Tedster Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 No...Sgt. Pepper had nothing to do with this. The superoutbreak of tornadoes that nearly wiped Xenia, OH, off the map (as well as other places). Tornado pics More Xenia superoutbreak info Yup. Time to think about tornado preparedness again, folks... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YourMotherShouldKnow Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Whoa dude! Man, I don't want any parts of that. We had a hurricane last Sept and it was really bad here. So after surviving that the next week something called a mini-tornado shot right past my house and on up the river. It was like 6 AM and I woke up to a scene that was WORSE than the hurricane the week before. It was definitely a WTF is goin' on? moment. We rarely have tornado activity on the eastern shore of MD. I don't need to see another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Must be a historically big weather weekend. One year ago this weekend, tens of thousands of homes in my area were without power due to an ice storm that brought down electrical lines. The storm occurred Thursday night. On Friday morning, I bought a Radio Shack battery powered TV and a ton of D cells just to keep the kids happy (my wife was out of town) and to watch Syracuse in the Final Four over the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 4, 2004 Author Share Posted April 4, 2004 Fortunately, tornados are more rare than ice storms. You're right, Mark, ice storms suck big time. We had our share of 'em here in KC this winter. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not coaster MODERATOR Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~villains/graphics/wwofwest.jpg unfortunately the bad one survived.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitefang Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Hey, Ted; Tornados are one thing that both fascinates and terrifies me. But one thing confuses me now... Some years back, I read it's advisable to keep at least one window open, or several windows partially opened during a tornado. Now, there's the claim that it's best to have them all closed. Who's right? Whitefang I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFunkman Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Funny thing about having lived for too long in Tornado Alley: I have this nagging feeling that there's one out there with my name on it... http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/historic/nws/images/wea00217.jpg "If more of us valued food, cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - J. R. R. Tolkien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Ted's the expert, but that sure looks like TWO to me... And hopefully, none of them have your name - or anyone else's name for that matter - on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ani Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Living in Tornado country, keeping your windows closed during a tornado may very easily cause your home to implode due to the pressure. It has always been advised to have more than one window partially open to allow cross ventilation. Dont know, maybe things have changed; if so, I need to know so to be prepared. As far as ice storms in this area; I was hammered by the one the last winter that K.C. had... not this year but the early part of 2003. I was without power for a full two weeks during the dread of winter. Bought propane heaters, a Big Ben alarm clock, lanterns, flashlights with lots of batteries, already had a coleman grill, and we roughed it for two weeks. I had a gas water heater so we were able to shower.... It was quite an adventure... and an experience to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 4, 2004 Author Share Posted April 4, 2004 If your house gets hit by a tornado, I really don't expect whether the windows are open or closed will have much of an effect. A tornado can blow a house to smithereens. The main thing to do is keep away from things that are potential hazards, such as flying glass. The best course of action is to get in a basement or storm cellar, obviously. We had a room downstairs for just such an occasion at the Elms Blvd. house, and the family was herded into it on two separate occasions. At the farm we have a good ol' fashioned storm cellar under the old smokehouse. In lieu of such accomodations though, it's advised to seek a central room...bathrooms are best, due to the pipes in the walls. An old clawfoot tub might be a good thing to have, but it's not going to hold a whole family. In a trailer park, get to a central solid building like a rec center if there's time. Remember the fire drills you had when you were a schoolkid? Well, it might not be a bad idea to have tornado drills...at least once a year, just so everyone knows what to do. If you have questions, talk to your local public safety personnel. Another thing to mention, now that we're headed for the season... The thought of a tornado is scary. But, the number one weather-related cause of death are flash floods. Most flash flood victims are in cars...and most deaths happen at night (when thunderstorm rainfall rates can really escalate, and visibility is poor...making it hard to avoid hazards). Most flash flood related deaths happen when folks try to cross moving water in a vehicle, and are swept off the road by a torrent of water. So, if you have to travel during a heavy rainstorm, and see that the creeks around are swollen...watch for water over the road, and don't attempt to cross it. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 When I lived in Minneapolis I was close enough that my ears popped due to the pressure change. The sky was red and green. Later I found out that ten blocks away, a city but was thrown through a store window. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 And you folks in the midwest think we're the loonies out here in CA? You've apparently got "City Butts", and you throw them through store windows on occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 4, 2004 Author Share Posted April 4, 2004 Phil... They officially call them "councilmen". But we know better. In Excelsior Springs, Missouri, they're all "city butts". "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salyphus Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 I once saw a really big and ominous looking waterspout from the top floor of a hospital that was close to a river. That was pretty intense! