Dangerous Weather
 

It appears that homes built in The Villages are built on a slab. I'm not intending to offend anyone by asking this question but, are there concerns about vulnerability in dangerous weather? Are there any options that a family can take when tornado watches or warnings are in the forecast? Is there a tornado season? It would seem so simple to have a below ground level "escape". Thank you in advance.

No basements.

Join a church.

Weather
 

The last few days have been rough. Most everyone has a weather radio or is on the Red Alert system. You do get advance notice. As for protection an inside room with no windows. We use the laundry room or the guest bathroom.You should make sure you have some supplies, flashlight, radio, water etc. I think the houses are pretty safe. I saw pictures of the last tornado to actually touch down in TV. I think it was 2007. Don't believe there were injuries but there were houses damaged. Pictures are on TOTV somewhere. I believe the season is now thru early fall.

You will find as pretty much a general rule, that a lot or most homes in the South do not have basements. If they are not on a slab they only have a basic crawl space. It is not something that is unique to TV.
With that being said, a tornado "safe place" should be an interior room without windows, so generally a bathroom or closet.
Tornado seasons in the south are generally during the spring and fall during what is called the clash of the seasons. That is not to say that they can't happen anyother time, just that is when they are more numerous.

Army Guy

:welcome::welcome::welcome:

I was being "snarky" in my above post.

We who have had basements, do long for them when we have this severe weather.

I understand.

An interior room is the best.

A rosary wouldn't hurt.

Basements in Florida!
 

The main reason for not having basements in homes in Florida is due to the water table. In some areas you need only to dig down a few feet and you need wader boots...!

Nervous, who me?
 

What could I possibly be nervous about, hanging out in my 1500 sq ft home with no interior rooms with gas lines in the ceiling, living within a block from one of the tornado paths of 2007? Come on, what do you think I am some kind of scaredy cat from Massachusetts? :shocked:

gracie - Still refining your stand-up comedy routine, I see......... :MOJE_whot:

You're hilarious!!

Bill :)

Well if you really want to take that extra step and invest maybe $5K or so you can have a tornado shelter built in your garage. I have seen them advertised locally and a quick search on the internet can give you some options.

Yes, one of our neighbors in Bonita actually has that business.

Army Guy

We lived in Ark on a slab with a lot of tornados happening all over the state every year. We always used our master closet that was in the central part of house. Lots of people also had safe rooms built into their houses and in the ground.

I was driving to Crystal River a few weeks ago and actually saw a model of a tornado shelter in front of a business there. It looked very much like a mixer from the back of a concrete truck - you could not pay me to climb in that thing. Might be safer than the interior bathroom of my house but I could not take the closed in feeling.

Whenever we go to our bedroom walk-in closet to be safe from a tornado, I get a "clothes din feeling" too. :D

Good thing the tornadoes only last a few minutes vs hurricanes which last must longer.

I almost spit out the almond I was nibbling on.

Garcie, you are a hoot.

A basement would probably help some people's comfort level when a tornado happens.

:welcome: to TOTV. MarkB. I hope you keep on posting.

Hi Army Guy,
I thought it was more of an altitude issue that an "southern thang".:D In Florida, if you tried to dig a basement you'd hit water pretty quickly. In Atlanta (and probably throughout much of north GA), I think it's more common to have a basement than to not have one.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever been in a house in this area that didn't have a basement.

:1rotfl:
TOTV ladies are a hoot.

:1rotfl: Again, Gracie submits her pithy and spot on observations!!:BigApplause:

I prayed to be safe in a storm.

... and God said, "get ye to the basement".

Living in Missouri we have been through a number of tornadoes (luckily now damage to our homes) but have learned to grab the purse, pillows and vodka and hit the basement when the sirens go off. Moving to the Villages in Aug. - I will be the one with the windblown look:

and a silly smile on your face?:MOJE_whot:

In case you were not here when tornado went through a part of the Villages and Lady Lake several years ago, a Church in Lady Lake on Hwy 27/441 that had been reinforced to withstand hurricane force winds, was leveled by the tornado.

I like to call it a "Happy Smile"

:mademyday: :BigApplause: