Tulsans at least are fairly blase about tornadoes, but Tulsa also has a fairly miraculous record of not getting hit by them (something about the river/dam combination, apparently? Not a scientist). I've definitely stood on my porch to check out the wall cloud, but I also head to my parents' house with the cat carrier fairly frequently (their house has a basement. And better beer). Tonight I went out for a run around the time we were supposed to get hit. There was some pretty rockin' wind and heavy rain but only for 15 minutes or so. Brought the temp down a bit.

Tornadoes scare me like nothing else. Having chosen to move to the Midwest for school from the Northeast, I can take anything aside from a tornado. Give me a hurricane, an earthquake, a blizzard, or basically anything but a tornado and I'll get a little twitchy but nothing on the level of absolute terror I feel at the slightest mention of a tornado. Like maconmagnolia (I think?) I also go to school in Missouri and I'm still shocked at how buildings don't have basements/storm shelters and that it was never once covered exactly what to do during a tornado watch/warnig/emergency. None of the dorms have basements, though some of the classrooms do, and the only one time anyone has ever actively encouraged a response to the tornado sirens was when it was a student forcibly herded about 30 others into the basement of a building when the warnings went off during an evening club meeting. We're lucky we haven't been hit yet (though north St. Louis county was during once this past semester), though I'm honestly terrified as this system continues moving toward school. I know so many people with apartment leases who are staying there or who are on campus taking classes for the summer and I'm going to be glued to the news/internet hoping they're okay over the next 48 hours.

Prayers for everyone in Oklahoma and everyone else in the path of this massive storm system :(

I don't think I can watch the coverage anymore. It's too heartbreaking.

So some good news... the death toll was revised down to 24. Sigma Nu from UCO and OU are sending out volunteers to work with the Red Cross to assist in relief efforts. One of my alumnus brothers who works for the Regional Food Bank recently put a picture up on FB which shows the Cox Convention Center's court (roughly the size of a basketball arena) filled with tall boxes of food donations ready to be disbursed to survivors.

I know at least one person, an OU Sigma Nu who lives in Norman who just showed up to help who ended up working through the night.

Aside from the previously mentioned ways to help:

Text STORM to 80888 for The Salvation Army USA.
Text REDCROSS to 90999 $10 donations, or
FOOD to 32333 for Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

Tornadoes are so frightening because there is so little, if any, warning. At least with the hurricanes, we have days notice to prepare.

My heart goes out to everyone in OK. Thanks for the donation info.

I've seen some knee-jerk calls for saferooms at schools here in Oklahoma. That wouldn't have saved these kids because a reinforced above-ground room will not stand up to an EF-4 or EF-5. Because you can't tell until afterwards what the strength of the storm is, investing in anything other than an underground shelter would not be helpful. It's not like you can say, "oh, it only looks like an F2 so let's go ahead to the saferoom."

I always think it's funny how people fear what they aren't familiar with - myself included. Tornadoes obviously can cause major damage, but 1/5 of 1% of tornadoes are EF-5 strength. Tornadic storms have plenty of warning. I have a lot more fear of earthquakes because of the lack of warning. Hurricanes also have a lot of warning, but the path they take tends to be much broader than a tornado. I guess it's all what you're used to.

I hope the meteorology folks at OU can eventually tell us why Moore is hit so often. It is unbelievable that 2 of the worst storms in history hit the same location. And, they have been hit plenty of other times with lesser but still significant tornadoes (2003 and 2010 most recently). Aside from Catoosa in 1993, the Tulsa area has been really lucky.

My sister and her husband are moving to Joplin to join medical practices this summer. They are coming back today from house-hunting. They had made a previous offer, but the inspection failed because black mold developed in that house during weather exposure/remodeling from the Joplin tornado. She said the first thing out of the realtor's mouth at every house is info about the safe room, storm shelter, etc. Most of the houses they're looking at are complete rebuilds or extensive remodels because so many homes were damaged or destroyed. They had also considered joining practices near Tulsa, and she said none of the realtors there mentioned tornado shelters at all.

