A J.C. Hart Apartment Community in Carmel, IN

Stay Weather Safe: How To Prepare For A Tornado In An Apartment In Carmel

October 07, 2025
Penrose on Mass exterior during a bright sunny day.

Residing in the Midwest, you can expect severe storms every year. In all likelihood, your region will even experience a tornado warning from time to time. While everyone knows how to take cover in a house during a tornado, the recommendations for individuals in apartments is not as straightforward. If you don’t have a cellar to go to, here’s how to prepare for a tornado in an apartment in Carmel.

Tornado Warning? Where To Take Shelter In Your Apartment Building

A bathroom with a shower on the left and towel rack and abstract artwork on the right. Then facing an open walk in closet with shelving and hangers

If the tornado alerts sound outside your Carmel apartment, where can you go? Few apartments have below-ground levels. You may not even reside on the ground floor.

While few tornadoes are powerful enough to level a large apartment building, smaller twisters can still send debris through glass, rip off roofs, or topple trees. Be sure to take cover during high winds or tornado warnings in one of these locations:

  • A below-grade level of your parking garage
  • The bottom floor of your building, and not close to windows
  • A neighbor’s first-floor apartment
  • Interior stairwells or halls without windows
  • A closet or interior room of your apartment
  • Underneath a solid table
  • In the bathtub with a thick blanket for protection

When you hunker down, wear a bicycle helmet or cover your head with a thick pillow for extra protection.

Be Prepared For Severe Weather

A contemporary apartment kitchen, dining room, and entryway

The smartest way to prepare for a tornado in your apartment in Carmel is to keep up with weather alerts and plan in advance. Your plan should incorporate critical supplies if you become trapped in your home or have to depart quickly. Pick a specific place to store your emergency preparedness kit and include these supplies:

  • Portable radio
  • Flashlight
  • Additional batteries
  • Backup set of house and car keys
  • Smartphone charger
  • Cash
  • First aid kit
  • Photocopy of your license or identification card
  • Non-perishable snacks
  • Bottles of water
  • Crucial medications
  • Pet essentials

Inspect your supplies at six-month intervals to make sure they still operate, and replenish the water and snacks. When a tornado warning goes off, take shoes and appropriate clothing with you when you shelter.

Severe winds can easily damage power lines in your neighborhood. For blackouts, keep these essentials on hand:

  • Shelf-stable food that doesn’t have to be cooked
  • Battery-powered lights
  • A power bank for powering your smartphone

When you’re ready, you’ll endure any storm better and feel more peace of mind.

What To Avoid During A Tornado

Everybody assumes it couldn’t possibly happen to them. You can avoid bodily harm or worse during a tornado by avoiding unnecessary danger. Take cover as soon as possible and don’t

  • Ride an elevator during a tornado warning
  • Track the storm by looking out the window
  • Venture outside
  • Take cover under shelves, heavy wall art, or tall furnishings

Make Highpointe Your Home In All Types Of Weather!

We can’t stop storms from happening, but we can offer an incredible apartment lifestyle at Highpointe on Meridian Apartments! You’ll feel completely at ease in one of our spacious apartments complemented by life-enhancing amenities in a well-maintained community. Call (317) 342-0670 or schedule a tour to explore why we’re a desirable place to live in Carmel.