Tornado Time

This has been an especially long, cold winter for Indy. Now that the temperatures are beginning to warm up, the gang has pictures of cook-outs and baseball and flip-flops in their heads. But here in the Central United States, spring can also mean the beginning of some bad weather . . .


Ready Eddie: The sun is shining, the snow is melting, and I am READY for Spring!

Confused Connie: Me too! This winter was crazy. I am so excited not to have to worry about bad weather anymore.

Prepared Patty: I'm excited for milder temperatures, too, Connie, but don't forget that spring time is often the peak time for other kinds of bad weather.

Confused Connie: Urg! What now?!?!?!

Ready Eddie: Oh yeah, I know . . . the beginning of spring is also the beginning of tornado season!

Confused Connie: So tornadoes happen in the spring?

Prepared Patty: Actually, Connie, they can happen any time of year. But it is true that they are most likely to happen in the spring, so it is a good time to talk about the importance of being prepared for tornadoes.

Confused Connie: Well, I know that if one might be happening if the tornado siren is going off. Unless you are downtown and it is Friday at 11:00am. Then that is just a test.

Ready Eddie: Exactly right, Connie! If the tornado siren goes off at a time that is not a designated testing time, it means there is a tornado watch or warning.

Prepared Patty: Yes. A tornado watch is when the weather conditions are right for a tornado to form, and one could appear at any moment, so you need to watch out. A tornado warning is when a tornado has actually been spotted, and may be heading in your direction, so you need to go to a safe place.

Confused Connie: Like my basement?

Ready Eddie: Right!

Confused Connie: What if I am at my grandma's? She lives on the 9th floor of an apartment building.

Prepared Patty: In any tornado situation, you want to get away from windows, and as low to the ground as possible. In a place where you can't get to the lowest level, or if you are in a building without a basement, you need to go to a small interior room, like a hallway or a bathroom or a closet.

Ready Eddie: Yeah, Connie, you can always get into the bathtub, and cover yourself with something soft and padded, like a mattress! Then you get into the tornado position. Make sure you cover your head and the back of your neck with your hands!

Confused Connie: So my grandmother will be okay?

Prepared Patty: Yes, if she is prepared!

Confused Connie: Good! . . . How else can someone prepared for tornadoes?

Ready Eddie: Well, they should make sure they have a disaster kit! Especially one with a battery powered radio, so they can listen to the weather reports for those watches and warnings we talked about.

Prepared Patty: Plus, tornadoes can happen anytime, even when you are outside. Remember that if you are outside when a tornado happens, you need to get inside a building with a basement as quickly as possible. If you cannot get inside, you need to lay down in a low-lying place like a ditch and cover your head.

Confused Connie: I feel a lot better about tornado season now that I understand what I need to do if one happens. Thanks guys!!!

Prepared Patty: Any time Patty! Now let's go to the store! I think it might soon be the start of water fight season, too!

Ready Eddie: YEAH!


Now it is time to test your tornado knowledge. Click on the picture below for a larger, printable version of our tornado crossword puzzle!