Posted on 04/14/2012 9:13:46 AM PDT by Carriage Hill
At least three possible tornadoes hit central Oklahoma early Saturday in a prelude to what forecasters warned could be a day of "life-threatening" storms in the nation's midsection. No injuries were immediately reported.
Department of Emergency Management official Michelann Ooten said the possible tornadoes were reported west and north of Oklahoma City. One was spotted near Piedmont, a small town where a twister last May killed several people.
The National Weather Service was working to confirm the reports.
Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Brown told The Associated Press the storms were fairly weak but still damaged some homes. A tornado that touched down Friday afternoon sent 10 people to the hospital with "bumps and bruises" and ripped through southwest Normal, ripping up telephone poles, shredding trees and ripping off rooftops, according to the Oklahoman.
(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.msnbc.msn.com ...
Nope, nothing Normal about Oklahoma.
We got hit here in Norman yesterday. Tore up my wife’s business area. Weatherbunnies are already at Defcon 3 and the real fun’s not supposed to start until about 4:00 CST. Yesterday was a preamble.
Yikes
Wow, my wife’s last apartment before we got married wasn’t that nice. (Also, it wasn’t that big!)
That’s some smart thinking to use shipping containers like that. Their rationale about the corner strength of the things makes perfect sense.
}:-)4
We have very good friends that live in Edmond. Talked with them last night and they are paying close attention to the weather.
Prayers for all...
I’m keeping an eye on the activity with this map.
http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/full_loop.php
Your shelter looks like paradise compared to the one in Noble, OK that I had to run across the street and climb down into.......with 2 babies and a small satchel that contained food, water, and dry clothes for the kids. This satchel was kept by the front door so I could grab it on the way out....
Those were scary times, but I was much younger then. Today, it would just be me and the better half (for the last 50 yrs), and I have no idea where we would hide if a tornado headed our way..........
That’s the exact one we use here, JH.
Channel 9 KWTV OKC
http://www.news9.com/
Channel 5 KOCO OKC
http://www.koco.com/index.html
Channel 4 KFOR OKC
http://kfor.com/
Live Stream: http://kfor.com/on-air/live-streaming/
Wunderground Looping Radar for OKC
http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=TLX&lat=35.45946121&lon=-97.39727783&label=Oklahoma+City%2C+OK&type=N0R&zoommode=pan&map.x=400&map.y=240¢erx=400¢ery=240&prevzoom=zoom&num=10&delay=15&scale=1&showlabels=1&smooth=0&noclutter=0&showstorms=0&rainsnow=0&lightning=0
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HASTINGS HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
WESTERN JEWELL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...
NORTHWESTERN MITCHELL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...
NORTHEASTERN OSBORNE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...
SOUTHEASTERN SMITH COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...
* UNTIL 1245 PM CDT
First Tornado Warning of the day is up:
* AT 1204 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTH OF OSBORNE...OR 30 MILES WEST OF
BELOIT...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DOWNS...CAWKER CITY...IONIA...ESBON...BURR OAK AND MANKATO.
Not to minimize the danger of bad storms today, but keep in mind the weather service in February I think changed their policies, and now make tornado warnings deliberately more scary and shrill.
So really, it’s hard to know whether it’s really as bad as it sounds, or if the weather service is just shouting louder than they did before last month.
“...I have no idea where we would hide if a tornado headed our way...”
The deepest underground part of your house, b. If you don’t have a basement, like folks in Florida, find one and make “arrangements” to share it. When the sky gets green/black/orange and it’s “very still outside”, *unleashed-hell’s* right around the corner and you’re in its way! It’s almost too late by then.
Sitting in Omaha for my daughters dance recital. Watch just issued. Wish I was back in Colorado where it is just snowing this weekend!
Prayers for all!
Repeating though, not trying to minimize anything.
The tornado hit Norman, not “Normal.” We live just south of Norman and were not affected. However, for today’s round of “life-threatening” storms I have cleaned out the storm shelter and prepared a bug out bag. I will also take my Mossberg 500 in case we are hit and the looters pay us a visit.
I read this morning that they were not practicing that policy with this storm. They’re serious about this one.
Prayers up for all of our FRiends in these areas.
Just two days ago, watched a program about Greensburg, Kansas...............and two summers ago, drove right through - really wish we’d stopped to nose around.
Holy cow.
Bad news. Prayers for everyone there.
Please be careful, all.
I don't think these warnings are hype.
Ironically I learned about the change in warnings, from the Weather Channel.
Last week.
TWC probably should stress (clearly) today, if the warnings have not yet been upgraded.
That’s a big “high risk” area. Lots of real estate involved in that one.
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