Tornadoes are nature's most violent storm and can happen any time, any where. Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can uproot trees and buildings and turn harmless objects into deadly missiles.

In Hampton Roads, the most common time of year for tornadoes is April through November, and most occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.While Hampton Roads does not experience the most severe tornadoes, past experiences have shown how devastating these powerful storms can be. The September 2, 1999 F2 tornado spawned from Hurricane Dennis severely damaged five apartment complexes, an assisted living facility, a nursing home, as well as damaging other structures and vehicles. This tornado was the strongest tornado observed in association with a tropical system in the past 5 years within the Wakefield WFO county warning area.

A tornado appears as a rotating funnel--shaped cloud that extends to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 miles per hour. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Every state has some risk from this hazard.

THE FUJITA SCALE

The Fujita Scale (also known as the Fujita-Pearson Scale) may not be a perfect system for linking damage to wind speed, but it had distinct advantages over what had gone on before its inception. And it was simple enough to use in daily practice without involving much additional expenditure of time or money. From a practical point of view, it is doubtful that any other system would have found its way into widespread accepted use, even to this day. The entire premise of estimating wind speeds from damage to non-engineered structures is very subjective and is difficult to defend from various meteorological perspectives. Nothing less than the combined influence and and prestige of the late Professor Fujita and Allen Pearson, director of NSSFC(National Severe Storm Forecast Center) in 1971 could have brought this much needed system into widespread use. The FPP scale rates the intensity of the tornado, and measured both the path length and the path width. The Fujita part of the scale is as follows:

• F-Scale Number: F0
  • Intensity Phrase: Gale tornado
  • Wind Speed: 40-72 mph
  • Type of Damage Done: Some damage to chimneys; breaks branches off trees; pushes over shallow-rooted trees; damages sign boards.
  
  
• F-Scale Number: F1
  • Intensity Phrase: Moderate tornado
  • Wind Speed: 73-112 mph
  • Type of Damage Done: The lower limit is the beginning of hurricane wind speed; peels surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned; moving autos pushed off the roads; attached garages may be destroyed.
  
  
• F-Scale Number: F2
  • Intensity Phrase: Significant tornado
  • Wind Speed: 113-157 mph
  • Type of Damage Done: Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light object missiles generated.
  
  
• F-Scale Number: F3
  • Intensity Phrase: Severe tornado
  • Wind Speed: 158-206 mph
  • Roof and some walls torn off well constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in fores uprooted
  
  
• F-Scale Number: F4
  • Intensity Phrase: Devastating tornado
  • Wind Speed: 207-260 mph
  • Type of Damage Done: Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundations blown off some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated.
  
  
• F-Scale Number: F5
  • Intensity Phrase: Incredible tornado
  • Wind Speed: 261-318 mph
  • Type of Damage Done: Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried considerable distances to disintegrate; automobile sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 meters; trees debarked; steel reinforced concrete structures badly damaged.
  
  
• F-Scale Number: F6
  • Intensity Phrase: Inconceivable tornado
  • Wind Speed: 319-379 mph
  • Type of Damage Done: These winds are very unlikely. The small area of damage they might produce would probably not be recognizable along with the mess produced by F4 and F5 wind that would surround the F6 winds. Missiles, such as cars and refrigerators would do serious secondary damage that could not be directly identified as F6 damage. If this level is ever achieved, evidence for it might only be found in some manner of ground swirl pattern, for it may never be identifiable through engineering studies

A key point to remember is this: the size of a tornado is not necessarily an indication of its intensity. Large tornadoes can be weak, and small tornadoes can be violent.

TORNADO SAFETY

As the severe weather season approaches, Hampton Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service want you to be prepared for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Take some time during tornado safety week to make a tornado plan for your family, friends and co-workers. Planning ahead will lower the chance of injury or even death in the event a tornado strikes.

Tornadoes can occur with little or no warning. You will have only a short time to make life-or-death decisions. It is important to know the basics of tornado safety so that you can survive should one strike.

• Listen to the radio, local television, weather channel or a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) radio for information.
• Don’t wait until a warning is issued to begin planning how you will respond. Take responsibility for your safety and plan now.
• Have a plan. Meet with household members to discuss how to respond to an approaching tornado. Hold tornado drills. Learn how to turn off the water, gas and electricity at the main switches.
• The safest place to be during a tornado is underground in a basement or storm cellar. If you have no basement, go to an inner hallway or smaller inner room without windows, such as a bathroom or closet. Go to the center of the room. Try to find something sturdy you can get under and hold onto to protect you from flying debris and/or a collapsed roof. Use your arms to protect your head and neck.
• Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable to damage from high winds. Residents, even those who live in mobile homes with tie-downs, should seek safe shelter when a tornado threatens. Go to a prearranged shelter when the weather turns bad. If you live in a mobile home park, talk to management about the availability of a nearby shelter. If no shelter is available, go outside and lie on the ground, if possible in a ditch or depression. Use your arms to protect your head and neck and wait for the storm to pass. While waiting, be alert for the flash floods that sometimes accompany tornadoes.
• Never try to outrun a tornado in a car. A tornado can toss cars and trucks around like toys. If you see a funnel cloud or hear a tornado warning issued, get out of your vehicle and find safe shelter. If no shelter is available, lie down in a low area using your arms to cover the back of your head and neck. Be sure to stay alert for flooding.
• Be alert to what is happening outside. Here are some tornado danger signs:
  • If there is a watch or warning posted, falling hail should be considered as a real danger sign.
  • An approaching cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado, even if a funnel is not visible.
  • Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still.
  • Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm. It is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado.

Tornado Watches and Warnings - What do they Mean?

The National Weather Service uses specific tornado terms to ensure that people know what to expect in the coming hours.

A Tornado Watch means that conditions are favorable for a tornado to occur. During a Tornado Remain alert f continue to watch TV or listen to the radio to see if there's anything to worry about. The Tornado Watch is issued for specific geographic areas where a storm may occur.

A Tornado Warning means a tornado has been spotted or detected on weather radar and could be coming your way. Here's what to do if you see a tornado or are under a tornado warning: Get indoors. Go to a basement or interior room or hallway with no windows to protect yourself from flying glass. If you can't get inside, lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area. Follow all instructions given by emergency officials when a tornado threatens or strikes.

Safety Rules in Schools

Individual Tornado Planning

Sheltering In-Place