I am so scared that the thunderstorms that are oming are going to turn into a tornado. HELP!?

Question

okay im 14 and ive been scared of thunderstorms my entire life. i live in pennsylvania inbetween a mountain and a smallish ridge. my parents tell me all the time thats tornados cant happen here but im still scared becasue ive seen all of these thunderstorms turning into tornados and now im paranoid that the isolated thunderstorms comeing my way are gonna turn into a tornado. my parents jsut laugh at me and call me a ball baby because (i know im a little old for this but) i cry everytime im home alone when it thunderstorms. and im home alone everyday. im so scared! can anyone help me?!?!

Answer 1

It is unlikely that a tornado will occur in PA.  However, it is not impossible.  Tornadoes are much more likely in tornado alley where the warm moist air from the Gulf crashes with the cold dry air from the Rockies.  A plan of action is the best method to calm your fears.  If you have a practiced plan, you will know what to do if the unlikely occurs.  If there is a tornado, and your state has an alarm system (as a NYer, I'm guessing PA doesn't have one either), head for cover when you hear the siren.  When thunderstorms are approaching, keep the local news stations on.  They will cover the situation.  They will warn you when storms are getting severe.  If a tornado were to form, you would hear it.  They sound like a train.  If the local news advises you one is coming, you hear what sounds like a train or you hear the tornado siren, do the following:

Go to the lowest floor of your house (basement or storm cellar is ideal), if you don't have one, a small closet or bathroom on the lowest floor will do.  You want to be in the inner most part of the house possible.  A small bathroom with a tub will definitely work.  Get in the tub or a small closet, pull mattresses, pillows, blankets and other stuffed items on top of you.  You can wear a helmet.  A lot of people down south have helmets for their children to wear in the case of severe weather.  Once you've decided on the best location (in a non-threatening time), practice what you would do.  It is a similar idea to when you were little, and teachers constantly told you to stop, drop, and roll.  Oh, and also, pay attention to the warnings/watches indicated.  A tornado watch means a tornado might occur.  A tornado warning means a funnel cloud has been spotted.  Head for cover when there is a tornado warning.  A severe storm does not necessarily mean a tornado will occur.  I hope this helps!

Answer 2

You poor thing.  Why don't you go over a friend's house instead of being alone every day?  Or volunteer somewhere?  A day camp at the area school perhaps?  

Anyway, it is normal to have fears, but how you react to them is a part of growing up.  I believe your parents are right, that in your area you would not see tornadoes.  Thunderstorms by themselves can still be scary.  Try listening to your Ipod or doing something to distract yourself.  Cuddle with your pet.  Meditate and pray.  

I would also advise you to stop watching the videos that put these ideas in your head.  Guard against images that may come back to scare you in the future.

Godspeed!

Answer 3

You said that you live in between a mountain and a ridge... which means that you probabally won't get a tornado because tornadoes have a hard time forming (and if they do, surviving) in areas with alot of terrain.

Although, tornadoes are not uncommon in PA, they do not happen all too often.

Here are some statistics of tornadoes in PA:

Top 5 Counties (1950-2000)

#    Co. -- Number -- Average Yearly

1. Westmoreland -- 30 -- .6 or 1 every 1.66 years

2. Chester -- 27 -- .54 or 1 every 1.85 years

3. Lancaster -- 25 -- .5 or 1 every 2 years

4. Crawford -- 24 -- .48 or 1 every 2.08 years

5. York -- 21 -- .42 or 1 every 2.38 years

Least

1. Fulton, Juniata -- 1 -- .02 or 1 every 50 years  

3. Carbon, Wayne -- 2 -- .04 or 1 every 25 years

5. Blair, Cameron, Perry, Tioga -- 3 -- .06 or 1 every 16.66 years.

Hope this helps, and best of luck!

Answer 4

Theres been a lot of thunderstorms where I live lately too and I'm also home alone alot. And on the subject of the tornado a couple of towns away the radio kept shutting off to tell people a tornado was coming, but it never did. So just tell yourself that alot. And my bedroom is on the first floor so I like to take a couple teddybears (haha) up to my Mom's big room on the second floor and watch the office with some tea or hot cocoa. And if you get really scared call one of your friends and talk to them or invite them over and do what I do and watch anything with Molly Ringwald in it with balnkets in the middle of summer and the A/C on and throw Polly Pockets at the people we hate :)

Answer 5

Fear not.  Tornadoes are not associated with issolated thunder storms.  They are the result of Super Cell thunderstorms which do not form where you are.  Even if a Super Cell storm did form, very few ever reach the point of creating a tornado.  

What you fear is what mankind always fears, the unknown.  I suggest you start learning everything there is to know about thunderstorms.  It will help you overcome your natural primitive fear with scientific understanding.  Thunderstorms can be dangerous but if you understand the processes you can know what to avoid and what is just noise.

To create a thunder storm you need two things. Warm moist air and a lifting action. Since hot air rises and hot air is able to hold more moisture than cold air, you can see why thunderstorms are more likely in the Summer.

If it is hot and humid enough big puffy cumulus clouds loaded with water can be forced way upward into the sky. If they grow tall enough the vertically building cloud will eventually reach air that is too cold to hold water. When that happens the clouds on top start to shed water. But the hot air below is so strong that the rain cannot reach the ground and is pushed back up again. This continues until something has to give.

The water molecules are heated and cooled and banging into each other over and over generating static electricity. Once we reach the tipping point the rain overpowers the hot air lifting action and the fun begins.

Lightening is so bright because it is an enormous amount of electrical current arcing. The thunder is actually a sonic boom caused by the electrical arc traveling much faster than sound.

Hope this helps you understand this beautiful, dangerous and amazing natural phenomenon.  The way to overcome fear is knowledge.  Perhaps you will be a famous climatologist or meteorologist someday.  

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