# OKC Dopers please check in. TORNADO **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 8, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984 "2003-05-08T22:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Oreo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c57346/32.png) [@Oreo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oreo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/21 "2003-05-09T01:46:42Z")
Norman resident here. We couldn’t even see the storm from our aparments, so if you have friends in Norman no worries. But the lights did keep fading in and out, and me and my cats were getting pretty spooked. My husband works in OKC, and he still hasn’t made it home thanks to I-35 being shut down. He’s working his way through the side streets, and I’m sure he’ll have some stories to tell when he gets here. What spooks me is that I was supposed to be in Moore today about the time the tornado would have gone through. I was going to go by the Social Security office there after work to put in for my name change, but when I realized I had left the wedding certificate at home I decided just to go tomorrow instead and went straight home from work. As far as I can tell, the SS office was right in the path of the tornado. Weird…you never think about how the little, tiny, seemingly inconsequential things can so greatly affect your life. I feel like I’m in a Gwenyth Paltrow movie or something. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/22 "2003-05-09T03:05:32Z")
Finally heard from all my friends and family, all ok except for some damage to a friend’s house. More than 300 homes destroyed, 1500 damaged. GM is _not_ totaled. That was a premature news announcement. It _is_ severely damaged. 18 or 20 critical injuries, many minor injuries. No reports of fatalities (unless I missed something) which is great news. For now, only emergency workers are allowed in the affected areas. There will be a lot of salvage / clean up / rebuild help needed in the near future. Poor Moore. Some of the same houses we worked on 4 years ago were damaged again. An elementary school was destroyed. (Hit at 5:00 pm) Moore Fire Station # 2 was damaged. Some amazing home and storm chaser videos are being shown. _No on died._ 🙂 Last time, over 40 fatalities. A massive search and rescue effort in operation tonight. Many fires from broken gas mains and down power lines. Thanks for all the good thoughts, y’all. Will post a follow up later sometime later. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/23 "2003-05-09T04:48:20Z")
[118 injured, at least 20 critically](http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aT2Y.KCkwoMQ&refer=us) 38,000 without power. About 1,500 homes in Moore, a city south of Oklahoma City, were damaged and 300 of them were destroyed, said Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys. Still, not nearly as bad as the one 4 years ago. Glad you guys are all ok. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/24 "2003-05-09T07:59:11Z")
I’m glad you guys didn’t get hurt. I was waiting with bated breath here in Tulsa, but thank the whatever it fizzled out right before it got here. I was in the big one a few years ago and didn’t wanna repeat it. Tornadoes have been rampant here the last couple of weeks. It sucks during the summer in tornado alley. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/25 "2003-05-09T14:35:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoClueBoy \* > \*\*Gary England’s guessing it’s an F4, based on the damage > > To be honest, when one gets you, you don’t care if it’s F2, 3, 5, whatever \*\* Gary England! I remember him from when I used to live in El Reno (until I was 10, in 1980). I still think “Gary England” whenever I think “meteorologist.” Nice to see a familiar name. Hope everything is OK for the OK dopers. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/26 "2003-05-09T14:44:49Z")
Any idea of how close this would be to the area of Douglas Blvd between 10th and 23rd? That’s where my mom lives. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/27 "2003-05-09T14:50:48Z")
**Zebra** , it was just barely south of there. She probably would’ve seen it if not taking precautions. That area may be one of the powerless/phoneless areas, though. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/28 "2003-05-09T14:52:01Z")
I got through. She did see anything because it was too dark but she is OK. ---
