A Tornado Night

[jebrown]

Tonight here in Northern Oklahoma around 7:00 P.M. CDT, it started to rain.
At about 9:30 P.M. I went outside to sit on my front porch to enjoy the rain.
At about 10:00 P.M. the Tornado sirens started sounding. I went inside to inform the family that we needed to go down into the storm cellar.
We were on our way down when a friend of my wife and her husband and granddaughter pulled up in the street. We all went into the cellar.
We were in the cellar for the next 45 minutes. In that time frame there were four funnels that formed within six to seven miles of my home. There was also a Tornado that touched down abot twelve miles North East of me.
As I am writing this there was another Tornado that touched down about sixteen miles North East of me.
It is moving away from where I am.
This storm produced quarter sized hail and 60 MPH winds.
While writing this I am listen to my scanner as well as my SAME weather radio.
I will post more if anything else develops.

[marnee]

Thank you for sharing. You just reminded me that I need to make sure our storm cellar is stocked with a few things, despite my hubby saying it's no big deal. Granted, we don't live in tornado country, but it would be a pain to be stuck down there with no light, food, or entertainment.

Best of luck with staying safe and secure, and let us know how it goes.

[OzarkMtnDaredevil]

Hey jebrown. I'm glad you missed the action. The system must have died out as it was peaceful here last night. North Arkansas usually gets what OK has left over.
I was looking at weather dot com earlier and we have thunderstorms in the forecast for the ENTIRE next week. I planted my tomatoes just in time. As long as they don't blow away, we'll be good.

Rob

[Anon001]

We had the bad weather too. *But, I was north of the tornadoes by about 50 miles.


Edited for my stupid typos.

[Oldman]

I am glad you all made it through this one and pray you all make it through any more that comes your way.
I don't live in tornado country either but we have made it through two of them so far. I don't care for any more.
Both of them came out of nowhere. The first time we had maybe a 10 second warning and everyone but me heard it. I was adding dirt and tamping it around a fence post we were putting up, section by section, and everyone else ran for the basement. I saw them just as I realized what was going on. I guess it was the 6 foot high and 8 foot wide fence section that kept me from hearing it but everyone else ran around the pool and to the basement.
I got caught and all I could do was hunker down behind the fence.
Then all of a sudden the section of fence was gone. It blew over me like a sheet of paper. Just left me hunkered down and never touched me. Just flipped up like a card in the air.
Buy the time I made it to the basement it stopped. Just dried up as if nothing had happened except for golf balls floating in the pool and melting on the concrete.
I sure don't want to be in one that is really bad and I pray ya'll don't have to either. I know they are a lot more of them and they are a lot worse than they are here, so keep the plans in order and be ready to move in a seconds notice.
God Bless
Oldman

[Southerngirl]

Hey jebrown,
You are basically my neighbor!
We went though it all last night too. I posted on the other post you made. Hang in there, hopefully it will go west of us tonight! We had one hit 2 miles south of our house last night and that's close enough for me, have some damage on the farm from the 100+ winds off that tornado though.
Southerngirl

[rantinraven]

I will be thinking of you guys when we get weather like that. We live in so central Mo so normally when its hitting you guys we are next. Pretty quiet here the last couple of nights just flash floods but we are high and dry. I need to seriously get in the basement and do something down there! the last time we were hunkered in there it was quick but we realized that there was no place for 7 people to sit unless you set on the cold concrete. :( really wasn't fun! Even if I only get some straw bales or something to put down there I need to seriously make us a space for bad weather. Stay safe everyone tis the season for bad weather.

[Anon001]

When I was growing up, most people had storm/root cellars. The walls were lined with shelves and the floor had simple benches all the way around three sides of the cellars. Also, there was usually a lantern since electricity is likely to be off.

[Kelleysvt]

We live in a pretty stable area - rare, extrememly mild earthquakes (feels like a heavy truck going by), no tornadoes - maybe an occasional dust devil. I'll take an ice storm or Nor'Easter any day over those things. LOL
Oddly enough it's really hot and very windy here today. I had a hard time getting my laundry off the line because the wind was whipping it completely sideways and I couldn't get to the pins! I'm loving it - even though I can't hang any more laundry right now - too bad cause it'd dry real fast!!

