Storm chasing safety

Don’t chase your first storms alone

Experienced chasers say the most important rule is to learn before you go. The National Weather Service runs free SKYWARN spotter classes across the United States, and spending time with an experienced team teaches things no article can.

The everyday dangers

Crowded roads, poor visibility, low-water crossings and tired drivers are the hazards that hurt chasers most often. Lightning can strike far from the rain, and hail can break windshields and injure people outside.

• Never drive through flooded roads. Turn around, don’t drown
• Stay out of the core: large hail and heavy rain can be more dangerous than the tornado
• Keep an escape route and never park on the road
• Be ready to leave early; storms can change quickly
• Do not stop in a position that blocks other traffic or emergency vehicles

Ethics: tornadoes hurt people

Responsible chasers know that a tornado is somebody’s disaster. They report instead of blocking roads, they help if people are hurt, and they do not treat damage as entertainment.

If you are in the path of a tornado

If a warning is issued for your area, move to a sturdy building, to the lowest floor, in an interior room away from windows. Do not try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle in a city or in traffic, and do not shelter under an overpass.