Wild Night

[tommyt654]

We barely escaped the Tornado's that hit here in Ga., but I know there may be members that were not so lucky. Hope everyones allright. Those poor folks in Alabama tho, Just watching the weather channel yesterday as they hit those towns live on TV and now the news of 128 dead so far a terrible night for many. We were blessed but up most all night with the sirens and such. Once again I hope everyones OK.

[JimD]

A weakened version of the same storm is moving through central South Carolina right now. There was a tree down across the road on my way to work. I saw the car in front of me swerve around it and there was no on-coming traffic at that point so I followed. I think I ruined an old umbrella in the wind getting into the building. My pants and shoes have not dried out yet. Minor hassles compared to what others face.

Jim

[JSUPreston]

I've got several friends that either got some damage at home, or now have no place to go to work. So far, I don't personally know anyone that was hurt, but we did have a lady here at work that lost her mother and sister in the tornado that hit about 30 miles away.

Prayers are coveted.

[LCHIEN]

The good thing about tornados is that the swath is only 1/2 mile wide or smaller compared to a 100 mile swath a hurricane can hit. The news photos look worse than a hurricane but the hurricane situation is repeated for many miles compared to the narrow path of a tornado. Still, if you get it its 100% devastation, my condolences to you if you have tornado damage.

[dbhost]

Sometimes a twister touches down barely, and it can be a fine point. Case in point, the spring before hurricane Ike hit, a spring afternoon twister came through the Bayou and barely tapped down, wiping out my neighbors shed, my fence, my dog house, and the distribution post for the cable in my yard. Then it disappeared... I KNOW I am hugely blessed in that I could have been wiped out totally at that time.

My prayers are certainly with the families of those that have been lost in these terrible storms... It sure makes you wonder about how we are building structures these days... I bet those that came close, probably had some storm damage in their shorts for sure...

[Richard in Smithville]

The news this morning spoke of the devastation and loss of life. My prayers go out to those who have lost someone from these storms as well as to those who are struggling with what's left.

[JSUPreston]

The good thing about tornados is that the swath is only 1/2 mile wide or smaller compared to a 100 mile swath a hurricane can hit.

I haven't heard anything official yet, but the weather forcasters in the state were saying last night that the tornado that hit Tuscaloosa, then Birmingham, on to Piedmont, AL and then to Rome and Ringgold, GA started in Mississippi and never left the ground. I've never heard of a single tornado staying on the ground that distance, but it was an extremely fast storm.

If there is any sort of good news to come of this, I've heard that there are so many volunteers offereing to help that some are being turned away. I'm debating going to Emergency Responder training that's been set up locally so that I can help in the future.

I found out a little later that the lady I mentioned earlier also has a niece and nephew that had to go to Children's in B'ham. On has a skull fracture and the other a spinal injury.

We said a prayer at my house this morning, thanking Him for keeping us safe, and asking for help and comfort for all those that are hurting.

Not wanting to take away any donation from the forum, but the Red Cross has set up a donation site for those so inclined. One link is here:
http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/Articles/2011/04/Disaster-Relief.aspx

[tommyt654]

The good thing about tornados is that the swath is only 1/2 mile wide or smaller compared to a 100 mile swath a hurricane can hit. The news photos look worse than a hurricane but the hurricane situation is repeated for many miles compared to the narrow path of a tornado. Still, if you get it its 100% devastation, my condolences to you if you have tornado damage.

Thats very true, but having been thru both I'd take a hurricane anyday over a Tornado, something you won't see or hear till the last 20-30 minutes usually, while a hurricane is easier to avoid its path since you get days of notice. I'll have to admit it was scary last night, had the mattess in the bathroom and was prepared for the worse. However we got lucky while others just a few miles north actually got hit and I mean literally just a few miles. The city of Adairsville took a pretty bad hit as well as Euharlee. Not near the destruction of Tuscaloosa or Birmingham ,just closer.Hope those folks in Alabama get some support

[dbhost]

I have been watching the death toll numbers climb all day long, makes me sick to my stomach to see that... I really feel for all those families!

