What is a Storm Cellar?
For a number of meteorological reasons, certain regions in the United States are especially ideal for the formation of violent thunderstorms and tornadoes. Because of this constant threat of severe weather, many homes in “Tornado Alley” feature an underground shelter known as a storm cellar. A storm cellar may be a rudimentary basement area with a sod floor, or it could be a finished shelter complete with food, water and other survival essentials. A typical storm cellar is protected from the elements by a set of heavy doors placed at the top of a staircase. The decision to leave one’s home for the additional safety of a storm cellar may have to made very quickly, so much thought is given to the location of the storm cellar. Some homeowners place the storm cellar directly under their houses for quick access. Others may choose to locate their storm cellar away from other structures to reduce the chance of storm debris blocking the cellar’s doors. Drivers passing through rural areas of th
