I read today that weathercasters will be using stronger language about storms like this, such as catastrophic, unsurvivable etc… Personally, I think this is a very good idea, and hopefully it will cut down on the number of “parties” held because of hurricanes and other catastrophic events.
Our local meteorologist, Karen Minton (my favorite) recently advised, during a tornado warning, that if there were no other option, sit in your bathtub with a bicycle helmet on.
I made fun of this on FB, writing that D had often seen me do this, but now it’s okay according to Karen.
I wish I had not been so flippant and never will be again, in such a situation.
Speaking of stronger language, or at least language that will convey just how dangerous a situation is, I have a story.
Back on June 8, 1966, a massive tornado passed through my city, Topeka, Kansas. I was eleven. At the time there was just one local TV station, WIBW. A law student from Washburn University of Topeka, Bill Kurtis, was a news anchor that summer, and on the spot when the weather warnings came in. In an interview, years later, he spoke of how he was trying to figure out how to let viewers know this was not just another warning, it was huge and coming through RIGHT NOW! “Do I curse, do I yell?” he said. What came out was “For God’s sake, take cover!” I heard that, as Mom was herding us to the basement.
The higher ups in CBS heard it too, and Bill Kurtis has gone on to quite a career in broadcasting.
It’s funny how I can remember so many details of that evening. I was watching “Lost In Space” It was a Wednesday, and at 7:00 PM I would have been watching a new Peanut’s special “Charlie Brown’s All-Stars” I never did get to see it, ever. The sky afterwards had this peculiar yellow-green color. How tense my mom looked. Hearing someone on the transistor radio shouting “It’s coming over the Mound!”(Burnett’s Mound, the highest natural point in the city.)
No weather radio as they have been trying to find fairy dust this week. I do have one i ordered online and we are patiently waiting for delivery. We have smart phone apps and text alerts. Just waiting now for whatever hits.
I have a tornado siren literally just over my backyard fence, so no chance of sleeping though that. First big line of storms is past. Lights are still on although I’ve heard from friends across town that they lost theirs. Sump pump is working away in the basement and all is quiet now, but I think I’ll stay up & dressed for a couple more hours as our sever storm warnings don’t run out until midnight or so.
I’m not in the area, but several of my cousins are. One, who lives near Wichita, reported on FB about half an hour ago that they were headed for the basement. I’m just glad they have a basement to go to.
Stormchasers is a show on the Weather Channel that features, well, stormchasers who drive all over the areas that have the best chances for tornadoes and other severe weather events. Some of them are professional meteorologists and others are just very interested individuals. Some of the vehicles featured have lots of aftermarket items attached such as antennas, protective cages, etc. that catch attention. Have you seen any of these shows?
the jet stream is causing mixing off different temperature air masses over a really huge area, ripe for lots of tornadoes. the last time this large area future warning was done was 2006 which had over 100 tornadoes.
last night was 125 tornadoes. large population areas were hit with not many deaths yet, maybe due to this large warning. today and tonight will be more violent weather.
they have changed the warning style though not used yet in all areas. lots of people are at risk out in traffic and in normal daily activities. during watches people need to stay more alert, able to get warnings, have a plan to shelter.
I don’t live in Tornado Alley. The two tornadoes that have hit where I live in the 12 years I’ve been here were babies compared to some of the monsters that have destroyed whole towns this year. So I wonder what I would do if I heard a warning like the one** Michael63129** quoted.
I live in a two-story brick house built in 1937. I’ve already determined that the place to be in a violent and destructive storm would be a room in the basement that’s actually under the brick front stoop of the house. But if I had 20-30 minutes lead time with a warning like the one issued for East Wichita , I think I’d throw the cats in the car (with the other two humans that occupy my house) and drive like a bat out of hell to the southeast.
when a tornado is in progress then predicting the path and time might be good.
new tornadoes can form at anytime placing new areas in danger.
underground sheltering is best. you don’t have certainty that driving somewhere will be out of a tornado path. you have no shelter available if you need it. in a car you are subject to all kinds of danger: low visibility to rain and hail, distracted drivers so if you don’t hit someone then others may still hit you. a car offers little protection from debris, even above ground in a wood framed house you are more protected from debris that would smash your car windows and leave you to face that. on the road you are part of a traffic congestion that might be blocking emergency traffic.
You’re right. Those of us in the midwest hear lots of tornado safety advice over the years, and the experts always advise not to try to outrun a tornado in a car. The tornado might be able to catch up to you anyway since tornadoes don’t obey traffic laws or road paths. Their traveling speed can be quite fast actually the fastest traveling one known to date traveled at up to 73 mph).
In addition to the danger of having flying debris crash through the windshield and causing injury or death, cars can be picked up and thrown long distances by a tornado.
These are reasons why it is recommended that if you’re driving in open country when a tornado hits, you’re better off getting out of the car and laying down in a ditch (hoping that it doesn’t flood) rather than trying to ride it out in your car.
Some of them might be thrillseekers, but I think I remember seeing some of them contacting local news stations to tell them that there’s activity so that they can send out warnings. I don’t know how much the meteorologists on the news rely on them for information, but for smaller, rural areas maybe that’s the best way to get it? I may just be pulling this out of my ass, though.
And as for stronger-worded warnings, I think I read somewhere that they were used during Hurricane Katrina.
people can be trained as storm spotters who will report from home or where they are. storm spotters are then trusted observers.
when there are severe weather conditions some ham radio people might have a severe weather network and report conditions from their location, even if on the road. most of those people get storm spotter training.
safety is important and taking yourself into danger is not part of either.