TORNADOES — WARD. 143 



not infrequently with rain or snow. South and east of the critical 

 axis there is a great flow of southerly or southwesterly winds with 

 higher temperatures, usually sultry and oppressive weather, and 

 often with rain squalls. When conditions are favorable, tornadoes 

 are likely to occur in a district some 300, 400, 500, or more miles to 

 the southeast, south, or southwest of the cyclonic center, near, but 

 usually to the east of, the wind-shift line. Here the contrast be- 

 tween the warm, damp southerly and the cool, dry northerly and 

 westerly winds is sharp. Here is inevitably a zone of great dis- 

 turbance; of overrunning, underrunning, and mixing; of turbulence; 

 of instability; of local whirls. Here, aided by the local warming 

 due to sunshine, are favorable conditions for breeding thunder- 

 storms and, fortunately much less often, for developing tornadoes. 

 The parent cyclone may travel many thousands of miles, a good 

 part of the way round the world, yet in only one portion of its long 

 course, in the Mississippi Valley region of the United States, and 

 usually only at one time of the year, in spring and summer, is just 

 the right combination of conditions attained for developing the 

 dreaded tornado. 



PROTECTION OF LJFE. 



The possible protection and preservation of human life in tor- 

 nadoes are very real and vital questions over large areas of the 

 United States. From a long and intimate study of tornadoes, Finley 

 deduced certain rules for the protection of life which have over and 

 over again proved their accuracy and value. If a tornado is ap- 

 proaching from west or southwest, and the observer is on or very 

 near its probable path, the best thing to do, if there is time, is to run 

 north. " Dugouts " or tornado-cellars should be provided near the 

 house. The safety secured by means of " dugouts " is that they re- 

 move persons who seek refuge in them from risk of injury from 

 flying debris ; also from the danger of being picked up by the winds. 



If there is no time to escape, the safest place is to stand, face for- 

 ward, against the west or south wall of the cellar, as near the south- 

 west corner as possible. The reason for these precautions is this, that 

 the debris of the house will, if the building is destroyed, be more 

 likely to be carried toward the northeast. Hence northeast or east 

 rooms and walls are least safe. If caught outdoors, and otherwise 

 unable to escape, the best thing to do, as a last resort, is to lie flat 

 on the ground in an open space, face downwards, the head to the 

 east, and the arms placed over the head for protection. 



PROTECTION OF PROPERTY: TORNADO INSURANCE. 



In regard to the protection of property certain things are fairly clear. 

 Tornadoes can not possibly be prevented, and no buildings, certainly 



