Midwestern Residents Should Plan for Tornado Season

03/10/2010

Severe weather throughout the Midwest may motivate some homeowners to plan ahead.

It's expected to be a particularly active tornado season, after a high pressure system in British Columbia pushed the jet stream toward "Tornado Alley" and a wetter-than-usual winter is slated to create strong vegetation growth. Moisture evaporating from these plants could contribute to ideal tornado conditions, according to a report by the Associated Press.

"It's time to get ready," Michelann Ooten of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management told the wire service.

Damage from tornadoes is covered by most standard business and home insurance policies. Individuals may be able to minimize their damage by moving vehicles and other large objects that could serve as projectiles inside a garage or carport. Taking inventory of their possessions may also serve useful when filing a claim.

Individuals living in areas affected by tornadoes should listen for tornado watches and warnings. A watch will indicate ideal weather conditions for a tornado, while a warning means that one has been sighted. Several Midwestern states have hosted severe weather awareness weeks in an effort to educate residents about these measures.

Tornadoes are among the most devastating natural disasters and contributed to 57 percent of annual catastrophe-related losses since 1953, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

ShareThis