Tips To Stay Safe During Severe Oklahoma Weather

Everyone should get familiar with the terms used to identify a severe weather hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a watch or warning is issued. Terms used to describe weather hazards include the following:

Watch: Meteorologists are monitoring an area or region for the formation of a specific type of threat (e.g. flooding, severe thunderstorms, or tornadoes).

• Tune in using a battery-powered weather radio, television, or stream News 9 weather coverage from your mobile device. If News 9 goes into live severe weather coverage, you will be able to stream from your mobile devices from anywhere. Read about News9.com live streaming here.

Warning: Specific life- and property-threatening conditions are occurring and imminent. Take appropriate safety precautions.

Most Oklahomans know the best place to be during a tornado warning is in a storm shelter, basement or interior room of a house. But if you happen to be driving during severe weather, there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe.

AAA and FEMA have the following "Tornado Tips":

• If a tornado warning is issued for your area, leave your vehicle immediately and seek shelter.

• Never try to outrun a tornado. Your car or pickup will offer no protection from a twister. It is impossible to know which direction a tornado may decide to go.

• Remember, wet roads mean poor traction. Conditions are most dangerous during the first ten minutes of a heavy downpour as oil and debris wash away. Driving on wet roads in the rain is just like driving on ice. Slow down. Take it easy. Allow extra time to reach your destination.

• Never use your motor vehicle's cruise control feature in rainy weather.

• DO NOT open windows.

• Seek shelter indoors. A basement is safest. Closets or small interior rooms are best. Get under a sturdy piece of furniture and stay away from south and west walls and all windows.

• Cover yourself with pillows, a mattress or blankets and wear a helmet and shatter-resistant goggles. Keep a pair of sturdy shoes on.

• If you are caught in the open, with no indoor buildings available to you, find a ditch, ravine or low-lying area and lie flat. Stay away from roadway overpasses.

• Do not seek shelter in a mobile home. These structures, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes and should be abandoned.

• DO NOT take shelter under an underpass or bridge. It is not safe since it can leave you exposed to flying debris.

• After a disaster, be aware of possible structural, electrical or gas-leak hazards in your home. Contact your local city or county building inspectors for information on structural safety codes and standards. They may also offer suggestions on finding a qualified contractor to do work for you.

• DO NOT touch downed power lines or objects in contact with downed lines. Report downed power lines and electrical hazards to the police and the utility company.

• If heavy rains are likely in your area, be aware that flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions to move.

• Be aware of the counties, cities and towns that are near you. It will be easier to track the tornado's direction if you are familiar with the geography of your area.

To see a map of Oklahoma's 77 counties, click here. It appears at the bottom of the page.

Oklahoma's weather is unpredictable, so a disaster kit is vital in every home. Read about what you should keep in your Weather Alert kit.