OK-KS People

[bokelley]

Please be on the lookout today. A historic severe weather pattern is setting up for some very violent storms. While I personally love this I know that many of you don't! As an old professor would say "Watch the sky to stay alive!!"

LOL - you crack me up, Brandi. I'm so glad I read in your welcome to someone that you have a degree in meteorology ... I was curious about the obsession.

Let me know if anything truly scary goes on. I usually rely on my neighbor (he describes himself as the big, dumb farm guy who stands outside and watches twisters), but he's out of town.

[DCJenn]

They just had a big OMG moment on MSNBC today- they showed lots of RED across the midwest.

Jenn

[ladymoreta]

I have my storm shelter bag packed! Ugh, I hate tornado season!

[MrsK]

Oy, I'm so confused. I know how to prepare for hurricanes but tornadoes? I've got my face glued to my computer and I probably wouldn't even notice if the roof blew off the house nonetheless be prepared for it in advance.

[L.Jane]

Oy, I'm so confused. I know how to prepare for hurricanes but tornadoes? I've got my face glued to my computer and I probably wouldn't even notice if the roof blew off the house nonetheless be prepared for it in advance.

This was the opposite for me when I was in college! I grew up in Kansas with many Tornadoes and then Senior year of college in Florida, FOUR Hurricanes. At least with Hurricanes you get advanced warning, but it scared the crap out of me that tornadoes popped up WITH the hurricane in Orlando and NO basements. In Kansas Tornadoes just pop up with out much or any warning! As a kid, if we heard the sirens we would grab a pillow and a blanket, run down to the basement and turn on the TV or the radio. We have a finished basement so it was rather comfortable. If the Tornado was spotted anywhere near our house we would move into the safest area that was fully concrete.

[MrsK]

Ok, I may be over-reacting but they say that the storm is moving east and there is a tornado warning for my county. I'm in the tornado shelter (closet under the basement stairs) with my dog -- who has been panicky for the last 1/2 hour or so. I also hear the wind and something crashing above me. DrK and BabyK are at the daycare. I'm feeling pretty anxious.

[L.Jane]

Ok, I may be over-reacting but they say that the storm is moving east and there is a tornado warning for my county. I'm in the tornado shelter (closet under the basement stairs) with my dog -- who has been panicky for the last 1/2 hour or so. I also hear the wind and something crashing above me. DrK and BabyK are at the daycare. I'm feeling pretty anxious.

I understand your fear. If in doubt, you are doing the right thing. Im glad you have access to the net while you are in there. I know when I went through my first hurricane I sat in the bathroom on the phone for hours with someone I had just met because I was so scared.

[MrsK]

Just spoke with DrK. He and the baby are in the basement at the daycare. There is a warning here until 5:30 but the guys on the radio sound pretty anxious. I don't see this ending soon. Sounds like it's on the west side of town and on it's way east toward us. I'm wondering what all that noise is that I'm hearing. Hail?

[L.Jane]

They come and go quickly. It just depends if its a cluster. It could possibly be hail, or just ridiculously heavy wind (straight line). I am looking at the news and they are saying Wichita proper is out of the worst for at least now.


Edit: http://www.kake.com/ This is the site that was letting watch the news on the computer...

[MrsK]

Yeah, they are letting the tornado warning expire and they are going to replace it with a severe storm warning for the next hour. Still, there is a lot of noise upstairs. Must be hail. It's really a lot of noise. I'm going to venture out in a little bit.

Just walked around the house and let the dog potty. Thank goodness she's paper-trained. It's really dark here and raining a lot. I think the noise is the rain and wind in our chimney and fire place. DrK is on his way home with the baby.

[ladymoreta]

So glad you're okay. The storm just passed through here about 30-45 minutes ago. Several tornadoes on the ground south of my suburb. Fortunately DH was home, and he went out and killed two big spiders in the storm shelter. So glad that's cleaned out now.

Can't wait to hear updates from SoonerTexan. She was out chasing them!

[bokelley]

Mrs K, that was the perfect thing to do! I am sure you were hearing hail, with large super cells, hail is always common, and a sign that a major storm is brewing. The updraft is what causes the hail and spawns tornadoes. I know I can't wait to hear from SoonerTexan, I am so jealous of her!!

There is a warning here until 5:30 but the guys on the radio sound pretty anxious.

the guys on the radio *always* sound anxious. they love the drama, I think. I remember being in Los Angeles listening to "Storm Watch, '96" ... and it was rain. Just rain. It sounds like you did the right thing. I generally wait for the sirens. I can never remember the difference between a watch and warning, and I rarely have live TV or radio on to hear what's being predicted.

Stay safe everyone! I was home alone last year when we had a tornado warning and was in the basement watching radar on my laptop. And I had to go to the bathroom so bad and I was too scared to run upstairs to go! Boy was I glad when the warning was over....