NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - With severe weather forecasted for the Midstate, you should be prepared in case a tornado warning is issued.
According to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, to be prepared for severe weather you should stay informed about the weather by monitoring local National Weather Service alerts, or you can visit WSMV's live weather updates. You should also sign up for emergency alerts on your phone and have a weather radio.
Families should make a plan to ensure everyone knows how to get in touch with each other and where to go when severe weather hits.
TEMA advises that people build emergency kits. Those include things like water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, first-aid supplies and important documents. You should also consider things specific to you and your family such as if you have pets, infants or elderly family members.
The best places to be in during a tornado include an interior room on the lowest level of a well-build home or building such as a basement or a bathroom. You should also stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.
Officials say mobile homes, vehicles, large open rooms like gymnasiums, manufactured housing or under highway overpasses are the worst places to be when tornadoes are in the area.
Storm shelters are also located throughout Tennessee. If you don't see one in your area, you should contact your local Emergency Management Agency.
TEMA also shared information on what certain alerts mean:
Severe Thunderstorm Watch: Severe thunderstorms are possible in and near the watch area. The watch area is typically large, covering numerous counties or even states.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property.
Tornado Watch: Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching.
Tornado Warning: A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property. Warnings typically encompass a much smaller area (around the size of a city or small county) that may be impacted by a tornado identified by a forecaster on radar or by a trained spotter/law enforcement who is watching the storm.