Whenever a tornado touches down in an area it’s always capable of massive destruction regardless of it’s strength. Obviously it amplifies the stronger the tornado is, but even EF1’s can level a house if they touch down in an unfortunate area. The gamble comes down to where the tornado hits and what is located within it’s travel path, as well as the severe weather and winds that it brings along with it.
Recently, the weather trends have been sporadic throughout the country, leaning towards more dangerous weather and severe storm patterns.
In Minnesota, this has led to the earliest thunderstorm on record. Never before in recorded history has a tornado struck Minnesota this early in the year. Before Monday, the earliest tornado that ever struck Minnesota this year was on March 18, 1968. The tornado on Monday brought strong winds and storms throughout the bottom half of the state, in Zimmerman and Clarks Grove. The tornadoes touched down on Monday and lead the towns and rural areas to be blocked off due to road closings. The roads were closed because of trees being thrown across them, as well as debris from buildings falling in the ways of traffic.
The Damage of an Unexpected Tornado
The damage was evident in photos displayed on social media, as the local fire department was a mess from severe winds, and an elevator for grain used on a farm was completely destroyed despite it’s towering size. The northern area of the two cities most affected was riddled with incidents. Homes were destroyed by the winds and debris, as roofs were torn from there buildings and large trees fell on top of them. The tornadoes hit in the afternoon, and luckily most people were not still on the road at around 6:30 when they hit. The National Weather Service is still deliberating and investigating the strength of the tornadoes and whether or not it was simply just one or more than one. Todd Krause, a National Weather Service Meteorologist said “It mostly likely was [a tornado], but we want to be certain by taking a look at the damage. We don’t know for sure with a 100 percent certainty.”
The severe storms also brought massive balls of hail depicted by civilians on social media. Reports say “there were sightings of hail an inch and more in diameter.” The winds and hail brought speeds of debris up to 60 miles an hour throughout the state. There was severe weather in the surrounding states as well. Iowa and Missouri was hit with strong storms as well. The problem with this particular storm was the strange weather that proceeded it. the weather was around 60 degrees for a few days and then it fell down below freezing into the 20’s. The winds picked up and it was absolutely frigid, then the storm started to form and the tornadoes struck. There was already problems with debris being flung throughout the area before the storms came, as the weather was sporadic and hazardous enough already. As the tornadoes have subsided, the area has experienced more typical weather with cold spells, rain, and snow.
Keeping Your Family Safe From Tornadoes With U.S. Safe Rooms
With the weather as sporadic as it has been it’s obvious the fickle nature of mother nature. The National Weather Service says that it shows no signs of slowing down, and the best thing to do is start preparing for the worst so when it happens there’s no need to panic. Having a safe room that fits your family’s needs storage or otherwise is the first step to saving your life if your house is ever hit by a tornado. Whenever a home is struck by a tornado it can be gone in seconds, and the only thing that often remains in news stories about similar occurrences is a lone safe room with an albeit scared but completely protected family inside. We offer three different base types of safe rooms to begin with, but the size of your safe room is really where you determine the necessities of your particular situation. We recommend larger than you expect, and to always have some non perishable food items in storage.
Interior and Exterior Safe Rooms
Our Safe Rooms are customizable from a small 4×6 shelter up to a community shelter that can safeguard one hundred people. They are hand welding structures, and include secure multi-point locking doors. The safe rooms can be used for protection against burglary, natural disasters, and for your valuables. Our units can be installed by a professional or can even be a DIY project. Our safe rooms provide protection for small families or even a whole office building. Learn more about our interior and exterior safe rooms.
Modular Safe Rooms
If you have a room in your house that does not really serve any purpose, then our modular safe rooms may be your best option. Our Modular Safe Rooms feature easy to install steel panel walls that can be fitted to any size room. Like our interior and exterior safe rooms, you can allow our professionals to install the steel panels or you can choose to complete the project yourself. Our modular safe rooms are not only for home use, but also great for the office. You never know when an intruder or a natural disaster might threaten the office. Modular safe rooms are perfect for transforming that unused section of the office into a protected area for your employees. Learn more about our Modular Safe Room Kits.
Underground Bunkers
Our bunkers are completely underground, and protect your family from outside threats while allowing you to maintain your quality of life indoors. You can customize your underground bunker to be almost like a house! Your underground bunker can have beds, bathroom, kitchen, living room, etc. Some natural disasters last longer than expected, so it is nice to have somewhere you can spend a large amount of time in while not feeling claustrophobic. The bunkers, when not being used for safety, can be used as home gyms, offices, or media rooms. Learn more about our underground bunkers.
