WebProNews

Tag: Tornadoes

  • Denver Tornadoes: At Least 4 Tornadoes Touched Down

    Wednesday, May 21, was a night full of severe weather for the Denver, Colorado area.

    Not only did at least four tornadoes touch down, the storms brought heavy rain, intense lightning, and icy hail.

    The National Weather Service reported that four tornadoes were documented in Watkins, East Denver, Aurora, Byers and Leader.

    Jeff Piotrowski, a witness to the severe outbreak, told CNN that he had seen five tornadoes touch down not too far from the Denver International Airport.

    “This thing is spinning up multiple tornadoes,” Piotrowski recalled. “There were tornadoes on the outer ring of the circulation, … and then there’s the main tornado vortex closer to the storm.”

    Although the airport was not directly impacted, the storm definitely affected the flight schedules. The airport’s spokeswoman Kate O’Malley explained that six planes had to be taken out of service, due to hail damage, and 38 flights had to be diverted with 90-minute delays. They also had their hotel and transit workers take shelter in their garage while the storms ravaged through the area.

    The aftermath of the storm left flooded streets, and roads covered in ice; looking like a winter storm had just swept through.

    No injuries have been reported.

    Image via Twitter

  • Tupelo Tornado Kills 1, Damages Homes

    While a ‘Tupelo tornado’ might sound like the name of a sports team it is instead a huge twister that went through the north and west of the Mississippi city on Monday afternoon, downing power lines and causing lots of damage. So far only one fatality has been reported from this particular storm. Monday’s tornado was part of a storm system that claimed 19 lives in the southern United States within the past two days.

    Most of the twister deaths occurred on Sunday when tornadoes struck both Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma. At least 100 people in Arkansas sustained injuries. Tornadoes struck four North Carolina counties on Friday and the governor, Pat McCrory, both declared a state of emergency and warned residents that more bad weather was in the forecast.

    The National Weather Service said the threat of tornadoes will last for several days as this strong weather system interacts with a large area of unstable air across both the central and the southern parts of the United States.

    Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe said at least 15 people had died in that state from the storm that authorities say produced the first fatalities of this year’s U.S. tornado season. He previously told a news conference 16 had been killed but later recanted that count.

    The Tupelo tornado and those in the surrounding states are likely just the beginning of what’s to come for the 2014 tornado season. It seems that every year for the past several years the tornadoes have been more frequent and have caused more deaths and damage than ever before. Tornadoes are even occurring in states that seldom see any tornado activity, prompting many to wonder what on earth is going on with the weather system. Some say it is directly related to global warming while others say it’s simply the changing weather patterns. Either way it’s a frightening phenomenon and it’s heartbreaking to know that people will lose their homes–and some will even lose their lives–before the 2014 season comes to a close.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mississippi Tornado Weather Possible Early Next Week

    This year’s long, long winter is finally over and warmer weather is bringing people out of their houses in the Midwest and Eastern U.S. The coming of spring, however, doesn’t mean the nation’s weather troubles are quite over yet.

    After winter weather pushed back this year’s tornado season, it appears that some severe weather may make up for it this weekend and early next week. The National Weather Service is predicting a strong storm to cover much of the South and Midwest starting on Sunday. The large storm should begin forming over Texas and Oklahoma on Saturday night and begin pushing East.

    From there the storm is predicted to strengthen on Sunday, bringing high winds and thunderstorms to parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. By Monday the storm is expected to move over parts of Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky.

    During this period the storm could become very severe, bringing intense rain and high winds. The National Weather Service states that the “potential exists for a severe weather outbreak including strong tornadoes.”

    Post by NOAA NWS Storm Prediction Center.

    By Tuesday the storm could cover much of the eastern U.S., from Southern Michigan all the way down to Florida.

    As this prediction is days in advance, there is still much uncertainty about the specifics of the storm. Though hail and tornadoes are possible, the area affected by such strong weather is likely to be smaller than the area currently threatened by the storm.

