User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 1:55:16 PM EDT
[#1]
Quoted: I had a discussion with a certified storm spotter last night about where to hide during a tornado. I told him we were hiding in the closet, but said we should be in the bathtub. My bathtub has a 4'x4' frosted window next to the tub, so for me, the breaking glass makes it a 'no go'. But my other question is this, almost all new bathtubs are fiberglass, not steel or cast iron. Is it really safe to hide in a fiberglass tub? I mean if I'm fragging zombie hoards, that fiberglass isn't going to stop shit. Yes, and it is a good idea to grab something thick, like a sleeping bag or a bed comforter and put it over you to protect yourself from glass. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 1:56:11 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
Tornado, Hide in the bathtub? Hurricane, Hide in the washing machine? |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 1:58:12 PM EDT
[#3]
Errr...good luck with that.  |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 1:58:54 PM EDT
[#4]
At tornado wind speeds, fiberglass vs steel tubs arent going to make a bit of difference.
Everyone has their own opinions: tub, closet, ditch, interior hallway. Everyone agrees that you should cover yourself with something like a mattress to protect yourself from debris. Me? I prefer storm shelters. ETA: If you take a direct hit by a fairly good F2-5 the whole bathtub/blanket thing isnt really going to matter. IF its an F4-5...it damn sure wont. All its going to do is protect you from debris if your near the storm. ETA2: IMO, the "hide in a tub, closet, etc" is roughly akin to the "duck and cover" approach taken by the government in the Cold War. If you take a direct hit your just in a more convenient position to kiss your ass goodbye. Your gambling that you wont take the hit and it sounds better to tell people to do this than telling them and they are hosed without a tornado proof shelter. Sometimes doing something...even if its futile puts a person more at ease. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 1:59:15 PM EDT
[#5]
This massive storms were producing EF4 and EF5 tornadoes. It doesn't matter were in your house you hide, if you aren't under ground you are fucked. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 1:59:52 PM EDT
[#6]
At least it's on top. Looks like the closet is underneath it  |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:01:04 PM EDT
[#7]
Bathtubs tend to have walls on 3 sides and they're mounted securely. It's probably the best option if you're on an above-ground floor.
Anything that does the amount of damage in the pic above, will not matter if you're in a bathtub, closet, etc. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:01:52 PM EDT
[#8]
center part of the house, under something. try to get as much structure between you and the outside edge of your house. the more walls and partitions, the better.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:02:40 PM EDT
[#9]
Hide under your blankey.. lol
Why not just get out of the way? That's what I do, seems to work for me. Requires a little situational awareness and or some radar software if its at night. The official position of the NWS is to take cover. The reason being is they don't want hundreds or thousands of residents trying to get in their cars and drive, clogging up traffic and mass chaos. Use that to your advantage. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:03:15 PM EDT
[#10]
Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options...
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:03:43 PM EDT
[#11]
Quoted: ok, I rost. At least it's on top. Looks like the closet is underneath it |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:03:49 PM EDT
[#12]
The ARC taught us that the old style bath tubs make great shelters if you're in a pinch. They also suggested putting something over yourself as a shield though while that seems like a good idea, it also makes me think that if anything fell on the tub it'd make it harder to get out from same.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:04:44 PM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options... your best option if you live in a trailer is to keep an eye on the weather and GTFO if there is a tornado a few counties away, headed your way. common sense, folks. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:06:12 PM EDT
[#14]
Quoted:
Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options... Not true. The stance on mobile/modular homes are to GET OUT! Go find a more stable structure or even a ditch/drain/culvurt. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:08:48 PM EDT
[#15]
Quoted: That's my stance on most any structure, short of concrete. Fuck hunkering down in a residential building with an EF4 coming at you.Quoted: Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options... Not true. The stance on mobile/modular homes are to GET OUT! Go find a more stable structure or even a ditch/drain/culvurt. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:08:54 PM EDT
[#16]
Quoted: Ideally sure..Quoted: Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options... your best option if you live in a trailer is to keep an eye on the weather and GTFO if there is a tornado a few counties away, headed your way. common sense, folks. Were in two different worlds as far as it is concerned, I think the worst one we had was in 98 was an F3. . t storms and even hail is not uncommon at all here and tornados are rare, we have no sirens or anything like that.. The only thing to alert me would be my neighbors house blowing apart.. there Is a trailer park about 300 yards from me they would be f'ked |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:12:03 PM EDT
[#17]
Quoted:
Quoted:
That's my stance on most any structure, short of concrete. Fuck hunkering down in a residential building with an EF4 coming at you.
