John H. is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and grandfather from Union City, Michigan.
On March 6, 2026, he was outside working on a car he was fixing up for his granddaughter’s 16th birthday.
Then, a tornado alert hit his cellphone.
John had no time to reach his house, so he ran to his barn instead.
While trying to close the barn doors, an EF-3 tornado packing winds up to 160 mph lifted him into the air.
The twister slammed him into the barn roof and dropped him back down onto his wife’s car.
John said he thought he was going to die.
After the tornado passed, his house was gone.
His neighbor’s houses were gone.
Three people on his street were killed.
But, despite a badly gashed arm, John heard a woman crying in the rubble and tried to help her.
He spent a week in the hospital after his hand got infected from debris in the wound.
This is the concerning part of this story:
The National Weather Service had not issued a tornado watch for the area beforehand.
By the time warnings went out, people had seconds to respond, not minutes.
John got a tornado alert on his cell, but the tornado was already bearing down on him.
He did not have time to reach his house.
A last-second alert is not enough to keep you breathing if you do not already have a plan.
Spring has arrived and tornado season is ramping up quickly.
So, tornado readiness matters more than ever.
You cannot rely on a watch or warning to protect you.
You need a plan and the right gear in place before the sky turns dark.
With that in mind, this is what you need to know about surviving a tornado this spring.
Pick your shelter spot right away, not during the storm:
The safest place in your house during a tornado is a basement or storm shelter.
If you do not have either, go to a small interior room on the lowest floor.
Bathrooms, closets, and interior hallways work because they have more walls between you and the outside.
Stay away from windows, exterior walls, and large uncovered rooms.
The key is to choose the smallest room possible with the most walls around it.
Walk through your house this week and pick that spot so every person in your household knows exactly where to go.
Protect your head, neck, and feet:
About half of tornado-related injuries are cuts and puncture wounds from flying debris and broken glass.
Keep a helmet in your shelter spot for every person in the household.
A bicycle helmet, football helmet, or hard hat will work.
Also keep a pair of sturdy, closed-toe shoes by each bed.
After a tornado, the ground is covered in glass, nails, and sharp debris.
Use more than one alert system:
Do not rely on a single cellular notification to warn you.
A NOAA weather radio can wake you up at 3 A.M. with an alarm if a warning is issued for your county.
It does not depend on cell towers or Wi-Fi.
Pair it with a weather app on your device and local TV news for layered coverage.
The more ways you can receive a warning, the more time you have to respond.
Equip your shelter spot with a small kit:
Place a bin in your shelter location with water bottles, a flashlight, a portable charger with a charging cord, and a first aid kit.
Add a whistle so rescuers can find you if you are trapped under debris.
A whistle carries farther than your voice and takes far less energy to use.
Include a few days of any needed medications, especially for children or elderly loved ones.
Three things you should never do during a tornado:
Do not lift your windows:
This is one of the oldest tornado myths and it is wrong.
Raising the windows does not balance the pressure.
It lets wind and debris pour into your house and wastes time you should spend getting to shelter.
Do not hide under an overpass:
If you are in your car when a tornado hits, do not stop under a highway overpass.
Wind speeds actually increase under an overpass because of the tunnel effect.
Debris gets funneled directly toward you.
If you cannot reach a sturdy building, find a low-lying ditch away from the road, lie flat, and cover your head.
Do not stay in a mobile home:
Mobile homes do not have a safe area during a tornado.
Not even those with tie-downs.
If you live in a manufactured residence, your plan should always be to leave for a stronger building before the storm arrives.
Keep your vehicle gassed up and know two or three locations you can reach in a hurry.
Can you survive a tornado without a basement?
Yes, you can.
Many people have survived tornadoes by sheltering in a small interior room on the ground floor.
The key is to put as many walls as possible between you and the outside.
Stay close to the ground.
Cover your head and neck with a mattress, heavy blankets, or couch cushions.
A bathtub in an interior bathroom is a solid option because the sides give you a low profile and added protection from flying debris.
If you are looking for a reliable weather radio:
The Midland WR120B is among the most trusted options with a programmable county alert system.
The Eton FRX3 is another solid choice because it runs on hand crank, solar, and battery power.
For a budget option, the Sangean CL-100 has a simple setup and strong reception.
Whatever you choose, make sure you and your family are prepared for the next storm or crisis.
