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household, school and business should have an emergency prepared- .... Where to go when a tornado strikes at home, outsi
Tornadoes are dangerous

Information Institute. 2014 losses were the fourth highest annual total on record. (Munich Re) • The highest number of US tornadoes occurred in 2004 when 1,819 tornadoes touched down causing 36 deaths.

A tornado’s strength is hard to imagine, but it can spin at speeds over 200 mph as it moves across land. Never try to outrun a tornado. The best thing to do if a tornado is sighted is to seek safe shelter immediately.

l POINTS TO COVER • • • • •

l HOW TORNADOES FORM

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 Reprinted, with permission, from Lake Harbor Middle School, Mandeville, LA 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. Online resource: http://bit.ly/1mR3T9U.

How a tornado is formed Why a tornado is dangerous When Ohio tornadoes usually occur The purpose of Severe Weather Awareness Week 2011’s spring and summer tornado season was one of the deadliest and most destructive in recent history. Learn more about the 2011 season at http://1.usa.gov/1PPUW89.

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. Or, 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://bit.ly/hMkUtX • Weather Wiz Kids http://www.weatherwizkids.com/ • National Geographic Kids http://bit.ly/1OWazv0 • Ohio EMA Disaster Detectives http://bit.ly/xlRoLF • Kids Ahead http://bit.ly/1ZgYbdS

l TORNADO FACTS

NOTE: Additional Ohio tornado statistics at: http://1.usa.gov/1nrnrhr. • Ohio’s tornado activity varies each year. NOAA/National Weather Service (NOAA) 2015 preliminary figures show Ohio had 6 tornadoes, compared to 21 in 2014 (31 in 2013, 13 in 2012, 37 in 2011; 48 in 2010; and 13 in 2009). Ohio’s worst year for tornadoes was 1992 when 60 were confirmed. Ohio averages 16 tornadoes and five tornado-related fatalities each year. • NOAA 2015 preliminary figures show 1,259 touched down in the US, (http://1.usa.gov/1K8zLl4), compared to 1,057 in 2014 (http://1.usa. gov/1PPR5rz). See these links for more 2014-15 severe weather data. • Tornadoes are usually accompanied by hail, severe thunderstorms and wind. Ohio thunderstorm activity averages 30–50 days annually. • Ohio’s 2016 Severe Weather Awareness Week is March 20-26 and serves as a reminder to brush-up on safety precautions. The statewide tornado drill is scheduled for Wednesday, March 23 at 9:50 a.m. • 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. • Ohio experienced major tornadoes in Nov. 2013, Sept./Oct. 2010 and others. For more on Ohio tornado losses: http://bit.ly/1gKoDNM. • A July 8, 2014 outbreak included three EF1 tornadoes: Two in Medina County (http://1.usa.gov/1zpZn7k) and one in Mahoning County (http://1.usa.gov/1zpYADr). • Tornadoes are also known as cyclones, twisters and funnel clouds. • Over the 10-year period 2005-2014, the US averaged 1,382 tornadoes and 110 tornado-related deaths annually. • In 2014, insured losses for US tornadoes/thunderstorms totaled $12.3 billion, up from $10.3 billion in 2013, according to the Insurance

be prepared Learn 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. Get National Weather Service updates by 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 important 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, newscasts and station Web sites and weather apps. WEATHER APPS There are many weather app options available, and an updated weather forecast is available anywhere there is a wireless or cellular signal. Find information on many of the weather app options at these links: • http://bit.ly/1TQq0Iy • http://bit.ly/1IZigU4

Encourage your students to participate in the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness Annual Poster Contest Download details at: http://1.usa.gov/1l5UoCB. 2

NOAA WEATHER RADIO Consider purchasing a National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio which activates during severe weather. These radios sound an automatic alarm providing immediate notification when a severe weather watch or warning is issued. Learn more at www.nws. noaa.gov/nwr.

seek safe shelter When severe weather threatens, the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness (OCSWA) encourages you to DUCK:

l SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY KIT

Prepare a home severe weather safety kit. Items to include are a batteryoperated transistor radio, flashlight, candles, matches, extra batteries, and a set of house and car keys. Learn more about kit preparation at: • Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness http://1.usa.gov/1JFOyDE • What to Pack in Case of a Disaster: http://1.usa.gov/1f3Htdj

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

l POINTS TO COVER

Some places are safer than others when a tornado strikes. If possible, take a flashlight and a battery-operated radio with you when seeking safety. Don’t forget your cell phone and charger. Memorize safe locations ahead of time so you’re not caught “off guard.” 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:

• 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 discuss the difference between WATCH and WARNING with family members. 2. Have students prepare a severe weather safety kit. 3. Listen to the weather band radio station 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 forecasted. 4. Invite a local meteorologist to your classroom to explain how tornadoes are sighted and tracked. 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 educational links. 6. Have students evaluate and report on their choices for best apps for severe weather, tornadoes, etc. 7. Visit weather-related Web sites to gather information and participate in a variety of online activities. There are hundreds including:

1. Hold a family meeting. Discuss tornadoes and other types of severe weather events that are common to your area. Develop an evacuation plan for each event. 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 (through doors, windows, etc.). 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 weather drills so everyone is prepared. 4. Organize your disaster preparedness kit. Info on the Severe Weather Safety Kit can be found in section #2. 5. Know Where to Go • 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 Buckle up, keep your head low and listen to the adult in the car. Never try to outrun a tornado in a car. • IN MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES OR OUTSIDE Move to the closest shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. If you live in or frequently visit a mobile home, be sure to know where the tornado shelter is located. 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. • IN MALLS OR LARGE BUILDINGS Many public buildings 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. • HIGHWAY OVERPASSES & TORNADOES: NOT A GOOD MIX Overpasses offer no protection from a tornado’s direct hit and should not be used as shelter. An overpass can put you at a greater risk of being killed or seriously injured by flying debris. Tornado winds can shift abruptly, tossing debris in every direction. The safest course of action is to get out of the tornado’s path, seeking shelter in a sturdy building.

• www.weathersafety.ohio.gov Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness — Resource for educators, consumers and reporters on Ohio severe weather. • www.ema.ohio.gov/kids_page/html/games.htm Ohio’s Emergency Management Agency provides a special “EMA Kids’ Site” that offers fun and games, cool links and info for teachers. • http://bit.ly/fwr98D Download Owlie Skywarn’s weather book including what to do should severe weather threaten. • http://bit.ly/1gKoDNM The Ohio Insurance Institute’s wind/hail loss history takes a look a major tornadoes affecting Ohio from past to present. • www.tornadoproject.com Tornado information with a twist including tornado myths and oddities, personal experiences, and tornado chasing. • www.ready.gov/kids FEMA’s Area for Kids—Kids learn about tornadoes, earthquakes and other feats of nature. • http://1.usa.gov/1Se6VlZ Provides lightning safety tools for teachers. • www.spc.noaa.gov The Storm Prediction Center monitors and forecasts tornadoes, thunderstorms and other weather phenomena across the US 24/7. • www.education.noaa.gov Teaching tools and resources on a variety of weather issues. • http://to.pbs.org/1aOxKDy A weather-transformer game from PBS and Cat In The Hat.

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l POINTS TO COVER

l ONLINE LIGHTNING RESOURCES

• The proper position to assume for protection • Where to go when a tornado strikes at home, outside, in a car, school or other building • What to include in a disaster preparedness kit • Emergency preparedness planning • Why overpasses are not safe in the event of a tornado

• www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov Check the NOAA Lightning Safety Team site for handouts, safety tips, medical facts, history, photos, teacher tools and more. Lightning Safety Awareness Week is June 19-25, 2016. • www.lightning.org The Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) has information on lightning, the severity of lightning strikes and protection systems.

l ACTIVITIES

• http://bit.ly/cSX5BV Explains how lightning works, along with links to related info.

1. Have students perform 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. State drill requirements for schools are available at http://bit.ly/ft7pqF. 3. Have students practice the proper position to assume during a tornado at school. 4. Have students explain where they would go if a tornado warning is issued while at home. 5. Have students develop a basic home emergency preparedness plan. Suggest they share their plans during a family meeting (go to http://bit.ly/fF74Hd).

• http://bit.ly/1iE4p70 Myths vs. Facts video from the Insurance Information Institute. For text version: http://bit.ly/1jiXss5. • http://bit.ly/1KHvG2m Real-time US lightning map from LightningMaps.org. Stats and more! • http://1.usa.gov/1PopuOb Thunderstorm basics and research from The National Severe Storms Laboratory.

watch for lightning Too

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.

When Thunder Roars...Go Indoors! Severe lightning often accompanies tornadoes, yet the threat lightning poses is often overlooked. The US averages 25 million lightning flashes annually. Over the past 30 years, National Weather Service figures show that lightning caused an average of 49 deaths per year. In the first half of 2015, the US experienced 38 severe thunderstorms causing 66 fatalities, with losses over $7 million. (Munich Re) 2011 was one of the deadliest years for thunderstorms in the US in 75 years, with 82 fatalities. (Insurance Information Institute)

l LIGHTNING FACTS

• The frequency of lightning strikes varies by region. Ohio averages 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 thunderstorms 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. Kids can play Leon the Lion’s Lightning Safety Game online at http://1.usa.gov/2mEFd.

