Huge tornado in Moore, Okla.

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Ellie O'Daire

Kin-tree Guardian
Jun 23, 2012
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Lil devils x said:
Ellie O said:
None of the storms in the outbreak you linked to are the kind for which you should evacuate your location. In every situation during the April 3, 2012 outbreak, sheltering in place in a permanent structure is the correct decision. And this illustrates my previous point: no location in this saw more than one tornado over the course of the day. There was an initial group of supercells that moved across the area, producing mostly EF0-EF2 tornadoes as they went, followed by a squall line. Dallas-Fort Worth itself had only a single supercell, followed shortly by the squall line.
I was travelling from the Mesquite hospital region through the Forney medical center region during this, and encountered the f3 and the underreported f2 in Forney during this I have seen pictures of both funnels. The area hit with the f3 in forney is near the rockwall/forney border, and many first responders to diamond creek and residents reported seeing both funnels at the same time. http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/?n=april32012forney
This is what we call a storm "cycling". Again, both vortexes are linked to the same parent rotation (and covered by the same Tornado Warning), and in this case Rockwall/Hunt County tornado was replacing the Forney tornado. They did not strike the same locations: as one dissipated, the other touched down separately. Both tornadoes were briefly on the ground at the same time, but did not cover the same ground. Had someone in the area attempted to evacuate before the storm struck (which again, would not have been the correct decision in this case as these were not "get underground or die" tornadoes), they would have only had to escape the area of the warning polygon to be completely safe from both tornadoes associated with that Supercell. They would have then had to travel a considerable distance to get back in front of another tornadic storm and put themselves back in danger.

Why are we continuing to waste each others' time with this back and forth?
 

Lil devils x_v1legacy

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May 17, 2011
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Ellie O said:
Lil devils x said:
Ellie O said:
None of the storms in the outbreak you linked to are the kind for which you should evacuate your location. In every situation during the April 3, 2012 outbreak, sheltering in place in a permanent structure is the correct decision. And this illustrates my previous point: no location in this saw more than one tornado over the course of the day. There was an initial group of supercells that moved across the area, producing mostly EF0-EF2 tornadoes as they went, followed by a squall line. Dallas-Fort Worth itself had only a single supercell, followed shortly by the squall line.
I was travelling from the Mesquite hospital region through the Forney medical center region during this, and encountered the f3 and the underreported f2 in Forney during this I have seen pictures of both funnels. The area hit with the f3 in forney is near the rockwall/forney border, and many first responders to diamond creek and residents reported seeing both funnels at the same time. http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/?n=april32012forney
This is what we call a storm "cycling". Again, both vortexes are linked to the same parent rotation (and covered by the same Tornado Warning), and in this case Rockwall/Hunt County tornado was replacing the Forney tornado. They did not strike the same locations: as one dissipated, the other touched down separately. Both tornadoes were briefly on the ground at the same time, but did not cover the same ground. Had someone in the area attempted to evacuate before the storm struck (which again, would not have been the correct decision in this case as these were not "get underground or die" tornadoes), they would have only had to escape the area of the warning polygon to be completely safe from both tornadoes associated with that Supercell. They would have then had to travel a considerable distance to get back in front of another tornadic storm and put themselves back in danger.

Why are we continuing to waste each others' time with this back and forth?
Actually they were both on the ground in Forney at the same time, the car sitting in the field at reeder rd and 548 was thrown by the f2 at the same time diamond creek was hit by the f3. Much of the time, the damages done by one of the funnels is attributed to the other when you have a case of multiple funnels on the ground in the same area. Many people mistake one tornado for another. The damage on the other side of 548 was done by the smaller tornado. It was inititally thought that the f3 had done all of the damage, but it was determined later that it was not possible, that there were two separate paths.

