Severe Weather

Severe weather can strike at any time, but in southwestern Ohio, the months of April through July see the most severe thunderstorms.

Weather Alerts

  • The National Weather Service issues watches and warnings to alert the community to severe weather. A watch means conditions are right for the development of severe weather, while a warning means severe weather has developed and is a threat to areas in its path.
  • If a tornado warning affects your area, local authorities will activate the civil emergency sirens. The sirens are designed to alert people outside, and are not always audible inside buildings. Sirens are tested at noon on the first Wednesday of every month, providing you an opportunity to see whether they can be heard in your office or workspace.
  • If a tornado or severe thunderstorm poses an imminent threat to one of Miami's campuses, an emergency text message and e-mail alert will be issued. Miami uploads email addresses and cell phone numbers of students, staff and faculty registered in Banner to our emergency notification tool, e2Campus. That auto-subscribes students, staff and faculty to Miami's emergency text messaging service. Keep your registered device turned on and close by if severe weather is expected.
  • Staff at buildings equipped with public address systems can use them to announce severe weather information.

Tornado Warning

If a tornado warning is issued for your area, remain calm and follow these steps:

  • Proceed to an area of safety; if you are inside a building, proceed to the designated shelter area.
  • If the building has no designated shelter area, go to the lowest level you can and move toward the center of the structure. Avoid windows and do not go outside.
  • Shelter under a heavy desk or table; curl up face down and use your hands to protect your head.
  • If you are outside, curl up in a drainage ditch or low-lying area. Do not try to outrun a tornado.

If your building is damaged by a tornado, evacuate it as soon as the danger has passed. Do not move around inside a damaged building more than is necessary to escape. Call 911 to provide authorities with information about the damage, any known hazards such as fires or gas leaks, and the presence of any injured or trapped persons. Follow the procedures for medical emergencies if you encounter injured victims.