2. Indoor Tips • Avoid contact with water including showers, baths or laundry. Stay away from open doors and windows. • Avoid using a land-line phone during a lightning outbreak because the lightning charge can travel through electrical lines. A cell phone is a safer means of communication. • As an extra precaution, unplug computers, electronics and other unnecessary appliances. Use surge protectors for electronics. • 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. Begin first aid procedures immediately. • If the victim is not breathing but has a pulse, administer mouthto-mouth resuscitation. If there’s no pulse, begin CPR.

l POINTS TO COVER

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.

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Where to go in case of lightning What to avoid in case of lightning Types of materials that attract lightning General lightning safety tips (http://1.usa.gov/1N3nbhy)

l ACTIVITIES

1. Discuss dangerous home activities during severe lightning (bath/ shower, using the phone and electronics, etc.). 2. Plan a field trip to a science/technology exhibit center like the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus (www.cosi.org, 614-228-2674) or Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Center (www.greatscience.com, 216694-2000). Or invite a local television meteorologist to visit your class. 3. Visit the National Severe Storms Laboratory for useful lightning research at www.nssl.noaa.gov/research/lightning/. 4. Learn CPR—Contact local American Red Cross chapters and fire departments for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation class offerings. 5. Lightning related experiments: • www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-lightning.htm • www.scied.ucar.edu/webweather/thunderstorms 6. Research the invention and uses of lightning rods. 7. Research which parts of the US and the world are most prone to lightning strikes and thunderstorms. Source: Portions excerpted from Tornadoes, written by Ann Armbruster and Elizabeth A. Taylor, 1989.

A TORNADO STRIKES 3 p.m.

5 p.m.

100 SPIRALING

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.

3. A funnel cloud is sighted but doesn’t touch the ground. Funnel clouds can appear white against a dark sky and then sometimes disappear. 4. A TORNADO WARNING is issued.

THE VAN WERT TORNADO NOVEMBER 10, 2002

Questions? Contact Ohio Insurance Institute, 172 E. State St., Suite 201, Columbus, OH 43215-4321, 614-228-1593 www.ohioinsurance.org • e-mail: [email protected] Revised February 2016

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 preliminary survey by the Ohio Insurance Institute, losses from this storm exceeded $91.7 million ($121 million in 2015 dollars).

Download OII’s Severe Weather Safety color sheet and crossword challenge at

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http://bit.ly/1Ts9jVL

Detail area

ANSWER KEY: TORNADO CROSSWORD CHALLENGE

Toledo

4

Fort Wayne

OHIO

Defiance

INDIANA

Columbus

Ayersville

Holgate 108

Paulding Melrose

PAULDING COUNTY

ANSWER KEY:

IND.

TORNADO WORDSEARCH PUZZLER

OHIO

Tornado path

Cavett Tornado moved VAN WERT southwest to COUNTY northeast 224

3 N MILES

15

Oakwood

Ottawa

Grover Hill

Scott

Wren

Continental

224

30

PUTNAM COUNTY

Delphos

Van Wert

Lima

75

127 TOM BAKER | DISPATCH

Source: Graphic used with permission from The Columbus Dispatch, November 12, 2002

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AVERAGE PATH LENGTH TO9 9MILES MILES AVERAGE PATH LENGTH ISIS6 6TO

5:04 p.m.

5:09 p.m.

5:15 p.m.

5:12 p.m.

1000 FEET 1000 FEET

DEBRIS CLOUD 100–250 100-250MPH MPH SPIRALING WINDS 30–40 MPH SPIRALING WINDS 30-40 MPH

AVERAGE WIDTH ISIS420 AVERAGE WIDTH 420FEET 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 southwest to 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.

BETWEEN 3 AND 5 P.M. APRIL 3, 1974 XENIA-OHIO’S WORST DISASTER

This is how the weather map looked as the worst of the tornado outbreak was descending on the Ohio Valley.

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 destroyed.

Cold, dry air 4:50 p.m. 19 killed in Monticello, Ind.

Cool, humid air

Columbus

Storm center over Iowa Dry air

12. The funnel weakens into a rope-like shape then disappears. The average duration of a tornado is 15 minutes.

Warm front has cleared central Ohio

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. • Nationally total damage exceeded $600 million (about $2.9 billion in 2015 dollars) and an estimated $100 million ($481.4 million in 2015) in Greene County here in Ohio. • The weather system produced at least six violent tornadoes, including the one in Xenia. That’s about as many as are normally recorded in a decade.

3:40 p.m. 35 killed in Xenia, Ohio 4:10 p.m. 31 killed in Brandenburg, Ky.

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.

The Columbus Dispatch:. http://bit.ly/1DgFFbS.

The force of a tornado is measured by the Enhanced Fujita scale. Learn more about the scale from the National Weather Service at www.spc.noaa.gov/efscale. 6