Businesses need to protect their people and property against all weather hazards, not just in locations more prone to severe weather, that includes tornadoes. As of March 2023, 300+ tornadoes have touched down across the country, causing destruction and devastation in their path. Many tornadoes spawned in areas used to experiencing them, such as the South and across “Tornado Alley.” AccuWeather is observing more and more severe weather events occurring outside of “normal” severe weather areas. When a tornado strikes, your business must be better prepared to protect your people, property, and assets. AccuWeather For Business can help you do that.

STRONGEST TORNADO SINCE 1983 TOUCHES DOWN IN LA

Businesses in the Los Angeles, CA, area saw the impacts of an intense thunderstorm that rumbled through the downtown area and produced an EF-1 tornado on March 22. According to the National Weather Service, the tornado touched down in an industrial park and warehouse district. The tornado damaged at least 17 buildings and at least one person was hurt. The tornado was the strongest to impact the metro area since March 1983.

Believe it or not, it’s a common myth that tornadoes do not hit downtown areas. The odds are significantly lower, mainly because urban areas don’t occupy as much space as rural areas. But they can happen. For example, St. Louis, Missouri, has been hit four times in less than a century.

MORE RARE TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS

• In December 2018, an extremely rare tornado touched down in Port Orchard, outside of Seattle. It was the strongest to hit Washington state since 1986. Within 5 minutes, the EF-2 tornado carved a 1.4-mile path of destruction, tearing off roofs, shattering windows, and bringing down large trees.

• In mid-June 2018, an E-F2 tornado, with wind speeds upwards of 130 mph, hit Wilkes-Barre in Northeastern, PA. Tornadoes of this magnitude are very in this area. To make matters worse, the storm struck at night.

• In the first week of April 2023, one person died after a rare and historic EF-3 tornado ripped a 14-mile-long path of destruction through Delaware. It was one tornado in a massive outbreak across the country that week.

Delaware is one of the states in the U.S. least likely to see a tornado. Between 2012 and 2021, there have been an average of 1,135 tornadoes across the country annually. According to the National Weather Service, the states that saw, on average, the fewest twisters were Alaska, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont, Delaware, and New Hampshire.

On the other hand, the most average tornadoes over that same timeframe happened in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Illinois.

MORE DETAILS >> When minutes matter: how to plan for and respond to a SkyGuard Tornado Warning

WAYS TO PREPARE

Whether it’s logistical issues, business disruptions, or employee safety, your business must take steps to prepare for the risk of tornadoes. There are several actions your business can take to be better prepared.

• Review, revise, and improve your current severe weather plan

• Deliver weather safety training, sheltering, and evacuation training for all employees

• Check severe weather communication lists for out-of-date information

• Don’t wait for the tornado to near a building before sending employees to shelter

• Companies should work with local fire departments to confirm that they’re sheltering in the right location

• Participate in a tabletop exercise with AccuWeather For Business

On average, organizations that use AccuWeather SkyGuard Warnings receive an average of 16 minutes of advance notice compared to 8 minutes from all other sources. The extra time allows businesses to execute their emergency plans and seek shelter before a tornado hits their facility.

Be proactive with AccuWeather SkyGuard Warnings backed by Superior Accuracy™, which will deliver site-specific alerts and warnings well before severe weather hits, giving you much-needed time to prepare. Want to learn more? Contact us today.

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TORNADO ALLEY: Where is it and what you need to know