GREENSBORO, N.C. — UPDATE: The tornado warning for Surry County expired at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday.
TORNADO WARNING
A tornado warning means a tornado has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar and there is a serious threat to life and property to those in the path of the tornado.
TORNADO SAFETY TIPS
From the National Weather Service
- The safest place to be is an underground shelter, basement, or safe room.
- If no underground shelter or safe room is available, a small, windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building is the safest alternative.
- Get low to the ground or floor as much as possible and cover yourself.
- Cover yourself with a mattress, sleeping bags, or pillow.
- Wear a helmet to protect your head.
- Mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes. Abandon mobile homes and go to the nearest sturdy building or shelter immediately.
- If you are caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, shelter or sturdy building. If you cannot quickly walk to a shelter: Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter.
- If flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. Now you have the following options as a last resort: Stay in your vehicle with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible.
- If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car, and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.
- Your choice should be driven by your specific circumstances.
HOUSE/STAND-ALONE BUILDING:
- Get to the lowest level possible
- Go to an area with as many walls between you as possible
- Get in a bathtub or interior closet
MOBILE HOME:
- Get out of the mobile home and get in a sturdy building if possible
- Get out of the mobile home and hunker in a ditch
- If no ditch or building is nearby, plan ahead and get to a sturdy building ahead of time
APARTMENT:
- Get to the lowest level (go to a neighbor's apartment on the first floor)
- Regardless of what floor you're on, get in a bathtub or interior closet
- If you are on a higher level and can't get to a lower apartment, hunker down in the breezeway of the apartment building
CAR:
- If possible, pull over, park, get inside a building and out of the storm
- If you have to stay in your car, try to find a ditch to park in and use your emergency brake.
- DO NOT park under a bridge or overpass
Watch: How do tornadoes form?
TORNADO FACT OR FICTION SAFETY
From the National Weather Service
FICTION: Highway overpasses provide safe shelter from tornadoes.
FACT: The area under a highway overpass is very dangerous in a tornado. If you are in a vehicle, you should immediately seek shelter in a sturdy building. As a last resort, you can either: stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible, OR if you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Your choice should be driven by your specific circumstances.
FICTION: It is safe to take shelter in the bathroom, hallway, or closet of a mobile home.
FACT: Mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes! Abandon your mobile home to seek shelter in a sturdy building immediately. If you live in a mobile home, ensure you have a plan in place that identifies the closest sturdy buildings.
FICTION: A tornado causes buildings to “explode” as the tornado passes overhead.
FACT: Violent winds and debris slamming into buildings cause the most structural damage.
FICTION: Open windows before a tornado approaches to equalize pressure and minimize damage.
FACT: Virtually all buildings leak. Leave the windows closed. Take shelter immediately. An underground shelter, basement or safe room are the safest places. If none of those options are available, go to a windowless interior room or hallway.
REPORTING POWER OUTAGES
- Duke Energy: 1-800-POWERON, 1-800-769-3766 Customers may also report an outage or view current outages online
- Duke Energy Progress: 1-800-419-6356
- NC Electrical Cooperatives: 1-888-411-7870
- Energy United: 1-800-386-4833
- Randolph Electric: 1-877-736-2633
- Piedmont Electric: 1-800-449-2667
- Surry-Yadkin Electric: 336-356-8241
- City of Lexington Electric: 336-248-2337
- City of High Point Electric: 336-883-3111
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