How do you prepare for a tornado?

Short answer. Choose your shelter before the storm season: a safe room built to FEMA criteria or an ICC 500 storm shelter, or else a small, interior, windowless room or basement on the lowest level of a sturdy building ⁶. During a tornado watch, review your plan and supplies; when a warning is issued, go to that shelter immediately ¹. Mobile homes and vehicles are not safe places to stay ².

What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?

A watch means "be ready". A warning means "act now". The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) defines them this way ¹:

The NWS sums up the watch period simply: "Acting early helps to save lives!" ¹. Warnings can come with very little notice. Environment and Climate Change Canada notes that tornadoes can occur rapidly, "with less than 30 minutes' notice" ¹⁴.

Not every community uses sirens; some rely on media and smartphones ³. Ready.gov suggests signing up for local warnings, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and NOAA Weather Radio, and learning your community's siren tone if it has one ⁶. For how phone alerts work in each country, see the cell broadcast alert comparison; for radios, see the emergency radio guide.

What are the warning signs of a tornado?

Do not wait for an official alert if you see the signs. Ready.gov lists a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud, an approaching cloud of debris, and a loud roar similar to a freight train ⁶. Canada's Get Prepared adds severe thunderstorms with frequent thunder and lightning, "an extremely dark sky, sometimes highlighted by green or yellow clouds", a rumbling or whistling sound, and a funnel cloud at the rear base of a thundercloud, often behind a curtain of heavy rain or hail ¹².

Tornado strength is rated after the fact from damage, using the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, in use in the U.S. since 1 February 2007 ⁵. The ratings are wind estimates, not measurements ⁵:

Where should you shelter at home?

Go to the lowest, most protected space. The NWS says to "go to your basement, safe room, or an interior room away from windows" ². The CDC lists a storm cellar, a basement, or an inside room without windows on the lowest floor, "such as a bathroom, closet, or center hallway" ¹⁰. Canada's advice is the same: the lowest, most central room, preferably a basement or cellar ¹².

Once there, protect your head and neck. Ready.gov says to cover your head and neck with your arms and to put furniture or blankets around or over you ⁶. Canada adds: do not open windows or use elevators ¹². Most deaths and injuries happen when buildings collapse or people are hit by debris, especially glass ¹².

The CDC is candid about the limits: "there is no completely safe place during a tornado, some locations are safer than others" ¹⁰.

Where should you shelter at school or at work?

Follow the building's tornado drill. The NWS says to go to the designated shelter location quickly and calmly, stay away from windows, and avoid large open rooms such as "cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums" ².

What if you are in a mobile home or a car?

Mobile homes. Leave. The NWS says mobile homes are not safe and to go to a sturdy building ². The CDC says: "Don't stay in a mobile home during a tornado" ¹⁰. Canada notes that mobile homes "do not offer much protection from tornadoes" ¹². The NWS advises people in mobile homes or homes without a basement to identify, in advance, a nearby building they can reach quickly, such as a church or a relative's home ³.

Vehicles. Ready.gov states that there is no fully safe option in a vehicle, only less dangerous ones ⁶:

• If the tornado is visible, far away and traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path at right angles ⁶.
• If extreme winds or debris reach you, pull over out of traffic lanes, stay buckled in with your head below the windows, and cover your head ⁶.
• If you can get noticeably lower than the roadway, leave the vehicle and lie there ⁶. The NWS also mentions a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine ².
• Do not shelter under bridges or overpasses ⁶¹².

Canada advises against trying to outrace a tornado and says to drive to the nearest solid structure ¹². If you must leave the car, watch for rising water in a ditch, and do not leave it without a first responder's help if power lines are within 10 m or have fallen across the vehicle ¹².

Outdoors. Get inside a sturdy building immediately. Sheds, storage facilities and tents are not safe ². If no building is reachable, Canada says to lie flat in a ditch or sunken ground and cover your head with your hands ¹².

What are tornado safe rooms and storm shelters?

