I am doing a lot of severe weather safety talks right now and it never ceases to amaze me how some old myths that have LONG been debunked are still practiced by people on a regular basis. With severe weather, including tornado potential in the forecast for tomorrow, I thought it might be a good time to remind you that these things simply are NOT true.
Myth #1: When a tornado is approaching, go around and crack open some windows to equalize the pressure and keep your house from exploding.
Truth: The central pressure in a tornado isn’t even CLOSE to being low enough to cause a house to explode and even if it was, there isn’t a house built by anyone but NASA that would be air-tight enough to cause the internal pressure to be that much higher than the outside pressure. Believe me, the tornado will open the windows FOR you. Don’t waste precious time running around opening them. It could cost you your life or at least get your floors all wet.
Myth #2: The southwest corner of the basement is the safest place to be.
Truth: After the Topeka tornado of June 8, 1966, an extensive study was done of building damage by a young Dr. Joe Eagleman from the University of Kansas that showed it was the WORST place to be. If your house is on the edge of the total destruction, it might just be shifted off of its foundation, usually to the northeast, causing the southwest corner of the house to fall into the basement. The BEST thing to do is get under something sturdy. If you have wooden steps leading down to the basement, these are the most structurally sound part of your house. Get under them, cover up and hold on!
Myth #3: A tornado can never hit (insert town name here) because (insert valley, river confluence, lake, hill, mountain, oil field, etc. here) protects it.
Truth: With very few exceptions EVERY town I have ever done a weather safety talk in has the same story about how their town can NEVER be hit by a tornado for one reason or another. Usually, the myth comes from “my dad” or “my grandfather.” I hate to tell you this, but he was full of beans. These stories get made up because tornadoes are very rare and they hit towns directly even MORE rarely. Believe me, a strongly rotating column of air that extends 12 miles into the atmosphere from a cloud that is 1000 cubic miles couldn’t care less about a hill, valley, river, lake, downtown or any other geographical feature. Tornadoes HAVE been recorded crossing all of these things, even mountains. Think about the tri-state tornado of March 18, 1925. It touched down in Missouri, went all of the way across Illinois and didn’t lift up until Indiana. It crossed the mother of all rivers, the Mississippi and countless hills, valleys, lakes, forests, oil fields, etc. and became the deadliest tornado in U.S. history, killing 695 people. Don’t let yourself get lulled into a false sense of security because of a legend your dad or grandpa told. A tornado can and WILL go wherever the forces of nature take it. If you wait long enough, it will be the exact spot where you are sitting right now.
Know of any other tornado myths/legends that you wonder about the validity of? I would love to hear them. Please comment below or on my facebook page. Most of all, remember to always prepare for the worst and pray for the best.
Members Get More
Additional details are available for these membership levels:
BasicEnthusiast
Keep Up to Date - Enable Notifications
OK
No thanks
1 - Query:
SELECT option_value FROM wp_options WHERE option_name = 'siteurl' LIMIT 1
Time: 1.262 ms
2 - Query:
SELECT * FROM wp_pmpro_membership_levels
Time: 0.157 ms
3 - Query:
SET time_zone = "+00:00"
Time: 0.342 ms
4 - Query:
SELECT t0.name AS name_1, t0.value AS value_2, t0.id AS id_3, t0.created_at AS created_at_4, t0.updated_at AS updated_at_5 FROM wp_mailpoet_settings t0
Time: 0.402 ms
5 - Query:
SHOW TABLES LIKE 'wp\\_ewwwio\\_images'
Time: 0.852 ms
6 - Query:
select option_name, option_value from wp_options where option_name like 'mcloud%'
