# Tornado warning! Woo hoo! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 16, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360 "2007-05-16T19:37:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/1 "2007-05-16T19:37:55Z")
I’m really hoping we don’t get an actual tornado, but man the sky looks scary. Went from blue to nearly black in less than an hour. Very rare in MA. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/2 "2007-05-16T19:40:02Z")
Be safe and remember all tornado precautions. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/3 "2007-05-16T19:41:17Z")
Apparently someone got a shot of the beginnings of a funnel cloud in western Ontario last night. It never touched down – got maybe half the way and then got bored, I guess – but that was still a bit freaky. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/4 "2007-05-16T19:47:05Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Be safe and remember all tornado precautions. [/QUOTE] Hide under a desk and cover my groin? A few minutes ago it looked like the sky was going to open up and dump some real Wrath of God rain on us. A few piddly drops later, and the sky is lightening up. I wonder if the coming storm just passed me by. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/5 "2007-05-16T19:51:34Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Hide under a desk and cover my groin? [/QUOTE] I think that about covers it. Honestly, I don’t remember anymore. Do you open all the windows or close all the windows? If you are hiding under a desk, make sure it is one that is very strong and that you can safely stand on. Find a strong central part of the building as low as possible to stand in. If all else fails, is the tub a safe place? Anyway, here is the real information: [Tornado Safety](http://www.tornadoproject.com/safety/safety.htm) Jim ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/6 "2007-05-16T20:01:21Z")
I’m at work where most of the windows are stuck shut. I suppose I could just go into the hallway. That seems as safe as anything. But it looks like the worst of it has passed, and the worst was pretty wimpy. Now it’s just sprinkling. The sky is a normal color again. Man, we never get the really cool tornados. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/7 "2007-05-16T20:02:41Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Do you open all the windows or close all the windows? [/QUOTE] Neither. Messing with windows just wastes time and, if you do get a tornado, the debris it kicks up will likely open them anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/8 "2007-05-16T20:03:55Z")
Oh, yeah, I forgot **tdn** was in New England. We have a warning for Providence, too. It’s very nice and sunny right now and there is no such warning for my home. I have no outside windows here in this very large brick building and I even have a giant safe where three people could hide if need be, so I’m not too worried. That is, unless it hits while I’m on the Washington Bridge going East. Oh, yeah, that would suck. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/9 "2007-05-16T20:15:40Z")
Yeah, it looks like Providence is clear, while Boston is under a dark cloud. Looks like Hartford, New York, and Philly are getting the worst of it. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Mike\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Fun)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/10 "2007-05-16T20:24:54Z")
We had some very intense rain for about 10 minutes earlier here in Southern NH. It’s nice and clear now, but an hour ago the sky was as dark as I’ve ever seen during the day. Very freaky. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/11 "2007-05-16T20:26:29Z")
I’m hearing hail is coming now. That’s always pretty amazing. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/12 "2007-05-16T20:28:11Z")
I’m in Hartford and the sky to the west is pitch black. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/13 "2007-05-16T20:28:53Z")
And now it’s sunny again. That’s how we like our weather around here – in hour-long increments. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/14 "2007-05-16T20:29:29Z")
[QUOTE=Mike Fun] but an hour ago the sky was as dark as I’ve ever seen during the day. Very freaky. [/QUOTE] That’s tornado-colored sky. I believe I’ve been through three in my life, and I know what that color means. When I was a kid in Iowa, one passed very close to us, and there was a lot of damage. A few years later, in upstate NY, we saw that sky again. My parents knew to get us safe, but all the neighbors were outside looking up and saying “My, isn’t that interesting?” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/15 "2007-05-16T20:30:35Z")
[QUOTE=Sal Ammoniac] And now it’s sunny again. [/QUOTE] Really? I’m like 4 miles from you and we’ve still got grey. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/16 "2007-05-16T20:32:18Z")
I grew up in Northern Indiana and we would get warnings from time to time. Nothing ever hit very close, but when there was one that was relatively close the sky would turn this eerie dark green/yellow color. There was nothing else like it. I do remember spending a few hours in the basement here and there. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/17 "2007-05-16T20:34:00Z")
[QUOTE=Mike Fun] an hour ago the sky was as dark as I’ve ever seen during the day. Very freaky. [/QUOTE] Was it a greenish color? I’ve been in thunderstorms where there were tornadoes nearby, and the sky got this weird greenish color to it. It looks black until it’s overhead, and then it looks gray-blue-green. That’s what I think of as a tornado-colored sky. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/18 "2007-05-16T20:35:11Z")
I always associated the green with hail. Sometimes it gets kinda bulbous on the bottom too. Man, I loves me some nasty, exciting weather. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/19 "2007-05-16T20:39:49Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Really? I’m like 4 miles from you and we’ve still got grey. [/QUOTE] Well, now we’re back to gray. But it’s a light gray! ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360/20 "2007-05-16T20:41:00Z")
I’ve seen green and black skies, and both have produced severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. The only time tornadoes were really close, the sky was greenish (2005, small one passed over my neighborhood). The blackest sky I’ve ever seen was in 1966, when a tornado hit about 60 miles from where I was living (in Belmond, Iowa, six dead). Neighbors and I were standing outside watching and saying “Somebody’s getting hit with something.” I didn’t know the sky could get that black. It wasn’t just dark, it was black, like night. Scary as hell. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tornado-warning-woo-hoo/404360.md?page=2)