The reason we are going back and forth in this regards, is that when discussing what actually happens during tornado outbreaks and the issue of the multiple funnels and attempting to escape a tornado path, is that in the areas most prone for torandoes that this is far more difficult to do because the entire region is at risk for new tornadoes to form, and they can form in your escape route along the way. When I headed out down 548, there were no tornado warnings for my area, 5 minutes later we were getting hit. As for "the type of tornadoes you evacuate or hunker down for" One look at well built brick homes that were taken down to their foundation from the tornado that hit diamond creek makes you realize that is far from the case. There were no interior walls standing, bathtubs thrown. What saved lives was that the majority of people were not home at the time. Even those that were hunkered down in a bathtub were thrown from it.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/outdoor-articles/outdoor-living/dallas-area-tornado-damage-pho/63662
 

Ellie O'Daire

Kin-tree Guardian
Jun 23, 2012
35
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Lil devils x said:
Actually they were both on the ground in Forney at the same time, the car sitting in the field at reeder rd and 548 was thrown by the f2 at the same time diamond creek was hit by the f3. Much of the time, the damages done by one of the funnels is attributed to the other when you have a case of multiple funnels on the ground in the same area. Many people mistake one tornado for another. The damage on the other side of 548 was done by the smaller tornado. It was inititally thought that the f3 had done all of the damage, but it was determined later that it was not possible, that there were two separate paths.
The EF2 and EF3 were not on the ground in Forney at the same time. The EF2 did not strike Forney. There was a very brief EF0 associated with the EF3 that resulted in those photos you mentioned of two funnels, but according to the survey team, that EF0 produced no damage.

The reason we are going back and forth in this regards, is that when discussing what actually happens during tornado outbreaks and the issue of the multiple funnels and attempting to escape a tornado path, is that in the areas most prone for torandoes that this is far more difficult to do because the entire region is at risk for new tornadoes to form, and they can form in your escape route along the way.
You are completely misrepresenting tornadoes. They do not appear out of thin air unpredictably. They are always associated with a preexisting parent thunderstorm, in the cases of the worst tornado outbreaks, these are supercells: discrete and powerful rotating thunderstorms formed in areas of adequate wind shear and convective instability. As I stated in my initial post, someone able to properly read a map can effectively get out of the way of a dangerous storm with enough advance warning.
When I headed out down 548, there were no tornado warnings for my area, 5 minutes later we were getting hit.
Provably untrue. [http://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/stories/Tornado-Warning-Systems-Gave-Plenty-of-Notice-146330385.html] The tornado warning for Forney was issued 25 minutes before the tornado hit. In fact, the only warning issued that day with less than 20 minutes lead time was the one issued in Johnson county, still six minutes before the tornado touched down, and, for most of that warned area, still providing lead time in excess of ten minutes.
As for "the type of tornadoes you evacuate or hunker down for" One look at well built brick homes that were taken down to their foundation from the tornado that hit diamond creek makes you realize that is far from the case. There were no interior walls standing, bathtubs thrown. What saved lives was that the majority of people were not home at the time. Even those that were hunkered down in a bathtub were thrown from it.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/outdoor-articles/outdoor-living/dallas-area-tornado-damage-pho/63662
In the case of the Forney tornado, only two homes sustained EF-3 level damage with all walls collapsing. Neither were "reduced to their foundations" and despite appearances, people survive such tornado impacts regularly.
 

Lil devils x_v1legacy

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May 17, 2011
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Ellie O said:
Lil devils x said:
Actually they were both on the ground in Forney at the same time, the car sitting in the field at reeder rd and 548 was thrown by the f2 at the same time diamond creek was hit by the f3. Much of the time, the damages done by one of the funnels is attributed to the other when you have a case of multiple funnels on the ground in the same area. Many people mistake one tornado for another. The damage on the other side of 548 was done by the smaller tornado. It was inititally thought that the f3 had done all of the damage, but it was determined later that it was not possible, that there were two separate paths.
The EF2 and EF3 were not on the ground in Forney at the same time. The EF2 did not strike Forney. There was a very brief EF0 associated with the EF3 that resulted in those photos you mentioned of two funnels, but according to the survey team, that EF0 produced no damage.

