The safest place in your house during a tornado
As low, as interior and with as few exterior walls as possible. How to pick your shelter depending on the kind of home you live in.
Picking the shelter is a decision made on a Sunday afternoon, not when the warning sounds. And the criteria come down to three words: low, inside and away from exterior walls.
The criteria, in order
- As low as possible. Basement if there is one. Every floor up increases exposure.
- As interior as possible. The more walls between you and the outside, the better.
- No windows. Glass is the first source of injuries.
- Small space. A bathroom or closet holds up better than a large living room, because short walls and plumbing stiffen the structure.
- Cover yourself. With a mattress, thick blankets, or your arms over head and neck.
By type of home
| Home | Shelter |
|---|---|
| House with basement | Basement, under a sturdy table, away from exterior walls |
| House without basement | Interior bathroom, closet or central hallway on the ground floor |
| Apartment on an upper floor | Interior hallway on the lowest accessible floor |
| Manufactured home or trailer | Leave for a sturdy building before the warning |
| Large building | Interior area of the ground floor, away from wide-span roofs |
The open-windows myth
For decades people were told to open windows to equalise pressure. It does not work: houses do not explode from a pressure difference, they are destroyed by wind force and debris impact.
Opening them wastes valuable minutes next to glass that is about to break, and it lets wind in to push from the inside.
What to keep in the shelter
- Helmets for each person.
- Closed, sturdy shoes.
- A flashlight with charged batteries.
- A weather radio or charged phone.
- A whistle per person.
- Something thick to cover yourselves with.
- What to do if a tornado catches you in your car or outdoors A car is one of the worst places to be and an overpass is worse still. What to do when there is no sturdy building anywhere nearby.
- Tornado watch vs warning: the difference that counts A watch says conditions are favourable; a warning says one has been detected. The gap between them can be a matter of minutes.
Gear that covers this
Products that match what the guide above recommends.
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Helmets for the whole family
The injury that kills most often in a tornado is to the head. Stored in the shelter itself, not in the garage.
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A whistle per person
If you end up trapped under debris, a whistle carries much farther and much longer than your voice.
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Thick blanket or mattress in the shelter
Covering yourself with something thick adds a layer between you and debris. It has to already be in the shelter, not in another room.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best place in a house during a tornado?
The lowest, most interior point with the fewest exterior walls: a basement, and failing that an interior bathroom, a closet or a central hallway on the ground floor.
Should windows be opened to equalise pressure?
No. It is an old and dangerous myth: it does not reduce damage and it wastes minutes next to glass that is about to break. Pressure is not what destroys houses.
Is it safe to stay in a manufactured home?
No. Manufactured homes and trailers are especially vulnerable even to weak tornadoes. The plan has to be leaving for a sturdy structure before the warning arrives.
Why are helmets recommended?
Because most fatal tornado injuries are head trauma from debris. A bike helmet per person is a cheap and highly effective measure.