Quoted:
Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options... Not true. The stance on mobile/modular homes are to GET OUT! Go find a more stable structure or even a ditch/drain/culvurt. Agreed, however my stance is to ride it out underground 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:19:38 PM EDT
[#18]
Quoted: Really its sad. I have been out chasing storms and find vehicles on the side of the road empty with people in the ditch or in culverts. I recall once rescuing some old people and their grandchildren from a culvert. They were peering out.. lol, They were wet and muddy and the storm was way past and didn't even have rotation on it. I was like Quoted: Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options... Not true. The stance on mobile/modular homes are to GET OUT! Go find a more stable structure or even a ditch/drain/culvurt.  . Its ok, come on out. They were leery and I had to show them on the radar in my truck before their fear was subsided. Made for a good laugh after we left. Strange.... |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:35:32 PM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Ideally sure..
Quoted:
Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options... your best option if you live in a trailer is to keep an eye on the weather and GTFO if there is a tornado a few counties away, headed your way. common sense, folks. Were in two different worlds as far as it is concerned, I think the worst one we had was in 98 was an F3. . t storms and even hail is not uncommon at all here and tornados are rare, we have no sirens or anything like that.. The only thing to alert me would be my neighbors house blowing apart.. there Is a trailer park about 300 yards from me they would be f'ked i find it hard to believe that there would be absolutely no warning as to severe weather approaching. all you have to do is listen to a weatherman or check a weather site or 2 and you usually know a few days in advance actually. i knew there would be a severe outbreak early that morning when they issued a tor:con index of 10. when something like that comes out, you kinda want to pay attention to the weather. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:42:44 PM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
Hide under your blankey.. lol Why not just get out of the way? That's what I do, seems to work for me. Requires a little situational awareness and or some radar software if its at night. The official position of the NWS is to take cover. The reason being is they don't want hundreds or thousands of residents trying to get in their cars and drive, clogging up traffic and mass chaos. Use that to your advantage. Wednesday, it would have been suicidal for us to have left and tried to outran the storms, unless we had left the night before. Three hours either direction from us was still dangerous. Fortunately, only one of the storms passed over us here....and it passed OVER us. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:47:36 PM EDT
[#21]
my apartment is about 150 yards from an overpass. the other day when we were on a tornado watch, i had radar up and was planning to head there if anything touched down.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 2:49:04 PM EDT
[#22]
Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Ideally sure..Quoted: Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options... your best option if you live in a trailer is to keep an eye on the weather and GTFO if there is a tornado a few counties away, headed your way. common sense, folks. Were in two different worlds as far as it is concerned, I think the worst one we had was in 98 was an F3. . t storms and even hail is not uncommon at all here and tornados are rare, we have no sirens or anything like that.. The only thing to alert me would be my neighbors house blowing apart.. there Is a trailer park about 300 yards from me they would be f'ked i find it hard to believe that there would be absolutely no warning as to severe weather approaching. all you have to do is listen to a weatherman or check a weather site or 2 and you usually know a few days in advance actually. i knew there would be a severe outbreak early that morning when they issued a tor:con index of 10. when something like that comes out, you kinda want to pay attention to the weather. We usually get severe t-storm warnings 2 or 3 times a week in the summer.. No one would really give it a second thought.. When they (southeast) had a 10 we were listed as a 2-3, The only watches/warnings we got were severe t storm, flash flood, and river flood.. There was one that I know of that hit 2 counties north/west of me not sure what the rating was, but all they said was "that was highly unusual" I can verify for sure if they (Bradford Co.) had any warning on Sunday when I download the EAS logs at work for this week. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:05:23 PM EDT
[#23]
You have to watch out for cows.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:05:27 PM EDT
[#24]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Ideally sure..