The reason we are going back and forth in this regards, is that when discussing what actually happens during tornado outbreaks and the issue of the multiple funnels and attempting to escape a tornado path, is that in the areas most prone for torandoes that this is far more difficult to do because the entire region is at risk for new tornadoes to form, and they can form in your escape route along the way.
You are completely misrepresenting tornadoes. They do not appear out of thin air unpredictably. They are always associated with a preexisting parent thunderstorm, in the cases of the worst tornado outbreaks, these are supercells: discrete and powerful rotating thunderstorms formed in areas of adequate wind shear and convective instability. As I stated in my initial post, someone able to properly read a map can effectively get out of the way of a dangerous storm with enough advance warning.
When I headed out down 548, there were no tornado warnings for my area, 5 minutes later we were getting hit.
Provably untrue. The tornado warning for Forney was issued 25 minutes before the tornado hit. In fact, the only warning issued that day with less than 20 minutes lead time was the one issued in Johnson county, still six minutes before the tornado touched down, and, for most of that warned area, still providing lead time in excess of ten minutes.
As for "the type of tornadoes you evacuate or hunker down for" One look at well built brick homes that were taken down to their foundation from the tornado that hit diamond creek makes you realize that is far from the case. There were no interior walls standing, bathtubs thrown. What saved lives was that the majority of people were not home at the time. Even those that were hunkered down in a bathtub were thrown from it.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/outdoor-articles/outdoor-living/dallas-area-tornado-damage-pho/63662
In the case of the Forney tornado, only two homes sustained EF-3 level damage with all walls collapsing. Neither were "reduced to their foundations" and despite appearances, people survive such tornado impacts regularly.
I'm sorry, but you are incorrect. There was confusion in the reporting on this issue, and there was actual damage from a second tornado, and I saw the car in the field myself as well as the damage to the farm that was nearby. This was determined not possible by the f3 due to the path of the f3. The f0 was the one that went near North Forney Highschool, and I was not discussing that one, nor did I count that as one of the tornados.

http://inforney.com/home/entertainment/itemlist/tag/forney%20tornado?format=feed&limitstart=&type=atom
When I left the forney medical center area, there were NO tornado warnings, there were possible hail warnings, which were different. The schools were not even under lockdown when I left the Medical center because a parent was right there talking to them at the time. The rotation was reported at 3:37, first touchdown was at 3:38 and it hit diamond creek at 3:42.

The medical center is located at hwy80 and fm 548. It doesn't take very long to get from there to Diamond Creek if you look at the map.

EDIT: The schools had already started to let kids out and there were stories of heroic bus drivers and parents that made kids get in their vehicles that were walking home during this.

As for what you "think" happened here, and what actually "did" there were issues in the reporting on this, and yes, the Mayor here was relaying the accurate information.
 

Ellie O'Daire

Kin-tree Guardian
Jun 23, 2012
35
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Lil devils x said:
I'm sorry, but you are incorrect. There was confusion in the reporting on this issue, and there was actual damage from a second tornado, and I saw the car in the filed myself as well as the damage to the farm that was nearby. This was determined not possible by the f3 due to the path of the f3. The f0 was the one that went North North Forney Highschool, and I was not discussing that one, nor did I count that as one of the tornados.
The car in the field was thrown by the EF3. [http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=377573] The EF3 and the EF0 were the only tornadoes in Kaufman County on April 3 2012. The EF2 occurred in Rockwell county, the next county north, touching down near Royse City. This is all according to the Fort Worth National Weather Service Office. [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/?n=april32012sum]

http://inforney.com/home/entertainment/itemlist/tag/forney%20tornado?format=feed&limitstart=&type=atom
When I left the forney medical center area, there were NO tornado warnings, there were hail warnings, which was different. The schols were not even under lockdown when I left the Medical center because a parent was right there talking to them at the time. The rotation was reported at 3:37, first touchdown was at 3:38 and it hit diamond creek at 3:42.
The article I linked [http://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/stories/Tornado-Warning-Systems-Gave-Plenty-of-Notice-146330385.html] stated that the Tornado Warning was issued 25 minutes before Forney was hit, which correlates well with when the sirens went off according to the article you linked.
 

Lil devils x_v1legacy

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May 17, 2011
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Ellie O said:
Lil devils x said:
I'm sorry, but you are incorrect. There was confusion in the reporting on this issue, and there was actual damage from a second tornado, and I saw the car in the filed myself as well as the damage to the farm that was nearby. This was determined not possible by the f3 due to the path of the f3. The f0 was the one that went North North Forney Highschool, and I was not discussing that one, nor did I count that as one of the tornados.
The car in the field was thrown by the EF3. [http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=377573] The EF3 and the EF0 were the only tornadoes in Kaufman County on April 3 2012. The EF2 occurred in Rockwell county, the next county north, touching down near Royse City. This is all according to the Fort Worth National Weather Service Office. [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/?n=april32012sum]

