Very good points.
I am wondering though.... Since the day before there were tornadoes in the area, and the weather forecasters predicted similar conditions in the area, should that not play into any decisions made? I’m not criticizing, I am asking and wondering out loud.
I have dealt with schools who refuse to close under extremely dangerous conditions because they simply don’t want to make up days at the end of the year. Even when many students’ homes were under mandatory evacuation for a hurricane, they refused to close the school.
This is why I don’t always trust protocol. However, last minute in imminent danger decisions are difficult to judge unless you’re in their shoes. But when there is reasonable notice that a tornado is very likely (24 hours?), it’s better to make decisions then, rather than put yourself in the position to have to make an imminent danger decision.
I agree. It is always hard to try make decisions based on predictions. The Okc weather media are excellent, but do have the reputation for over-hyping things. People still remember a couple of months ago when half the city shut down because the forecast was for 10” of snow and sleet. Nothing. That was the second time this last winter that it had happened. Schools and businesses closed, runs on Walmart and Target were made, and we got nothing.
Again, even the weathermen were caught a little off guard yesterday. Okc and the NWS had only forecasted a 50% chance of severe weather with a possibility of a tornado. Usually, they have a good feel for the potential for this type of weather and are letting us know a day in advance. Yesterday, however, there was not that same sense of urgency until it was too late. Most of the time these large tornadoes form in very rural areas and take a couple of hours to reach populated areas. This one formed and was moving into Moore within 30 minutes. In 1999 they were warning Moore for a couple of hours before it moved into town.