Quoted:
Depending on what you live in, if you live in a trailer it is probably one of the better options... your best option if you live in a trailer is to keep an eye on the weather and GTFO if there is a tornado a few counties away, headed your way. common sense, folks. Were in two different worlds as far as it is concerned, I think the worst one we had was in 98 was an F3. . t storms and even hail is not uncommon at all here and tornados are rare, we have no sirens or anything like that.. The only thing to alert me would be my neighbors house blowing apart.. there Is a trailer park about 300 yards from me they would be f'ked i find it hard to believe that there would be absolutely no warning as to severe weather approaching. all you have to do is listen to a weatherman or check a weather site or 2 and you usually know a few days in advance actually. i knew there would be a severe outbreak early that morning when they issued a tor:con index of 10. when something like that comes out, you kinda want to pay attention to the weather. as somebody who has experienced tornadoes in two different states (OK and MN), i can tell you that not all states are as good as OK at tracking and warning about tornadoes. Granted it's been a number of years since I lived in MN and I'd hope that early warning systems have changed, but when I was there, an F2 or F3 hit a small town a couple miles from where I lived. There was no warning, other than a small county map blinking on the TV. They didn't interrupt the tv show or anything, like they do here. There weren't any spotters on the ground either. As far as the tub goes, even a fiberglass one will protect you from some crushing force, but I wouldn't want to bet my life on it. If you're directly hit by and EF5, and you're in the tub, you'll get picked up a long w/ the rest of the house and fly through the air a few hundred yards and probably die in the tub. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:07:08 PM EDT
[#25]
Doesnt anyone dig out hiddy holes anymore?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:12:46 PM EDT
[#26]
Quoted: Quoted: Hide under your blankey.. lol Why not just get out of the way? That's what I do, seems to work for me. Requires a little situational awareness and or some radar software if its at night. The official position of the NWS is to take cover. The reason being is they don't want hundreds or thousands of residents trying to get in their cars and drive, clogging up traffic and mass chaos. Use that to your advantage. Wednesday, it would have been suicidal for us to have left and tried to outran the storms, unless we had left the night before. Three hours either direction from us was still dangerous. Fortunately, only one of the storms passed over us here....and it passed OVER us. Im not trying to be argumentative. But, with a little experience you too can do as I do.You dont outrun the storms, although I do it all the time, You drop south 1/4 mile - 1 mile and you're out of the path. Sit back and watch with a video cam, throw out the lawn chairs and sip on a beer or something. That all takes some experience I suppose and I take for granted as it seems easy for me, but some people cant grasp that concept. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:14:27 PM EDT
[#27]
Yeah, outrun them, they're not that fast, no worries.
 |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:21:27 PM EDT
[#28]
Quoted: All storms have a velocity and trajectory. You have to think fast while chasing and look at your road network while taking all of those things into consideration. Its really not that hard. Well maybe for some people. Yeah, outrun them, they're not that fast, no worries. ETA: This reminds me of Aurora Nebraska in June of 2008. There were tornadic storms and the velocity was probably 53 + knots. Anyways my strategy was to stay ahead of the storms stop for a a few minutes film, take pics and then drive like hell to get back out in front a safe distance. I was able to keep this up for about an hour when I became tired and weary and decided, fuck it Ill drop south and get the fuck out of the way and come in behind them and just film damage. By then they had become HP ( High Precip ) storms and it was hard to see anything in them anymore anyways. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:32:07 PM EDT
[#29]
Yes.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:34:05 PM EDT
[#30]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:34:35 PM EDT
[#31]
The photo of the family standing next to their tornado safe room was really striking. The rest of the house was completely gone - and the tornado shelter room was standing as if nothing happened.