http://inforney.com/home/entertainment/itemlist/tag/forney%20tornado?format=feed&limitstart=&type=atom
When I left the forney medical center area, there were NO tornado warnings, there were hail warnings, which was different. The schols were not even under lockdown when I left the Medical center because a parent was right there talking to them at the time. The rotation was reported at 3:37, first touchdown was at 3:38 and it hit diamond creek at 3:42.
The article I linked [http://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/stories/Tornado-Warning-Systems-Gave-Plenty-of-Notice-146330385.html] stated that the Tornado Warning was issued 25 minutes before Forney was hit, which correlates well with when the sirens went off according to the article you linked.
It did not state that a tornado warning was issued, it stated an " incremental weather warning was issued". It was made clear at the time, as being a possible hail warning. I received this warning on my phone via reverse 911. There were no tornado warnings issued at the time. Again, you are mistaking the hail warning for a tornado warning, and they were separate warnings that went out at different times.

The warning issued at 3:19 was for possible hail. The rotation was not reported until 3:37. Do you understand the difference now? Please re-read the article I linked with the info direct from the mayor of Forney, it said " incremental weather" not tornado, because the warning we received was not for a Tornado. We received a separate warning for a tornado AFTER 3:37, by then it was too late, I was already there.

UGH. Am I going to have to go get the fire chief to tell you that there is no way the F3 put that car there? Seriously, the car in the field was in a different path. Of course there were different cars in different fields, but the one I was discussing was not the one near the vet. The car in the field near the vet is the one I saw flying on the way home and from the OTHER tornado. LOL

Really, I wish you had just been there. That way you wouldn't keep trying to tell me stuff happened that didn't. If you had actually been there you would know how ridiculous this arguement is. It doesn't matter what the forth worth weather service says, they had their hands full after that. Their information is lacking from what I read and missing information. The misinformation was put out before it was corrected here. As for The one in Rockwall county, I know it is North because I LIVE THERE. That is where I was driving to at the time.
 

Ellie O'Daire

Kin-tree Guardian
Jun 23, 2012
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The Tornado Warning for Forney was issued at 3:15. [http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2012-O-NEW-KFWD-TO-W-0012/USCOMP-N0Q-201204032015]

Here is the exact warning (apologies in advance for the formatting, this is just the way the Weather Service formats these things):
673
WFUS54 KFWD 032015
TORFWD
TXC113-257-397-032100-
/O.NEW.KFWD.TO.W.0012.120403T2015Z-120403T2100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
315 PM CDT TUE APR 3 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
EASTERN DALLAS COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...
NORTHWESTERN KAUFMAN COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...
ROCKWALL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

* UNTIL 400 PM CDT

* AT 314 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES WEST OF
SEAGOVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THERE IS ANOTHER STORM
WHICH MAY PRODUCE A TORNADO JUST EAST OF DALLAS...ALSO MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THESE TWO STORMS ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND BOTH
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES...IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE
STORMS...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY!

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
SEAGOVILLE AROUND 320 PM CDT...
BALCH SPRINGS AROUND 325 PM CDT...
MESQUITE AROUND 330 PM CDT...
FORNEY AND SUNNYVALE AROUND 335 PM CDT...
GARLAND AROUND 340 PM CDT...
HEATH...LAWRENCE AND ROWLETT AROUND 345 PM CDT...

THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING INTERSTATES...
I-35E BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 48 AND 61...
I-20 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 473 AND 476...
I-30 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 42 AND 66...
I-45 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 276 AND 284...
I-635 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 24.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE...TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE UNDERGROUND OR TO AN
INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID
WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE
CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3284 9630 3277 9624 3262 9653 3260 9666
3267 9671 3298 9666 3298 9630
TIME...MOT...LOC 2014Z 221DEG 28KT 3264 9663

$$


CAVANAUGH
Again, I'm just going to reiterate my original points and allow this entire conversation to serve as an illuminating example: have as many ways as possible to get information during dangerous weather. Misunderstanding of warnings, such as not knowing the difference between a tornado warning and a severe thunderstorm warning, or not knowing what county one is in, or even the surrounding counties, is a problem that can easily be remedied. Cell phone applications, battery powered weather radios, and the various National Weather Service [http://www.weather.gov] websites such as the Storm Prediction Center [http://www.spc.noaa.gov] can provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision on how best to protect the lives of yourself and your family during severe weather. Know the best part of your house to shelter in in the event of a tornado, or if you live in an area that experiences the most violent tornadoes, learn a nearby location that you can get to with underground shelter if there is enough warning.

