Although a below ground basement is one of the safest places during a tornado, the southwest corner will provide no added protection unless there is more structural support as compared to the other corners. Anytime you can get below ground you are better off, but somewhat recent studies have shown that when a tornado passes over a house, debris tends to collect in all the corners of the basement.
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This myth of the southwest corner could be attributed to the belief that tornadoes always come from the same direction; that is they travel northeast from the southwest and the debris will be thrown in a northeasterly direction. This simply isn’t true and placing yourself in the southwest corner on the premise the winds will skip or hop over you won’t increase your odds of survival unless by chance. Furthermore, taking the time to figure out which direction the tornado is coming from may prove fatal. It’s best just to get in the basement and protect yourself with whatever sturdy furniture you might have lying around. |