    Image via the National Weather Service

  • Tornado Season: Concerns States in “Tornado Alley”

    Now that the “polar vortex” and extreme snowy and icy weather has finally subsided, it is time to gear up for tornado season.

    Tornado season is here for a big part of what is known as “Tornado Alley“, experts from the Accu Weather Service, and the National Climatic Data Center (NOAA) have claimed.

    In the U.S., tornado season is unpredictable, however, it tends to move northward from late winter to mid-summer. In Southern states, tornadoes usually wreak havoc from March to May. In the Southern Plains, from May to early June. On the Gulf Coast they come most often during the spring. And in the Northern Plains, Northern states and upper Midwest, peak season is in June or July.

    But with unpredictable “Mother Nature”, tornadoes can happen at any time.

    The two regions with higher incidences of tornadoes are Florida and Tornado Alley. Florida’s high tornado frequency is due to their almost daily thunderstorms during the season, as well as the many tropical storms and hurricanes that affect the Florida peninsula.

    Tornado Alley was aptly named because of the extreme weather and tornado activity to a specific area. The alley includes a strip of land going north to south that covers the northern parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, the eastern edge of Colorado, southwest tip of South Dakota and the southern edge of Minnesota. Tornadoes in this area typically occur in the late spring.

    In the Gulf Coast region, another term given to this area in relation to its tornado activity is Dixie Alley. This area refers to West Tennessee, West Kentucky, North Mississippi and North Alabama. These states generally see a much later tornado season than those in Tornado Alley, occuring in the late fall from October through December.

    It usually takes a thunderstorm for a tornado to form, but they can also appear during tropical storms and hurricanes. Most tornadoes will usually be at the right and ahead of the storm path as it comes ashore.

    According to Roger Edwards of the Storm Prediction Center, “tornadoes are commonly said to be formed when warm, moist air meets cool, dry air, however that is a gross oversimplification.”

    He notes that recent theories and results from the Vortex program suggest that tornado development is related to temperature differences across the edge of downdraft air, but mathematical modeling studies of tornado formation also indicate that it can happen without such temperature patterns.

    “Very little temperature variation was observed near some of the most destructive tornadoes in history on May 3, 1999,” notes Edwards.

    In other words – listen to warnings and watches and realize that these twisters are unpredictable – so at the first indication that a tornado is possible, all storm precautions should be taken.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Midwest Tornadoes Claim At Least Six Lives

    Even though you don’t hear of tornado outbreaks as often during this time of the year, especially compared to the spring, the tornadoes a storm system produced this weekend proved late fall tornadoes are just as nasty. Several people died over the weekend and many more were injured after a massive storm system produced multiple tornadoes over the Midwest. Tornado watches were issued for Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin and according to AccuWeather, at least 68 tornado sightings were reported.

    “It had the best combination of instability; the sun came out several hours before the thunderstorms blew up,” AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Frank Strait said. “The wind shear was also favorable for tornadoes.” At least one tornado from the weekend was categorized as an EF-4, which meant the tornado had winds that reached 166 to 200 mph.

    Even though dozens of tornadoes were reported in multiple states, including Ohio, Kentucky and Missouri, Illinois was hit the worst and has accounted for at least six deaths so far, plus dozens of injuries.

    Some residents of the affected areas reported their entire neighborhoods being flattened. “I went over there immediately after the tornado, walking through the neighborhoods, and I couldn’t even tell what street I was on,” Washington, Illinois resident Tyler Gee said. “Just completely flattened–some of the neighborhoods here in town, hundreds of homes.”

    U.S. Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois released a written statement on Sunday night regarding the severe weather:

    “My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by today’s severe storms. I am receiving regular updates from Illinois emergency officials and local leaders including those from Washington, Illinois  one of the areas that was hardest hit today. While we don’t yet know the full extent of the damage, it is clear that coordinated local, state and federal resources will be needed to rebuild. I stand ready to work with my colleagues in that effort.”

