Missouri drivers sheltered under overpass in tornado. Why experts say that’s unsafe
Amid a series of tornadoes that have left at least 23 people dead in the Midwest and South, one misstep from Missouri drivers has experts warning about tornado safety.
A tornado ripped through St. Louis on Friday, May 16, killing five people and injuring 38. Another tornado struck Grinnell, Kansas, five hours west of Kansas City, on Sunday, May 18, and left significant damage
Footage captured by the Missouri Department of Transportation’s highway cameras showed hundreds of cars caught in traffic on I-70 in St. Louis on Friday. The traffic jam was caused by drivers who decided to park underneath an overpass to protect their vehicles from storm damage.
Weather experts say waiting for a storm to end under an overpass is not only dangerous to other drivers, but also to yourself.
Here’s what they say you should do if you’re caught in a severe storm on the highway.
Should you wait under a highway overpass for a tornado to end?
Drivers should never wait in their vehicles under an overpass on the highway to protect themselves from a tornado or other severe storms, the National Weather service says.
Many people think that a highway overpass provides shelter from a tornado, but the reality is that an overpass is one of the worst places to seek shelter from a tornado, said Jonathan Kurtz, a warning coordination meteorologist with the NWS’s Kansas City branch.
The weather service says also says that seeking shelter under an overpass puts you at greater risk of being seriously injured or killed by flying debris from the powerful tornadic winds. Even the smallest items can become deadly if they’re thrown around at 100 mph.
Kurtz said that it’s also dangerous to stay under the overpass during a tornado or storm since a wind funnel can be created underneath due to the tight space. If you were to get out of your car, you could easily be sucked away from the area due to the wind speeds.
What to do on a highway during a tornado
He said the weather service usually instructs people to get off the highway as soon as possible and find a gas station or nearby building to shelter in place. Stopping on the highway can create a backlog of traffic that not only puts you in danger, but also drivers behind you since they can’t move forward.
“The best course of action if you end up being stuck in a situation like that is to get off the highway as quickly as you can and find shelter inside of a structure,” Kurtz said. “The car is one of the last places you want to be.”
If you can’t leave your car, Kurtz said to slow down, pull over, make sure you have your seat belt on and duck for cover. There is no good option at this point except to protect yourself from anything the wind blows in your direction.
The weather service also says that as a last resort, you can get out of your vehicle and lie flat in a nearby ditch, covering your neck and head.
This story was originally published May 19, 2025 at 12:51 PM.
