[Vwdiesel] Hurricanes and tornados

[dieseltdi at verizon.net]

I sent this earlier but realized that it went in Rich text not plain text and therefore didn't make the list.  So....It turns out the idea of opening windows in a house during a tornado to equalize pressure is a myth.  Pressure differences do not destroy houses in a tornado, the wind does.  Unless the house is hit directly by the funnel and destroyed, damage to the house is generally the result of the penetration of the outside structural envelop and then a failure of a main structural component, usually the roof ( this is true whether you are talking about a tornado or a hurricane).  Once the roof is gone, the rest of the house generally follows.  Turns out the houses have two main areas of weakness that let wind into the house:  the windows and the garage.  Loose either of these and the wind will enter the house and peal the roof right off.  Many insurance companies and governmental entities along the hurricane coasts now require special windows that are specially designed not to be shattered by flying debris or blown out of their frames.  Garage doors are also required to be much stronger to prevent them from failing.  BTW, your car is about the worse place you can be in a tornado.  Winds can and do easily pick cars up and throw them around like rag dolls.  Yesterday's storm here in Dallas picked up a fully loaded 18 wheeler, spun it around and tossed it into a building.  BUT don't get under a highway underpass either, the passing tornado creates a wind tunnel effect that can either blow you right from under the bridge or kill you with fast flying objects.  Since I live in tornado alley (Texas) and I am a science teacher (geology), I like to keep up with all the latest stuff.


Sep 9, 2010 07:36:02 PM, tgott at hotmail.com wrote:


I wouldn't leave the windows down as they always have rain. It is part of a rain cloud. If not rain then there will be hail. The reasons for keeping the windows open would be for a house or building because of the pressure difference from the fast air and the calm air (think chimney effect only greater). Most houses blow out as calm air has more pressure and blow down or away from the wind. Cars have strong enough shells and windows and arn't anchered down so with or without the car is going to blow away if to close to the funnel. I had a good physics teacher explain this and I lived where there were plenty of tornados to study the aftermath of them. Don't know much about the huricanes. Windows are boarded to prevent debree damage I assume since they cover so much more area. Windows on a tornado are the least of the worries as keeping the house standing is more of a challange. 
Travis G. 


Soon tornados will be everywhere. Once military will learn how to create 
decapitating tornados, then we better watch out! Heads will fly all over the 
place. I am getting ready to secure my autos with heavy chains to 2 ton 
concrete blocks buried 6 feet in the ground.
If tornado isn't accompanied by the rain, is it a good idea to keep door 
glass down?

Scary, isn't it?
Ark 
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