Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
A week after deadly Texas flooding, hope fades but resilience grows. Chevron right
Recovery teams, displaced residents in Texas face brutal heat. Chevron right

Columbus, OH

73°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

73°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News

TORNADOES 101: What is a tornado, and how can your business better prepare for one?

Tornadoes are considered one of the most violent natural disasters. Learn how they form, and how you can protect your property, people, and assets with AccuWeather.

By Adrianne Burke, Content Marketing Manager | AccuWeather For Business

Published Aug 8, 2024 4:02 PM EDT | Updated Aug 30, 2024 9:45 AM EDT

Copied

>>Learn more about AccuWeather For Business

Recently, deadly tornadoes ripped through the South, destroying local businesses and causing logistical and supply chain disruptions across the country. Learn more about how they form, and how can you better protect your property, people, and assets.

In March 2023, dozens of tornadoes ripped through communities in several states across the South, devastating businesses and communities. In Alabama and Mississippi, nearly two dozen people died. Trucks and cars piled up on highways, and the twisters obliterated businesses and homes. 

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. It’s proven that these businesses are better prepared and employees are safer.  

What is a tornado? 

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that touches the ground from a thunderstorm. A tornado funnel is visible because of all the water droplets, dust, and debris. Tornadoes are considered one of the most violent storms in nature. 

What causes a tornado to happen? 

A tornado forms from a large thunderstorm when warm, humid air rises and cool air falls. These conditions can cause air to spin inside the cloud. They start horizontally but then drop vertically to the ground. 

Where do tornadoes happen? 

Tornadoes can happen anywhere but are most common in the U.S. Roughly 1,200 tornadoes touch down in the U.S. each year. Many of these tornadoes occur in “tornado alley,” a vast area in the central U.S. with a high occurrence of tornadoes. Tornado threats can shift from the Southeast in the cooler months to the Plains in May and June and the northern Plains and Midwest in the summer.

When do tornadoes happen? 

Tornadoes can happen any time of year. Tornadoes can happen any time during the day or night, but most occur between 4-9 p.m. Tornadoes that happen at night are the most dangerous. 

>>READ MORE: Get ahead of the storm: 3 actions your businesses should take to prepare for severe weather

What to do during a tornado? 

GettyImages-477659738

When a tornado strikes, your business must prepare better to protect your people, property, and assets.AccuWeather For Business can help you do that. Here are a few actions you can take: 

• Follow up with your AccuWeather For Business meteorologist for one-on-one consultations to stay current about tornadoes moving through

• Follow your company or organization's tornado drill and move to your shelter location. Stay away from windows and large open rooms such as cafeterias

• Outside workers should look for a sturdy building to seek shelter in immediately. Sheds and storage facilities are not safe

• If you are in a work vehicle, staying inside is also unsafe. Drive to the closest shelter or sturdy building. If nothing is around, abandon your car and seek shelter in a low-lying area like a ditch

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

Superior Accuracy™: Better informed, Better protected, Better prepared.

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. 

 Benefits of SkyGuard® Warnings: 

• Proactive, site-specific alerts offer warnings well before severe weather impacts occur

• Live one-on-one or group consultation is provided by our weather experts anytime, day or night

• Reviewed Tornado Notifications: we monitor your pinpoint location and alert you when a tornado isn't threatening your assets

• Alerts delivered in a format that aligns with your organizational emergency management plan

• All-clear notifications are sent when a threat is over, minimizing weather-related downtime

• All alerts are delivered via push notification from the SkyGuard mobile app, available on Android and iOS

Contact AccuWeather's Experts today to better prepare your business for the impacts of tornadoes and severe weather.

Related:

AccuWeather warns earlier, more accurately, of dangerous tornadoes in Louisiana
AccuWeather Exclusively Provides Numerous Life-Saving Tornado Warnings Ahead of All Other Known Sources for Third Day in a Row
AccuWeather Business Customers Receive advance notice of destructive tornado in Clarksville, TN
Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

A week after deadly Texas flooding, hope fades but resilience grows

Jul. 10, 2025
Severe Weather

Rounds of severe storms to rattle, drench central US

Jul. 10, 2025
video

Abandoned cars submerged by severe flooding in North Carolina

Jul. 10, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Texas Hill Country recovery, cleanup teams to face brutal July weather

13 hours ago

Weather News

State inspection before floods found Camp Mystic had emergency plan

18 hours ago

Weather News

Deadly flash flooding devastates wildfire-scarred New Mexico town

6 hours ago

Astronomy

1st full moon of summer to rise Thursday night

1 day ago

Weather News

Most Texas flood victims face devastation without flood insurance

16 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

12 hours ago

AccuWeather Ready

Floodwater rising in your house? Do this

2 days ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

12 hours ago

Weather News

Earthquake swarm detected at Mount Rainier, biggest since 2009

17 hours ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

12 hours ago

AccuWeather TORNADOES 101: What is a tornado, and how can your business better prepare for one?
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...