Its still stuck in my mind. ETA: Here is the video: http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/28/video-safe-room-protected-family-from-storm/ |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:37:57 PM EDT
[#32]
Quoted: Definitely a profound pic. It is almost emotionally hard to look at it with the man holding his baby girl. It made me tear up a little bit. The photo of the family standing next to their tornado safe room was really striking. The rest of the house was completely gone - and the tornado shelter room was standing as if nothing happened. Its still stuck in my mind.  |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:43:32 PM EDT
[#33]
i'd just find a deep pipe that sticks out of the ground and strap myself to it with a sturdy belt |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:44:36 PM EDT
[#34]
Quoted: Quoted: All storms have a velocity and trajectory. You have to think fast while chasing and look at your road network while taking all of those things into consideration. Its really not that hard. Well maybe for some people. Yeah, outrun them, they're not that fast, no worries. ETA: This reminds me of Aurora Nebraska in June of 2008. There were tornadic storms and the velocity was probably 53 + knots. Anyways my strategy was to stay ahead of the storms stop for a a few minutes film, take pics and then drive like hell to get back out in front a safe distance. I was able to keep this up for about an hour when I became tired and weary and decided, fuck it Ill drop south and get the fuck out of the way and come in behind them and just film damage. By then they had become HP ( High Precip ) storms and it was hard to see anything in them anymore anyways. Considering your username and posts I would imagine you know how to predict their path much better than the average person. I hope I never have to do that, out here we only have to worry about volcanoes, earthquakes, big foot, stuff like that. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:46:04 PM EDT
[#35]
Quoted:
The photo of the family standing next to their tornado safe room was really striking. The rest of the house was completely gone - and the tornado shelter room was standing as if nothing happened. Its still stuck in my mind. ETA: Here is the video: http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/28/video-safe-room-protected-family-from-storm/ i have often wondered about safe rooms. i just dont trust them yet. i still want to be underground. does anybody have any other pics or vids where they show safe rooms above ground still standing? |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:46:34 PM EDT
[#36]
I am surprised that more people do not have tornado shelters in the high tornado areas.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 3:56:12 PM EDT
[#37]
My family lives north of Memphis on the Mississippi River and I have tried to get them to build a storm shelter of some sort, be it a cellar or above ground safe room, and they all refuse. Somehow people have been convinced staying in the innermost portion of their home is enough, or that going down into a basement is enough. Shit, I remember being told to open a window as the storm approached! We all know that is bunk information but still, it took how many years to dispel that rumor? If you are not renting an apartment and live in the new tornado alley I would strongly suggest investing in some protection. Besides, it can double as an TEOTWAKI shelter or an arms vault if you feel it an assault on your manhood to be concerned with such things.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 4:12:02 PM EDT
[#38]
Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Hide under your blankey.. lol Why not just get out of the way? That's what I do, seems to work for me. Requires a little situational awareness and or some radar software if its at night. The official position of the NWS is to take cover. The reason being is they don't want hundreds or thousands of residents trying to get in their cars and drive, clogging up traffic and mass chaos. Use that to your advantage. Wednesday, it would have been suicidal for us to have left and tried to outran the storms, unless we had left the night before. Three hours either direction from us was still dangerous. Fortunately, only one of the storms passed over us here....and it passed OVER us. Im not trying to be argumentative. But, with a little experience you too can do as I do.You dont outrun the storms, although