Storm safety guides

Short, plain-English answers to the questions people ask when the sky turns dark. Based on guidance from the National Weather Service, the Storm Prediction Center and the National Hurricane Center.

• What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?A watch means be ready. A warning means act now.
• What should you do during a tornado warning?Lowest floor, interior room, away from windows. Protect your head.
• What do the colors on weather radar mean?Green is light rain. Red and purple mean heavy rain and possibly hail.
• What is the EF scale for tornadoes?How tornadoes are rated, from EF0 to EF5, after the damage is surveyed.
• What is the 30/30 rule for lightning?When thunder roars, go indoors. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder.
• How dangerous is a flash flood, and what should you do?Turn around, don’t drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you down.
• What does the hurricane cone mean?The cone shows where the center may go, not how big the storm is.
• What should be in a storm emergency kit?Water, food, light, power and medicine for at least three days.