topic Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY .... in Community Chat

QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

Tinkrbl44 — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:32:57 GMT

I know every area of the U.S. has it's own weather vulnerabilities ... hurricanes, tornados, floods, earthquakes ..... (I live in Southern CA, earthquake country).

In the news coverage yesterday, showing the devastation in the tornadoes' paths, one thing kept coming to mind ....... WHAT are people doing when a twister starts coming their way?

I thought ALL houses had a storm cellar on the property, but one man interviewed just hid in a closet. A closet? Seriously?

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

scotttie — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:38:48 GMT

If you don't have a basement a closet or bathtub is all you can do. You have to get away from the glass which is often what can kill you.

If it is only an F3 or so, you can survive it that way. If it's a F4 or F5 you could be kissing yourself good bye.

sometimes even in the basement it will s*ck you out. There was a terrible tornado years and years ago and killed over 100 people. Cows were flying in the air and trailers(mobile homes) were flying in the air .

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

scotttie — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:40:20 GMT

I will say tho, that we have pretty sophisticated warning systems now. If you can get to shelter you have a pretty good chance of surviving these days. Property damage is horrific tho.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

tansy — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:43:12 GMT

Isn't the warning less than 15 minutes though? Better than nothing but still...

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

loveschocolate — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:43:29 GMT

I believe the newer houses probably have storm cellars. We have a basement.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

esmeraldagooch — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:44:20 GMT

Unfortunately not. I don't know anyone with one. Many area's fill up with water if you dig a hole. NO basements.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

JustJules — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:51:20 GMT

I live in "tornado alley" in Kansas in a house that is over 100 years old. It has no basement, they never built basements back then, but it has a storm cellar.... basically an underground place where the furnace is and it is a big dirt hole under the house. We are just getting into tornado season, and the thing about our city is how the rivers run.... part of our city was built over ancient Indian burial grounds, and they knew what they were doing. They chose a place with rivers that converged, and that does play a part in weather patterns and how the winds works.... we often get terrible storms, but the tornadoes alwasys seem to work their way around the city. Can't just be a coincidence. When I lived in Colorado, I had a home with a basement, but we didn't often get bad storms with tornadoes. I guess when you are desperate, without any kind of shelter, anything will do... a doorway, a bathtub. My heartfelt condolences for those that lost loved ones in the Alabama tornadoes..... it's very sad, and there is no protection.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

Snoopy Newman — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:53:22 GMT

In many areas, the water table is too high for a cellar or basement. Plus, they do cost money. I've lived in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. The early warnings are very good and many towns have a public shelter.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

ShowMe — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:56:38 GMT

Living here in the St. Louis, MO area, we get warnings quite a bit.....and fortunately we have a basement in the apartment complex I live in. And yes, I do go down there. But, they are always saying on our local channels that if you don't have a basement, get into the tub.....only if there isn't a window over the tub or in the bathroom. Another good safe place to go is in the hall of your living quarters. Close the doors to any of the rooms that are connected to the hall because of glass blowing around. Put a pillow over your head to protect you from anything falling on to you. And, if you have blinds that cover your windows, close them all the way......to protect you from glass that would be blowing in.

Tornados can crop up any time of the year. We had one on New Year's Eve on year, and another one on New Year's Day in a different year. It's not just this time of the year.

Suggest you have your cell phone (if you have one) on you when you are taking protection....

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

betteb — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 01:01:16 GMT

Like Jules, I live in Kansas. What Snoopy said about no basements is correct. Some areas just wont support a basement, geographically.

The tornado that pretty much destroyed Baxter Springs, Kansas last night, sprung up out of nowhere. That's the problem. The develop so fast there is little time to get the warnings out.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

Tissyanne — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 01:18:28 GMT

On 4/29/2014 Tinkrbl44 said:
I know every area of the U.S. has it's own weather vulnerabilities ... hurricanes, tornados, floods, earthquakes ..... (I live in Southern CA, earthquake country).

In the news coverage yesterday, showing the devastation in the tornadoes' paths, one thing kept coming to mind ....... WHAT are people doing when a twister starts coming their way?

I thought ALL houses had a storm cellar on the property, but one man interviewed just hid in a closet. A closet? Seriously?

Yes seriously. If you think all have basements or storm shelters you are incorrect.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

Photo Donna — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 01:21:08 GMT

When we moved back to GA -- I told the RE agent I wanted a house with a basement because of the spring weather.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

scotttie — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 01:22:23 GMT

The people with the biggest problems are those with mobile homes. My stepmom lives in Florida in a MH and there is a shelter they go into.

ETA: They tell you to go out and lay in a ditch rather than stay in your mobile home...I can't imagine ever doing that.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

ennui1 — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 01:40:38 GMT

A basement depends on your soil -- if it's too loose and sandy, no basement.

Believe it or not, some people live in apartments, without basements. Shocking, I know!

Tornadoes can occur anywhere -- there were a couple that touched down in Silicon Valley some years ago. No one in California has a basement because of earthquakes.

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Jannabelle — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 02:08:06 GMT

A basement is OK, better than nothing, but it is not guarantee of safety.

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gazelle77 — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 02:40:59 GMT

I could and would not live in a place where these storms are a yearly occurrence. I would move, live anywhere but THERE.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

RoughDraft — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 02:54:45 GMT

Tornado touch downs from 1980-2010

While tornado alley is most prone to this weather pattern, you can see from this map that almost no area in the U.S. is a guaranteed safe zone.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

scotttie — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 02:58:16 GMT

Wow, very interesting map Rough Draft.

Looks like if one stayed out of tornado country that leaves out about half the country! I am truly surprised at the concentration.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

Jannabelle — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 03:00:46 GMT

Hmmm, wonder what is worse, tornadoes or earth quakes??..............and that I agree that map is very interesting.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT TORNADO COUNTRY ....

tansy — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 03:01:25 GMT

No matter the map, Rough Draft, we do not get any serious tornado in WA where gazelle and I live for which I am very thankful.