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Spring 2018: Tornado Social Media

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Social Media: Tornado Safety
#SpringSafety

 

Please help the National Weather Service spread these important safety messages on social media! Everyone is welcome to use the text and images provided below to help the NWS build a Weather-Ready Nation.

What is a Tornado?

Facebook
A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/tornadoes/ #TornadoScience

Twitter
A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/tornadoes/ #TornadoScience

What is a Tornado?

 

Tornado Watch

Facebook
A tornado WATCH means BE PREPARED. If there is a tornado watch, tornadoes are possible! Pay extra close attention to the weather and be ready to act. Preparing ahead of time helps to save lives! weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww #SpringSafety

Twitter
Watch means BE PREPARED. Preparation helps to save lives! weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww #SpringSafety

Tornado Watch

 

Tornado Warning

Facebook
A tornado WARNING means TAKE ACTION NOW. If there is a tornado warning, a tornado is imminent or already occurring. Seek shelter immediately, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows and cover your head to protect yourself from flying debris. Take Action! Acting early helps to save lives! #SpringSafety weather.gov/safety/tornado-during

Twitter
A tornado WARNING means TAKE ACTION NOW and seek shelter immediately. weather.gov/safety/tornado-during #SpringSafety

Tornado Warning

 

Tornado Warning Video

Facebook
If your area is under a tornado warning, what should you do? You may only have a few minutes to get to safety. Learn what to do with this short video. #SpringSafety
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5TiTfuvotc&feature=youtu.be

Twitter
What should you do during a tornado warning? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5TiTfuvotc&feature=youtu.be #SpringSafety

 

After the Storm

Facebook
If you are impacted by tornado damage, there are a few important things to remember. Listen to local officials. Stay up-to-date on the forecast. Watch for debris and downed power lines. Use flashlights instead of candles for to avoid starting fires. weather.gov/safety/tornado-after #SpringSafety

Twitter
If you are impacted by tornado damage, there are a few important things to remember. weather.gov/safety/tornado-after

After the Storm

 

Wireless Emergency Alerts

Facebook
Tornadoes can occur at any time of day or night. The nighttime hours are particularly dangerous because most people are sleeping. Wireless Emergency Alerts on your cell phone alerting you to dangerous weather can save your life. Find out more at https://www.ready.gov/alerts  #SpringSafety

Twitter
Keep Wireless Emergency Alerts enabled on your cell phone. Find out more at https://www.ready.gov/alerts  #SpringSafety

Wireless Emergency Alerts

 

NOAA Weather Radio

Facebook
Tornadoes can occur at any time of day or night. The nighttime hours are particularly dangerous because most people are sleeping. An alarm will sound on the NOAA Weather Radio when a Tornado Warning is issued. Having the radio near your bed will alert you to danger, waking you up when danger is near. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/ #SpringSafety

Twitter
Get severe weather warnings at night with a NOAA Weather Radio. www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/ #SpringSafety

NOAA Weather Radio

 

Difference between a Tornado Watch and Warning

Facebook
A tornado WATCH means BE PREPARED. A tornado WARNING means TAKE ACTION. If there is a tornado watch pay extra close attention to the weather and be ready to act, because tornadoes are possible. If there is a tornado warning, find shelter immediately, and move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, because a tornado is occurring or will shortly. Avoid windows and cover your head to protect yourself from flying debris. Acting early helps to save lives! weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww

Twitter
Watch means BE PREPARED. Warning means TAKE ACTION. weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww #SpringSafety

Difference between a Tornado Watch and Warning

 

Understanding Severe Weather Outlooks

Facebook
Do you know your risk for severe weather? See the severe weather outlooks issued by the Storm Prediction Center @NWSSPC #SpringSafety http://www.spc.noaa.gov/

Twitter
Know your risk for severe weather? See the Storm Prediction Center @NWSSPC http://www.spc.noaa.gov #SpringSafety

Understanding Severe Weather Outlooks

 

What are the Hazards of Severe Weather?

Facebook
Tornadoes, large hail, strong winds, flooding, and lightning are all hazards associated with severe weather.  Severe weather has been reported in all 50 states, so no matter where you are, make sure you are prepared! weather.gov/safety/thunderstorm

Twitter
Severe weather can occur anywhere. Wherever you are, be prepared! weather.gov/safety/thunderstorm #SpringSafety

What are the Hazards of Severe Weather?

 

Make a Plan

Facebook
Make a severe weather plan before you need it! Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance: how you will get to a safe place; how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations. To find out how, visit https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan #SpringSafety Photo: FEMA

Twitter
How will you stay in touch during a disaster? Make a plan! https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan #SpringSafety (photo @fema)

Make a Plan

 

Tornado Watch vs. Warning Video

Facebook
What’s a watch? What’s a warning? Learn the difference between a tornado watch and warning in this short video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3V3HZBs1Y4

Twitter
Learn the difference between a tornado watch and warning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3V3HZBs1Y4 #SpringSafety

 

Types of Tornadoes

Facebook
Did you know that they are many different types of tornadoes? Learn all about them in the infographic below, and visit http://www.weather.gov/jetstream/tornado for more tornado facts. #TornadoScience

Twitter
Did you know that they are many different types of tornadoes? Learn all about them in the infographic below, and visit http://www.weather.gov/jetstream/tornado for more tornado facts. #TornadoScience

Supercell Tornadoes Tornadoes that come from a supercell thunderstorm are the most common, and often the most dangerous. A rotating updraft is a key to the development of a supercell, and eventually a tornado. There are many ideas about how this rotation begins. One way a column of air can begin to rotate is from wind shear – when winds at two different levels above the ground blow at different speeds or in different directions. Once the updraft is rotating and being fed by warm, moist air flowing in at ground level, a tornado can form. Landspouts Landspouts, narrow, rope-like condensation funnels that form while the thunderstorm cloud is still growing and there is no rotating updraft. The spinning motion originates near the ground. Waterspouts Waterspouts, similar to landspouts, except they occur over water. Gustnadoes Gustnadoes, whirls of dust or debris at or near the ground with no condensation funnel, which form along the gust front of a storm. Dust Devils A well-developed dust whirl; usually of short duration, rendered visible by dust, sand, and debris picked up from the ground. Dust devils are best developed on a hot, calm afternoon with clear skies, when intense surface heating causes large temperature differences in the lowest couple hundred feet of the atmosphere. Fire Whirls Much like dust devils, the extreme heat of fires create strong updrafts, near the ground that interact with circulations in the lower atmosphere. Fire whirls are usually about 1 to 3 feet wide and 50 to 100 feet tall.