Wind and Wave

Cyclonic Storms

An article based on the Safety Member Certification training module “Storms and Disasters v4” and the Church Security Guide article “Preparing Your Church for Natural Disasters.” [1].An article based on the Safety Member Certification training module “Storms and Disasters v4” and the Church Security Guide article “Preparing Your Church for Natural Disasters.” [1].

From the Bible

Thou carriest them away as with a flood ... (Psalm 90:5a).

He answered and said unto them, “When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:2-3).

Introduction –

All 50 states in the USA have experienced cyclonic storms in the past decade. Each of the contiguous 48 has had at least one tornado. All Gulf and Atlantic states, plus a few inland ones, have been hit by Atlantic hurricanes, tropical storms, tropical depressions, or extratropical cyclones (such as Nor’easters). Pacific hurricanes or their remnants have impacted Hawaii, California, and Arizona. And a typhoon has hit mainland Alaska (more typhoons hit the Aleutians). An Arctic blast meeting warm air can become a bomb cyclone (bombogenesis) that can wreak havoc across the continent, more especially in the Northeast. [5][6][7][8].

Sixty-four years ago, on Columbus Day 1962, remnants of Typhoon Freida and an East Pacific storm merged to form a superstorm that raced up the West Coast from California to British Columbia, causing extensive damage. That is one of many Pacific Northwest storms I’ve lived through. [9].

The short story is that no one location is exempt from damaging winds, storm surges, and/or flooding that may come from a cyclonic storm.

In the News –

St. Louis, Missouri, May 16, 2025 – A tornado went through a north neighborhood in St. Louis on a Friday. It hit the Centennial Christian Church, an 80-year-old building. The roof was mostly torn off, the tower collapsed, and bricks and concrete fell, trapping three persons who were inside, killing one of them. [10].

Louisiana and Mississippi, August and September 2005 – After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Mississippi coast, Latter Day Saints wards and storehouses delivered food to victims and sheltered displaced persons, regardless of the church affiliations. Other denominational groups, such as Baptists, Episcopalians, Catholics, Methodists, and others, did the same. [11].

Mansfield, DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, July 8, 2024 – A pair of EF tornadoes were spawned by Hurricane Beryl. At a church in Mansfield, the leaders had heeded the tornado watch and cancelled that evening’s VBS. This saved lives. One of the tornadoes tore the church apart. [12].

Goshen, Alabama, Palm Sunday, 1994 – The 1994 Palm Sunday service at the Goshen United Methodist Church was interrupted by a tornado. The first warning people in the church had was the roar of the wind and the sound of debris hitting the windows. The roof collapsed into the sanctuary, killing 20 and injuring 92. [13].

Keeping the Flock Safe from a Cyclonic Storm –

Several factors contribute to church safety during a cyclonic storm:

• Risk Assessment,
• Planning,
• Preparation,
• Education,
• Watches and Warnings,
• Response, and
• Evaluation.

Risk Assessment:

We know what a risk assessment is. It should address meteorological risks, and these should include the local risks of cyclonic storms. For example, if you’re in Florida or Louisiana, hurricanes, tropical storms and tropical depressions are a concern If you are in the Midwest or the southeast, tornadoes are a common concern for much of the year. Climates are cyclical, so specific risks vary over several years.

Hurricanes Camille, Ike and Helene teach us that the threat from a hurricane can extend far inland. For example, Ike traveled from the Texas coast all the way to Lake Erie and Canada, regaining hurricane strength when its leading edge reached the Great Lakes; and Camille and Helene caused massive flooding in Appalachian and Blue Ridge communities.

Churches in high-risk areas may have weather risk assessments in addition to the general risk assessment. This can focus on the specific risk without the distraction of other kinds of risks. Things to consider are changes in expected intensity, changes in the timing and length of the storms, the kinds of damage, threats to life, and potential financial costs.

Since hurricanes and tropical storms often spawn tornadoes, this is taken into consideration.

Planning:

What we learn in the risk assessment informs our planning. Compare the expected likely cyclonic-storm risks with the planning and weather-related incidents for the past decade. How did expectations match real-time records?

Note: when it comes to severe weather threats, close and not-as-close encounters count the same as direct hits, since it only takes a little change to re-direct a storm’s path. It’s like expecting to not get snake-eyes when throwing dice because it’s never come up for you before. Don’t count on it.

When planning your preparations and responses for the coming year, be on the “better safe than sorry” side. You may be very thankful you did.

Preparation:

Most of us remember hearing the song that says, “Oh, no, don't let the rain come down; My roof's got a hole in it and I might drown.” This couplet from the song has been used by many writers and speakers to remind us to prepare ahead for bad times and emergencies. This has a rather literal meaning when it comes to facing destructive storms. Prepare now in case the threat is real. [14].

Here are four areas of preparation for cyclonic storms: Policies and Procedures, Structural Strengthening, Equipping and Supplying, and Corporate Survivability.

