Thoughts and Prayers to the Oklahoma Tornado Victims

[Feralpeg]

Spring is here and so is tornado weather. Five deaths have been reported in Oklahoma due to tornadoes. The storm system is still producing tornadoes.

Ironically a multi-vortex tornado hit near Wakita, Oklahoma. This was the town destroyed in the movie Twister.

http://www.examiner.com/x-17323-Extreme-Weather-Examiner~y2010m5d10-Video-Wakita-OK-Tornado

 

[m&m's mom]

They are showing a lot of pictures on the local news.
The tornados are about an hour north of me. Gonna be an interesting night.

 

[tchrrx]

I had three tornados very near my home. We spent two hours in the safe room. I used to teach in the town where three of the fatalities are. This one hit way too close to home.

 

[Feralpeg]

Glad to hear you are okay, tchrrx.

m&m's mom, the weather channel is saying that they don't think Texas will see a lot of tornadoes tonight. They think Kansas and Missouri will be next in the bulls-eye.

 

[PirateSnowmen]

One of the tornadoes formed in Norman about a mile from where I am. In fact, if I had been in my room (instead of the basement), I would have seen it. It formed right above the National Weather Center and I have a couple of friends who were over there and video taped its formation. My dorm room looks right out to the NWC.

It certainly was a crazy afternoon.

ETA: This is the Norman tornado.

 

[mking624]

It's been a crazy weather day here, definitely. Sunny all morning...then BAM! Tornado outbreak. I live in Oklahoma City and we got some heavy and fast moving storms, but the tornadoes were on the outskirts (Norman was the big one). Three fatalities in Tecumseh...we used to live about 10 minutes south of there up until this past winter.

 

[bookgirl]

Luckily living in Oklahoma we have one of the best defenses. A active and large early warning system. Our weather guys were letting everyone know in the morning that bad weather was coming, that we most likely would have storms and circulation and that everyone should be prepared by the afternoon to take shelter. With the National Weather station in Norman and the local meterologists (we get some of the best trained and experienced ones here), we almost never get taken by surprise.

When I hear about other states that are so devestated by storms and how people say they had no warning I thank the stars that even though I live in a high tornado area, we have so much technology and so many experienced professionals on hand.

By the way have lived here my whole life and watched more tornados live in person than I probably should. I am always proud of the communties after these things happen, Crime goes down, volunteers are on scene within minutes, and first responders who go above and beyond. Heck as soon as the tornado passes people were out of their cars and pulling out survivors.

 

[tchrrx]

Luckily living in Oklahoma we have one of the best defenses. A active and large early warning system. Our weather guys were letting everyone know in the morning that bad weather was coming, that we most likely would have storms and circulation and that everyone should be prepared by the afternoon to take shelter. With the National Weather station in Norman and the local meterologists (we get some of the best trained and experienced ones here), we almost never get taken by surprise.

When I hear about other states that are so devestated by storms and how people say they had no warning I thank the stars that even though I live in a high tornado area, we have so much technology and so many experienced professionals on hand.

By the way have lived here my whole life and watched more tornados live in person than I probably should. I am always proud of the communties after these things happen, Crime goes down, volunteers are on scene within minutes, and first responders who go above and beyond. Heck as soon as the tornado passes people were out of their cars and pulling out survivors.

Very well said! I forget that all states don't have our awesome meteorologists. I knew yesterday morning that the storms were not supposed to hit until after 5. Right at 5 I was pulling into my driveway. By 5:15, we were heading for the storm shelter. I love our Storm Chasers!

 

[Planogirl]

It's strange how much of this happens just to our north while it's so rare for us. Our thoughts are with you neighbors!

 

[golfgal]

Luckily living in Oklahoma we have one of the best defenses. A active and large early warning system. Our weather guys were letting everyone know in the morning that bad weather was coming, that we most likely would have storms and circulation and that everyone should be prepared by the afternoon to take shelter. With the National Weather station in Norman and the local meterologists (we get some of the best trained and experienced ones here), we almost never get taken by surprise.

When I hear about other states that are so devestated by storms and how people say they had no warning I thank the stars that even though I live in a high tornado area, we have so much technology and so many experienced professionals on hand.

