Severe Weather

'WE BETTER BE READY'

Looking back can help prepare for future tornadoes

It has been 10 years since a tornado last hit Wichita. If that doesn't seem very long, consider this: When an F4 tornado touched down on the night of May 3, 1999, and gashed Haysville's center and Wichita's south side, officials were fretting about the arrival of Y2K, 9/11 was only a number people called in emergencies and the economy was booming.

Kansas tornadoes by the numbers

Kansas tornado deaths in 2008

Common misconceptions about tornadoes

Myth: Tornadoes never strike the same place twice.
Fact: Cordell, Kan., had a tornado hit on May 20 three years in a row in 1916, 1917, 1918. In Guy, Ark., three tornadoes hit the same church on the same day.

What to do after a tornado strikes

After the tornado, follow these steps:

Tornado safety tips

Nothing can guarantee your safety during a tornado, but you can take steps to decrease your chances of being injured.