Tornado Myths: What Every North Dakotan Should Know

Over the years, we've heard all kinds of different safety tips when it comes to tornadoes in North Dakota. So, what should we actually believe? Since we had such a bad storm season last year, I thought it might be helpful to debunk some tornado-related tips.

According to Ground Zero Shelters, the first thing you should know is that you're not any safer under an underpass. It might actually be worse to hide under one. A wind tunnel can form and push everything beneath the structure into the storm's path.

2. Small tornados aren't as destructive. The source actually says that this is absolutely false.

Rope tornados (smaller and narrower funneled storms) often have left the most destruction.

3. Tornados Don't Travel On Hills & Water 

This is one of the biggest myths. Many people believe tornadoes can't travel on hills and through water. The source says this is far from true and that many tornadoes can actually form on lakes and rivers.

(Also Read: Travel Warnings 2026: Unsafe Destinations For North Dakotans)

4. Tornados Skip Houses

The source says many people believe they've experienced divine intervention when their house was missed by a tornado, even though their home was directly in the path, but this could simply be because tornadoes often lift and retract and drop back to a path elsewhere. Not only that, some homes may have been built more securely, causing less damage than surrounding homes.

5. You will always see a funnel cloud. The source says this isn't always the case. Oftentimes, funnel clouds can be masked by heavy rains.

Those are just a few myths you should be aware of this spring season, but I'm sure there are several more. Stay safe this tornado season.