Tornado!

[Jolt]

If you don't have a basement, you want to be in a low-level room/hall/closet with no windows.

Very true...I just realized with all the talk about tornado watches today (we haven't even had any thunderstorms here yet) I have no safe place to go in my apartment if a tornado hits--I am on the second and third floors and every room has two or more windows. Hopefully we never get hit here...

[Crankin]

Oy, there's a new (and big) storm headed directly toward us now. In about 45 minutes. Looks like it has good possibility of some damaging winds at the least, and maybe tornadic activity.
Jolt, I think this one may be north of you. It's going right along Rt. 2.

[Jolt]

Jolt, I think this one may be north of you. It's going right along Rt. 2.

I'm not in Worcester anymore (made the big move to Maine this weekend!). Hopefully you don't get hit too badly with this one...

[Crankin]

No tornado, but some very bad thunder and lightning.
Hope your new apt./job/city are great.

[SheFly]

We took the kittens and high-tailed it to the basement when the hail started here. Crankin - looks like it was worse where you were!

The news is reporting 4 deaths so far. For those of you in regular tornado areas, I realize this isn't a big deal, but this doesn't happen here. I have NEVER created an emergency pack and gone to the basement for shelter. Very scary.

Hope anyone out in Western MA is safe and sound.

Ridebikeme - what's the news up there? I heard touchdowns in Gorham and Jefferson. You ok?

SheFly

[ny biker]

We actually do get tornados in the DC metro area, though fortunately not as many or as severe as in other areas. I have no basement -- I'm in a second floor condo. My choices are: (a) the walk-in closet in my bedroom or (2) leave my condo, go into the main hallway, all the way downstairs to the basement level. There is a door down there that leads into my neighbors' basement. So I could either knock and hope they hear me and let me in, or just crouch under the stairs.

[NbyNW]

Yikes! I hope everyone out that way stays safe.

[sundial]

...I have no safe place to go in my apartment if a tornado hits...

If you are able to, hide under the stairwell on the bottom floor and cover yourself with a large cushion or even a mattress. If that is not an option, go to an area away from the windows and get as low as possible. Most deaths occur because of flying debris.

[m.eliza]

We had hail stones the size of dimes coming down for a while before I left work (strange that you didn't have any down the street, Crankin!). I had to run outside to roll my car windows up (oops) and came back dripping from head to toe.

A friend of mine lives in one of the towns where a tornado touched down last night. Hoping to hear back from him soon!

[Jolt]

If you are able to, hide under the stairwell on the bottom floor and cover yourself with a large cushion or even a mattress. If that is not an option, go to an area away from the windows and get as low as possible. Most deaths occur because of flying debris.

Ugh...the only stairwell I could get under would be the one going up from the second to the third floor (there's a little alcove under therer where I have a few things stored) and it's right across the living room from the two windows. Currently I do not have access to the basement although this may change as my landlord said he is planning on putting an outside entrance in to the basement at some point so everyone in the building can access it for storage etc. One person to whom I brought this up suggested I go outside and lie on the ground right against the retaining wall at the edge of the yard, but that would seem to be pretty exposed to any flying debris if it's coming from the wrong direction. I suppose the best bet would be to knock on my downstairs neighbor's door if she happened to be home.