Time: 1.647 ms
7 - Query:
SHOW TABLES LIKE 'wp_mcloud_pending_optimizations'
Time: 0.769 ms
8 - Query:
SHOW TABLES LIKE 'wp_mcloud_bg_optimizations'
Time: 0.687 ms
9 - Query:
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM information_schema.tables
WHERE table_schema = 'dbb845775ff53c4a11a5569812f8843b49'
AND table_name IN ('wp_toolset_associations', 'wp_toolset_connected_elements', 'wp_toolset_relationships', 'wp_toolset_type_sets')
Time: 1.101 ms
10 - Query:
SELECT count(w0_.id) AS sclr_0 FROM wp_mailpoet_subscribers w0_ WHERE w0_.deleted_at IS NULL AND w0_.status IN ('subscribed', 'unconfirmed', 'inactive')
Time: 0.688 ms
11 - Query:
SELECT a.action_id FROM wp_actionscheduler_actions a LEFT JOIN wp_actionscheduler_groups g ON g.group_id=a.group_id WHERE 1=1 AND g.slug='mailpoet-cron' AND a.hook='mailpoet/cron/daemon-trigger' AND a.args='[]' AND a.status IN ('in-progress', 'pending') LIMIT 0, 1
Time: 0.329 ms
12 - Query:
SELECT DISTINCT t.trigger_key
FROM `wp_mailpoet_automations` AS a
JOIN `wp_mailpoet_automation_triggers` as t
WHERE a.status = 'active' AND a.id = t.automation_id
ORDER BY trigger_key DESC
Time: 0.284 ms
13 - Query:
SELECT id FROM wp_pmpro_membership_levels LIMIT 1
Time: 0.298 ms
14 - Query:
SELECT id FROM wp_pmpro_membership_levels WHERE allow_signups = 1 AND (initial_payment > 0 OR billing_amount > 0 OR trial_amount > 0) LIMIT 1
Time: 0.126 ms
15 - Query:
SELECT user_id FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_users WHERE initial_payment > 0 OR billing_amount > 0 OR trial_amount > 0 LIMIT 1
Time: 0.082 ms
16 - Query:
SELECT DISTINCT meta_value FROM wp_postmeta
WHERE meta_key = '_view_loop_template'
AND meta_value != '0'
ORDER BY post_id
Time: 0.330 ms
17 - Query:
SELECT ID, post_name, post_parent, post_type
FROM wp_posts
WHERE post_name IN ('three-tornado-myths-that-just-refuse-to-die')
AND post_type IN ('page','attachment')
Time: 0.815 ms
18 - Query:
SELECT wp_posts.ID
FROM wp_posts
WHERE 1=1 AND wp_posts.post_name = 'three-tornado-myths-that-just-refuse-to-die' AND wp_posts.post_type = 'post'
ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC
Time: 0.765 ms
19 - Query:
SELECT autoload FROM wp_options WHERE option_name = 'pmpro_visits' LIMIT 1
Time: 0.615 ms
20 - Query:
SHOW FULL COLUMNS FROM `wp_options`
Time: 1.274 ms
21 - Query:
UPDATE `wp_options` SET `option_value` = 'a:9:{s:5:\"today\";i:812;s:8:\"thisdate\";s:10:\"2025-27-06\";s:4:\"week\";i:8076;s:8:\"thisweek\";s:2:\"26\";s:5:\"month\";i:31548;s:9:\"thismonth\";s:1:\"6\";s:3:\"ytd\";i:277890;s:8:\"thisyear\";s:4:\"2025\";s:7:\"alltime\";i:1495114;}' WHERE `option_name` = 'pmpro_visits'
Time: 0.791 ms
22 - Query:
SELECT ID
FROM wp_posts
INNER JOIN wp_postmeta
ON ( wp_posts.ID = wp_postmeta.post_id )
INNER JOIN wp_postmeta AS mt1
ON ( wp_posts.ID = mt1.post_id )
WHERE 1=1
AND ( ( wp_postmeta.meta_key = '_seopress_redirections_enabled'
AND wp_postmeta.meta_value = 'yes' ) )
AND post_title = 'three-tornado-myths-that-just-refuse-to-die/'
AND post_type = 'seopress_404'
AND post_status = 'publish'
AND ( ( mt1.meta_key = '_seopress_redirections_logged_status'
AND mt1.meta_value = 'only_not_logged_in' )
OR ( mt1.meta_key = '_seopress_redirections_logged_status'
AND mt1.meta_value = 'both' ) )
Time: 0.911 ms
23 - Query:
SELECT ID
FROM wp_posts
WHERE 1=1
AND post_title = 'three-tornado-myths-that-just-refuse-to-die/'
AND post_type = 'seopress_404'
Time: 0.301 ms
24 - Query:
SELECT ID
FROM wp_posts
INNER JOIN wp_postmeta
ON ( wp_posts.ID = wp_postmeta.post_id )
INNER JOIN wp_postmeta AS mt1
ON ( wp_posts.ID = mt1.post_id )
WHERE 1=1
AND ( ( wp_postmeta.meta_key = '_seopress_redirections_enabled'
AND wp_postmeta.meta_value = 'yes' ) )
AND post_title = ''
AND post_type = 'seopress_404'
AND post_status = 'publish'
AND ( ( mt1.meta_key = '_seopress_redirections_logged_status'
AND mt1.meta_value = 'only_not_logged_in' )
OR ( mt1.meta_key = '_seopress_redirections_logged_status'
AND mt1.meta_value = 'both' ) )
Time: 0.191 ms
25 - Query:
SELECT ID
