Gridlock Guy: Two experts say cars not safe during tornado

COVER UP - Use pillows, blankets, coats, helmets, etc to cover up and protect your head and body from flying debris, the number one killer in tornadoes.

Last week’s column presented controversial research from 2002 which suggested that a car might give limited protection from weak tornadoes. Two experts in the field, Marshall Shepherd, director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program, University of Georgia and president of the American Meteorological Society and John Trostel, director of the Severe Storms Research Center Georgia Tech Research Institute and president of the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association were concerned that people may misconstrue the study as hard fact. They asked to weigh in. This is their response:

Thank you for the opportunity to respond in such a visible manner. We would like to use this as an opportunity to reach out and educate the public on tornado safety issues as much as possible. We appreciate the work that Mr. Arum does and do not want this to come across as an effort to put down his work. We are very supportive of what Mark was trying to do, but would like to point out that there is a lot more information on the subject.

A joint statement issued by the National Weather Service and the American Red Cross in 1999, based partially on this research, stated however:

“… whether you stay in your car or seek shelter in a depression or ditch, both of which are considered last resort options that provide little protection.”

The current, overwhelming consensus among tornado researchers remains that cars are one of the worst places to be during a tornado. The Storm Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, details the danger of being in a car during a tornado in their on-line FAQs (http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/car.htm). Dr. Harold Brooks, one of the world’s top experts on tornadoes presented similar advice in a recent blog following the Moore, Oklahoma tornado (http://www.livingontherealworld.org/?p=899).

Of particular concern are people who decide to flee tornadoes in their cars. In a large metropolitan area, especially during rush hour, this action exposes many people to grave danger. This danger was expressed in the November 1989 Huntsville tornado, which struck during rush hour. Twelve of the 21 deaths from this tornado occurred in cars. A tornado in Wichita Falls in 1979, also during rush hour, resulted in 42 fatalities, 25 in vehicles.

More recently, at least seven of the nine fatalities in the May 31 tornado near Oklahoma City were in their vehicles when they were killed. Some local broadcasters advised the public to evacuate in cars if they did not have proper shelter, while the National Weather Service advised the public to stay off the roads after 4 pm. Debate continues whether conflicting advice led to gridlocked roads and a “ticking time bomb” of danger during the El Reno event. Dr. Jeff Masters of Weather Underground (http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2422) noted that, if the tornado had hit those congested roads, it could have resulted in up to 500 fatalities. Such estimates drive the need for a clear and consistent message on cars and tornadoes.

Tornadoes in Georgia tend to be rain-wrapped, often occur at night and are difficult to see. They are hard to outrun in a car because of the difficulties in determining where the tornado is and which way the storm is moving. Knowing that a tornado “is only an EF0 or EF1” is not possible before the National Weather Service has done their post-storm survey. Estimating the intensity of the storm from radar data is very inexact. All tornadoes should be considered dangerous and life threatening.

People who live in mobile homes should have a tornado evacuation plan and should consider leaving the mobile home during the tornado watch period well before the tornadoes are sighted. If the mobile home facility does not have a sturdy, well constructed shelter, the best use of a car may be to drive to a safer place, as long as driving there is possible well before the storm hits.

Most other homes are much safer places to be than cars. Many people survived the Moore OK tornado in their homes despite the lack of basements or storm shelters. Following the adage, “Get in, Get Down, and Cover Up”, resulted in many people climbing out of their destroyed homes.

I agree with everything that these gentlemen have written, but, if I was in my car on the Downtown Connector and a tornado hit, I don’t think I’d get out of my car.