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ani Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 About a week ago I was out taking pictures of a storm that had some really turbulent winds reshaping the clouds drastically. One of the clouds were trying to shape a tail, as I took several shots of it through it's ever chaning posture. To see some of these things in real time is nearly entrancing and hypnotic. Fortunately the strange cloud didn't pick up speed and take flight because had it done so, I was standing in the middle of nowhere on a HILLTOP capturing the sunset beneath the cloudy sky.... got some incredible shots. Also, I captured some incredible shots of an early dawn peeking beneath a storm..... Of course, my children were at their father's home while I'm flirting with disastor. Photography and severe weather conditions can be hazardous, but WOW... some of the shots you get. I doubt that I would chase a tornado though, as some have done. They are far too unpredictable. Maybe I'll post some of the pictures once I have time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Originally posted by whitefang: Hey, Ted; Tornados are one thing that both fascinates and terrifies me. But one thing confuses me now... Some years back, I read it's advisable to keep at least one window open, or several windows partially opened during a tornado. Now, there's the claim that it's best to have them all closed. Who's right? WhitefangThe reason you should partially open a few windows is to keep them from breaking outward. (Exploding, not imploding, Ani. The fast moving air around a tornado causes low pressure nearby. This acts like the area above a moving plane's wing. The higher indoor pressure can't change quick enough to avoid blowing out a few windows out.) As I understand it, the reason they have forsaken the advice to open windows is twofold. As previously mentioned by Ted, if you're close enough for this to be an issue, you should be long gone to your storm cellar for personal safety. A few blown out windows are nothing compared to your life should you be directly in its path. The window (pun intended) of opportunity for your home surviving the tornado but succumbing to blown out windows is v-e-r-y small. I had just returned for another session at an A/V gig and found myself directly in the path of the 1998 Nashville, Tn tornado. When someone mentioned a tornado was supposedly headed directly for downtown, two of us looked outside the ballroom into a long atrium running the length of the Rennesaince Hotel and Nashville Convention Center. I saw newspaper racks take off from the street. My friend noticed the flexing of the large, glass atrium wall and ceiling panels. As we were knew the building floor plan well from many previous jobs, we grabbed the client and led him and others to the underground dock for the Nashville Convention Center. The dock is approx. 75' below ground level at the lowest corner, completely surrounded by cement and bedrock. Around 100 people took refuge there. After waiting over an hour for word of the situation above us, we hiked up to one of the dock doors, which had been automatically half-way closed, to protect against a blow-out. The scene on lower Broadway was a mess. Police cars were parked at just about every block, lights flashing. There was significant damage to several buildings, but our area was largely spared. The courthouse took a beating. A walkway between the building I was in and a parking garage had it's bottom (not structural, thank goodness) dropped onto the street. The Titans' Colliseum which was under construction was set back weeks because a large portion of wood framing for cement had been blown away. Then it hit the old neighborhood of East Nashville and took out some historic churches and homes. There was extensive damage elsewhere, as well. In particular, President Andrew Jackson's home, The Hermitage, lost about 1000 trees, many of them close to 200 years old and several which were known to have been planted by the president himself, well over 100 years ago. Having no way to get home (and having borrowed someone's cell to check on and inform Denise I was ok), we went upstairs and worked with the hotel staff to make our gig go on as scheduled. Due to the low number of service staff who'd shown up prior to the tornado we switched the dinner to buffet style, but most of the client's audience showed up and had one of the most memorable convention-dinners of their lives. I found out later that buddies of mine, working on a concert across the street at the Nashville Arena, watched the tornado dance along through Nashville from the roof parking area. Compared to tornadoes that have devastated other places, we were pretty lucky. The loss of life was bare minimum. I believe one man died near Centennial Park, possibly a few others with medical conditions may have succumbed. But it was nothing compared to disasters in other areas. Oh, BTW - In regards to title of this thread, the Nashville tornado happened on April 16th. It was accompanied by 9 other tornadoes across the state. A week ago, while returning from Temple, I was met with ridiculous traffic on every route home. (Temple is about 20 miles away.) Rather than sit in stopped traffic for an hour or two, I decided to explore due north and look for another way home through the country. It was a beautiful spring day. Lilly and I drove through the rural area and decided to stop to get a closer look at some cows. While we observed the cows, I noticed a dust devil approx. 1/4 mile away, in the pasture. Judging from the treeline not far behind it, I'd say it was approx. 75' high. (At least the part that became visible from the dirt it threw up. What an incredible sight on a sunny, blue sky day. So this thread reminds us of nature's wrath, don't forget to take some time and step out of your typical paradigm and enjoy nature's beauty, too. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seclusion Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Don't know about tornado's, but damn it just snowed last night... I just put grass seed out yesterday... F'in snow Smile if you're not wearin panties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrysb3 Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 I just read a study that debunks two of the protective myths that swirl around (duh) the subject of tornados, other than the house-on-witch stuff. One is that the southwest corner of a basement is the best place to be. Surrounding yourself with sturdy objects in the center of wherever you are seems to be the better strategy. If you have a SUV and a walkout basement, just drive that puppy thru the wall and wait it out watching DVD's in the back seat(s). Opening a window, according to the study, may actually increase the probability of damage and thus, collateral witch damage. People do feel their ears pop when a tornado passes over, but cans of pop, ball point pens and other pressurized objects that would explode in a severe depressurization remain intact. The danger is in the speed of the wind, and with that in