Illinois Weather Warning: 10 Worst Places to Take Shelter from Tornadoes
Northern Illinois was hit with several nocturnal tornadoes this week. Do you know where to go to take shelter from a tornado? Avoid these 10 places if you can.
Best Places to Take Shelter from Tornadoes
The National Weather Service says in the event of a Tornado Warning, the best places for us to go are sturdy buildings or to a safe room, basement, or cellar.
If you owned this Indiana underground bunker, you'd be pretty safe; during a tornado or the apocalypse.
If there is no basement, another good choice for a tornado shelter is a small, interior room on the lowest level of your home. Be sure to stay away from windows, doors, and outside walls.
Those are the BEST places to take shelter from a tornado.
Tornado Warnings in Illinois
Most of northern Illinois was under a Level 3 out of 5 risk for severe weather on Tuesday and throughout the night, hundreds of Illinois residents were tossed into chaos and fear and all of it went down in pitch darkness.
LOOK: Creepy Footage of a Nighttime Tornado in Hinckley, Illinois
In the midst of all that was happening with our weather on Tuesday (2/27) can you imagine what it must've been like for people who had to scramble to find a place to take shelter, inside or out, in the middle of the night?
Nocturnal Tornado
In nature, there is almost nothing more dangerous than a tornado. It's an entirely different kind of terrifying when it happens at night.
Weather Channel meteorologists Jim Cantore and Alex Wilson used some pretty cool technology to show what it's like inside a tornado.
10 Worst Places to Take Shelter From a Tornado
1. Vehicles
Despite popular belief, vehicles are not safe shelters during tornadoes. They can be lifted and thrown by the tornado or crushed by falling debris.
2. Beneath heavy furniture
While hiding under heavy furniture like a sofa might seem like a good idea, it's not structurally sound enough to provide adequate protection from collapsing walls or flying debris.
MORE: Another Once Popular Illinois Shopping Mall is Closing in March
3. Near trees or power lines
Trees can be uprooted and power lines can be brought down by tornado-force winds, posing significant risks to anyone nearby.
4. Buildings with weak or damaged structures
Buildings that are not up to code or have existing structural issues are not safe shelters during tornadoes. They may collapse or suffer extensive damage during the storm.
5. Tents or temporary structures
These offer minimal protection against tornado-force winds and flying debris. They can collapse easily and expose occupants to serious danger.
6. Near windows or glass doors
Flying debris can easily shatter windows and glass doors, posing a serious risk of injury or death to anyone nearby.
7. Open fields or outdoors
Being caught in the open during a tornado is extremely dangerous. There is no protection from debris or the force of the tornado winds.
8. Mobile homes or trailers
These structures offer little to no protection against tornadoes. They can easily be picked up and destroyed by the strong winds.
9. Under bridges or tunnels
Bridges and tunnels can create wind tunnels and are not safe shelters during tornadoes.
According to the National Weather Service, one of the WORST places you can take shelter from a tornado is:
10. Under highway overpasses
While it might seem like a safe spot, overpasses can actually amplify the wind speed and create a wind tunnel effect, making it extremely dangerous during a tornado.
Instead, if you are caught in a tornado while on an open road, the NWS recommends lying in a ditch, ravine, or below-grade culvert as an absolute last resort if another shelter is unavailable.