    Were you in an area affected by the severe weather over the weekend? Share your experience below.

    Check out raw footage of a tornado in Washington below:

    Another video of the tornadoes and damage:

    [Image via YouTube]

  • Sharknado Is Coming To Netflix In A Few Days

    Sharknado was the talk of the Internet back in the summer, and it’s finally about to become available to stream on Netflix, meaning many will get their first chance to see it.

    We’ve just learned that the movie will hit Netflix on November 5th (you can already get the DVD if you use Netflix’s DVD-by-mail service).

    Sharknado streaming on netflix

    Sharknado is a SyFy original, and even made its way to the big screen. That’s not something that happens with these films very often. But with a cast like Ian Ziering, Tara Reid and John Heard, it just makes sense. The description is as follows:

    When a freak hurricane swamps Los Angeles, thousands of sharks are swept up in tornadoes and deposited all over the city, where they terrorize the shocked residents. Among them is bar owner Fin, who must rescue his estranged wife and daughter.

    What did you think it would be?

    Enjoy.

    Sharknado 2: The Second One is slated for a 2014 release.

    Images: SyFy (YouTube) / Netflix

  • Tornado Looters From Across The Country Hit Moore

    Authorities in Moore, Oklahoma say that one man from New York and at least two men from Virginia were among those who have been arrested for looting homes that were hit by massive tornadoes last month.

    The storms, which left 24 people dead and ravaged homes and businesses, have become goldmines for looters looking to pick over the town’s remains; according to The Oklahoman, several feet of copper wire, scrap metal, and personal items were taken by the nearly two dozen people who have been arrested. Among some of the most expensive items reported stolen were a $50,000 watch, a $13,000 watch, a $2,000 fountain pen and a $1,300 hunting camera.

    “We are seeing people take everything from copper to pipes to scrap metal to all kinds of electronics,” police spokesman Jeremy Lewis said. “It’s a misdemeanor crime and not a crime we usually have to deal with.”

    Moore resident Jon Fisher was among those whose house was targeted.

    “The houses are still standing and looters are kicking in doors and taking TVs and appliances,” Fisher said. “They arrested two guys in my neighborhood the night of the tornado who were carrying out a love seat and couch.”

    Officers set up roadblocks around the homes that were destroyed in order to better police who was coming and going in the area right after the storms hit, but the looters found a way in anyway. One of the men arrested, Steven Daniels, told police he was there for the sole purpose of looting, along with two friends. Steve Costello and Justin Wagner were also taken into custody.

    ‘[Daniels] advised he drove from Virginia to Moore … with two other subjects for the purpose of removing steel and copper utility wire from the disaster area,’ an affidavit filed in Cleveland County District Court read.

    In an area so hard hit by the storms–where property is lying everywhere and may go largely unclaimed due to the far-flying effects of the tornado–it may be difficult for police to completely keep the items safe from looters.

  • Oklahoma Tornado Officially the Widest Ever Recorded in the U.S.

    Oklahoma Tornado Officially the Widest Ever Recorded in the U.S.

    The tornado that hit just outside of El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31 is officially the widest tornado ever recorded in U.S. history.

    The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) today declared that the tornado was 2.6 miles wide at its widest point. It has been upgraded to an EF-5 rating, and reportedly had wind speeds “well over” 200 miles per hour. The tornado began just after 6 pm and ended 40 minutes later, having traveled 16.2 miles.

    Hundreds of Oklahomans were injured due to the tornado, and at least nine people died. The size of the tornado, coupled with its erratic movement, caused many people to be caught in the path of the storm.

    Among the dead were storm chaser Tim Samaras, his 24-year-old son Paul Samaras, and their colleague Carl Young. The men were once part of the Discovery Channel reality TV show Storm Chasers. Another amateur storm chaser was also killed during the storm, and a Weather Channel meteorologist was injured when his truck was thrown 200 yards by the tornado.