[Kristofor]

Yeah, it's been a rough year already with this huge outbreak and the one in North Carolina a week or two ago...

The crazy high number of trailer houses (~15%) in the South/South East and on-slab construction can't be helping much either. With monster storms like those there would be loss of life anywhere, but I have to imagine the numbers would be much lower if the same tornados were picked up and dropped in the Midwest or North East.

[Pappy]

The good thing about tornados is that the swath is only 1/2 mile wide or smaller compared to a 100 mile swath a hurricane can hit. The news photos look worse than a hurricane but the hurricane situation is repeated for many miles compared to the narrow path of a tornado. Still, if you get it its 100% devastation, my condolences to you if you have tornado damage.

I have to agree that the normal destruction path of a tornado is small and random. The tail of the funnel will whip around, lift, and touch down again. Even 1/2 mile includes the wind damage beyond the actual funnel.

There are exceptions. Check out the 2 that hit Wichita Falls in 1979(?) and before that in April 1964. (I got a good close view of that monster before it lifted for a short distance, right over the high school I was in.) These were both F-5's with massive funnels.

[capncarl]

I really do not think that it makes much difference if you have a house trailer, house built on a slab or a concrete block house, these monster storms eat them all. The only escape from its wrath is in a strorm shelter or a basement. Basements are rare in the deep south. I think about the emergency plans to get in a closet or bathroom and cover up, but from the damages that I have witnessed that would be the worst place to be. You would just be in the middle of the trash ball that your house had become.

A couple of small tornados touched down in our community and my neighborhood a few years ago on prom night. Luckily this time the residents that lost their homes happend not be at home. The twister touched down 2 houses from mine and cleared a path through the woods for about 1/2 mile that looked like a finished power line right of way. The house 2 down from mine was just started construction, so not much was lost.

What really stuck in my mind was the houses were re-constructed back like they were with no storm protection measures added. I really want a storm room, and think that a close call like that would make me bite the bullet and put one in.

capncarl

[leehljp]

A few F4s and some F5s have the ability to suck concrete roads up! Hurricanes don't do that. They undermine or storm surge will wipe out a road, but not the wind itself as in a tornado. The F5 some years ago near Temple TX sucked up the concrete/pavement in places. There were several reports that the tornado at the beginning of the week in Vilonia AR did this.

AS to house trailer vs concrete building - the HTs will often go when hit with 100 to 120 mph winds where as concrete buildings will usually hold fast until 150 or so. The 100-120 mph straight line wind, wind shear, F1-2 tornados are far more common that the F4s and F5s.

[Alex Franke]

What's the best place to be?

The only escape from its wrath is in a strorm shelter or a basement. Basements are rare in the deep south. I think about the emergency plans to get in a closet or bathroom and cover up, but from the damages that I have witnessed that would be the worst place to be. You would just be in the middle of the trash ball that your house had become.

I was thinking about this yesterday, too. We don't have a basement, either, so our plan is to get into a downstairs, internal bathroom that is under the stairs.

Would it be better to make a dash for the crawlspace, though, if the foundation is concrete block?

[capncarl]

I am not sure where the best place to be in a wood frame house without a basement. A lot of houses do not get blown down, just the roof sucked off and windows blown out. In these houses you could survive in an inside closet or hall, or steel bath tub, but in some of the houses shown, survival would not be good. You would be crushed by the debris, or blown away with it. It might be against what the experts say, but in my case I think that inside my car in my house garage would be the best place. In all but the strongest tornado the house would be damaged or knocked down on top of the car. The garage has the least structure over it to mash the car so maybe the car roof would hold most of it off. If the storm sucked it all up your chances are not good, but maybe the car would offer more protection than the fiberglass shower stall. At least they could identify the body easier.

Someone is making a storm protection box device that appears about as big as a work bench that you get in and lock the door, and hold on for dear life. It may be a good retro-fit for houses without storm protection facilities.

capncarl