Twister, cyclone, whirlwind, funnel or tornado -- whatever it's called, it's dangerous.

Tornado season is right around the corner for Oklahoma, exemplified by the fact that parts of the state were under either a tornado watch or tornado warning for the majority of Thursday afternoon.

Tornado season begins in April and ends around June, but tornadoes can occur year-round, said Dan McCarthy, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Flash National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.

Experts urge taking precautions and being prepared in case of a tornado.

One of the most important ways to prepare is to have a plan in advance because the average warning time for a tornado is only 15 to 16 minutes, McCarthy said.

To plan, pay close attention to the weather through various media outlets, said Mark Shafer, director of climate information with Oklahoma Climatological Survey.

He suggested checking the weather periodically during days when there is a risk of severe storms.

If there is a tornado watch, conditions for tornado formation are present. A tornado warning indicates that a tornado has formed and residents need to take shelter, Shafer said.

Residents in counties neighboring those under a warning should also pay close attention and start taking cover, McCarthy said.

Another way to plan is to choose a small, interior room for shelter, Shafer said.

"Small rooms have a better chance of the roof staying on and walls staying up," he said. "If there's a big gathering room, it's probably not a good place to be."

Bathrooms are better than closets because the pipes in the walls make them sturdier, Shafer said.

"The best things to have inside the safe room are bottled water, non-perishable food, bicycle helmets, blankets and mattresses to cover yourself with," he said.

Flying debris, such as glass or wood, is one of the major killers in tornadoes, he said. Bicycle helmets and mattresses will help prevent injury.

For students living in dorms, designated shelter zones include basement areas, hallway areas and central elevator lobby areas, said Michael Heaton, assistant director for administrative operations for Housing and Food Services, in an e-mail.

"We have been fortunate not to have needed to implement our storm refuge procedures in the past several years," he said in the e-mail.

Students who live in apartments should stay indoors in the event of a tornado, Shafer said. It is better to be in a small, interior room on a second floor than to be outside or in an unsafe stairwell with windows or doors.

Interior stairwells are safe and may be one of the best places for students in university housing to be, he said.

When taking cover in a shelter, residents need a few items, including a personal ID in case of a natural gas leak, McCarthy said. Often when there is a natural gas leak, residents will need a personal ID to get back into their neighborhoods.

Each public area, such as shopping centers, should have shelters planned out in case of an emergency, McCarthy said. An official should be able to direct citizens to the proper place.

Last year, Oklahoma had 27 tornadoes, which is far below the yearly average of 50 to 55, McCarthy said.

The most tornadoes in Oklahoma in a single year occurred in 1999 with 141 tornadoes, he said.

Tornadoes are random, so a prediction for this year cannot be made, he said.

Students who live in the OU residence halls can get more information about what to do in case of a tornado from OU's community living handbook or by speaking with a resident adviser, Heaton said in the e-mail.

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