  • Tornado Warnings Become More Extreme

    Tornado Warnings Become More Extreme

    The National Weather Service (NWS) has decided to test out more blunt tornado warning messages in Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois in an effort to reduce fatality and injury rates.

    Here are a few of them:

    “You could be killed if not underground or in a tornado shelter.”

    “This is a life-threatening situation.”

    “Complete destruction of entire neighborhoods likely.”

    The NWS has partnered with social scientists to determine which warning would be the most effective.

    Do you think that a little added fear will result in better outcomes?

    An earlier study titled “Hazard Warning Systems: Review of 20 Years of Progress,” By John H. Sorenson discussed the foundations of an effective hazard warning message:

    “Five specific topics that are important to include in assembling the actual content of a public warning message are the nature, location, guidance, time, and source of the hazard or risk. The style aspects that are important to include are message specificity, consistency, accuracy, certainty, and clarity.”

    But accurate reports of what is going on in the moment can lead people to believe that they are safer than they are because tornados can gain power and shift quickly.

    According to Mike Hudson, a meteorologist in the weather service’s Kansas City office, “People do personalize weather very close to their home. A storm can occur five miles away, but to them it is a non-event.”

    Many people have become desensitized to standard tornado warnings and even ignore them. Such ignorance may have led to hundreds of deaths last year.

    The following YouTube video illustrates people’s sense of false security.

  • Texas Tornado Throws 18-Wheelers Like Rag Dolls

    Texas Tornado Throws 18-Wheelers Like Rag Dolls

    The tornados that spun through Texas on Tuesday weren’t all massive in size, but they didn’t have to be.

    The storm system that left thousands without power and hundreds of people sleeping in a Red Cross shelter swept through several counties, cutting a swath of destruction as several funnel clouds branched off and made their way across the state. The exact number of twisters isn’t known, but surveyors are working through the paths of debris to determine how many were formed.

    One funnel spun through what appears to be a yard full of abandoned vehicles and picked up several 18-wheelers, tossing them aside with ease. The scariest part is, it all happened fairly close to a busy roadway. Part of the tornado’s path was caught on video, and you can see a steady stream of cars moving at the bottom of the screen.

    Despite the best efforts of these twisters, no fatalities have been reported, although several injuries have been. Twitter users took to the social media platform to offer their thoughts and prayers to Texas residents:

    (image)@IamSecond
    I am Second    Praying for everyone affected by the storms in Texas. http://t.co/B7xd677J(image) 14 hours ago via HootSuite ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@Kristen_Beat
    Kristen Beat    Prayers going out to everyone affected by the tornadoes in Texas. My heart goes out to all of you. <3(image) 17 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@rsarver
    Ryan Sarver    Incredible that everyone was ok RT @nprnews: After Ferocious Texas Tornadoes, Two Incredibly Welcome Words: ‘No Deaths’ http://t.co/VLnvHNQl(image) 32 minutes ago via Flipboard ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@nickimayonews
    Nicki Mayo    HAPPY WEDNESDAY! Please pray for those impacted by the #tornadoes around North Texas, Arlington & Dallas.(image) 1 minute ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Churchill Downs Tornado Damages Stables, Frees Horses

    Last night Louisville, Kentucky was the latest city to make tornado news, as a series of storms hit Kentucky Derby site Churchill Downs.

    Although the tornado damaged buildings and threw debris around the track, nobody was reported injured as a result of the storm.

    “Several barns have been damaged, some substantially,” Spokesman John Asher told Reuters. “There’s a lot of debris, the power is out.”

    Officials had to evacuate about 150 horses and 100 stable workers who have homes situated on the grounds. All the races scheduled for today have been cancelled, but they expect to resume racing tomorrow.

    All in all, 9 barns were destroyed in the 110 mph winds accompanying the tornado.