I do it all the time, You drop south 1/4 mile - 1 mile and you're out of the path. Sit back and watch with a video cam, throw out the lawn chairs and sip on a beer or something. That all takes some experience I suppose and I take for granted as it seems easy for me, but some people cant grasp that concept. THANK YOU for writing that so I can show my wife! I've been traveling for almost 20 years between sales and running routes and that is EXACTLY what I do to get away from tornadoes! She has never understood how I've been so close to so many and managed to get away and all I did was take the "easy" way out and head south/southeast until it passes. She has been on my ass about doing instead of trying to find a place to get indoors and I can't get her to believe that I have a better chance in my truck than being a sitting target. Hopefully when she sees you're a storm tracker, maybe she'll believe me now. Do you have any idea how many tornadoes you have actually eyeballed? I need to count the ones I've seen but my record was 3 different tornadoes in one day. Cool now but I was unnerved then. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 4:26:25 PM EDT
[#39]
Apartment dwellers like me are screwed if a bad tornado hits even if we're on the ground floor. I have no interior area, a fiberglass bathtub and every room has at least one window or sliding door. Guess I'm leaving myself open to dying by my principles. I won't buy a house I can't afford. Just don't assume everyone who doesn't build a safe room or storm cellar is making that decision out of naivete or denial.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 4:30:53 PM EDT
[#40]
I always thought it applied to the old cast iron or steel tubs. They are heavy with the piping to help hold it in place. Wall on 3 sides and if you lay flat on the bottom it can help protect you from flying debris inside the house.
Not sure the fiberglass or plastic tubs would offer any protection |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 4:43:12 PM EDT
[#41]
It depends on the strength of the tornado.
As a general rule, you want to be in an interior room (no windows) with some structural support - like a closet under a staircase. But, with the strong tornadoes, like F4 and F5, that won't help you. You MUST be underground, in a basement - preferably a reinforced storm shelter in the basment. If you do not have a storm shelter, then under the stairs in your basement. If you do not have a basement, make friends with your neighbor that does. 
An F5 will hitting your house will almost certainly kill you if you are not in an underground shelter. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 4:52:37 PM EDT
[#42]
Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Hide under your blankey.. lol Why not just get out of the way? That's what I do, seems to work for me. Requires a little situational awareness and or some radar software if its at night. The official position of the NWS is to take cover. The reason being is they don't want hundreds or thousands of residents trying to get in their cars and drive, clogging up traffic and mass chaos. Use that to your advantage. Wednesday, it would have been suicidal for us to have left and tried to outran the storms, unless we had left the night before. Three hours either direction from us was still dangerous. Fortunately, only one of the storms passed over us here....and it passed OVER us. Im not trying to be argumentative. But, with a little experience you too can do as I do.You dont outrun the storms, although I do it all the time, You drop south 1/4 mile - 1 mile and you're out of the path. Sit back and watch with a video cam, throw out the lawn chairs and sip on a beer or something. That all takes some experience I suppose and I take for granted as it seems easy for me, but some people cant grasp that concept. THANK YOU for writing that so I can show my wife! I've been traveling for almost 20 years between sales and running routes and that is EXACTLY what I do to get away from tornadoes! She has never understood how I've been so close to so many and managed to get away and all I did was take the "easy" way out and head south/southeast until it passes. She has been on my ass about doing instead of trying to find a place to get indoors and I can't get her to believe that I have a better chance in my truck than being a sitting target. Hopefully when she sees you're a storm tracker, maybe she'll believe me now. Do you have any idea how many tornadoes you have actually eyeballed? I need to count the ones I've seen but my record was 3 different tornadoes in one day. Cool now but I was unnerved then. Man I'm glad someone gets it.  I can't count how many tornadoes I have seen. In excess of 100. I have been chasing since 2001. I usually travel about 10k miles a year chasing. This year I have been sitting back waiting for May. Tornado alley seems to have moved to the South East this year and the terrain sucks for chasing. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 4:53:59 PM EDT
