Tornadoes...'Tis The Season

A recent post by NaeNae got me to wondering. 🤔

What should you do as a driver if you receive a tornado warning alert for the area in which you're driving? I honestly don't know the correct answer. I've never been in that situation before:

•Where to park?

•Where not to park?

What if you didn't receive an alert and you suddenly find yourself in the middle of some really bad weather:

•Will you be held liable for damage to truck or trailer caused by flying debris? (i.e., will your company consider this a preventable accident)

•Will your career be ended if high winds cause your truck to flip over?

Maybe people who live in areas where tornadoes happen more frequently can provide some info.

I'm not sure what the best place to park would be, but growing up in Minnesota we were always told to get under a bridge (up by the supports), if that isn't possible get into a low laying ditch and cover your head.

I can't imagine being held liable for damage caused by a tornado. In my opinion it's non preventable.

As far as your career being over because of high wind throwing you over I'm guessing it's dependent on that exact situation. Were you aware of high winds ahead? Were you aware there was a tornado on the ground in your area?

There was a member here a couple years that experienced a tornado rolling him. I'll try to find post but he was a trainee, or new driver. A tornado came down on him and threw the truck on its side. He sustained injuries but Prime allowed him back with no issues if I remember correctly.

I remember that Rob. That happened a few miles from my house on 476 south where it crosses over route 1. Straight line winds from a strong T-storm whipped through the valley and blew him over. I Can’t remember the posters name either. He posted a few times during his recovery then disappeared

There was a member here a couple years that experienced a tornado rolling him

I think I remember that. I'm thinking of a driver that was struck by some kind of sudden microburst that flipped him in PA if we're talking about the same driver.

As far as your career being over because of high wind throwing you over I'm guessing it's dependent on that exact situation. Were you aware of high winds ahead? Were you aware there was a tornado on the ground in your area?

That's partly what I mean...Who decides how much warning is sufficient warning? What if one forecast says one thing and another says something different.

I hate to sound nitpicky, I'm just really paranoid about wind-related rollovers. Winds can be totally unpredictable.

Thanks for correcting me, I found the post. Jay G was the member discussed

Here's a thread from a while ago about Tornados on the road

I had a hood mirror taken out by flying debris a few years ago by viscous straight-line winds. I was parked bobtail at the Walmart in Lexington, NE. A storm came from behind the truck and looked like true Armageddon when I viewed it in the mirrors. Not a tornado, but it's the only time a truck of mine has actually been pushed several feet forward from the winds.

The advice against using bridges for shelter makes sense to me. Culverts would make good shelter if flooding was not an issue. How ironic would it be to survive the tornado issues and then drown?

But would a driver reasonably have time to find such a culvert? Maybe, maybe not.

It isn’t advised to shelter under an overpass because it acts like a Venturi increasing the wind speed.

Authorities usually advise to seek shelter in the interior area of a sturdy building.

This presumes that you are alerted and have time.

Another threat is large hail. I was in Oklahoma City a few days ago when strong thunderstorms moved through the area. A tornado warning was issued for one storm cell with rotation. Hail was the size of golf balls and larger. Fortunately missed the location I was at.

No no no!! Absolutely DO NOT take cover under an overpass. You can still be killed. Plus if you’re in an urban area your vehicle and others will be blocking the roadway/ interstate on and off ramps and put others in danger. If it’s still a distance away look for a business,home, school anyplace to take shelter. If that’s not possible the best thing to do is lay face down in a ditch on the side of the road.

Absolutely DO NOT take cover under an overpass

This has not yet been determined to be true. "Experts say" (always a scary phrase) that theoretically, the wind could speed up under the bridge or the suction could increase based on the venturi effect. I spent some time this morning looking for proof - actual measurements.

The only study I could find that actually measured wind, pressure, and more under an overpass was this one:

Tornado-strength winds interacting with a highway overpass featured

Here are some of the findings:

1) The measured dynamic pressures normalized with the freestream dynamic pressures show that when the air flow angles of approach to the overpass were between 50° and 80° just above the overpass, the normalized dynamic pressures were nearly the same as those of the freestream.

Simple terms: the pressures underneath the overpass "were nearly the same as" those outside of the overpass in the free-flowing wind.

2) In all locations and angles of approach, the measured velocities remained the same as, or below the freestream velocity of 190.2 ft/s (58 m/s; 130 mph).

Simple terms: The airflow did not accelerate when going under the overpass

Personally, I'm getting under an overpass, which I did safely the one time I was caught in a tornado. There are tons of "experts" who theorize that's unsafe, but I've yet to see actual proof that it's safer to lie in an open field, as they suggest. You guys do what you think is best. I'm not giving advice, just my perspective.

I would also note that "experts" have told us that red meat, eggs, salt, and sunshine are also bad for you. You can also believe that if you like, but I've made a great life out of doing exactly the opposite of what most "experts" tell you.

Remember, every time science advances, what they're really saying is that up to this point in time, the "experts" were completely wrong. Think about that.