Tornado myths

Misinformation can be dangerous when it comes to severe weather. Here are some common myths about tornadoes.

Lake Michigan keeps Chicago safe: Meteorologists say the city of Chicago is just as susceptible to a tornado as anywhere else in the Midwest and its abutment to Lake Michigan won’t stop a tornado from striking downtown.

Tornadoes only move northeastly: While most tornadoes cut a path from the southwest to the northeast, they can go in any direction, as the 1990 Plainfield tornado showed when it started in the northwest and cut southeast.

Green skies indicate a tornado: Weather experts say green skies don’t mean anything specific when it comes to severe weather. It’s merely caused by the position and direction of the sun and storm clouds.