Tornados, is everyone okay?

[Beauty]

Wow,

I just saw on the weather channel that parts of Illinois got hit hard. Is everyone okay??

 

[iluvdisney]

I was thinking the same thing this morning - sure hope none of our DISers were in the way of those terrible storms!

 

[Dan Murphy]

We are fine here in the Chicago area, hit about 80 southwest of here. Thanks for concern and good wishes.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=552473

 

[tmq2766]

It got kinda scary last night but we were lucky enough to have all 8 tornados bypass us. whew
Thanks for your thoughts though.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

YIKES! Glad everyone is OK!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Oh, and Jenn, I did have my portable NOAA radio on in the car last night, little red light blinking, up to date, real time.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Originally posted by Dan Murphy
Oh, and Jenn, I did have my portable NOAA radio on in the car last night, little red light blinking, up to date, real time.

 

[FINFAN]

We're fine too, thanks....although I was secretely hoping for a Wizard of Oz and have the house land at WDW....THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME...THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

 

[Dodie]

Not in Illinois, but there were a couple of touchdowns just north of Indianapolis last night at about 6:00 p.m. The last count I heard on the news was that there were possibly as many as 14 funnel clouds spotted as the storms crossed the state of Indiana last night.

Some real damage, but apparently no real injuries. Amazing.

 

[Poohbear123]

I heard about this at work, while watching TV.....in the breakroom.....yes, I get paid to work and watch TV, only on Wed. and Fridays! Glad to hear all is well.

 

[DMickey28]

We had funnel cloud touch down in the the town just north of us. We just on the Noblesville/Fishers line!

It was our first experience here in the Midwest....

 

[DSNY FN]

Glad to hear everyone is ok and doing well. We had one Tornado pass through our city back in 81 I think it was first time I have ever seen one it went right down our street . The others I know of up here are in Woodstock Ontario and Barrie Ontario that is all I know of in Ontario Canada and those were quite a few years ago touch wood that is.

 

[Cruise04]

I grew up in that area that was hit in Illinois and just thankful that more businesses and old buildings in Utica didn't come down. There is an old tavern that is a city block long, sits on the corner intersection and is HUGE. If that would have come down, there would have been probably a lot more people lost and a bigger mess. It houses apartments above it (or use to).

For anyone that doesn't really realize the town name but may have been through it or by it - it is just north of Starved Rock State Park. Beautiful, beautiful old town. Very very sad - I have spent a lot of time in and around that town. I do have friends who have family members that live in Granville where the school roof blew off and I'm waiting to hear if everyone is okay and someone that works over in Ottawa which is just east of Utica.

Hits way too close to home for me. Don't like that.

 

[piglet too]

I am close to Joliet, but far enough away at the same time. A friend lives just two blocks from the hardest hit part of Joliet, but fortunatly she and her kids are fine. Thanks for your concern. My prayers are going out to all those affected by it.

 

[noodles]

I have a question for all of you in Illinois. My sister just moved to the Chicago area and I got a phone call from her last night asking if I had the news on. I got a little worried because she is an airline pilot and always calls me when something happens to tell me she is ok. She then explains she is in a mall near her house and they wont let them leave because there are Tornados in the area. She wanted me to find out if they had passed yet so she could go home. Now here's my question.....Is the Chicago area a big Tornado area? I didnt think so and her phone call made me start thinking. Do you get them often or was last night a freak thing? The pictures I have seen look really scary I hope all our DIS friends continue to be OK!

Noodles

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Originally posted by noodles
I have a question for all of you in Illinois. My sister just moved to the Chicago area and I got a phone call from her last night asking if I had the news on. I got a little worried because she is an airline pilot and always calls me when something happens to tell me she is ok. She then explains she is in a mall near her house and they wont let them leave because there are Tornados in the area. She wanted me to find out if they had passed yet so she could go home. Now here's my question.....Is the Chicago area a big Tornado area? I didnt think so and her phone call made me start thinking. Do you get them often or was last night a freak thing? The pictures I have seen look really scary I hope all our DIS friends continue to be OK!

Noodles

The whole Midwest is a big tornado area.

 

[noodles]

I guess I didnt think they hit up by the great lakes area. I have Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska in my head as Tornado areas. Thats probalby just as bad as saying Earthquakes only hit in California, because I can tell you we get them here!!

 

[airhead]

She just moved to Bartlett last Saturday!! Is that town ok?? I tried to email her but she hasn't answered. I'm wicked worried about her!

 

[piglet too]

Originally posted by airhead
She just moved to Bartlett last Saturday!! Is that town ok?? I tried to email her but she hasn't answered. I'm wicked worried about her!

She should be fine as the Bartlett area is quite a ways north of where the damage was.

Is the Chicago area a big Tornado area?

We may not be a part of the actual "tornado alley" but we do get our share of them. If my memory serves me, our last real big one was pretty close to a Class 5 and that hit not too far from me in 1990 or 1991.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Originally posted by noodles
I guess I didnt think they hit up by the great lakes area. I have Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska in my head as Tornado areas. Thats probalby just as bad as saying Earthquakes only hit in California, because I can tell you we get them here!!

Tornados can also form over water. They are called Water Spouts. When they move to land they are then called a Tornado. It is a common misconception that a Tornado will not move over a body of water.

My Dad has 'seen' these form on the Mississippi River.

Here is some information: http://australiasevereweather.com/techniques/moreadv/funnels.htm#5