In the United States, a storm shelter is built to the ICC 500 standard. A FEMA safe room meets ICC 500 and the FEMA Funding Criteria in FEMA P-361, which FEMA describes as "more conservative" ⁹. FEMA recommends designing residential safe rooms for 250 mph tornado winds regardless of location, a requirement when FEMA funds the project ⁹. At that speed, a 15-pound 2x4 can travel at 100 mph, enough to penetrate most common home building materials ⁹. For tornadoes, FEMA says at least 3 square feet of floor area per person should be large enough in a home safe room ⁹.

One point matters when shopping: FEMA "does not endorse, approve, certify or recommend any contractors, individuals, firms or products", and vendors may not claim to be "FEMA approved" or "FEMA certified" ⁸. Editions, labels, debris tests, community shelter sizes and building-code rules are covered in our detailed guide to FEMA storm shelter requirements: ICC 500 and P-361. For U.S. shelter options, see building a shelter in the United States.

What should go in your tornado kit and plan?

A tornado gives minutes, not days, so the kit and plan must already exist. Ready.gov recommends stocking supplies for a long stay at home, including food, water, medications, and medical and cleaning supplies, and including pets in your plan ⁶. Its basic kit list includes one gallon of water per person per day for several days, a flashlight, a whistle to signal for help, a dust mask, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio plus a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert ⁷. Our 72-hour kit guide has the full list.

For the plan, the NWS recommends a family plan with an emergency meeting place and a regular family severe thunderstorm drill, so everyone knows to go to the safe room when warnings are issued ³. Canada asks households to plan for older adults, children, pets and anyone with special health needs ¹². Our family emergency plan guide walks through it.

What should you do after a tornado?

Stay covered a little longer. Canada says to remain under cover "for at least 60 seconds after the tornado has passed", because other tornadoes may still occur ¹². The NWS notes that storms can strike in several rounds during an outbreak, so keep listening to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio ⁴.

• Communicate by text. "Text messages or social media are more reliable forms of communication than phone calls" ⁴. Canada asks people to call only for life-threatening emergencies ¹².
• Dress for debris. Long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and sturdy shoes ⁴; Ready.gov adds work gloves and an appropriate mask when cleaning mold or debris ⁶.
• Keep away from power lines. Stay at least 10 m away ¹² and report downed lines to local authorities ⁴.
• Do not re-enter damaged buildings. The NWS says to avoid entering damaged buildings ⁴; Canada says not to stay in or re-enter a home you suspect is unsafe ¹².
• Watch for gas. Do not light matches or switch on electrical equipment until you are sure there are no gas leaks or spilled flammable liquids, and be aware of carbon monoxide risks ¹².

Do tornadoes happen outside the United States?

Yes. Canada averages 97 tornadoes a year, according to the Northern Tornadoes Project cited by the Government of Canada, second in the world behind the United States ¹¹. The strongest generally occur between May and August, most often in the late afternoon and early evening, roughly 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. ¹¹. Damage is more likely in the densely populated southern parts of the country ¹¹. Most Canadian tornadoes have maximum winds under 180 km/h, "but they can still cause serious damage" ¹³.

Tornado warnings in Canada are among the weather alerts that Environment and Climate Change Canada sends through Alert Ready, the national public alerting system, which reaches mobile phones and interrupts TV and radio ¹⁴. Warnings are drawn as targeted polygons around the most affected area, while watches use pre-set zones, so a watch and a warning can be in effect for the same place at once ¹³. See the Canada country page for local alerts and supplies.

What official agencies recommend

United States (NWS/NOAA, Storm Prediction Center). A watch means tornadoes are possible; a warning means one has been sighted or indicated by radar ¹. During a warning, go to a basement, safe room or interior room away from windows; leave mobile homes and vehicles for a sturdy building ².

United States (Ready.gov/FEMA). Best protection is a FEMA-criteria safe room or an ICC 500 storm shelter; next best is a small, interior, windowless room or basement on the lowest level of a sturdy building ⁶. FEMA does not approve or certify safe room products ⁸.

