Desperado - Any photos of your handiwork post tornado? Or even pre? I have every confidence that structures can be built to withstand most if not all tornadoes, above ground, I just think it'd be neat to see if afterwards.

I would think that poured reinforced concrete buildings would tolerate direct hits from at least some smaller tornadoes reasonably well, though certainly a roof and glass not designed for such things wouldn't make it which would make survivability of the event a lot tougher.

Monolithic Domes come in many shapes and sizes. If I lived in hurricane or tornado prone area, I'd build one of these. Not traditional, but they're suitable to the weather.

minimal-tornado-damage-at-faith-chapel

Any idea how these domes fare in earthquake country?

Some of the Concrete dome homes are guaranteed against earthquakes.

I understand that many of the wood types leaked badly, but the dome is generally quite a stable shape, esp if embedded into a hill or partially buried.

Sue

Is it really such a bad thing to consider they should start building houses underground in tornado towns?

I'm thinking that maybe a "community shelter" might be a good way to go. Just a simple place for people to gather until the danger clears.

This place looks like a good place to start.

Certainly puts the Hurricane force two winds we had here in Scotland yesterday into perspective. The destruction at Joplin is just incredible.

Community shelters would mainly work in town, in shopping areas, or wherever there are high numbers of people, which is fine. But it wouldn't be realistic to think people should try to get to them from outside the fairly immediate area. Tornadoes aren't that predictable, and can wipe you out on the road, esp in the dark, lightning or not.

Six sqft per person, almost 30x30"... I feel my claustrophobia flaring up...

Sue

Your right about tornadoes being unpredictable. I was thinking more along the lines of people going to the shelters long before the tornadoes dropped from the sky. It would be claustrophobic. What I hear from alot of people is cost and no place to bury one. With field lines and septic tanks in the backyard, if you don't have much land what do you do? I don't have any real answers I'm just throwing things out there because I'm in the same boat they are. Thanks for your input.

How long is "long before the tornadoes dropped from the sky" ? The National weather service has gotten much better at warnings but some times the warning time is as little as 5 minutes (or less). Even with 20 minutes of warning getting people to go to a community shelter would be difficult.

Tornadoes are often found in severe thunderstorms (Hail, lightning, and high winds). Going any significant distance outdoors in these conditions can be very hazardous. Also the inconvenience factor (loss of time, number of "false alarms, not wanting to show up in your bathrobe) would limit how effective a community shelter would be.

Improved building codes would help a lot with smaller tornadoes. Basements and "storm cellers" are traditional in parts of the midwest. Personally I wouldn't own a house in a tornado prone area that did not have a basement. It isn't a guarantee (there are few in life) but it improves your odds tremendously.

Like much else in life - you make your choices and accept the consequences. Choose to live in a flood plain, expect floods. Choose to live near a fault line, expect earth quakes. Choose to live in a house without a basement or storm celler in tornado alley, expect the worst.

-Eric