mind, this study advises closing all windows and doors so that the building is more streamlined. My home town took an F5 on June 8, 1966. I was in Europe at the time, but coming back two months later the damage was still awe-inspiring. Also amazing, only 23 (I think) people lost their lives. Most people that went thru it take the sirens very seriously, but my dad would still run for his camera. He nearly drove into the funnel after it passed, as he was part of the local hospital's civil defense team and knew there would be a busy emergency room. I think his experience on Guadalcanal took some of his fear of death. Like airplane wrecks, tornados get a lot of media coverage. I think I read that more people die from lightning strikes, floods and hurricanes than tornadoes, but an F4 or 5 is so dramatic that they attract larger attention. The one that hit Topeka left damage a mile wide and ten miles long from the southwest corner, thru the local university, along the southern edge of downtown, then on thru some residential neighborhoods. Some local leaders suggested building a four lane boulevard or highway in its path, seeing as how the land had been virtually cleared. One thing that was great for me is that my dad bought a brand new Mercury Park Lane that was pelted with debris on the dealer lot for less than half price. After getting it painted, he gave it to my mom and I got her '61 Impala to drive for a year or so. Henry He not busy being born Is busy dyin'. ...Bob Dylan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Originally posted by Philip O'Keefe: And you folks in the midwest think we're the loonies out here in CA? You've apparently got "City Butts", and you throw them through store windows on occasion. alright, freakin comedy club-make that `city bus`... Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 8 Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Originally posted by Philip O'Keefe: You've apparently got "City Butts", and you throw them through store windows on occasion. Yeah, you gotta watch out for them, Phil. You can't miss 'em...They make kind of a 'rasberry' sound when they hit something. Super 8 Hear my stuff here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 you guys get WAY too much milage out of a typo... Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Originally posted by skipclone 1: you guys get WAY too much milage out of a typo... I know... but it's all in good fun Skipclone. No offense intended. Besides, you're in the mystical Orient now, so what difference does it make? It's not like you have to deal with those pesky midwestern city butts anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not coaster MODERATOR Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Originally posted by skipclone 1: When I lived in Minneapolis I was close enough that my ears popped due to the pressure change. The sky was red and green. Later I found out that ten blocks away, a city but was thrown through a store window.first tipping over cows and now this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitefang Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Thanks for helping to clear up the opened/closed window problem. Of course, if the tornado HITS the house, all the closed or opened windows in the world won't make a difference. But I asked because while reading the opened window advice, the article mentioned that it was believed several homes as far away as five city blocks were demolished because of closed windows. Or, so was the claim. Thanks again. Whitefang I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaeton Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Yeap.. Wisconsin doesn't see as many tornadoes as other parts of the midwest (i think the further north you go, the less common they are)... Kinda a retarded thing about this lil town i live in- They've got the huge-ole tornado siren on a tower, and it is a real beaut' too. They test it every Saturday at noon. Also, every time there is a fire somewhere, they whip on the tornado siren to summon all the volunteer firefighters. On holidays they turn it on on certain times of the day to commemorate whatever. In short, this thing is going off all the time, all willy-nilly. Not counting the gig every Saturday, i probably hear this thing 4-5 times a week at any time of the day or night. I fear that it's going to be one of those "crying wolf" type of stories when an F4 bears down on the joint... Dr. Seuss: The Original White Rapper . WWND? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 I'm still not certain I buy into all of the open/closed window arguments. Sure, there is a rapid reduction in pressure which could lead to an explosion, but, the windows are probably the weakest link in the whole deal..and it really won't matter whether they're open or closed. If they're closed, the tornado will open them for you, if it doesn't just open up the whole side of the house. The big thing is to stay away from them, and get to a safe place. And, that's the consensus of meteorologists working the forecast desks on the evening shift here at your friendly NOAA/NWS/NCEP/AWC office. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaeton Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Yeah, i'll have to wager my bets with Tedster about the Should You Open/Should You Close debate. With my rudimentary knowledge of physics and fluid dynamics, you can pretty much assume that the windows aren't there at all. In other words, don't concern yourself with the windows, just get away from them and hope your house gets missed. Dr. Seuss: The Original White Rapper . WWND? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 Or, as the old saying goes... "Put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye"... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Originally posted by Philip O'Keefe: Originally posted by skipclone 1: you guys get WAY too much milage out of a typo... I know... but it's all in good fun Skipclone. No offense intended. Besides, you're in the mystical Orient now, so what difference does it make? It's not like you have to deal with those pesky midwestern city butts anymore. Dat`s fer sure- Anyway it`s a good `heads up` for me, I`ve been letting too many typos through lately. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Thrashole Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Been hearing a lot about that pesky tornado lately. Probably since Xenia is a few miles away from where I live. My mother in law was actually living in Xenia at the time and she freaks every time anyone even mentions a tornado. It scared her for life. Reach out and grab a clue. Something Vicious My solo crap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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