And as always, the Red Cross is always a great charity to support, as they provide much of the relief efforts in the days after one of these storms.
 

Lil devils x_v1legacy

More Lego Goats Please!
May 17, 2011
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Ellie O said:
The Tornado Warning for Forney was issued at 3:15. [http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/vtec/#2012-O-NEW-KFWD-TO-W-0012/USCOMP-N0Q-201204032015]

Here is the exact warning (apologies in advance for the formatting, this is just the way the Weather Service formats these things):
673
WFUS54 KFWD 032015
TORFWD
TXC113-257-397-032100-
/O.NEW.KFWD.TO.W.0012.120403T2015Z-120403T2100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
315 PM CDT TUE APR 3 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
EASTERN DALLAS COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...
NORTHWESTERN KAUFMAN COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...
ROCKWALL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

* UNTIL 400 PM CDT

* AT 314 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES WEST OF
SEAGOVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THERE IS ANOTHER STORM
WHICH MAY PRODUCE A TORNADO JUST EAST OF DALLAS...ALSO MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THESE TWO STORMS ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND BOTH
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES...IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE
STORMS...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY!

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
SEAGOVILLE AROUND 320 PM CDT...
BALCH SPRINGS AROUND 325 PM CDT...
MESQUITE AROUND 330 PM CDT...
FORNEY AND SUNNYVALE AROUND 335 PM CDT...
GARLAND AROUND 340 PM CDT...
HEATH...LAWRENCE AND ROWLETT AROUND 345 PM CDT...

THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING INTERSTATES...
I-35E BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 48 AND 61...
I-20 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 473 AND 476...
I-30 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 42 AND 66...
I-45 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 276 AND 284...
I-635 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 24.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE...TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE UNDERGROUND OR TO AN
INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID
WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE
CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3284 9630 3277 9624 3262 9653 3260 9666
3267 9671 3298 9666 3298 9630
TIME...MOT...LOC 2014Z 221DEG 28KT 3264 9663

$$


CAVANAUGH
Again, I'm just going to reiterate my original points and allow this entire conversation to serve as an illuminating example: have as many ways as possible to get information during dangerous weather. Misunderstanding of warnings, such as not knowing the difference between a tornado warning and a severe thunderstorm warning, or not knowing what county one is in, or even the surrounding counties, is a problem that can easily be remedied. Cell phone applications, battery powered weather radios, and the various National Weather Service [http://www.weather.gov] websites such as the Storm Prediction Center [http://www.spc.noaa.gov] can provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision on how best to protect the lives of yourself and your family during severe weather. Know the best part of your house to shelter in in the event of a tornado, or if you live in an area that experiences the most violent tornadoes, learn a nearby location that you can get to with underground shelter if there is enough warning.

And as always, the Red Cross is always a great charity to support, as they provide much of the relief efforts in the days after one of these storms.
At the time, they issued a hail warning via reverse 911, they don't use the national weather service to issue their warnings, instead they have an officer recorded messege.They did not detect an actual tornado until 3:37.

"Forney Police Detective Michael Clay said that at 3:19 pm on April 3, the Forney storm warning emergency sirens were activated due to the inclement weather. At 3:37 pm, rotation was reported in the downtown area, and at 3:38 pm the downtown tornado touched down. At 3:42 pm the Diamond Creek sub-division on Ridgecrest and FM 548 was directly hit by a tornado."

Also, I would like to add in regards to tornado warnings here, tornado warnings are also very frequent in this area, whereas actual funnels on the ground are not as frequent, prior to this happening, they did not report all tornado warnings via reverse 911. They did not report tornados until a funnel had been spotted. They do now, however, due to this. It is tragic though that it takes something like this to make it happen though.

Though from my understanding, Forney has had quite a few issues with not notifying during tornadoes:
http://twentypeacefulminutes.com/forums/forney-discussion-news/tornado-sirens/10/?wap2
http://twentypeacefulminutes.com/forums/forney-discussion-news/tornado-sirens/25/?wap2

I agree that a portable weather radio with a direct warning from the national weather service would be MUCH better than the reverse 911 system.
 

malaloba

New member
May 22, 2013
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Ellie O said:
Again, I'm just going to reiterate my original points and allow this entire conversation to serve as an illuminating example: have as many ways as possible to get information during dangerous weather. Misunderstanding of warnings, such as not knowing the difference between a tornado warning and a severe thunderstorm warning, or not knowing what county one is in, or even the surrounding counties, is a problem that can easily be remedied. Cell phone applications, battery powered weather radios, and the various National Weather Service [http://www.weather.gov] websites such as the Storm Prediction Center [http://www.spc.noaa.gov] can provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision on how best to protect the lives of yourself and your family during severe weather. Know the best part of your house to shelter in in the event of a tornado, or if you live in an area that experiences the most violent tornadoes, learn a nearby location that you can get to with underground shelter if there is enough warning.

