Tornado on the Ground in Okc & KS

Channel 5 Oklahoma ^ | 05/08/03 | Me

[chantal7]

Tornado on the ground. Heading for Tinker AFB.

Debris flying and electrical lines down.

I-240 and Sooner Road, it's crossing the road.

[PhiKapMom]

I live in Norman, home of the Storm Prediction Center and National Weather Service. Norman in its history has never been hit by a major tornado.

That one back in 1999 is believed to be the largest tornado to hit. The one good thing about this area is the amount of advanced warning you have here for potential bad weather. All of our local TV stations and some radio track the bad weather as it crosses the state. We have the latest and best equipment to track tornadoes and our storm chasers do a fantastic job.

Lack of loss of life was because they had advance warning it was headed toward the GM plant and took precautions.

I am not even from Oklahoma -- here because of Tinker AFB and the closure of Kelly AFB, TX. Because of all of our advance warning, I have learned to respect the power of tornadoes, but I am not frightened like I was when I watched the movie Twister knowing we were moving to this area.

Having the Storm Prediction Center right down the road helps. In fact, there is a storm chaser in my son's fraternity.

[PhiKapMom]

They keep reporting there may have been one fatality but not confirmed. They have over 20 people here at the Norman Regional Hospital. Most of the critical are at OU University Hospital which is a Trauma I facility.

[PhiKapMom]

1500 homes in Moore damaged and 300 destroyed in total!

[Palladin]

Hope all FReepers in these areas are OK...likewise all their families and friends.

Praying for all in OK and KS tonight, and in all areas suffering from these phenomenal acts of nature.

[2Jedismom]

My husband came to Moore back in 1999 and help with clean-up...entered a subdivision that was guarded by the National Guard to help the families gather what they could, with a group from my church. He was never able to discuss it with me, it was so upsetting to him. But if they need help again, he'll be there.

Poor people.

[PhiKapMom]

I shocked to hear they had lost so many homes again since this tornado was not as large as the last one.

It is almost surreal being so close and we didn't even have any rain.

Have never seen anything like Oklahomans that come out and help people they don't know -- it touches your heart. That was really great that your husband volunteered.

[mhking]

Prayers to everyone - I don't know if anyone's posted this yet, but KMBC is streaming live at http://mfile.akamai.com/7885/live/reflector:24017.ram

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Glad you are all safe....... we'll pray for everyone else..... the shock of a tornado lasts for a very long time.

[thunders]

'here because of Tinker AFB'....are you or your husband in the AF? Just curious...my fiance is a Marine Reservist--oh ya, I had that up as my tag line for quite some time...you prob. already know that much about me *grinning sheepishly*...

[Treebeard]

I live just off SE 15th and Anderson. We were at a restaurant getting burgers for the girls, preparatory to a softball game, when the sirens went off. I nicely asked the lady to make the burgers "to go", and we headed home.

Watched that bad boy go over south of us, went out to get a few supplies and took over two hours to get back home, from just a mile or so away. Devastation in some areas is complete, and you could hear the mixture of sirens and gunshots as they put down the injured livestock.

We met our daughter's third grade teacher running down the road trying to get to her housing addition, which was nearly totally destroyed. I don't know if she ever got back in there or not, the sheriff was moving folks along briskly.

It missed us by about 1.5 miles...this time, and they say more are possible tomorrow.

[nicmarlo]

The one good thing about this area is the amount of advanced warning you have here for potential bad weather. All of our local TV stations and some radio track the bad weather as it crosses the state. We have the latest and best equipment to track tornadoes and our storm chasers do a fantastic job.

This is very good....with earthquakes, there's absolutely no warning. They just "hit." I'm glad that there's not massive reporting of deaths.....no doubt without all the tracking equipment and radio/t.v., there'd be many, many deaths.

[ChemistCat]

I'm too tired to stay up any longer but I'm praying the rest of our OKC area FReepers are okay.

Sometimes it doesn't matter if you're in a mobile home or a brick home. Cyclones this big are going to get you. :-(

I wonder how GM's problems are going to affect the local economy. I pray they don't just shut down.

[ChemistCat]

One more thing--they interviewed our county's sheriff--and HIS home was damaged. His family was hiding in a closet. Good grief, I'm stunned that Whetsel doesn't have a storm shelter! I don't know why that surprises me. You just expect some people to be better prepared than you are, I guess.

[PhiKapMom]

I wondered that about GM. I was just glad that Tinker AFB escaped once again.

[PhiKapMom]

Air Force Civil Service -- all over the Country for AF Materiel Command!

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks! I have been flipping between local channels all night! Last major tornado in 1999 knocked one of our TV stations off the air but this time they escaped any damage and have been gong 24/7.

[PhiKapMom]

Used to live in Yucaipa (Norton AFB assignment) and in four years never felt an earthquake. Felt one in NE and two in Ohio though!

I have never witnessed anything like the tracking of tornadoes by the minute. They will tell you exactly where the tornado is heading. When bad weather is in the area, they go 24/7 with coverage. I know more about the weather from the last few years than I ever thought possible. Really fascinating too!

[VOA]

It is almost surreal being so close and we didn't even have any rain.

Surreal...that does just about catch that sort of experience.

Just had to check in and see if y'all in Norman came out OK.
This sort of event gives me really mixed feelings...it was always a bit of a
guilty pleasure getting excited when weatherman Gary England would get on the
air and start telling people to head for cover...and knowing that people were
about to lose property and maybe life.

Stay close to those sturdy inner hallways if you don't have a good basement!

[WestTexasWend]

A friend's husband works at GM and was there when it hit. (Only one person there injured seriously enough to be transported by ambulance.) He said, besides the union hall, the part hardest hit at GM was the paint department. City and union officials are saying, of course, that it will be rebuilt, but time will tell. It had just gone back into production last year after re-tooling for the new Envoy, and hopefully SUV sales will stay strong enough to justify rebuilding here.

[rad-mom]

I go to Rose State as well and was at school when the tornado hit...small world! There was insulation all over my truck and campus from GM plant. I was in the library studying and we all had to go down to the basement.

My little kids (5 yrs and 16 months) were home with daddy and my oldest was a bit frightened with all the sirens.

Hope you all are ok! Alwyas nice to meet a fellow Okie :)

Rad-mom