What are at least three myths about tornadoes?

Answer 1

Myth 1: Tornadoes can't hit mountains, big cities, rivers, or lakes.

The Truth: Tornadoes can hit just about anywhere. Mountains may have some ability to reduce tornadoes, but do not outright prevent them. Cities and bodies of water do not affect tornadoes and are just as vulnerable as anywhere else.

Myth 2: Opening windows will relieve the pressure difference between inside and outside of a house, preventing it from exploding.

The Truth: This will do nothing to save your house and may even make the damage worse. It is wind and debris, not the pressure drop, that destroys houses in a tornado. The pressure difference is not large enough to be damaging. If a tornado is strong enough to cause major damage, the windows will probably break anyway. In other cases, opening windows may allow damaging wind to enter the house and cause damage on the inside.

Myth 3: An overpass provides good protection from a tornado.

The Truth: Overpasses provider virtually no protection from debris, the main killer in a tornado. The bridge itself acts as a wind tunnel, causing the wind to speed up, putting out in greater danger. Finally, parking under an overpass can block traffic, potentially trapping other people in the tornado's path.