Tornado Center

Know the tornado season for your area. Month by month the area shifts northward and expands. Although tornadoes may strike in the U.S. almost anywhere, and at any time, they occur most often between March and September.
Most tornadoes occur between midday and 9 p.m.
Learn to recognize severe weather signs. Tornado weather is usually hot, humid, and oppressive, with southerly winds. Thunderclouds are usually present and may sometimes have a greenish-black color. There often is frequent lightning. Low clouds may start a rotational movement.
Know what a tornado looks and sounds like. The funnel of a tornado usually looks like a spinning, twisting rope at its bottom, and fans out into a rotating funnel-shaped cloud extending down from the base of a thundercloud. The more intense tornadoes are shaped more like a wide elephant trunk. It is usually gray or black. A nearby tornado sounds like the roar of a jet plane or a diesel freight train.
Tornadoes usually move from southwest to northeast. Some tornado funnels never touch the ground. Some are not visible along the length of the funnel but the destructive swirl is apparent at the ground. Some touch down, rise, and touch down again. A severe thunderstorm often precedes the tornado. Heavy rains, strong winds and hail may add to the damage.