    Tornadoes always make for compelling user content, as amateurs take out their cameras to document the impressive storms. While the YouTube videos for the Churchill Downs tornado are not as widespread or ultimately as impressive as user-videos from places like Sedalia or Joplin, the uploaded videos so far show both the formation of the funnel cloud and the damage to the barns.

    This video show the entire formation of the tornado as it swirls in the sky. Note that once the video hits about 1:57, you begin to see the tornado touch down and debris begin to fly. Whoever shot the video was pretty close to the tornado.

    This video shows the size of the tornado and it’s relation to both Churchill Downs and Louisville Cardinal Stadium.

    This last video show the damage close up to one of the barns –

    Luckily the tornado only did physical damage and didn’t hurt anyone. It’s been a crazy year already for tornadoes, with towns in the South and Midwest still trying to pick up the pieces. Although this tornado didn’t cause catastrophic devastation, it did hit one of our country’s historic landmarks. Plus, living in Kentucky, you rarely see something like this.

  • Tornado Apocalypse Creates Compelling Imagery

    Tornado Apocalypse Creates Compelling Imagery

    In 2011, the month of May clearly belongs to the tornadoes. After separate storms ripped through parts of Alabama and Missouri, leaving a massive trail of destruction in their paths, the nation was reminded in no uncertain terms just how powerful these weather events really are. The response to these disasters has been quite swift, even on a federal government level, as communities in the stricken towns work to get back on their collective feet.

    While the destruction was indeed a sobering reminder of the powerful abilities of tornadoes, the events also produced some amazing imagery. Granted, most of these images are at the expense of another person’s suffering, and with that in mind, this follow-up article has absolutely no disrespect intended for those whose lives were damaged or destroyed by these twisters. That being said, it’s almost impossible to ignore the eye-catching qualities these post-tornado images have. In fact, many of these images are, from this writer’s humble perspective, Pulitzer worthy pieces.

    Perhaps the most “famous” of this new crop of disaster images was the before and after comparison, which hit the Intertubes earlier this week. Thanks to some amazing photography from Aaron Furman’s Flickr account, we can compare what certain areas of Joplin, Missouri looked like before and after the tornado strike hit. The after pictures are sobering.

    Joplin, Missouri

    And then there’s this amazing comparison over at the Mail Online, with the caption of “The six-block scar,” perhaps the most accurate image description, ever.

    Over at BuzzFeed, they also have a collection of high-end aftermath pictures, one of which leads this article. While the majority of the images are heart-wrenching and powerful, at least one shows the relief and happiness that can occur from surviving such an ordeal:

    Reunion

    And then, there are the videos. A lot of videos in fact, as mobile devices of many makes and models captured the destruction for all to see. Perhaps the most viewed comes from YouTube user izelsg, and it’s a first-person perspective of being caught inside a store while an F5 tornado hits. The images aren’t great, but the audio tells one hell of a story.

    From izelsg’s description:

    The video i took of the F5 tornado while at Fastrip on east 20th street. We huddled in the back of the store until the glass got sucked out , then ran into the walk in storage fridge. Sorry for the lack of visuals but the audio is pretty telling of how intense the storm was. The tornado hits at around 1:20 seconds.

    There’s also an aftermath video, also taken by izelsg, which revisits the store in question:


    And these are just two videos of an ever-growing amount, most of which capture the events in Joplin amazingly well. An example:

    These are just Joplin videos. While the state of Oklahoma didn’t suffer the damage of Alabama and Missouri, there’s an incredible video of a tractor-trailer getting absolutely decimated by a funnel cloud:


    And then there’s this incredibly cry-worthy story of the dog who found his way back home after the Alabama tornadoes tore through the state. Oh, the dog made it back home with TWO broken legs. You might want to grab your tissues before watching:


    All I can say after that is “Mason 4 President!!!!!!!”

    So while the violence of tornadoes can absolutely wreck anything in its path, the aftermath, while often brutal, also shows our capacity for kindness, qualities people thanfully still carry around with them.