[#43]
Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Hide under your blankey.. lol Why not just get out of the way? That's what I do, seems to work for me. Requires a little situational awareness and or some radar software if its at night. The official position of the NWS is to take cover. The reason being is they don't want hundreds or thousands of residents trying to get in their cars and drive, clogging up traffic and mass chaos. Use that to your advantage. Wednesday, it would have been suicidal for us to have left and tried to outran the storms, unless we had left the night before. Three hours either direction from us was still dangerous. Fortunately, only one of the storms passed over us here....and it passed OVER us. Im not trying to be argumentative. But, with a little experience you too can do as I do.You dont outrun the storms, although I do it all the time, You drop south 1/4 mile - 1 mile and you're out of the path. Sit back and watch with a video cam, throw out the lawn chairs and sip on a beer or something. That all takes some experience I suppose and I take for granted as it seems easy for me, but some people cant grasp that concept. THANK YOU for writing that so I can show my wife! I've been traveling for almost 20 years between sales and running routes and that is EXACTLY what I do to get away from tornadoes! She has never understood how I've been so close to so many and managed to get away and all I did was take the "easy" way out and head south/southeast until it passes. She has been on my ass about doing instead of trying to find a place to get indoors and I can't get her to believe that I have a better chance in my truck than being a sitting target. Hopefully when she sees you're a storm tracker, maybe she'll believe me now. Do you have any idea how many tornadoes you have actually eyeballed? I need to count the ones I've seen but my record was 3 different tornadoes in one day. Cool now but I was unnerved then. Man I'm glad someone gets it.  I can't count how many tornadoes I have seen. In excess of 100. I have been chasing since 2001. I usually travel about 10k miles a year chasing. This year I have been sitting back waiting for May. Tornado alley seems to have moved to the South East this year and the terrain sucks for chasing. I'm directly between last years alley and this years alley, off of I-44. It's always an interesting tornado season where I live. But damn it, I would LOVE to chase storms for a living or at least a hobby. Quoted: I had a discussion with a certified storm spotter Anyone can get that certification. Half the town I live in = certified storm spotters. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 4:56:29 PM EDT
[#44]
I'll be hiding in the bunker (finished now, here under construction)
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 5:01:09 PM EDT
[#45]
Quoted: Me? I prefer storm shelters. seriously. How hard is it to spend a weekend digging a 6x6x6 hole in your back yard . Then take another weekend building a roof over it witha trap door staked into the ground around it. probably wouldn't cost more than 100 dollars in materials. If you wanted to you could easily take a third weekend and just poor some cheap concrete walls and a floor for it as well. Your odds are pretty good in some areas of getting hit by a tornado and it doesn't take much to protect yourself. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 5:04:13 PM EDT
[#46]
Quoted:
It depends on the strength of the tornado. As a general rule, you want to be in an interior room (no windows) with some structural support - like a closet under a staircase. But, with the strong tornadoes, like F4 and F5, that won't help you. You MUST be underground, in a basement - preferably a reinforced storm shelter in the basment. If you do not have a storm shelter, then under the stairs in your basement. If you do not have a basement, make friends with your neighbor that does.
