it means that a tornado has actually been spotted, or is strongly indicated on radar, and it is time to go to a safe shelter immediately.
Do you know what you are supposed to do when you hear that siren go of? Well if you are at home make sure every member of the family knows where the safest spot is and meet there. A basement or tornado shelter would be ideal but if you don't have either of those head for 1. a windowless room like a closet or pantry that is in the middle of your house on a first floor 2. the bathroom and take a mattress or couch cusions to put over top 3. under the stairs (great if a closet is under them) 4. under a heavy table (work table, diningroom table or anything very heavy). If you are outside head for a ditch do not go under an underpass. If you are at a store, bank etc. LISTEN for the employee's giving directions. I worked at a major dept. store and we are told what to do. (most times it's to head to the store rooms as they are in a windowless area and sometimes in the center of the store.) Please go to the lowest floor and listen to what they are saying. If you are in a high rise building go to the fire stairwell. And if you are in a Mobil home that is located in a Mobil home park ASK the manager. They may have a shelter or a secure laundry facility to go to.
Do you have a "disaster supplies kit"? You should have one in your car and your home. the Red Cross suggests these items.
1. First aid kit- this should also include any medication family members need to take. (ask for an extra prescription to fill for emergency)
2. battery powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries. An emergency radio/tv can be found that are small enough too.
3. Canned food, bottled water, hand operated can opener (and don't forget food/water for pets too). There should be enough for each person for at least 3 days.
4. extra shoes, gloves, blanket
5. instructions on how to turn off homes utilites (manly gas!)
6. candles, matches
Also, let me tell you a few Urban myths and wether they are True or False:
1. Lakes, rivers and mountains are safe from tornadoes. FALSE
2. Low pressure causes a building to "explode" as tornado passes over.FALSE
3. Opening a window will equalize the pressure in a building. FALSE
4. Shelter under highway underpasses are safer. FALSE (A ditch is better. Get horizontal.)
5. Downtowns don't get hit. FALSE (Since March 28, 2000, nobody in Fort Worth has believed this one.)
6. Mobile-home deaths vastly outnumber permanent-home deaths over the past 25 years. TRUE
7. A strange quiet that occurs within or shortly after the thunderstorm. TRUE
8. Clouds moving by very fast, especially in a rotating pattern or converging toward one area of the sky. TRUE (if you look up and there seems to be 2 layers of clouds each moving a different way they it's a HUGE possiblity).
9. If you see a tornado and it is not moving to the right or to the left relative to trees or power poles in the distance, it may be moving towards you! TRUE (TAKE COVER!)
