High Winds and Tornados

Tornado

High winds have been known to be an
occasional problem for residents of the
Wasatch front every 20 or 30 years or so.
Winds reaching 75 miles per hour (hurricane
strength) have been known to down power
lines. People should be fully prepared for a
power outage and understand these facts
about high winds and tornadoes. The Salt
Lake City Tornado was a very rare tornado
that occurred in Salt Lake City, Utah on
August 11, 1999, during an unusually strong
summer monsoon season. It was among the
most notable tornadoes to hit west of the
Great Plains in the 20th century and only the
second tornado to hit in Utah that resulted in a
fatality (the other occurring in 1884).

What is a Tornado?

A tornado is defined as a violently rotating
column of air extending from a thunderstorm
to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are
capable of tremendous destruction with wind
speeds of 250 mph or more. Damage paths
can be in excess of one mile wide and 50
miles long.

What Causes Tornadoes?

Thunderstorms develop in warm, moist air in
advance of eastward-moving cold fronts.
These thunderstorms often produce large
hail, strong winds and even a chance of
tornadoes here in Utah. Along the front range
of the Rocky Mountains, in the Texas
Panhandle, and in the southern High Plains,
thunderstorms frequently form as air near the
ground flows "upslope" toward higher terrain.
If other favorable conditions exist, these
thunderstorms can produce tornadoes. Small
tornadoes can even accompany tropical
storms and hurricanes that move over land.
Tornadoes are most common to the right and
ahead of the path of the storm center as it
comes onshore.

A Disaster Plan for Tornadoes

1. Identify your safe room.
2. Purchase a weather radio with automatic
warning.
3. Post emergency telephone numbers.
4. Make sure safety features in your
apartment, such as smoke detectors and fire
extinguishers are in good order.
5. Inspect your home for potential hazards
(such as items that can move, fall, break or
catch fire) and correct them.
6. Have your family learn basic safety
measures, such as CPR and first aid; how to
use a fire extinguisher; and how and when to
turn off water, gas, and electricity in your
apartment.
7. Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1
8. Keep supplies on hand (see 72 hour kit)
such as enough food and water for a short
time in case utilities cant get power running
quickly, or in case roads are impassable due
to debris.

High Winds & Tornadoes