And as always, the Red Cross is always a great charity to support, as they provide much of the relief efforts in the days after one of these storms.
Ever since my friend survived Joplin, I've made a concentrated effort to pay attention to the weather and plan ahead for it. We check our weather radio and put new batteries in it at the start of every severe weather season, and my parents try to charge up their cellphones as often as possible. Barring that, we have laptops but that's not exactly the best way to go about getting info if the power goes out. I live in an area that hasn't had a direct strike in over fifty years and every year the weather folks like to remind us that we're quite overdue for it, even though we've had some pretty bad thunderstorms roll through in the past couple years. And to be honest, I don't understand how people can not know the difference between a severe thunderstorm warning and a tornado warning?

And as for charities- the Salvation Army is also assisting people out down there. They were interviewing a couple members on the local news here who were getting ready to go and help out.
 

Lil devils x_v1legacy

More Lego Goats Please!
May 17, 2011
2,728
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malaloba said:
Ellie O said:
Again, I'm just going to reiterate my original points and allow this entire conversation to serve as an illuminating example: have as many ways as possible to get information during dangerous weather. Misunderstanding of warnings, such as not knowing the difference between a tornado warning and a severe thunderstorm warning, or not knowing what county one is in, or even the surrounding counties, is a problem that can easily be remedied. Cell phone applications, battery powered weather radios, and the various National Weather Service [http://www.weather.gov] websites such as the Storm Prediction Center [http://www.spc.noaa.gov] can provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision on how best to protect the lives of yourself and your family during severe weather. Know the best part of your house to shelter in in the event of a tornado, or if you live in an area that experiences the most violent tornadoes, learn a nearby location that you can get to with underground shelter if there is enough warning.

And as always, the Red Cross is always a great charity to support, as they provide much of the relief efforts in the days after one of these storms.
Ever since my friend survived Joplin, I've made a concentrated effort to pay attention to the weather and plan ahead for it. We check our weather radio and put new batteries in it at the start of every severe weather season, and my parents try to charge up their cellphones as often as possible. Barring that, we have laptops but that's not exactly the best way to go about getting info if the power goes out. I live in an area that hasn't had a direct strike in over fifty years and every year the weather folks like to remind us that we're quite overdue for it, even though we've had some pretty bad thunderstorms roll through in the past couple years. And to be honest, I don't understand how people can not know the difference between a severe thunderstorm warning and a tornado warning?

And as for charities- the Salvation Army is also assisting people out down there. They were interviewing a couple members on the local news here who were getting ready to go and help out.
Speaking of Joplin, what I would really like to see is more of these charities becoming available in high risk areas as well:
http://www.projectjomo.com/about.html

Ultimately, we need shelters on every block for residents in high risk areas, and if we can get more charity programs going like this to accomplish that, it would be extremely beneficial long term. Once you have a shelter in place, it will be there for the long term. Although I think these are primarily above ground units, I would like to see underground ones as well in ares with the highest risks. If we can somehow manage to muster up both grants and charity shelters we could really make an impact on the issue of people having no where safe to go when these things hit.

I also did not think that people could misunderstand the difference between a tornado warning and a severe thunderstorm warning, but in light of what was issued by the national weather service vs what was issued by the reverse 911 system, it appears this can and does happen. When you have reverse 911 putting out hail warnings INSTEAD of tornado warnings, and that hail warning was not even for anything North of hwy 80, where the tornado struck, they specified in the warning that it was to the south of highway 80, near I-20, so people North of Highway 80 didn't think they were going to be hit with anything since it was not even raining at the time. It appears that multiple warning system can cause confusion when they are not issuing the same warnings.

It is sad that things have to happen before people act. I do hope that we see an expansion in these programs that are helping these families after the fact, as well as the shelter programs to protect them before it happens again.