FROM wp_posts
WHERE 1=1
AND post_title = ''
AND post_type = 'seopress_404'
Time: 0.080 ms
26 - Query:
SELECT ID
FROM wp_posts
INNER JOIN wp_postmeta
ON ( wp_posts.ID = wp_postmeta.post_id )
INNER JOIN wp_postmeta AS mt1
ON ( wp_posts.ID = mt1.post_id )
WHERE 1=1
AND ( ( wp_postmeta.meta_key = '_seopress_redirections_enabled'
AND wp_postmeta.meta_value = 'yes' ) )
AND post_title = 'three-tornado-myths-that-just-refuse-to-die'
AND post_type = 'seopress_404'
AND post_status = 'publish'
AND ( ( mt1.meta_key = '_seopress_redirections_logged_status'
AND mt1.meta_value = 'only_not_logged_in' )
OR ( mt1.meta_key = '_seopress_redirections_logged_status'
AND mt1.meta_value = 'both' ) )
Time: 0.518 ms
27 - Query:
SELECT ID
FROM wp_posts
WHERE 1=1
AND post_title = 'three-tornado-myths-that-just-refuse-to-die'
AND post_type = 'seopress_404'
Time: 0.778 ms
28 - Query:
SELECT p.ID FROM wp_posts AS p WHERE p.post_date < '2015-04-23 23:19:23' AND p.post_type = 'post' AND p.post_status = 'publish' ORDER BY p.post_date DESC LIMIT 1
Time: 0.771 ms
29 - Query:
SELECT p.ID FROM wp_posts AS p WHERE p.post_date > '2015-04-23 23:19:23' AND p.post_type = 'post' AND p.post_status = 'publish' ORDER BY p.post_date ASC LIMIT 1
Time: 0.688 ms
30 - Query:
SELECT * FROM wp_posts WHERE ID = 72129 LIMIT 1
Time: 0.194 ms
31 - Query:
SELECT * FROM wp_posts WHERE ID = 72129 LIMIT 1
Time: 0.145 ms
32 - Query:
SELECT post_id, meta_value FROM wp_postmeta WHERE meta_key = '_wp_attached_file' AND meta_value = '2021/04/image025.jpg'
Time: 0.454 ms
33 - Query:
SELECT DISTINCT t.term_id
FROM wp_terms AS t INNER JOIN wp_term_taxonomy AS tt ON t.term_id = tt.term_id INNER JOIN wp_term_relationships AS tr ON tr.term_taxonomy_id = tt.term_taxonomy_id
WHERE tt.taxonomy IN ('category', 'post_tag', 'wpmf_tag', 'event') AND tr.object_id IN (4880)
ORDER BY t.name ASC
Time: 0.273 ms
34 - Query:
SELECT DISTINCT t.term_id
FROM wp_terms AS t INNER JOIN wp_term_taxonomy AS tt ON t.term_id = tt.term_id INNER JOIN wp_term_relationships AS tr ON tr.term_taxonomy_id = tt.term_taxonomy_id
WHERE tt.taxonomy IN ('category') AND tr.object_id IN (4880)
ORDER BY tt.parent DESC
Time: 0.227 ms
35 - Query:
SELECT autoload FROM wp_options WHERE option_name = 'pmpro_views' LIMIT 1
Time: 0.494 ms
36 - Query:
UPDATE `wp_options` SET `option_value` = 'a:9:{s:5:\"today\";i:913;s:8:\"thisdate\";s:10:\"2025-27-06\";s:4:\"week\";i:9060;s:8:\"thisweek\";s:2:\"26\";s:5:\"month\";i:36445;s:9:\"thismonth\";s:1:\"6\";s:3:\"ytd\";i:288169;s:8:\"thisyear\";s:4:\"2025\";s:7:\"alltime\";i:998212;}' WHERE `option_name` = 'pmpro_views'
Time: 0.321 ms
37 - Query:
SELECT DISTINCT t.term_id
FROM wp_terms AS t INNER JOIN wp_term_taxonomy AS tt ON t.term_id = tt.term_id INNER JOIN wp_term_relationships AS tr ON tr.term_taxonomy_id = tt.term_taxonomy_id
WHERE tt.taxonomy IN ('category') AND tr.object_id IN (4880)
ORDER BY t.name ASC
Time: 0.306 ms
38 - Query:
SELECT DISTINCT t.term_id
FROM wp_terms AS t INNER JOIN wp_term_taxonomy AS tt ON t.term_id = tt.term_id INNER JOIN wp_term_relationships AS tr ON tr.term_taxonomy_id = tt.term_taxonomy_id
WHERE tt.taxonomy IN ('post_tag') AND tr.object_id IN (4880)
ORDER BY t.name ASC
Time: 0.211 ms
39 - Query:
(SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_categories mc LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mc.membership_id = m.id WHERE mc.category_id IN(20) AND m.id IS NOT NULL) UNION (SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_pages mp LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mp.membership_id = m.id WHERE mp.page_id = '4880')
Time: 0.226 ms
40 - Query:
(SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_categories mc LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mc.membership_id = m.id WHERE mc.category_id IN(20) AND m.id IS NOT NULL) UNION (SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_pages mp LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mp.membership_id = m.id WHERE mp.page_id = '4880')
Time: 0.351 ms
