California Tornado Warning: How to Prepare for Unpredictable Storms

While California isn’t known for tornadoes, they do happen. Most occur between November and April, but they can happen anytime. With the changing climate, extreme weather events are becoming more unpredictable, making preparation crucial. Knowing how to recognize tornado warning signs, having an emergency plan, and ensuring access to backup power can make all the difference. This guide covers everything you need to stay safe, from early warning systems to essential supplies, so you can be ready when the unexpected strikes.

When Is Tornado Season in California?

California’s tornado season occurs earlier than most states, mostly during winter and spring between November and April. However, they sometimes strike in the summer, especially in southern California. Furthermore, tornadoes have been reported in California every month of the year, so you should always be prepared for a natural disaster, no matter the season. 

How To Stay Updated on California Tornado Warnings

1. Sign up for your community’s warning system if they have one. 
2. Listen to local commercial radio or television newscasts. 
3. Listen to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio.
4. Monitor the Emergency Alert System (EAS) for alerts. 
5. If your community has tornado sirens, be familiar with the sound.
6. Check your weather app on your phone for alerts in your area. 

How To Prepare for a Tornado in California

These critical steps will help you prepare for emergencies in California. 

Identify Storm Shelters or Safe Rooms

Identify safe rooms in your home, ideally built according to FEMA criteria. Also, locate the nearest storm shelter or safe room to your work, school, and the areas where you shop the most. Tornado warnings typically only give you 10-15 minutes before touchdown, so moving quickly is the key to surviving the storm.    

Create an Emergency Preparedness Kit

You should always have an emergency kit that includes a family communication plan. Your family communication plan includes ensuring everyone in your home knows who to contact, how to contact them, where to go, what to do if a family member is not home and the location and contents of your emergency kit. Practice your plan with the entire family at least once a year; have a mock tornado warning and have family members act out their responsibilities. 

You should also create an emergency kit and keep it in a clean, dry bin in your tornado shelter or safe room. If you have no safe refuge, keep your kit by the door so you can grab it and go in an emergency.  

Be sure your kit includes the following supplies:

• Radio for emergency broadcasts
• Complete first aid kit
• Dust masks
• Whistle to call for help
• Rechargeable LED flashlights
• 3 days of non-perishable food and water for every household member, including pets
• Blankets, jackets, and warm clothes for every family member
• Any necessary medications for all family members
• Toilet paper and hand sanitizer
• Cash in case ATMs do not work
• Household emergency power supply to keep your devices charged 

The best generators for emergencies depend on your energy needs. Still, traditional fossil-fuel generators are never recommended since they cannot be brought indoors due to lethal carbon monoxide poisoning, which kills 400 people every year. This is where EcoFlow Portable Power Stations excel; they use no fossil fuels and are safe indoors or outdoors.  

Choose a backup power supply that is large enough to run all your essential appliances. For instance, the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus starts at 1024Wh, sufficient to keep your devices charged and power a refrigerator or freezer to prevent food spoilage. However, if you also have other essential appliances, especially medical equipment, the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 starts at 4000W and can run 120V and 240V appliances. 

These portable power stations are also expandable with extra batteries if necessary, and you can use solar panels to recharge them when dealing with extended power outages. If you have a roof solar system installed, inspect them now to ensure they are secure to help prevent storm damage. If you don’t have rooftop solar, you can use portable solar panels to recharge your power station after the storm passes.  

Another power supply that comes in handy in emergencies is the EcoFlow RAPID Magnetic Power Bank. It’s about the size of your phone, and can recharge it 1-2 times. Its compact size makes it easy to carry in your pocket with your phone if you need to leave quickly. 

Sign Up For a Warning System

If your community has a warning system, sign up for it now. These will help you stay up-to-date on the storm as well as power outages, safe areas, and areas to avoid after the storm has passed. If your community has sirens, be sure you and everyone in your family know how to recognize them and what to do. If your community does not have a warning system, use the Emergency Alert System (EAS) or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio. 

Stay Alert

Always be alert and watch for changing weather conditions. Know the danger signs and seek shelter immediately, even if you have not heard a siren or emergency broadcast. 

These are the danger signs that indicate a tornado is potentially forming: 

• Dark skies, often greenish in color
• Large hail 
• Dark, low-lying clouds 
• A rotating, funnel-shaped cloud
• A roaring sound similar to a freight train

What To Do When a Tornado Hits California

You typically only have 10-15 minutes after a warning before a tornado strikes. So, when a warning or siren goes off, don’t delay.

1. Grab your emergency kit and seek your nearest shelter immediately. While on the move, be sure to protect your head with your arms since most injuries are from flying debris.
2. If you’re in a school, nursing home, hospital, factory, shopping center, or high-rise building, go to a safe room, basement, storm shelter, or the lowest building level. If there’s no safe room, go to the center of a smaller interior room on the lowest level, climbing under a sturdy desk or in a closet if available. Stay away from all doors, windows, corners, and outside walls. Try to put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. 
3. Do not open windows or doors.
4. Monitor emergency broadcasts on your NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for the latest information. Always listen to the instructions given by local emergency management officials.
5. Tornadoes are brief. As soon as you are sure it has passed, check to ensure no one around you is injured. If you’re trapped, do not yell; instead, bang on pipes or use a whistle to call for help. Use a dust mask or T-shirt to cover your face to prevent inhaling too much dust. 
6. Check to see if your power is out. If it is, turn on your EcoFlow DELTA Series Solar Generator to keep your essential appliances running. 
7. Stay where you are unless you need emergency medical attention. It is crucial to keep roads clear for emergency responders. There may also be road hazards, downed powerlines, and other dangers you must avoid. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Though tornadoes are less common in California than in some states, they can still cause serious damage. With severe storms becoming more unpredictable as the climate changes, staying prepared is more important than ever. Staying informed, having a well-stocked emergency kit, and securing a reliable backup power source like the EcoFlow DELTA Series Solar Generator can help keep your family safe for whatever the weather brings. Stay ready, stay safe, and always have an emergency plan.