Canada (Public Safety Canada and ECCC). Get into a well-supported basement area, as close to the ground as possible, and protect your head ¹². Stay covered at least 60 seconds after the tornado passes ¹². Tornado warnings are broadcast through Alert Ready ¹⁴.

More country details: United States and Canada.

Frequently asked questions

What are FEMA's tornado shelter requirements?

A FEMA safe room must meet the ICC 500 standard plus the stricter FEMA Funding Criteria in FEMA P-361 ⁹. FEMA recommends a 250 mph design wind speed for residential safe rooms anywhere in the country, which is mandatory when FEMA money is involved ⁹. Details are in our safe room standards guide.

Are there "FEMA-approved" storm shelters?

No. FEMA states that it does not endorse, approve, certify or recommend any contractors, firms or products, and vendors may not advertise products as "FEMA approved" or "FEMA certified" ⁸. Ask for the ICC 500 label and the design wind speed instead ⁹.

What should I do during a tornado watch?

Review and discuss your emergency plans, take inventory of your supplies and check your safe room, then be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued ¹.

Is a bathroom or closet a safe place in a tornado?

If you have no basement, safe room or storm shelter, an inside room without windows on the lowest floor, such as a bathroom, closet or center hallway, is among the safer places ¹⁰. Cover your head and neck, and pull blankets or furniture over you ⁶.

How long should I stay in shelter after a tornado?

Canada recommends staying under cover at least 60 seconds after the tornado has passed ¹². Keep monitoring alerts, because more tornadoes may follow ⁴¹².

Make your own tornado plan

A tornado warning leaves minutes to act, so the decisions belong in advance: which room, who goes where at school and work, what to do if you live in a mobile home. The Phaenyx personal plan helps you set these down for your household and your country, with links to the official sources above. Build your Phaenyx plan.

Sources

1. U.S. National Weather Service (NOAA) — Understand Tornado Alerts — https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww (accessed 2026-10-26)
2. U.S. National Weather Service (NOAA) — What to do During a Tornado — https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-during (accessed 2026-10-26)
3. U.S. National Weather Service (NOAA) — Prepare! Don't let Tornadoes Take You by Surprise — https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-prepare (accessed 2026-10-26)
4. U.S. National Weather Service (NOAA) — What to do After a Tornado — https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-after (accessed 2026-10-26)
5. Storm Prediction Center (NOAA) — Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage — https://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ef-scale.html (accessed 2026-10-26)
6. Ready.gov (FEMA) — Tornadoes — https://www.ready.gov/tornadoes (accessed 2026-10-26)
7. Ready.gov (FEMA) — Build A Kit — https://www.ready.gov/kit (accessed 2026-10-26)
8. FEMA — Safe Rooms — https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/safe-rooms (accessed 2026-10-26)
9. FEMA — Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building or Installing a Safe Room for Your Home, FEMA P-320, Sixth Edition (December 2024) — https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_taking-shelter-from-the-storm_p-320.pdf (accessed 2026-10-26)
10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Preparing for a Tornado — https://www.cdc.gov/tornadoes/safety/index.html (accessed 2026-10-26)
11. Government of Canada (Get Prepared) — Tornadoes — https://www.canada.ca/en/services/policing/emergencies/preparedness/get-prepared/hazards-emergencies/tornados.html (accessed 2026-10-26)
12. Government of Canada (Get Prepared) — Tornadoes (how to prepare) — https://www.canada.ca/en/services/policing/emergencies/preparedness/get-prepared/hazards-emergencies/tornados/how-prepare.html (accessed 2026-10-26)
13. Environment and Climate Change Canada — Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes — https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/severeweather/severe-thunderstorms-tornadoes.html (accessed 2026-10-26)
14. Environment and Climate Change Canada — Weather Alerts — https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/severeweather/weather-alerts.html (accessed 2026-10-26)