Motorists traveling on the Kansas Turnpike have a way to protect themselves during severe weather by using the turnpike's storm shelters.
But trying to outrun a tornado to find one of those 30 shelters along the 236-mile route is not a good idea, AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions Meteorologist Brandon Sullivan said.
"Tornadoes are unpredictable. Trying to outrun them is very dangerous and can endanger both yourself and others around you," Sullivan said. "Often, in addition to the tornado, other hazards exist like very strong winds, torrential rainfall and large hail. None of these are conducive to trying to drive away quickly. Lastly, if traffic is backed up, when a tornado hits, being stuck in traffic is a horrible scenario."
Sullivan, who is also a storm chaser, had a harrowing experience with a tornado on May 31, 2013, near El Reno, Oklahoma. Debris hammered his Jeep Patriot as the twister pummeled houses and outbuildings.
"Thankfully, these shelters aren't widely used because the threat hasn't been imminent in some of these locations in recent years," Biehler said. "We might have employees and travelers use only one or two of the shelters along the entire roadway in any given storm season. But, no matter how little they get used, they are still an important service for our employees and travelers."
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