[jebrown]

Things finally settled down althoiugh we have storms in the forecast through Satuday night. I would like to again say thank you for all of your concern and support.
RR
I always feel for those of you in MO. as a lot of times the storms intensfy by the time they get to you.
Please do whaat you can to have a safe place in the event of storms. I have a solid concrete in ground storm cellar. I didn' have seating for everyone so I offered them five gallon buckets I have supplies in and they were happy to have them. It was tight in there as I have my prep. supplies in there on shelves.
Kelley
You brought back memories of my childhood. My Mom always sent me out to bring in the close off of the clothesline if it started to rain of if the wind started to blow. Having spent so much time in Los Angeles I confess that I do miss the earthquakes. Some neat rides over the years. Hated that they also caused so much destruction and death.
Paul
I remeber that as a kid people had storm cellars (visted realitives here while living in CA.)
When I first moved here I was surprised at how few people have one. They feel that there is really no need for one. Go figure.
Sunday is the 10th anneversary of the May 3rd tornado outbreak here in Oklahoma

[rantinraven]

Jeb I used to live in leFlore county OK. I was always amazed when a tornado was coming that I was running for cover and my neighbors were standing in the street looking for it! I have been fortunate enough that every place I have lived since being grown had a storm shelter or basement that we can get into. Our problem here is they sound the alarms for floods as well, and I am not real clear if they are sounding for tornado, flood or both! Lord you sure don't want to be heading down when you should be going up! We haven't had anything touch down in our town since I have been here (going on 5 years) but there were plenty before we got here so it makes me wonder if its "due time?" I took some blankets and things down today that I had stored up here. We don't have family that visits so no reason to keep them up here anymore that will at least keep us warm. I did drag some buckets down as well for sitting until I can find a permanent fix. I would live down there in the summer if hubby would let me (he scared of it lol) I keep telling him it would be worth it to have a crew come in and dig the floor a little deeper. Its about 7 foot down there now. If I can ever convince him of that it will be my summer residence!

[jebrown]

rantinraven
As you well know any part of tornado alley is a bull's eye when it comes to severe weather.
As an avid storm chaser I will confess if it is during daylight I would be out there too with camera in hand, inspite of what I advise others to do. Hopefully, I won't wait tttttoooooooooo long to head into the cellar.
RR you should talk with others in your community and meet with the community Emergency Management Director and have one siren tone for a tornado and another one for flooding.
If they don't think it necessary point out that it will result in a Torte Claim being filed against them.
They might think that no one here will do that but when outside sharks (attorneys) smell blood the will home in in an istant.. Then they leaders will be surprised at how many people will sign on board, possibly bankrupting the community.
We had six inches of rain last Saturday night with the tornadoes, which shut down many city streets as well as several state highways. Each year I am as concerned about heavy rainfall as I am a Tornado.
"Due time", maybe but let us hope it doesn't happenin your area.
There were some Tornadoes about six miles Southeast of me last May, before that June of 1966.That one tracked one block East of my house. I was living in Los Antgeles at the time but I have talked with numerous people in my neighborhood about it. With any luck Saturday night will be as close as it ever gets.
I am glad that you took some blankets and buckets down into your cellar and chose not to wait. That is the bare minimum but alt least you can stay warm. I would go ahead and put what ever you can down there to be more ready for anything. As you know you can do it a little at a time. A little bit of nothing goes much further than a lot of noting as you well know
I understand how you feel about living down there. When it gets hot during ther summer I retreat to my celllar and sit in a folding camp chair. Sometimes I sit on a storage box and lean back agains the cold concrete wall boy does that feel good.
For me it is a good place for reading listening to my music and this year I have a portable dvd player. It is extremely quiet down there and I love it. I spend a lot of time there and it is relaxing.
You might try to dig it out yourself by hand if you can. then your husband might see how important it is for you and pitch in. You can also tell him flat out that "This is my new summer home and if you do not help me with it you will not be allowed in here". It might work unless he decides to call your bluff that is if your are bluffing.
Good luck in your endeavors RR