41 - Query:
(SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_categories mc LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mc.membership_id = m.id WHERE mc.category_id IN(20) AND m.id IS NOT NULL) UNION (SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_pages mp LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mp.membership_id = m.id WHERE mp.page_id = '4880')
Time: 0.305 ms
42 - Query:
SELECT * FROM wp_posts WHERE ID = 72129 LIMIT 1
Time: 0.310 ms
43 - Query:
SELECT * FROM wp_posts WHERE ID = 72129 LIMIT 1
Time: 0.177 ms
44 - Query:
(SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_categories mc LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mc.membership_id = m.id WHERE mc.category_id IN(20) AND m.id IS NOT NULL) UNION (SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_pages mp LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mp.membership_id = m.id WHERE mp.page_id = '4880')
Time: 0.377 ms
45 - Query:
SELECT DISTINCT(mp.page_id)
FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_pages mp
LEFT JOIN wp_posts p ON mp.page_id = p.ID
WHERE p.post_type IN('page', 'post')
Time: 0.267 ms
46 - Query:
SELECT DISTINCT(tr.object_id)
FROM wp_term_relationships tr
LEFT JOIN wp_posts p ON tr.object_id = p.ID
WHERE tr.term_taxonomy_id IN(
SELECT category_id
FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_categories
)
AND p.post_type IN('page', 'post')
Time: 0.096 ms
47 - Query:
(SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_categories mc LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mc.membership_id = m.id WHERE mc.category_id IN(20,153) AND m.id IS NOT NULL) UNION (SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_pages mp LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mp.membership_id = m.id WHERE mp.page_id = '128006')
Time: 0.308 ms
48 - Query:
(SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_categories mc LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mc.membership_id = m.id WHERE mc.category_id IN(20,153) AND m.id IS NOT NULL) UNION (SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_pages mp LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mp.membership_id = m.id WHERE mp.page_id = '128033')
Time: 0.297 ms
49 - Query:
(SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_categories mc LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mc.membership_id = m.id WHERE mc.category_id IN(23) AND m.id IS NOT NULL) UNION (SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_pages mp LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mp.membership_id = m.id WHERE mp.page_id = '127306')
Time: 0.326 ms
50 - Query:
(SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_categories mc LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mc.membership_id = m.id WHERE mc.category_id IN(23) AND m.id IS NOT NULL) UNION (SELECT m.id, m.name FROM wp_pmpro_memberships_pages mp LEFT JOIN wp_pmpro_membership_levels m ON mp.membership_id = m.id WHERE mp.page_id = '127215')
Time: 0.281 ms
51 - Query:
select * from `wp_fluentform_forms` where `status` = 'published' and `id` = '19' limit 1
Time: 0.331 ms
52 - Query:
select * from `wp_fluentform_form_meta` where `form_id` = '19' and `meta_key` = 'formSettings' limit 1
Time: 0.168 ms
53 - Query:
select * from `wp_fluentform_form_meta` where `form_id` = '19' and `meta_key` = '_ff_selected_style' limit 1
Time: 0.274 ms
54 - Query:
select * from `wp_fluentform_form_meta` where `form_id` = '19' and `meta_key` in ('_custom_form_css', '_custom_form_js')
Time: 0.294 ms
55 - Query:
select * from `wp_fluentform_form_meta` where `form_id` = '19' and `meta_key` in ('_ff_form_styler_css', '_ff_selected_style', 'ffs_default')
Time: 0.141 ms
56 - Query:
select * from `wp_fluentform_form_meta` where (`form_id` = '19' and `meta_key` = 'ffs_default') limit 1
Time: 0.209 ms
57 - Query:
select * from `wp_fluentform_form_meta` where (`form_id` = '19' and `meta_key` = '_ff_form_styles') limit 1
Time: 0.121 ms