What to do during a tornado

Prepare for an emergency During a tornado

High risk season for tornadoes in Calgary is from mid-June until early August and are most likely in the late afternoon or evening. If you see a tornado approaching, you have a short window to make decisions.

The likelihood of a tornado touching down in Calgary is relatively low and the risk trend remains stable, but the consequences could be catastrophic. The most recent experience of a tornado in Calgary was a tornado warning that was issued in 2015. Our Disaster Risk Explorer has information about the risk of disasters in Calgary and what the City is doing to prepare for it.

Definition – Know Risk

A tornado is a violently rotating columns of extreme high winds that can last from a few minutes to several hours. Tornadoes can quickly approach and pass over your locations. Strong tornadoes are associated with severe thunderstorms, often accompany heavy rain or hail. 

Tornadoes can destroy buildings, flip cars and create deadly flying debris

How to get ready before

  • Know the risk. Calgary is in a tornado zone
  • Know the signs of a tornado
  • Make a household action plan
  • Know the potential warning signs of tornadoes and know the difference between a warning and a watch
  • Prepare your house and know where you can shelter in place
  • Plan for your pet

Know what to do during

Immediately go to a safe location that you have identified.

If you are indoors:

  • The safest place is the lowest and most central room, preferably a basement or cellar
  • Get under a sturdy piece of furniture, and use your arms to protect your head and neck
  • Don’t open windows
  • Don’t use elevators

If you are outdoors:

  • Go inside right away
  • If you can't get inside, lie flat in a ditch or sunken ground and cover your head with your hands
  • Do not go under an overpass or bridge

If you are in a mobile home:

  • Go to the nearest sturdy building or shelter immediately. Mobile homes do not offer much protection from tornadoes 
  • If you are driving or in a vehicle
  • Don’t try to outrace a tornado. Tornadoes can move quickly and change direction with little to no warning. Drive to the nearest solid structure and take shelter immediately. As every tornado is different, ensure that you assess your surroundings to make the best possible decision.

If there is no solid structure available for shelter: 

  • Pull off the road, park the vehicle, set the handbrake, and turn on your hazard lights 
  • If it’s safe to exit your vehicle, seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch, away from your vehicle:
    • Lay flat and protect your head and neck from debris 
    • Be alert for rising water in the ditch and be prepared to move 
    • Be aware that you may still be exposed to harmful tornado winds in a ditch 
    • Don’t attempt without a first responder’s aid to get out of your vehicle if downed power lines are close by (within 10 m) or if they have fallen across your vehicle 
    • Whenever possible, avoid parking near tall objects and power lines 
    • Don’t park or take shelter under an overpass as it can increase wind strength and collect debris 

Know what to do after

  • Stay where you are until it is safe to move
  • Follow the instructions of emergency officials
  • Make sure your home is safe and be aware of hazards, such as downed power lines, damaged gas lines, no water or power
  • Make sure you check on your neighbours

Related links

How to prepare for a tornado

  • An approaching cloud of debris can indicate a tornado, even if you cannot see a funnel. The wind may die and the air can be quite still before a tornado.
  • Tornadoes can occur anywhere in Calgary and generally last less than one hour (seconds to minutes is the most likely).

Staying safe during a tornado

  • Take shelter in the basement or lowest level of your home or building immediately:
    • Find a small interior room with no windows, like a closet or under the stairs, and stay near the wall under a sturdy piece of furniture.
    • Put as many walls as possible between yourself and the outside for protection.
  • If you are instructed to evacuate, bring your 72-hour emergency kit and emergency contact list to the reception centre or shelter.
  • If you are outside and can't get indoors, find a low-lying area like a ditch. Cover your head with your hands and avoid overpasses or bridges.
  • Be aware of debris and flying objects.
  • Avoid buildings with large-span roofs such as shopping malls and auditoriums.
  • If you are in a car, do not try to outrun a tornado. Leave your vehicle immediately and find an indoor shelter or low-lying area like a ditch.
  • If you are in a mobile home, leave immediately as they offer little protection from tornadoes. Get to the lowest point inside the closest safe, sturdy building.
  • If you are in an building where a Best Available Refuge Area (BARA) has been identified, take shelter in the designated area.
  • Download the How to stay safe during a tornado checklist.

Tornado watch vs. warning

  • A tornado watch means conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms with one or more tornadoes.
  • A tornado warning means a tornado has been reported; or when there is reliable evidence based on radar or a reliable spotter that a tornado is imminent.

Best Available Refuge Area

Some buildings may have designated shelter areas, often called a Best Available Refuge Area (BARA). They are safer shelter areas in buildings if there is a tornado or a high wind situation.

Learn more about BARA
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After a tornado

  • Follow the instructions of the authorities.
    • Check in at any reception centres or shelters that have been set up so you can be accounted for and reunified with any missing family members.
  • Do not go into damaged areas. There may be structural damage that may or may not be visible.
    • Be aware that debris can present hazards – tripping, puncture wounds, collapsing structures, etc.
    • Watch for sharp objects like nails and glass.
    • Injuries due to tornadoes are often caused after the tornado has ended, when walking among and cleaning up debris.
  • Watch out for downed power lines or ruptured gas lines. If you smell natural gas, get away from the source and notify authorities of a gas leak.
  • Check to see if you or others are injured.
    • Do not move seriously injured or trapped people unless they are in immediate danger of further injury (such as from a collapsing structure).
    • Seek medical assistance for them as soon as possible.
  • Stay informed:
    • Continue to monitor local weather information, preferably from battery-powered or wind-up radios.
    • Use battery powered lights or lanterns, rather than candles, to light a home.
    • Open flames can be dangerous if gas lines are compromised.
    • Never use generators, camp stoves, or other fuel-burning appliances inside.
    • Carbon monoxide, a clear, colorless, and odourless gas, can be emitted from these appliances and causes illness or death.
  • Use battery powered lights or lanterns, rather than candles, to light a home. Open flames can be dangerous if gas lines are compromised.
  • Never use generators, camp stoves, or other fuel-burning appliances inside.
    • Carbon monoxide, a clear, colorless, and odourless gas, can be emitted from these appliances and causes illness or death.
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