A truly terrifying storm

reply to post by denytheignorance


In Lawton, Oklahoma my dash board thermometer, and several banks said 105 at approximately 4:27pm. Lawton's in the southwest part of the state, for you non-Okies.

reply to post by jimnuggits


lol Lawton is literally like a desert though.

Here is a Link for the actual weather temperatures so far today in Lawton Oklahoma. Nothing got above 95* degrees
Technically this is for fort sill, oklahoma. Fort sill is actually in Lawton oklahoma

actual high temperature for lawton oklahoma today

Were these torandos f4s or f5s a lot of the damage is consitent with an F4+. I looked at the photos on the link and this really proves that underground shelters need to be built for mobile homes and apartments. People who own homes need to consider a basement or a storm shelter. Even if a person is buried underneath rubble; that person's chances are a lot higher underground.
Does everyone who lives in this have a basement or a storm shelter. We have had a very mild spring with only 3 severe storms so far. It appears maybe tornado alley has shifted this year. By this time in Kansas City we have already had a few major tornado outbreaks.
The more I see pictures like this the more I am convinced to always live at a place that has a nearby storm shelter or basement. My apartment is a walk out basement and I go into the bathroom which is the furthest away from the outside.
People who live in the USA should always have a plan.(or anywhere that is prone to severe weather.)
By the way the picture I have on my profile is one I took after the 2008 Gladstone,Mo Tornado it was like an F3. It is hard to tell because of the special effects but there is a fence in the tree.

reply to post by dreamseeker


Severe weather can strike anytime, anywhere no matter the location.

The tornado scale is now ranked as EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5. They changed it to EF awhile back.

reply to post by denytheignorance


Yes this is true. I have never really had a storm just sneak up on me. This is because I am always alert to changing weather even if it is only 15 minutes in advance. That is all the more reason to have a plan for severe weather.
Kansas City emergency management's response to diaster preparedness is to shelter in place. This is concerning because mobile homes stand no chance against even a small tornado. Apartment buildings are a little sturdier but if you live on the top level and an F4-F5 comes through chances are you won't survive.
The best advice that can ever be given is get down as low as you can, as quick as you can. Make sure it is inside unless you happen to be traveling then go to a ditch. I have been through many many severe weather scenerios. I have been traveling before and outside. I always found the best place to go.
A bathroom that is an interior one is a good place to go if it is on the ground floor because due to plumbing walls are built stronger.
Yes I know it has been changed to EF1 etc but I still say F1 out of habit. Is there any articles that state the strength of those tornados. Some of the damage looks similair to Greensburg.

reply to post by dreamseeker


That is true or if your bathroom has windows like mine you can into the back of the shoe closet or in the closet that is under the staircases in some houses. If you cant do that then go to a neighbors house and if you cant do that then go to your bath tub and throw a mattress over you and stay there until the meteorologist have stated that the storm has passed.

Unforunately my matress is very heavy but I pull a bed roll thing over me. I know my best bet would to have some type of steel table to get underneath but I don't have anywhere to put that just yet. When I finally purchase my own home with a basement I am getting a heavy duty steel work bench for tornados. I will also double as work bench. It would be so easy for someone to make a safe bench or tornado table. I just wish our society would take severe weather more seriously. We are not invincible.

reply to post by dreamseeker


Actually a steel shelter is the best bet. I wouldnt want to be underneath anything

reply to post by denytheignorance


I don't doubt that the weather channels are saying 95. On many occasions, I have noted recently that the news downplays the actual temperature by a few degrees. Not sure why...

reply to post by jimnuggits


They do that so people don't freak out about how hot it will be. But sand also makes it hotter outside because of the reflection of heat. So it could have been 105 on the thermometers but most likely not actually 105 if you know what I mean.

reply to post by jassie51289


Wow, thanks for sharing those pics. Those are some wild and awesome pictures you took, and plenty of them. Thanks for sharing, those are some of the best I've ever seen.

When this storm was forming over the midwest, I saw a radar animation loop of it that looked very much like a hurricane. I know hurricanes forming over land are occasionally talked about in climate change discussions. Any one know a website for finding animated weather radar history? The circulation was very obvious in the animation. Wish I could give you a link.

reply to post by denytheignorance


Lawton is not desert, nor is there sand.
Just FYI.

Sigh oh my the end of the world! Ive lived in NC my whole life. Unusual yes very. Scary? Hell yes very. But nothing living through 1999 Hurricane Floyd. I guess a lot of people thought that was the end of the world as well in eastern NC, 12 years later we are still here.

57 deaths; 7000 homes destroyed; 17,000 homes uninhabitable; 56,000 homes damaged; most roads east of I-95 flooded; Tar River crests 24 feet above flood stage; over 1500 people rescued from flooded areas; over 500,000 customers without electricity at some point; 10,000 people housed in temporary shelters; much of Duplin and Greene Counties under water; severe agricultural damage throughout eastern NC.

Coffins coming out of the ground due to the flooding.

Stop the doom and fear mongering given enough time extraordinarily bad weather happens no matter how unusual. Something like this happened in NC in 1984, given enough time stuff repeats.

reply to post by jimnuggits


Ok. Maybe not but the whole town is pretty much a military base

reply to post by memphisjason


I know exactly what your talking about. You can go to certain weather sites or call NWS and see if they can send you a copy if the radar loop.

It was weird seeing the whole storm rotate, no I'm not talking about a small portion called the funnel. The whole dang storm was rotating like a microwave or a top, whichever you prefer.

It was crazy. It was so freaking cool but at the same time very cool.

We get tornadoes sometime in and around this area; btw Sanford, NC...but the storm system that went through over the weekend was unlike any that I've seen in my life, just plan unreal. I have a few pictures of what happened just outside the hardest hit areas, we can’t get to the other areas yet, police still have the roads blocked due to debris and other hazards.

reply to post by Shdak


Here in Oklahoma I'm used to storms like the ones you witnessed, but this storm was unlike anything I've ever seen. Last year in Oklahoma city, oklahoma there was a tornado and softball size hail, I wish I still had the video because my ex lived in okc and recorded the whole thing. The video showed the hail goig right her roof into the living room and kitchen and bedroom. Then when it stopped she moved the camera up to the roof froom inside and you could see the light outside coming through holes in the ceiling. That was crazy!

I'm going to try to find that video lol I might have deleted it though cuz I got mad at her.

reply to post by denytheignorance


Are you seriously trying to get people killed? A steel shelter? The best place to be is a concrete box buried in the ground called a storm shelter. Are you sure you live in Oklahoma?

I can't imagine anyone around here telling people to get to a steel building for safety. They fold like paper in a strong storm. Especially when side swiped by large debris (ie Cars, cows, etc.)

Dis info agent, much?

reply to post by ker2010


You are comparing apples to oranges. I never said I have not seen this much damage. I never said that I have not witnessed the destructive power of a hurricane. I live in Virginia Beach. I have seen plenty.

Yes, I remember Floyd and all of the flooding and strong winds and everything.

I think that the final record said that 92 tornados were reported to have touched down in NC, although it may have been both the Carolinas combined. Please tell me the last time that happened in NC. I am not fearmongering whatsoever. Nor is anyone else. Obviously you did not witness the brunt of the storm. Considering this is a record breaking storm for the entire US, no storm like this has ever happened. Especially not in NC.

You cannot deny the fact that this is exceptionally odd.

I have witnessed many powerful hurricanes. This was no hurricane though. This was a very different kind of natural power. You would have to see a tornado to understand its power and likewise you would have had to see what I did to understand me when I said that I thought it was the end of the world.