Across the southeast, there were more than 200 reports of severe weather and several dozen reports of tornadoes so far this weekend as of early Sunday morning in an ongoing multi-day tornado and severe weather outbreak. 

 

NOW is the time to prepare for round three of severe weather in our area. DOWNLOAD the Red Cross Emergency App! Visit www.redcross.org/apps

 

Watch for tornado warning signs such as dark, greenish clouds, large hail, a roaring noise, a cloud of debris or funnel clouds. Secure outside items such as lawn furniture or trash cans, which could be picked up by the wind and injure someone.

 

If a tornado watch is issued, it means tornadoes are possible and people should be ready to act quickly. If a tornado warning is issued, it means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar and people should go underground immediately to a basement or storm cellar or to an interior room such as a bathroom or closet. 

 

If a tornado warning is issued and someone is outside, they should hurry to the basement of a nearby sturdy building. If they cannot get to a building, they should get in a vehicle, buckle in, and drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If flying debris occurs, a person can pull over and stay in the car with the seat belt on, their head below the window, and cover their head with a blanket or their hands. 

 

If someone does not have a vehicle, they should find ground lower than the surface of the roadway, and cover their head with their hands. If someone is in a high-rise building, they should pick a place in the hallway in the center of the building.

 

For more information, visit www.redcross.org/prepare