Tornados!!! Again, And again 9/5/11

[ernie]

That's the things about the sirens. You have people who heed them and get to their shelter. But you have a lot of people who say "oh the sirens are going off. I better go get my shopping done." You have the people who say "the sirens let's go outside and take a look". And finally you have the people who say "the sirens, I better go pick up such and such because they don't have a shelter."

But I was somewhat mistaken last night. I had good warning as I was watching the storm through the entire hockey game and i knew when it was around Galena, KS (our hint to get to the storm shelter) but not everybody got a good warning. Joplin sirens went off earlier and then stopped. They got started back up after it was already on the ground. The national service was late getting the warning out (in fact our weather radio never alarmed for the warning just the initial watch). It was also completely rain wrapped so the first a lot of people knew about it was when they heard it. Which is very often too late. Some very sad stories of people who where running for the shelter in the stores who had people running behind them that never made it in. Often ones with kids.

This is going to be felt for a long long time to say the least.

edit: authorities are saying about 30% of Joplin experienced major or significant damage from the tornado.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by ernie

edit: authorities are saying about 30% of Joplin experienced major or significant damage from the tornado.

6 mile path 1/2-3/4 of a mile wide.

Joplin is no one light town either. Appx 49,000 population.

[ernie]

Whispers around these parts suggesting it may have been an EF5. This is due to the damage on metal framed buildings which were levelled and the de-barking of trees leaving only stumps of the largest branches. Pick a damage indicator and we are pretty much consistently at the largest DOD for the indicator.

Certainly looking that it was at least an EF4. EF4 and EF5 together account for less than 1% of all torndoes.

We also don't need all the lightning and rain we are currently getting.

[ernie]

Couple more pictures

[T@T]

Man what an ugly year so far for storms and add to the NHC's prediction of a brutal hurricane season if could get a lot worst.

[Displaced Flames fan]

It has only been a couple of weeks since the pictures from Tuscaloosa were posted and seeing these pictures in Joplin is still stunning. I never get used to it.

[BigBrodieFan]

116 people confirmed dead now. They are saying this tornado is one of the top five most deadly tornadoes in history. How awful for those poor people. I just can't imagine..


This article from the weather channel promises for more very severe weather tomorrow:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weath...nts_2011-05-23

My fellow Kansans and Missourians- hope everyone remains safe, looks like we might get some really bad tornadoes.

[ernie]

The weather isn't letting up that's for sure. We've had 4-5 inches of rain today so flash floods warnings are everywhere. I drove over the Spring River from work and it looks like it will spill its banks for the second time in a month tomorrow. Some areas of Oklahoma have apparently had 10 inches of rain today.

Right now it looks as though most of tomorrow's most dangerous weather will pass south of us. We hope so. Right now Joplin doesn't know if the warning system is working and likely won't be able to check on it tonight as they continue to do search and rescues (pulled 7 out alive today for a silver lining).

Some issues with looting earlier today but the police are handling that and they've basically quarantined the entire area as they should. I hope the cops were liberal with the punches to the back of the head after a hard take down.

Sounds like the state and federal governments were quick to act and get the resources here. Over 250 national guard in the city right now with another 450 on standby.

The area will rebuild and get through this.


The path of the tornado:

[Displaced Flames fan]

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weath...ast_2011-05-19

Awesome. We're a 7 on the TOR:CON index for tomorrow. 8 is the most probable conditions for tornadoes.

The Joplin area is a 4 today and a 5 tomorrow, but a 6 on Wednesday.

[ernie]

I expect we are going to have some warnings again tomorrow. I've sort of lost the desire to go to work for the next few days. Much rather spend the days with my kids in sight the entire time. Especially given where my wife and daughter were when it touched down which was is a restaurant on Newton road 4 blocks south.

[BigBrodieFan]

Originally Posted by ernie

I expect we are going to have some warnings again tomorrow. I've sort of lost the desire to go to work for the next few days. Much rather spend the days with my kids in sight the entire time. Especially given where my wife and daughter were when it touched down which was is a restaurant on Newton road 4 blocks south.