Policies and Procedures,

The Church Safety Ministry’s policies and procedures will state and define the Ministry’s role in the church’s risk assessments and emergency planning. It will also outline the roles of Safety Team members in preparations and severe weather responses.

The congregation’s policies and procedures should provide for the duplication and/or safe-keeping of essential documents which may be lost or damaged in a severe weather incident.

Structural Strengthening,

If there is not enough time to get everyone out, there needs to be a storm shelter to go to. Ideally, this is on the lowest floor with a short width, stout walls and ceiling, no windows, and doors that open in. Why open in? First, the door can be barricaded or bar-locked [15] to keep storm winds from opening it, and second, if there is debris in front of the door, it can still be opened for ventilation, for moving debris to get out, and for calling to rescuers.

When building in an area with potential hurricanes, follow the Miami-Dade standards for hurricane-resistant construction. If it can be done, some older buildings may be retro-fitted to be Miami-Dade compliant.

Consider storm safety when making landscaping decisions, especially concerning the placement of trees.

Inspection of the building should reveal anything that needs repairing or upgrading. One upgrade needed for buildings prone to flooding is to reduce the likely damage from a minor flood accompanying a cyclonic storm. This means flood-proofing basement windows, separate electric circuits for the main floor and the basement so power to the basement can be cut off, and raising the height of all outlets on the main floor or in a slab-foundation building to reduce the chance of shorting from flood waters. Likewise, vital documents should be filed well above the floor.

Equipping and Supplying,

Equipment to consider for high water includes pumps for removing flood water, fans to promote drying, and sandbags or emergency door seals to keep water out. For high winds, you may board up the windows – you’ll need tools and material for that.

When people are sheltering in place and may be in the shelter for days after a storm, or if the church is a refuge for storm victims, have cots or mats, bedding, sanitary needs, ready-to-eat foods, and drinking water.

Also be equipped to move debris if needed to get out of the shelter or to rescue people. Also, have a monitor in the shelter linked to the outside cameras.

If people are in or around the church during a storm, there may be injuries. Have First Aid and mass trauma kits where they can be reached and used. During a storm and when people are sheltered, there may be medical emergencies, such as heart attacks, strokes, or seizures. Be equipped for these, too.

Corporate Survivability,

A devastating, catastrophic storm may completely demolish the building. This is often the case with a direct hit by an EF5 tornado or a category 5 hurricane, a rain-caused landslide, or a raging river – the last two were produced by Camille and Helene. Those are cases where records and corporate documents kept in the church are lost. Take measures to duplicate vital documents to be stored in a safe place. Physical copies and originals may be kept in a bank’s safe deposit vault. Digital copies can be kept on cloud systems and/or a denomination’s database. The online search query “document storage services for churches” found several of these services for churches and other ministries.

Education:

Education for cyclonic storms involves teaching members of the congregation, training Safety Team members, other volunteers, and staff, and drills.

Congregation,

Use various communication methods – such as bulletin board notes, printed materials, congregational teaching session, reminders in the announcements, etc. – to inform members of the congregation on storm safety. This information covers awareness of weather forecasts, knowing when to seek shelter or go to higher ground, knowing when to evacuate, not driving through flood waters, etc.

Tell them where the church’s storm shelter is and how to get there. Use mass communication services to warn them when services are cancelled and when to stay away from the area of the church.

Safety Team, Volunteers, Staff,

Train Safety Team members, other volunteers, and staff on responding to cyclonic storms. Have all of these take the training module “Storms and Disasters v4.” [4]. Have a class focused specifically on storms in that location.

Drills,

Drill the Safety Team on storm response, such as evacuation if there is enough time, taking congregants to the storm shelter, and operating the shelter during an extended stay. Drill them on other tasks such as placing sandbags or door seals, boarding windows, moving valuable documents, cutting power to the basement, cutting off gas, etc.

Watches and Warnings:

An essential item for all churches is a weather radio. This should at least have S.A.M.E. local forecasting and weather alerts. Be especially alert to long-range and short-range forecasting, storm watches, and storm warnings. For example:

• A long-range forecast covers weather a week or more in the future. It is general and tells about expected conditions.
• A short-range forecast may say that there is a chance of severe thunderstorms in the next day or two which may produce tornadoes.
• A tornado watch means that conditions are right for a tornado to form.
• A tornado warning means that a tornado is detected.

Response:

The response to a cyclonic storm or other severe weather event is usually the first thing most people think of. In actuality, it follows the above items, for a ready response is the best one. But when that storm comes, the response is the priority, the most important thing at that moment.

The first priority in response is keeping people safe.

Since hurricanes and tropical storms are tracked from their inceptions and predicted paths are made public, there is more time to decide what to do. If the long-term forecast shows the cyclonic system impacting your area, you consider its chances of hitting your area. When the short-term forecast indicates a direct or close hit, and it is a strong storm, you can cancel services, classes, and events for the expected time of impact. Be ready to use mass communication to warn the congregation. Include public notifications, such as a local news media list of cancellations to inform non-members who may plan to visit.