They're building a second hospital in Joplin, and it's located "kitty corner" from the other hospital. The prevailing direction of tornadoes was taken into consideration, so that it is highly unlikely both would be damaged during another tornado. My sister said that the tornado has really affected the psyche of the city.

It breaks my heart to think about the children killed by the Oklahoma tornado.

Not a meterologist, but have looked at this before. EF5 tornados are not very common. I found a list. -->
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._EF5_tornadoes

The EF4 that hit Tuscaloosa, the EF5 that hit Joplin, MO or the EF5 that hit outside of Austin in Jarrell, Texas back in 1998 could have still hurt people in cellars or basements with a direct hit. Many of the people that died in Jarrell were in shelters.

Growing up in Texas, I have seen a tornado, and you usually get some warning. It is just really terrible that sometimes there is no way to get out of the way. I feel terrible for the children in Oklahoma.

One of the reasons some areas are more likely to be hit is that the heat generated and transmitted by large cities and large areas of concrete can disrupt turbulance in a thunderstorm and break up storms some. The reforming cell will then come down later. In Texas, this means reforming on the south side of the city. Often that land has been historically left open - but then that has led to some of trailer parks constructed in those locations.

What we are seeing now is that thunderstorm cell reform father south - possibly the growing size of the urban area and the suburbs coming together. It is one of the reasons San Marcos, Texas gets hit by thunderstorms so hard - cells deflected by Austin and the burbs run into heat off of San Antonio and have no where to go. It is also why the tornados that hit downtown Ft. Worth and Oklahoma City directly are so unusual.

Frankly, if she'd been looking in midtown Tulsa, they would have. Most of the older homes in Tulsa have basements, and most of the stuff in the suburbs don't.

We get plenty of warning (we find out about the storm cells well in advance), but people don't often take heed to the "take shelter" advice because it's rare that a "super-tornado" will actually hit. I remember when the small tornado hit downtown Dallas a couple years ago, folks were standing outside filming it and laughing about it -- while they were directly in its path.

-----------

Looks like there's another large cell that's making its way through. Wichita Falls and OK City seem to be getting the worst of it right now. So far, DFW is gloomy but nothing severe has made its way though.

They do give warning as far as issuing watches and warnings go. I guess I should have worded that better. I was comparing it to the time you get to prepare for a hurricane - boarding up your windows, packing your car and heading out if you're in a flood zone or direct path vs. the time for a tornado, which is seek out shelter immediately. I've experienced both, so that's where I was coming from.

To assist the people of Moore, OK, you can test "STORM" to 80888 and donate $10 to the Salvation Army, "REDCROSS" to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross Disaster Relief or "FOOD" to 32333 to give $10 to the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank.

Right now the Red Cross is turning away volunteers, so we're coordinating with UCO's volunteer department to help get supplies, etc. to affected families and first responders. One of our brother's grandmother lost her home. Everyone else is alright.

If you want to send supplies, Mu Tau is accepting supplies which we will donate to the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army as appropriate. Please send bottled water, blankets, clothing, gloves (heavy duty), large black trash bags (contractor grade), shovels, toiletries, sunscreen, dust masks and steel toed boots to Sigma Nu Tornado Relief, 301 E. Edwards, Edmond, OK 73034.

Chris Frioux, (an alumnus of my chapter), a local radio personality interviewed the photographer of one of the iconic photographs taken following the storm. http://www.kj103fm.com/pages/fritobl...ticle=11307585

Tulsa has been very fortunate to have not been hit by a serious tornado in quite some time. A word about those older homes in Tulsa: if you're able to do a lot of maintenance yourself, they're fine. Otherwise, they can quickly become a money pit. I will say midtown Tulsa is absolutely beautiful and there's plenty to do in that area vs. say.. Owasso or Jenks.