An F5 will hitting your house will almost certainly kill you if you are not in an underground shelter. You dont believe a safe room will survive an F5? |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 5:21:04 PM EDT
[#47]
Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Hide under your blankey.. lol Why not just get out of the way? That's what I do, seems to work for me. Requires a little situational awareness and or some radar software if its at night. The official position of the NWS is to take cover. The reason being is they don't want hundreds or thousands of residents trying to get in their cars and drive, clogging up traffic and mass chaos. Use that to your advantage. Wednesday, it would have been suicidal for us to have left and tried to outran the storms, unless we had left the night before. Three hours either direction from us was still dangerous. Fortunately, only one of the storms passed over us here....and it passed OVER us. Im not trying to be argumentative. But, with a little experience you too can do as I do.You dont outrun the storms, although I do it all the time, You drop south 1/4 mile - 1 mile and you're out of the path. Sit back and watch with a video cam, throw out the lawn chairs and sip on a beer or something. That all takes some experience I suppose and I take for granted as it seems easy for me, but some people cant grasp that concept. THANK YOU for writing that so I can show my wife! I've been traveling for almost 20 years between sales and running routes and that is EXACTLY what I do to get away from tornadoes! She has never understood how I've been so close to so many and managed to get away and all I did was take the "easy" way out and head south/southeast until it passes. She has been on my ass about doing instead of trying to find a place to get indoors and I can't get her to believe that I have a better chance in my truck than being a sitting target. Hopefully when she sees you're a storm tracker, maybe she'll believe me now. Do you have any idea how many tornadoes you have actually eyeballed? I need to count the ones I've seen but my record was 3 different tornadoes in one day. Cool now but I was unnerved then. Man I'm glad someone gets it. I can't count how many tornadoes I have seen. In excess of 100. I have been chasing since 2001. I usually travel about 10k miles a year chasing. This year I have been sitting back waiting for May. Tornado alley seems to have moved to the South East this year and the terrain sucks for chasing. Honestly, it's easy to realize that tornadoes move in an east to northeast direction, simplest way to duck them is go the direction they aren't. So realistically, you're averaging over 10+ per season... that's some work involved to catch those! If I remember right, I've seen 15-20 and been too close to about half of those. I'd love to go on some chases after all, I've been chased enough. It would be nice to be on the 'seeker' side. Thanks for what you do cause I know that the feedback you give to locals helps more people to get to safety earlier. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 5:22:28 PM EDT
[#48]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Hide under your blankey.. lol Why not just get out of the way? That's what I do, seems to work for me. Requires a little situational awareness and or some radar software if its at night. The official position of the NWS is to take cover. The reason being is they don't want hundreds or thousands of residents trying to get in their cars and drive, clogging up traffic and mass chaos. Use that to your advantage. Wednesday, it would have been suicidal for us to have left and tried to outran the storms, unless we had left the night before. Three hours either direction from us was still dangerous. Fortunately, only one of the storms passed over us here....and it passed OVER us. Im not trying to be argumentative. But, with a little experience you too can do as I do.You dont outrun the storms, although I do it all the time, You drop south 1/4 mile - 1 mile and you're out of the path. Sit back and watch with a video cam, throw out the lawn chairs and sip on a beer or something. That all takes some experience I suppose and I take for granted as it seems easy for me, but some people cant grasp that concept. Me neither - I apologize for coming across that way. I was just trying to emphasize that if soemone doesn't have mobile realtime radar, trying to duck a storm is dangerous. With mobile internet and something like GRLevel3 running in your car, sure, you could duck the storm and get front-row seats to a 'vulgar display of power'. Without it, you could die. As a side note, having a GIS background and doing GIS stuff for a living, I found GRLevel3 to be absolutely fascinating. That much info, that fast, is an amazing thing to someone who started with ArcView 3.x. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 5:30:06 PM EDT
[#49]
Quoted:
my apartment is about 150 yards from an overpass. the other day when we were on a tornado watch, i had radar up and was planning to head there if anything touched down. Don't go for the overpass. Those people in the famous overpass video survived because that tornado wasn't all that strong. An overpass creates a venturi, and wind speeds will generally be higher under the overpass. Others have been sucked out from overpasses by tornados. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/29/2011 5:35:00 PM EDT
[#50]
Quoted: Hide under your blankey.. lol Why not just get out of the way? That's what I do, seems to work for me. Requires a little situational awareness and or some radar software if its at night. The official position of the NWS is to take cover. The reason being is they don't want hundreds or thousands of residents trying to get in their cars and drive, clogging up traffic and mass chaos. Use that to your advantage. There it is. The Alabama storms the other day had 15 to 20 minutes of advance warning most places. People 'sheltered-in-place'.....and died. Most of them had plenty of time to get in their rigs and drive out of the storm's path. |
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
