The safest place to shelter during a tornado is the interior part of a basement, as far from windows as possible. If you don’t have a basement, a small interior room on the lowest floor, like a bathroom or closet, is your next best option. The key principle is simple: put as many walls between you and the outside as possible, stay low, and protect your head.
Why Basements Are the Best Option
A basement puts you below ground level, beneath most flying debris and the strongest winds. But not every spot in the basement is equally safe. Move to an interior section, away from windows and exterior walls. Before you settle in, think about what’s directly above you on the first floor. Heavy objects like refrigerators, pianos, and waterbeds can crash through a weakened floor during a direct hit. Position yourself away from those spots.
Once you’re in place, get under something sturdy like a heavy table or workbench. Cover your body with a mattress, sleeping bag, or thick blankets to shield against falling debris. Even with a basement, flying glass and collapsing materials are the primary threats to your body.
If You Don’t Have a Basement
Many homes, especially in the South and parts of the Midwest, are built on concrete slabs with no basement at all. In that case, go to the lowest floor and find the smallest interior room you can. Bathrooms are often a good choice because the plumbing within the walls adds some structural reinforcement, and a bathtub gives you something to crouch inside. A closet near the center of the house also works. The goal is to surround yourself with as many interior walls as possible, since exterior walls are the first to fail.
Stay away from windows, doors, and outside walls. Crouch down low, cover your head with your arms, and pull a mattress or heavy blankets over yourself if you can grab them quickly.
Mobile Homes Offer Almost No Protection
This is one of the most important points in tornado safety: mobile and manufactured homes are not safe shelter, period. NOAA and FEMA both recommend that mobile home residents leave for a sturdier structure before storms arrive. Even a weak tornado can destroy a mobile home, while a conventional house nearby might sustain only minor damage.
If you live in a mobile home, identify your evacuation destination now. Safer options include single-family homes with permanent foundations, designated tornado shelters, churches, community centers, and buildings made with reinforced concrete. Know the route and how long it takes to get there. The time to leave is when a tornado watch is issued, not when the warning sounds. Once a tornado warning is active, driving may already be more dangerous than the alternatives, and you may not have enough time to reach shelter safely.
Sheltering in Large Buildings
If you’re at work, school, or in a public building when a tornado warning is issued, head to the lowest floor immediately. Interior hallways and interior rooms away from windows are your safest spots. Avoid large open spaces like gymnasiums, cafeterias, and auditoriums, where the wide-span roof is more likely to collapse. Stairwells made of reinforced concrete can also provide good protection. Never use an elevator during a tornado, since power outages can trap you inside.
Caught in a Car or Outdoors
Being in a vehicle during a tornado is extremely dangerous. A 1979 tornado in Wichita Falls, Texas, killed 44 people, and 25 of them were motorists, many of whom tried to outrun the storm but got caught in traffic. Both the National Weather Service and the American Red Cross now advise against trying to drive away from a tornado unless you can clearly see it and traffic is moving freely in a perpendicular direction.
If a tornado is approaching and you cannot reach a building, get out of the car. Find the lowest ground nearby, like a ditch or culvert, lie flat, and cover your head with your hands. Getting into a low depression minimizes your chances of being picked up by the wind and reduces your exposure to flying debris. Never shelter under a highway overpass. The narrow space actually funnels wind to higher speeds and leaves you exposed to airborne debris.
Protect Your Head
Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of tornado-related death and serious injury. Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham recommend adding a helmet to your tornado preparation kit. Any helmet designed to absorb impact works: bicycle helmets, football helmets, construction hard hats, skateboard helmets, or baseball helmets. The ideal option, according to the research team, is a full-face motorcycle helmet because it protects the entire head, face, and neck. But any helmet is better than none.
Keep helmets stored near your shelter area so you can grab them quickly. For children especially, having a properly sized helmet within reach can make a real difference.
FEMA Safe Rooms
A FEMA safe room is a specially engineered space built to withstand the most extreme tornado winds, far beyond what standard home construction can handle. These rooms are designed to meet specifications laid out in FEMA P-361 and the ICC 500 standard for storm shelters. They can be installed inside an existing home (often in a garage or basement) or built as a standalone unit in the yard. The wind design requirements for a certified safe room are substantially greater than even enhanced tornado-rated building codes.
If you live in a tornado-prone area and are building or renovating a home, a safe room is one of the most effective investments you can make. FEMA occasionally offers grants to help offset the cost.
Skip the Windows
An old and persistent myth says you should open windows before a tornado to equalize air pressure and prevent your house from exploding. This is wrong. Opening windows simply lets destructive winds into your home, increasing the chances of structural failure. The National Weather Service now advises that a fully sealed structure, with all windows and doors closed, has a better chance of escaping major damage. Don’t waste precious seconds on windows. Use that time to get to your shelter spot.
After the Tornado Passes
Stay in your shelter until you’re confident the storm has moved on. Tornadoes can come in clusters, and additional funnels may follow. When you do emerge, move carefully. Watch for downed power lines, broken gas lines, and structural damage that could cause walls or roofs to collapse. If you smell gas or see sparking wires, leave the area immediately and report it to local authorities. Wear sturdy shoes if possible, since debris fields are full of nails, broken glass, and splintered wood.