Sky Signs
The "green" sky might appear within an already dark or "blackish" sky. Although it alone is not a warning sign, it should be considered a potential precursor as most violent tornadoes develop out of a green sky. Wall clouds can take many forms but usually appear as a vertical and solid mass. It looks like a cloud that goes directly to the ground. Wall clouds might also be debris caught up in a funnel. Funnel clouds are the final step to a tornado. The funnel is the finger-like extension from a wall cloud. If the funnel actually touches ground, the storm has officially produced a tornado. A wall cloud can produce more than one funnel.
Rumble and Hail
Tornadoes can take on many sounds, but a nearby tornado will produce a loud sound that is typically described as a rumble. It is a loud consistent rumble, as opposed to a thunderstorm that produces a loud noise only sporadically. Tornadoes usually come in the tail end of a thunderstorm. According to disastercenter.com, a storm that eventually produces a tornado will precede it with unusually large hail.
Ground Debris
If you have a clear line of sign of approaching clouds, storms, or precipitation, look at the area toward the horizon where the ground and storm meet. If there are any signs of debris being tossed up, this can be a clear indication that a tornado is already on the ground. It is also not uncommon to spot lightning flashes that are much lower to the ground than normal.
Tornado Facts
Flying debris causes most tornado damage. Although some people believe that windows should be open to allow wind circulation, this is an unnecessary and bad idea. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, opening windows merely creates an added gateway for the fast winds to enter the building. The NSSL also says the U.S. averages 800 tornadoes a year. They cause 80 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries a year.