It's no secret that Manitoba's warm months often bring severe storms. Multiple funnel clouds have already been spotted in Manitoba this year, and Portage la Prairie's fire chief reminds you to have a plan in place in the event of a tornado. Phil Carpenter notes any severe weather will be broadcast through the radio stations emergency broadcast system, something that was introduced last year. He notes if those warnings come up in your area, your first priority should be to find a safe place.

"If you're in your home and you have a basement, you should go there. They also suggest you go to your most heavily constructed areas, away from windows. The atmospheric pressure created from these events can bust out a window very easily, and then you have debris flying around."

He notes hallways or windowless rooms are some of the safety places in your home, and you should ensure you're staying low and covering your face. Carpenter says if you're driving in a potentially dangerous area, things can be a bit more complicated.

"If you're caught in the middle of it all, you want to lay flat in a low lying area. Probably not beside your car or by trees. Again, these types of potential flying projectiles could land on you and hurt you. Laying down in the bottom of a ditch could be a good spot."

Carpenter notes even once severe weather passes, there are still precautions that need to be taken to ensure your safety as any number of hazards could be present.

"Listen to emergency responders to get the proper direction of what to do. If there's a tornado, you could imagine there'd be a lot of hazards that will be out there, possible from downed hydro lines to leaking gas or fires. We don't want people getting further hurt by going in the wrong direction."

He notes while it's hard to imagine a tornado passing through our area, it's something people need to be prepared for. Carpenter says it also seems severe weather has become more common, noting instances of funnel clouds and flooding over recent years.