What are 3 tornado myths?
Myth 1: Opening windows during a tornado equalizes pressure,
saving your house from major damage.
The truth: Opening windows does nothing to save a house. To date
research shows that the pressure drop in a tornado is not
significant enough to cause damage, and pressure equalizes fairly
quickly on its own as houses are not airtight. Tornado damage
results from very powerful winds and the debris they carry.
Myth 2: An overpass provides good shelter in a tornado.
The truth: An overpass provides little or no shelter from a
tornado and taking shelter under one can make a situation more
dangerous. An overpass does not protect from flying debris, the
main killer in a tornado, and the bridge itself can create a wind
tunnel, speeding up winds that move under it.
Myth 3: Tornadoes can only occur on flat land.
The truth: On numerous occasions tornadoes, ranging anywhere
from weak to extremely violent, have struck towns on hills and in
valleys. Tornadoes have also been observed in mountains at
elevations as high as 12,000 feet.