**Author:** ![mmm.forbidden\_doughnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e68b1a/32.png) [@mmm.forbidden\_doughnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmm.forbidden_doughnut)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/29 "2003-05-09T15:06:46Z")
It’s very surreal to watch all this on the news and_not get a single drop of rain_ here in Broken Arrow. Hope all’s OK in OKC. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/30 "2003-05-09T17:06:03Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by mmm… forbidden doughnut \* > \*\*It’s very surreal to watch all this on the news and_not get a single drop of rain\* here in Broken Arrow. Hope all’s OK in OKC. ☹ \*\* I hear ya. I was cooking dinner not 20 miles away when this tornado ripped through down there. We got rain, though. And the sirens (new Whelen electrical models, replacing the old but rather sentimental CD mechanical sirens a year or two ago) went off twice. I don’t know why they went off up here; one of the capabilities of these sirens is to sound as many or as few as you like around the network. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/31 "2003-05-09T17:15:27Z")
☹ What’s the status now, NCB? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/32 "2003-05-09T17:41:31Z")
No fatalities. Some serious injuries. Not as bad as 5/3/99. (But don’t say that to the guys who’s homes are gone. ☹ ) Tinker AFB is ok. real busy cleaning up. FOD walk all over the base. The GM plant is closed. It suffered heavy damage. Job status is unclear for a couple of thousand people. Official statement from GM: “Just give us time to get it up again. We will not relocate, will rebuild. Time table unclear.” Our emergency system really works well. ALL the radio and TV stations had continuous warning and coverage, plus the sirens, is probably why no fatalities and few injuries. The storm track is surreally similar to 5/3/99. Some of the same people suffered loss or damage of homes. Still several areas only accessable to emergency crews. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/33 "2003-05-09T18:00:46Z")
Well, yes, we probably lead the nation in storm coverage, thanks in large part to Gary England. Didn’t he _invent_ Doppler radar? His knowledge of priorities as far as impending storms and mindless programming on the CBS feed certainly helps as well. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/34 "2003-05-09T18:01:15Z")
Just for some background… May 3rd, 1999, saw the highest ground level wind speeds ever recorded by Man (on Earth) in the form of a very long track F5 tornado which tracked through the heart of Oklahoma, including the heaviest populated area of the state, the OKC metro area. Wind speed was 318 mph, possibly higher. Some talk was of adjusting the Fujita scale to a new class, F6, just for this tornado. It was that severe. F4 and F5 tornados comprise only about 1% of total tornados formed, but account for over 65% of tornado fatalities. That day saw several F3’s at least one other F4 and about 60 tornados overall. 40 some odd people lost their life that day. Including some who took shelter. If you weren’t underground or out of the way, you died. The psychological effects for this storm linger. We feel a dread in our bones when the sirens go off. One of my friend’s daughter still goes into a panic when she hears those sirens. She’s only 8 now. Anyways… that’s why we refer to 5/3/99 aka _THE_ F5 when speaking of tornadic storms. So, when I say this one isn’t as bad, remember, we’re comparing to the biggest of them all. An official Weather Service statement of the strength of this storm is due later today. But, like I said before, if one gets you, you really don’t care what F it is. Thanks to everyone posting updates, well wishes, and questions. Very much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/35 "2003-05-09T18:06:10Z")
Joe, I don’t think he _invented_ it, but he was certainly instrumental in applying it to severe weather. A pioneer, if you will. Plus, the National Weather Service has a HUGE presence here. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/36 "2003-05-09T19:40:03Z")
I have the NOAA radio frequency on (much better voice these days, eh?); the storms aren’t over yet, as far as the state is concerned. Let’s hope/pray/think good vibes for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/37 "2003-05-09T20:58:51Z")
Here is a link to the[Amazon listing](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0806128232/qid=1052514100/sr=1-27/ref=sr_1_27/102-1166286-1389723?v=glance&s=books) of Gary England’s book. I was really excited when I saw hin in the trailer and the film Twister. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/38 "2003-05-09T22:16:34Z")
_Another_ one…this one is north of Arcadia. It looks big. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/39 "2003-05-09T22:31:23Z")
The dry line is cutting the state in half again, from SW to NE. Hold on to something. The Altus/Lawton storm is producing golfball to baseball size hail. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984/40 "2003-05-09T23:35:29Z")
[Photos](http://photos.newsok.com/storm050903/) [Some video links on this page.](http://www.newsok.com/#) It gets updated regularly, though. So save what you want to see again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okc-dopers-please-check-in-tornado/173984.md?page=3)