MEMPHIS, Tenn. —
1. Tornadoes can't form in the mountains or big cities.
False: Whenever there is a threat for severe weather like tornadoes, you should be prepared. Tornadoes can form anywhere if the atmosphere is unstable enough. It is less likely to happen in a large city or around a mountain. But, that does not mean that it can't happen.
Example: In Tennessee in 2020, an EF-3 hit a suburb of Chattanooga, Tennessee. East Brainerd is heavily populated and about 15 minutes from downtown Chattanooga.
2. Tornadoes only happen in the spring.
False: Whenever there is a season change, there is a good chance that the atmosphere will begin to fight itself. Cold air masses and warm air masses do not play well together and the result could lead to severe weather. As fronts approach instability could occur and tornadoes could form. This is could happen at any time of the year.
Example: The 3rd worst tornado in St. Louis history happened February 10, 1959. According to our sister station KSDK, the tornado hit when most people were sleeping around 2 in the morning. In this strong, long-track tornado, part of the roof of the old Arena, where the Blues used to play, came off. Also, a tall TV station tower was toppled. A large home collapsed the night of the storm, killing a mother, five children, and two others.
3. If you are in a car, you should use an underpass as shelter
False: First, if there is a severe weather threat then you should stay home and take shelter in a basement or in a room without windows. But, if you happen to be in a car when severe weather strikes, you should try to find a better place to take shelter. Underpasses are not enclosed structures debris could also blow underneath and directly into your car. Also, if you stop your car under and underpass, you could be blocking other cars and putting other people in danger. The best thing for you to do is seek shelter immediately. That could be inside of a gas station or nearby store.
The bottom line is that tornadoes can happen anywhere or at any time. The best way to protect yourself is to have a safety plan in place. This could save you valuable minutes during crunch time.
Winds could be high without the risk of tornadoes. This means that power lines could go down and your family could be without power for the foreseeable future. This is why you should always have multiple ways to get notifications.
Here are a few examples:
- A weather radio.
- Your local news app.
- Listen for tornado sirens.