Tornadoes have a much shorter warning period, measured in minutes. This is where short-term forecasts and tornado watches matter. It is better to be proactive. The greater the chance of a tornado, the more reason to cancel events, as the church in Mansfield, Louisiana did. The 100-year-old building did not have any safe space for a tornado shelter. Cancelling VBS saved children’s lives. [12]

Although the time is short, warnings do matter. In 1994, the church in Goshen, Alabama, did not receive a tornado warning. There were no tornado sirens where they could be heard in the church. When the tornado was hitting the church, there was not enough time for most of the attendees to even get under pews. Twenty died, and ninety more were injured. One minute of warning could have made a big difference.

If you do receive a tornado warning, get everyone to the tornado shelter. Check to see that no one is left behind. Close and bar or barricade the door. Do not open the door until you know the tornado is past. If the church is hit, this will be obvious, but if the twister misses the church, wait long enough to be sure it is safe. This is easier if there is a monitor in the shelter to view outside cameras. Here is where it is important to have a battery backup for the monitor, since the power is likely to go out.

If there’s not time to get to the shelter, have everyone sit on the floor against an inside wall, preferably in a hallway with no window exposure. Have them keep their heads down, covered with their hands.

When there’s an all clear, check attendance to see if everyone is present.

If there is a medical emergency, take care of it as soon as you can. If there are injuries, conduct a special triage – evaluate each injury as to whether or not treatment can wait for the all clear.

Evaluation:

After any severe weather incident, including a cyclonic storm, evaluate the emergency response, including the preparations and previous planning. Have every member of the safety team and the medical response team who was involved fill out an incident report to be used in the evaluation. Have them include any problems they had, including coordination, communication, and supplies. Also debrief them on how their training did or did not help in their response. Was there anything else they should have known? This will inform the evaluation and help in future planning.

Conclusion -

Be ready for the cyclonic storm that may come your way. Prepare and be aware. Your life and the lives of others may depend on it.

References –

1. Kris Moloney, Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/safety-member-certification-v5-2025].
2. Kris Moloney, “Storms and Disasters v4,” Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security Academy, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/severe-weather-and-natural-disasters].
3. Kris Moloney, Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=church-security-guide], and [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/church-security-guide].
4. Kris Moloney, “Preparing Your Church for Natural Disasters,” Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, June 9, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=preparing-your-church-for-natural-disasters].
5. Lucia I. Suarez Sang, Nikki Nolan, Faris Tanyos, Brian Dakss, Kerry Breen, "Former Hurricane Lala drenches Hawaii as flash floods sweep away Big Island homes," CBS News, Updated on: August 17, 2026 [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tropical-storm-lala-big-island-hawaii-hurricane-track/].
6. Anonymous, "Hawaii Hurricane Season (2026): When It Hits, How to Prepare," How to Live in Hawaiʻi, September 8, 2026 [https://howtoliveinhawaii.com/hawaii-hurricane-season/].
7. Yereth Rosen, "Typhoon disaster in Western Alaska raises questions around the region’s future," Alaska Beacon, October 17, 2025 [https://alaskabeacon.com/2025/10/17/typhoon-disaster-in-western-alaska-raises-questions-around-the-regions-future/].
8. Jennifer Gray, "What Exactly Is A Bomb Cyclone And Why It Is So Powerful?" The Weather Channel, February 23, 2026 [https://weather.com/science/weather-explainers/news/2025-11-12-what-is-a-bomb-cyclone-and-why-is-it-so-powerful].
9. Eric Sorensen, "Columbus Day 1962: Memories of storm that roared still vivid," The Seattle Times, October 6, 2002 [https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20021006/columbus06m0/columbus-day-1962-memories-of-storm-that-roared-still-vivid].
10. Katie Byrne, Angeli Gabriel, "Woman killed after church roof collapses during tornado strike in St. Louis," Fox Weather, May 17, 2025 [https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/st-louis-tornado-church-roof-collapse-woman-dies].
11. Anonymous, "Church Providing Relief to Hurricane Katrina Victims," The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, September 1, 2005 [https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-providing-relief-to-hurricane-katrina-victims].
12. Bret Adair, "Beryl Tornado Levels 100-Year-Old Louisiana Church," The Weather Channel, July 9, 2024 [https://weather.com/2024/07/10/storms/severe/video/beryl-tornado-levels-100-year-old-louisiana-church].
13. Jen Narramore, "Piedmont, AL F4 Tornado (Goshen United Methodist Church) - March 27, 1994," Tornado Talk, March 27, 2019 [https://www.tornadotalk.com/piedmont-al-f4-tornado-goshen-united-methodist-church-march-27-1994/].
14. Contributors and Editors, "Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)," Wikipedia, July 7, 2011 to May 31, 2026 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Let_the_Rain_Come_Down_(Crooked_Little_Man)].
15. John F. Potter, "Bar Locks and Early Church Security in the British Isles," The Archaeopress Blog, February 26, 2020 [https://archaeopress.wordpress.com/2020/02/26/bar-locks-and-early-church-security-in-the-british-isles/].