By the way have lived here my whole life and watched more tornados live in person than I probably should. I am always proud of the communties after these things happen, Crime goes down, volunteers are on scene within minutes, and first responders who go above and beyond. Heck as soon as the tornado passes people were out of their cars and pulling out survivors.

We have a good early warning system too but the problem is that they set it off for EVERY severe thunderstorm so people tend to ignore it more often than not, me included. One night last summer we were golfing, blue skies, no wind and the tornado siren sounded. We were thinking what the heck??? I took out my phone and looked up on the internet and there was a tornado in the county 30 miles away headed in the other direction. . This happens ALL the time. It is a dangerous practice I think.

I saw the tornado warnings on the National Weather Website and I couldn't believe the BIG red blobs indicating tornado warnings. Usually you see a red dot or two but there were so MANY last night. .

 

[AshleyW]

We have a good early warning system too but the problem is that they set it off for EVERY severe thunderstorm so people tend to ignore it more often than not, me included. One night last summer we were golfing, blue skies, no wind and the tornado siren sounded. We were thinking what the heck??? I took out my phone and looked up on the internet and there was a tornado in the county 30 miles away headed in the other direction. . This happens ALL the time. It is a dangerous practice I think.

I saw the tornado warnings on the National Weather Website and I couldn't believe the BIG red blobs indicating tornado warnings. Usually you see a red dot or two but there were so MANY last night. .

Our warning system used to be like that, too, but they changed it this year (or maybe last year, I can't remember) so now they can issue tornado warnings for just parts of counties. It's been nice, because the north half of Linn County here gets TONS of tornadoes for some reason, while the southern part (where I'm at) gets very few. So when the sirens do go off, we know we have to get to the bathroom.

 

[golfgal]

Our warning system used to be like that, too, but they changed it this year (or maybe last year, I can't remember) so now they can issue tornado warnings for just parts of counties. It's been nice, because the north half of Linn County here gets TONS of tornadoes for some reason, while the southern part (where I'm at) gets very few. So when the sirens do go off, we know we have to get to the bathroom.

They have the capability it is just a county policy to do this-which is stupid I think. There have been several times where we have been enjoying a cocktail on the deck when the sirens have sounded and didn't move.

 

[bookgirl]

We have a good early warning system too but the problem is that they set it off for EVERY severe thunderstorm so people tend to ignore it more often than not, me included. One night last summer we were golfing, blue skies, no wind and the tornado siren sounded. We were thinking what the heck??? I took out my phone and looked up on the internet and there was a tornado in the county 30 miles away headed in the other direction. . This happens ALL the time. It is a dangerous practice I think.

I saw the tornado warnings on the National Weather Website and I couldn't believe the BIG red blobs indicating tornado warnings. Usually you see a red dot or two but there were so MANY last night. .

We have sirens as well, but they're an indication for people outdoors or in thier cars to get to a radio or tv station for info, usually that there's lightning or high winds or that a tornado is building in the county. Our sirens do not always mean duck and cover immediatly. Ours go off every Saturday at noon as well just to test them. If we ever hear them we know to check our tv. (my suburb does run thiers for duck and cover, but the metro area we're next to runs them as an indicator to get information) So we actually get two sirens. One is long and continuous and one is a building wail.

I've never met anyone around here who ignores them completly(well except for Saturday at noon), but then in our case if they're going off there is a reason. Usually we just go and check in for any weather building.

 

[pozey]

Glad my Oklahoma DIS friends are all safe.

We were lucky here where I live...the storms were all south and west of us. We got heavy rain and some wind...but nothing bad.

I have a friend who lives in Choctaw, which was hit hard too, and I have yet to hear from her today. Hope she's alright.

 

[PirateSnowmen]

I just went driving around and got to see some damage. I didn't mean to either - I was showing my dad something and we just so happened to drive by right where the Norman tornado touched down. Telephone poles and trees were just snapped in half. Power lines are down. We could see a few buildings that had roof damage. The tornado touched down about a mile and a half from where I am right now. We're very lucky it didn't rip through campus.

 

[golfgal]

Very well said! I forget that all states don't have our awesome meteorologists. I knew yesterday morning that the storms were not supposed to hit until after 5. Right at 5 I was pulling into my driveway. By 5:15, we were heading for the storm shelter. I love our Storm Chasers!

I remember when one of the weather forecasters from MN went to Chicago. He said the weather there was too boring and came back to MN .