I don't blame you a bit. My husband is actually going to head there in the morning and work with FEMA for the rest of the week. I hope he stays out of the storm path. DFF I hope you're safe in Wichita!! Good luck.. Ernie, so glad you and your family are okay!

[Daradon]

Wow, those pictures look like a bomb went off or something. Nothing left at all. Sad stuff.

[ernie]

They are currently estimating the speeds at 190-198 mph which puts this at the very upper end of a EF4. Just below EF5 (which starts at 200 mph).

Keep in mind that as you go up the tornado vertically the speed increases so anyone in the upper floors of a multistory building such as the St. John's hospital and associated offices experienced an EF5.

Death count is 117 right now. 1500 people are unaccounted for, however, I stress that 1500 includes people who were not in town and who left town trying to outrun the storm. Still, the death count is likely to climb substantially as there were simply a bunch of people that were in cars or weak structures when this hit. They have pulled 17 people out alive during the search and rescue.

We also know that all the idiot rubber neckers who are out gawking and trying to take pictures are hindering emergency personnel getting to people and getting people out for treatment. We know some people on the triage teams and a couple of those people say they have lost patients because they couldn't get to the hospital in time because of all the rubber neckers.

But to sum up this community which welcomed us with open arms 2.5 years ago...2000 businesses and homes were destroyed and the 2 Red Cross shelters only have about 120 people total in them at this time. All the other displaced people have been taken in by friends, family and neighbors.

[Displaced Flames fan]

We have officially moved up to an 8 on the TOR:CON scale for today, the highest probability of tornadoes. Nicker and I are in the white area. ernie and BBF are in the red. All of us are likely to see something nasty today.

[ernie]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

We have officially moved up to an 8 on the TOR:CON scale for today, the highest probability of tornadoes. Nicker and I are in the white area. ernie and BBF are in the red. All of us are likely to see something nasty today.

We are barely in the red. White may even be touching us. Where I work (NE OK) is definitely in the white. Last thing this area needs is another major strike. Well last thing any area needs.

Apparently we had two search and rescuers struck by lightning yesterday one is OK the other in critical condition. It is interesting to note that in typical years about as many people die from lightning strikes as tornados in this country. Not this year obviously. This will likely be the worst year on record.

It is sounding like an astonishing number of people ignored the sirens in Joplin which went off 25 minutes before the storm hit for 2 minutes and then started back up and were constantly going from about 15 minutes before the tornado touched down. Some that didn't just ignore it tried to outrun the tornado using radio information which mistakenly said it was going down 7th street instead of 20th street. Those that were trying to outrun the storm instead drove right into it. NEVER try to outrun it! Take shelter immediately.

edit: I don't want to make it sound like I'm blaming the radio. I'm not they are just relaying info they are getting. it is also still possible this was a multi-vortex tornado for some of the path so it very well could have been two places at once.

[nickerjones]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

We have officially moved up to an 8 on the TOR:CON scale for today, the highest probability of tornadoes. Nicker and I are in the white area. ernie and BBF are in the red. All of us are likely to see something nasty today.

Yeah so supposedly #### is about to hit the fan... For my sake I am hoping the dry line moves east of OKC ... I hope everyone lucks out and no tornados are coming. My next house will def have a tornado shelter. Everyone in the path , stay safe!

[nickerjones]

Now South Central KS is at a 9 on the TOR:CON so is North Central OK.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weath...ast_2011-05-19

[Buzzard]

I think this might have been posted before....not sure. Anyway a pretty cool site to tag along live with chasers. Lotsa action today.

http://www.chasertv.com/watch/video-streams-in-imap/

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

I think this might have been posted before....not sure. Anyway a pretty cool site to tag along live with chasers. Lotsa action today.

http://www.chasertv.com/watch/video-streams-in-imap/

Looks like the thunderstorm and tornado warnings are starting.

[BigBrodieFan]

This is the sky right now over UMKC (University of Missouri, Kansas City) which is downtown/near Plaza if anyone's every been to Kansas City. My home is about 10 miles southwest of UMKC in Overland Park, KS.



Storm rolling in over downtown this afternoon.



Wall cloud east of Topeka, KS today.