You might be money ahead to just buy a storm cellar instead though. I'm planning a backyard remodel in the next few years. Storm cellars are surprisingly affordable.

That's what my parents have done. They have a shed in the backyard with a shelter underneath it (Central TX area). It wasn't terribly expensive and is a pretty good size.

Our office is full of parents who have been coming to get their children. We are under a tornado watch and everybody is nervous because of Oklahoma.

99 times out of 100, the school building is MUCH safer than the parent's home or worse, being stuck on the road with a tornado heading towards you.

The real irony is that seven children died in the basement of one of those schools because of flooding. That would have been considered the safest possible place, but it didn't work out that way.

It is a natural reaction to immediately say "We have to do this to prevent such a tragedy again." In truth, when a tornado like that strikes, there is little anybody can do. Some tragedies just can't be prevented. The early warning systems we have now really save a lot of lives. The technology to predict which systems may produce tornadoes has improved greatly over the last 30 years. Sometimes though, the best you can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Such a good point. And the flooding was caused by a water line that broke. Of course people should prepare as well as possible, but sometimes tragedy can't be avoided.

This times 1000. If no underground shelter is available, I would much rather take my chances against a tornado in a typical steel frame and concrete block school building than most other buildings. They usually will withstand most (not all) storms.

My heart breaks for these people as they mourn their loved ones and try to rebuild. I think I could handle the loss of my possessions, but not my child.

My sister and her husband put an offer on a house in Joplin this weekend...no basement, but it does have a FEMA-certified storm shelter. Their daughter's future school also has a FEMA-certified storm shelter.

ASSIST OKLA. CHAPTERS WITH TORNADO RELIEF
POSTED: 2013-05-22 :: LAST UPDATED: 2013-05-22, 15:00 ET

Brothers in Oklahoma are asking chapters from around the country to lend the helping hand as they coordinate local relief efforts following the deadly tornado that struck Moore, Okla., and surrounding areas earlier this week.

Volunteers from Mu Tau Chapter, Epsilon Epsilon Chapter, and Delta Epsilon Colony are requesting gloves (heavy duty), large black trash bags (contractor grade), shovels, toiletries, sunscreen, and dust masks be sent to the following addresses:

Mu Tau, Central Oklahoma
Tornado Relief
301 E. Edwards
Edmond, OK 73034

Contact: Colt Coldren
918-288-3715
colt.coldren@gmail.com

Epsilon Epsilon, Oklahoma State
Tornado Relief
913 W. University
Stillwater, OK 74074

Contact: Chase Snodgrass
405-371-9970
chase.snodgrass@okstate.edu
Volunteers from chapters at University of Central Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State University will use these supplies in their ongoing relief effort. Brothers in the Oklahoma City area interested in joining a volunteer team are encouraged to contact Colt Coldren and Chase Snodgrass at the information above.

Additional donations can be made by texting "REDCROSS" to 90999 or "STORM" to 80888. Texting "FOOD" to 32333 will donate $10 to the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank.

http://www.sigmanu.org/news/20130522_0001.php

An amazing story of a mother who gave birth during the tornado:

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...-hospital?lite

It rained 7" at my house inside of 12 hours. I think it was more like 3. Glad I have flood insurance because I'm making a claim. It's been rough. Our roof and gutters were totaled in March. We had just finished redoing our flooring from a flood caused by a plumbing backup and now we get hit with 7" of rain and water seeping into our floors on both sides of the house.

The tornadoes were a few miles South of us this time, so no damage or power lost, but water is bad stuff too. Downtown OKC flooded pretty bad. I office just outside of downtown. I'm on the ground floor, so I may have another insurance claim to process.

I paid for flood insurance. Thank God. The house flooded from that rain because our french drain pipe apparently collapsed. Our house is a dam and has been constantly flooding. Since we paid for the insurance and adjacent homes flooded, FEMA is paying for repairs.

