Severe Thunderstorms are a fact of life in Alabama and throughout the South. Because of this there are warning sirens in every neighborhood. Below is some information that will be helpful to new residents in this area.
1. If your area of the State is under a "Tornado Watch" it means conditions are favorable for a tornado to form in your area. You should monitor the weather on the radio, television or through a website or App on your phone. This will give you a time frame of when the severe weather will begin in your area. Some people go to public storm shelters before the severe weather starts.
2. If your area of the State, county or city is under a "Tornado Warning" it means there is a tornado that has been spotted by someone or a tornado is showing up on radar. If you are under a tornado warning you should seek shelter immediately. You should:
A. Check a radio, television, website or phone App to see how far away the storm is from you.
B. If you hear the warning siren or an alert comes through your phone or on the television, go to a storm shelter or sturdy building if there is one close to you and you have time to get
there safely. You should not remain in a mobile home, nor should you take shelter in a car or other vehicle.
C. If there is not time to get to a storm shelter, and you are in a house go to the basement. If you have a helmet place it on your head. If it is a large tornado (the news station will tell you),
take a belt and fasten it, or rope and tie it, around your waste and a pipe or other item that is attached to the floor (If it is a large tornado this will prevent you from getting sucked up into
the air if a tornado hits your home or apartment. These large tornados are rare). Get as low as you can in the basement and put a helmet or pillow over your head.
D. If you don't have a basement in your home, get in an interior closet with no windows or get in the bathtub. If you get in the bathtub, put a helmet on your head and/or place a pillow
over your head. If you have any type of foam mattress, place it over your entire body.
E. If you are in an apartment, go to the lowest level of your apartment complex and take the precautions listed in "Letter D".
F. You should not go outside to look at the storm. More people are killed by lightning or tree limbs falling on them than they are by tornadoes.
G. If you are driving, or are a passenger in a car, and you hear a weather siren or an alert comes over your phone, drive to the nearest sturdy structure and get out of your car and go into
that structure on the lowest level available and take the precautions in "Letter D". If you are on a highway and an alert for a tornado warning comes over the phone or radio and there are
not any buildings near you, get out of your car and lie down in a ravine or ditch. Do not sit down under a tree. If lightning hits the tree, it could cause serious injury or death.

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