Tornado Safe Place Basics: Where to Go and What to Practice

Where to go when a tornado warning hits your home

The safest place in a home during a tornado is the interior part of a basement. If there is no basement, the next best choice is a small interior room with no windows on the lowest floor, such as a bathroom, closet, or center hallway. The goal is always the same: put as many walls as possible between your family and the outside, and stay away from glass.

This guide walks through how to pick that spot, what to do if you live in a mobile home or vehicle, and how to practice a fast household drill so nobody has to think twice when a warning is issued.

Signs a tornado may be approaching

Take shelter immediately if a tornado warning is issued for your area. Also take shelter right away if you notice any of these signs, even without a warning, since a tornado can strike before a warning is issued:

• A rotating, funnel-shaped cloud
• An approaching cloud of debris on the ground
• A dark or green-colored sky
• A large, dark, low-lying cloud
• Large hail
• A loud roar that sounds like a freight train

Keep a battery or hand-crank radio, a NOAA weather radio, or a charged phone nearby so you can follow local alerts during severe weather.

The safest place in your home, ranked

Use this order to decide where your household should go, and pick your spot before storm season so everyone already knows it.

1. Interior part of a basement. This puts the most structure between you and the storm. Avoid the area directly under heavy furniture or appliances on the floor above, since those objects could fall through.
2. Small interior room, no windows, on the lowest floor. A bathroom, closet, or center hallway is the next best option when there is no basement. Choose the room farthest from exterior walls and windows.
3. Under a sturdy table or workbench. For added protection, get under something sturdy and cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress if you can.
4. Bathtub or hallway with heavy blankets. Usable if no separate room is available. Keep away from any window, even a small one.

One basic rule applies everywhere in the home: stay away from windows. An exploding window can injure or kill.

If you live in a mobile home or have no basement

Do not stay in a mobile home during a tornado. Mobile homes can turn over in strong winds, and even a home with a tie-down system cannot withstand tornado-force wind. If you live in a mobile home, identify a nearby sturdy building, ideally one with a basement, ahead of time and go there when a warning is issued. If no shelter is available in time, lie flat in the nearest ditch, ravine, or culvert and shield your head with your hands.

Households without a basement should still follow the small-interior-room approach above. If your area has a community storm shelter or a home safe room built to recognized safe-room standards, know its location and how quickly you can reach it.

In a vehicle or outdoors

Do not try to outrun a tornado. If you are driving, head to the closest sturdy shelter instead. Stay away from highway overpasses and bridges, since they do not provide reliable protection. If you cannot reach shelter in time, get down inside the vehicle and cover your head and neck, or leave the vehicle for a low-lying area such as a ditch and lie flat.

If you are outside with no shelter nearby, move to a low-lying area, lie flat, and protect your head and neck with your arms or an object. Avoid areas with many trees.

Extra care for people who need help moving quickly

A written plan should account for anyone in the household who cannot get to shelter alone.

• If someone uses a wheelchair, move away from windows to an interior room and get under a sturdy table or desk if possible. Cover the head with anything available.
• If someone cannot move from a bed or chair and help is not available in time, cover them with blankets and pillows to reduce the risk from falling objects.
• Anyone who depends on powered medical equipment should have a backup power plan worked out before severe weather season, not during it.

Stage these items before storm season

Keep these items in or near your chosen shelter spot so nobody has to search for them during a warning:

• Flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries
• A battery or hand-crank radio, or a fully charged phone
• Sturdy shoes for everyone in the household
• A blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress that can be pulled over the body
• A whistle to signal for help if someone is trapped after the storm
• A helmet for each family member, if available, staged where it can be grabbed without delay

Practice a fast household drill

A shelter spot only works if everyone can get there quickly, without panic. Run this drill with your household twice a year.

1. Call out “tornado drill” and start a timer.
2. Everyone moves directly to the chosen shelter spot, no detours for belongings.
3. Get under a sturdy table or against an interior wall, away from any window.
4. Cover heads and necks with arms, a blanket, or a helmet if one is staged there.
5. Stay in place until you give the all-clear.

Talk through the drill with kids in a calm, non-frightening way, and repeat it after any move or change in the household. Our guide to building a family readiness plan covers how to fold this drill into a full communication and meeting-point plan, and our prepping for beginners guide is a good starting point if your household hasn’t built an emergency kit yet.

What this guidance does not cover

Following this guidance lowers risk, but it cannot guarantee safety in every storm. There is currently no research confirming how much a helmet reduces head injury risk in a tornado, though head injuries are a common cause of death in these storms. If your household chooses to stage helmets, treat them as one added layer, not a substitute for getting to shelter quickly. This article is general safety information, not an assessment of your specific home’s construction or your region’s risk.

Frequently asked questions

What is the single safest spot in a house without a basement?

A small interior room with no windows on the lowest floor, such as a bathroom, closet, or center hallway, away from exterior walls.

Is it safe to shelter under a staircase?

An enclosed area under a staircase can work if it is interior, away from windows, and on the lowest floor. The main priorities are distance from glass and as many walls as possible between you and the outside.

Should we shelter in a car during a tornado?

No. A vehicle is one of the least safe places to be. Drive to the nearest sturdy building if you can do so safely; otherwise get down inside the vehicle and cover your head and neck, or move to a low-lying area on foot.

How often should we practice our tornado drill?

Twice a year is a reasonable baseline, and again any time your household changes, such as a move, a new baby, or a new pet.

Educational disclaimer

This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for guidance from local emergency management officials or the manufacturer instructions for any safe room or storm shelter you install. Always follow directions from local authorities during an active tornado warning.