Hoping GCers in current Midwest Greatest Severe Weather area are heeding their risk warnings. The Weather Channel online Northern Illinois future radar maps are FREAKING ME OUT. Why have they not postponed the Blackhawks game?

Why do we keep bumping the Severe Weather January '13 thread when there's a regular severe weather thread? Actually, the real question is why did we start a new severe weather thread for January when we had one already? No big deal, I'm just OCD like that, ;)

My family in Chicago (that phrase makes me want to cry on the inside!! miss it already it...) has been texting me with updates. They're supposed to get SLAMMED. My mom, who works for the electric company, has already been told she will be working this weekend.

Also, TOTALLY not digging the wild fires. I am a Chicagoan. I can do flooding, thunderstorms and blizzards. I know nothing about this stuff. I just love that I move out to Colorado and within 2 weeks of being here BOOM, 5 wild fires. The closest one is 25 miles away and I am currently looking at smoke from the fire as I sit and type this.

Fires...
 

We are on fire here in Colorado.

Fires North and South of Metro Denver. One is near Colorado Springs where the Waldo Canyon fire destroyed some 300 homes.

There isn't a thread for fires. Maybe I need to start one.

Derecho Part Deux
 

Although OPM has not shut down (yet) the State Department is ready to throw in the towel....

Severe Weather Expected Thursday night Through Friday

There is severe weather on the horizon with impacts that could be similar to the derecho occurring one year ago this month. Derechoes are large clusters of thunderstorms that produce wide, long swaths of straight-line wind damage with winds as strong as 50 to 100 mph or higher. Last year’s derecho caused extensive power outages and communications failures across the Mid-Atlantic region. A/OEM recommends you begin planning now for a potential repeat of last year.

The Mid-Atlantic region, including Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., may be impacted Thursday through Friday with damaging straight-line winds, large hail and a few possible tornadoes. The potential threats include strong winds downing trees and power lines Thursday night and Friday with gusts over 50 mph as well as flooding from heavy rainfall.

All Department employees are asked to check the OPM.gov website and the State.gov website to monitor the operating status of federal government buildings and specific Department of State buildings in the National Capital Region and other affected areas. If the operating status of the federal government is open, but an employee is unable to report to their duty station, employees are advised to contact their supervisor and bureau executive director offices to notify them and make arrangements for telework or liberal leave.

Please see the information in Department Notice: Washington, D.C. Area Dismissal and Closure Procedures, which provides guidance for Department of State employees.


We are monitoring the forecast and will stay in touch with field offices that may be impacted by the storm. If impacts to Department operations occur, the Department’s Incident Management Team may activate to notify and provide assistance to any affected facilities, offices and bureaus in the National Capital region or elsewhere in the affected areas. Employees may check the State Department website www.state.gov for State specific building and operations closures.

Basic personal preparedness actions for severe weather include having an emergency kit with flashlights, plenty of batteries, water and non-perishable food items, a weather radio to receive alerts and comfort items. See OEM’s website for more information on personal preparedness. Personnel should also go to https://cens.a.state.gov/ and ensure their emergency contact records are updated.

Please contact the Emergency Management Center at 202- or email @state.gov for more information about building operations.

Please contact your supervisor or bureau executive director for questions if you are unable to report to work due to the severe weather
Return to Department Notices index

Well, the state of Michigan is really getting pounded right now. I'm trying to find a good radar image...

Yeah.

http://image.weather.com/images/maps...mw_720x486.jpg

Try wunderground.com and try the wundermap you can scale it and add things to it just like being the weather guy.

You are fantastic. :D

Updated. Worse.

http://i39.tinypic.com/2qjvrs8.jpg

Thank you! Living in "Dixie Alley" and having spent thirteen years on hurricane watch, one becomes an amateur meteorologist by necessity.

Next time I require a specific thread, will check similar thread for sticky at bottom. Thanks for the reminder, LP :)

Hope I didn't come off sassy, I didn't mean too!

Like I said, I'm just OCD like that ;)