UpOnly Learning Presents: Family Emergency Guide — Natural Disasters, Power and Internet Outages

Family Emergency Guide

Tornadoes

Last checked: October 26, 2026

Official guidanceThis guide summarizes official guidance. It does not replace instructions from local officials. In the United States, call 911 in an emergency. If your 911 call does not go through.

Related pages: Emergency Kit Checklist · Family Emergency Plan

What it is

  • Ready.gov says, "Tornadoes are nature's most violent storms."[1]
  • Ready.gov says tornadoes look like a funnel or cone-shaped cloud, with winds that can reach 300 miles per hour.[1]
  • Ready.gov says tornadoes can strike quickly, with little or no warning.[1]

For students

  • Ready.gov Kids says, "Tornadoes are nature's most violent storms."[1]
  • Ready.gov Kids says tornadoes can "strike quickly, with little or no warning."[1]
  • Ready.gov Kids says, "Never go near or touch dangling or loose power lines."[1]
  • Ready.gov Kids says, "Text, don't talk."[1]

Before

  • The American Red Cross says to pick a safe spot in each place you spend time: a safe room if you have one, or a small, windowless room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.[2]
  • The Red Cross says mobile homes, trailers, and RVs are not safe in high winds, so find a sturdy building to go to before a watch or warning.[2]
  • The Red Cross says to hold drills so everyone in your home practices getting to the safe spot quickly.[2]
  • The Red Cross says to sign up for local emergency alerts and keep a battery-powered radio and a way to charge your phone.[2]
  • NWS says to keep watching local news or NOAA Weather Radio for tornado watches and warnings.[3]

During

  • At home: NWS says to go to a basement, safe room, or interior room away from windows during a tornado warning, and to bring pets if you have time.[3]
  • At school or work: NWS says to follow your tornado drill, and to stay away from windows and large open rooms such as cafeterias, gyms, and auditoriums.[3]
  • In a mobile home: Ready.gov says to leave right away for a sturdy nearby building or storm shelter.[1]
  • Outside: NWS says, "Sheds and storage facilities are not safe. Neither is a mobile home or tent."[3]
  • In a vehicle: NWS says, "The best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter"; if you can't, either get down in the car and cover your head, or leave the car for a low area such as a ditch.[3]
  • Ready.gov says, "Do not go under an overpass or bridge."[5]
  • The Red Cross says to use your arms to protect your head and neck.[2]

After

  • The Red Cross says, "Stay in your shelter until the tornado warning is over."[2]
  • Ready.gov says, "Never go near or touch dangling or loose power lines."[1]
  • The Red Cross says to leave right away if you smell gas, and not to use matches or lighters in a damaged building.[2]
  • The Red Cross says that if you are trapped, cover your mouth with cloth and signal by texting, blowing a whistle, or banging on a pipe or wall instead of shouting.[2]
  • The Red Cross says, "Children should not take part in disaster cleanup work."[2]
  • The Red Cross says never to run gasoline, propane, charcoal, or other fuel-burning devices indoors or near open windows.[2]
  • Ready.gov's tornado page for kids says, "Text, don't talk," so emergency lines stay open.[1]

Watch vs. Warning (NWS)

  • Tornado Watch: "Be Prepared!" "Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area." NWS says, "Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching."[4]
  • Tornado Warning: "Take Action!" "A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar." NWS says, "Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building."[4]
  • Tornado Emergency: "Seek Shelter Immediately!" NWS says, "A tornado emergency is the National Weather Service's highest alert level."[4]
  • NWS says, "The watch area is typically large, covering numerous counties or even states," while warnings cover "a much smaller area (around the size of a city or small county)."[4]

Sources

Last checked: October 26, 2026. Each numbered source below was opened and checked on the date shown. Numbers in brackets in the text, like [1], point to this list.

  1. [1] Ready.gov (FEMA), Know the Facts: Tornado (Kids)
    Published by
    Ready.gov (FEMA)
    Level
    U.S. federal government
    Found at
    www.ready.gov/kids/know-the-facts/tornado
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  2. [2] American Red Cross, Tornado
    Published by
    American Red Cross
    Level
    Not a government agency (non-governmental organization)
    Found at
    www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/tornado.html
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  3. [3] National Weather Service, Tornado Safety: During
    Published by
    National Weather Service (NWS)
    Level
    U.S. federal government
    Found at
    www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-during
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  4. [4] National Weather Service, Tornado Watch vs. Warning
    Published by
    National Weather Service (NWS)
    Level
    U.S. federal government
    Found at
    www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  5. [5] Ready.gov (FEMA), Tornadoes
    Published by
    Ready.gov (FEMA)
    Level
    U.S. federal government
    Found at
    www.ready.gov/tornado
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026

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