Meteorologist Brad Sugden explains tornadoes during Severe Weather Awareness Week.

Meteorologist Brad Sugden explains tornadoes during Severe Weather Awareness Week.

MID-MICHIGAN (WJRT) - It is Severe Weather Awareness Week. And our Stormtracker 12 Weather Team wants to make sure you are prepared.

Meteorologist Brad Sugden showed us how and when to take shelter during a tornado.

He said typically, the speed of some storms and the tornadoes associated with them can be up to 60 miles per hour.

"However, just in our own viewing area, we've had some of the fastest speeds I've ever seen. And that was back in 2019. With the March 14 tornadoes, in some cases, those were going over 100 miles per hour."

Sugden said it was important to take shelter immediately when a tornado warning was issued.

"Now most of the time, these do occur in the late afternoon when we have all the daytime heating, a lot of moisture, usually cold friends coming through. However, it is important to note that they can come through at any time and one of the more deadly versions of tornadoes are the ones that occurred during the overnight hours."

Sugden encouraged people to take part in the statewide tornado drill on Wednesday. He said it was important for families to practice and make sure parents and children have a way to communicate.

"Of course when the kids are at school, at practice, you're at home and everyone's scattered all over the place have a rendezvous point or something that is very, very important. And again, it might sound a little silly to practice something when the sun's out, but it could just save your life one day."

The best areas to protect yourself from a tornado are away from exterior walls. It could be a bathroom with no windows, stairs, hallways, and closets.

"However, if you have a basement, that would be the best place to go. It's also important to maybe cover yourself with some blankets, or a mattress or some kind of protection because that could stop some of those little areas debris and glass from getting to you."

Christine Winter currently anchors ABC12 News This Morning and ABC12 News at Noon.

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