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We have to decide how much stock we want to take in these predictions. If we believe them, we must plan ahead. And if we don't believe them, we may be really sorry!!
I have lived in Kansas all my life. We are in Tornado Alley. I have only seen one tornado, ever!
These pictures were taken last year, in July, while standing in my front yard. Only one structure, about ten miles from my house, was destroyed. For the most part it wasn't on the ground. I have never seen a real tornado cloud with my own eyes before this.
Many people are taking precautions right now. The TV is announcing all of the closings which will take place. Maybe a bit of over-kill? Or people using good judgment? That is the thing about weather. You just never know.
Schools are currently canceling all after school activities. The storms are supposed to start firing up around 3 p.m.
I expect we will keep an eye on the news and see what is coming our way.
They are flying all the big planes out of McConnell Air Force base, in Wichita, just to be one the safe side. 25 years ago today was the huge F5 Andover Tornado. There was a lot of damage and 13 people were killed. Total property damage at that time was $274 million. The AFB at McConnell took a direct hit at that time.
When it comes to snow warnings, in the winter, people flock to the stores and the shelves are emptied of staples like bread and milk. I have only seen one storm that was so bad we were stranded at home more than one day. I was pregnant with my oldest son in 1971. We had a snow storm that dumped so much snow on the city no one moved for 3 days. We had two neighborhood stores (small mom and pop operations) on either end of our block. We managed to walk to those to restock what we needed. And their shelves became almost bare.
I have yet to decide what we will do. We do not have a basement! The kids will ride the bus home from school. So far, the school hasn't announced they are closing early. Some schools are. All based on predictions!
How does weather affect your life? Been in any big tornadoes or crippling snow storms?
Do you plan ahead and prepare for the worst? Or do you fly by the seat of your pants??
(P.S. We were under a tornado watch all evening. Although, Wichita (where Justin lives) had a lot of rain and some small hail, we didn't get anything!! Just another big media hype of storm watches!!)
(P.S. We were under a tornado watch all evening. Although, Wichita (where Justin lives) had a lot of rain and some small hail, we didn't get anything!! Just another big media hype of storm watches!!)
I find in our area Paula, that the local weathermen sometimes get hyped up about the weather and promote it as being a big event, I'm sure for ratings. Then the actual thing turns out to be half as much or less. But that said, sometimes they are right on. There is one man been in our area for 40 years, he usually stays pretty close to the truth. If something really worries me, I check the National Weather Service. They operate more purely on science without worrying about ratings.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on this! And some of these weathermen love being in front of the camera. However, if we ignored them and they were right it would be a bad thing. But it can be so annoying!
DeleteThe girls and I had a tornado pass above us once, it was really scary...but quick and it was gone, it touched down about 1/4 miles away from us. We live in the lower level of our home so we are in the safest spot possible, we have a weather radio that is supposed to go off in case of a tornado.
ReplyDeleteWinter storms are normal for us, we never plan any appointments for the morning. We can make do for many days:)
I have several alerts both on my phone and on my computer. Yes, they are scary!
DeleteMy husband is one of those people that take these things seriously, maybe a bit of an overkill, but I remember when we lived in Montana there was a tornado watch. We had a basement with an extra storm room type of setting. We all had to go down there during the duration of the watch. It was 4th of July and we were planning to go to the fireworks. A little rain happened, no tornadoes, fireworks went on as planned but we missed them because it was too late by then.
ReplyDeleteSo I see both sides. To be prepared, but not to panic. To be aware, but not too scared. Its a balancing act I think.
Do stay safe!
betty
Richard was just the opposite. He stood out in the driveway and watched them!!
DeleteI think we are always prepared. I don't do anything any different regardless of what storm is coming. Might make sure I have milk if it's a snow storm!
Years ago a really bad storm had been underplayed by a weather forecaster on TV. I don't think the poor man has ever been allowed to forget that mistake. We don't suffer too badly here from adverse weather like tornados but if we do get a bad spell of snow the whole country grinds to a halt. And some areas do seem to be more prone to flooding than they used to. I do check the forecasts though.
ReplyDeleteIn my area the weathermen don't ever 'underplay' anything. That was the point of my post. They blow everything up to such proportions and issue warnings for days in advance and then nothing happens. We have canceled school here based on what weathermen say is going to happen and then it doesn't!! Crazy!
DeleteBetter to be safe than sorry. You are right. The weathermen make it big news when sometimes it isn't, but sometimes it is so best to keep on top of it. Truthfully, you can't ever predict what mother nature will do, you can only take your best guess. Be safe.
ReplyDeleteWe pay attention! But I quit believing everything they say! They are wrong as often as they are right!
DeleteOhio has its own tornado alley, in the flat plane central portion. However, here in NE Ohio I have lived through two tornadoes and some very damaging thunder storms--in the basement. They are serious business.
ReplyDeleteOf course they are serious business. My complaint is the 'blown out of proportion' predictions and then NOTHING! Not that I want anything to happen! I am just afraid if they keep this up people will stop paying attention. Now it is a race to see which station can talk the most about it!
DeleteWe live in an area not known for extreme weather. In 1999 we had a storm above a storm - a 1 in 500 year storm. I was driving home from my school in the highlands above Wollongong and noticed the road rushing with water but I made it home. The road was closed shortly after. My daughter's friend said she arrived at the railway station and found water all around her car so she rang my daughter and asked her to pick her up. They skirted around floods but she dropped her off and came home. Then the water broke through the walls each side of the freeway and flooded the houses (ours missed out). My two teenage children decided to go and look at the flooded street. I was freaking out because I was sure they would get washed down a drain. Next day all the roads were closed out of Wollongong but I tried a mountain road and got through to my school. They were surprised to see me and as half the staff were missing we had huge classes all day.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. That must have been scary!!
DeleteI don't fly by the seat of my pants. I was living in a small town in Indiana during what was, at that time, the state's worst blizzard. The small town was closed off from EVERYTHING for days. No delivery trucks got through. Food was gone from the store shelves. There was no mail. We eventually lost heat. We ate the same thing for day - fine with me because I had a supply of dried beans and knew how to cook them.I have also been much to close to several tornadoes, one of which was HUGE in diameter and we had to outrun to get to safety, seen many funnel clouds and the destruction left in the aftermath. I have given NOAA radios as gifts because we can't see the severe clouds or impending disasters after it gets dark. There have been 18 'Famous Winter Storms' in MN since I was born and 19 'Memorable Tornadoes' in my lifetime, with an average of 27 tornadoes per season. I do keep storm necessities on hand, but I don't panic. What can I say? My dad was a meteorologist in the Air Force and so was his older brother.
ReplyDeleteI think I am more than likely to fly by the seat of my pants. I am prepared most of the time. Not much we can do if it is a tornado. We don't have a basement so we go to the center of the house and avoid windows. I have my wallet, my checkbook, a radio, and a flashlight ready. I make sure everyone puts on shoes. I can't run to a shelter everytime they predict something. Especially when they are so often wrong!! We haven't had a snow storm close our town down since 1971! Most of the time I make sure we have enough in the house to eat. And make sure it is food that doesn't have to be cooked in case we lose power.
DeleteThose are awesome pictures! I would love to see a tornado, in the distance moving away from me!
ReplyDeleteThe only way to see a tornado is one moving away!!
DeleteWell, the weathermen never predicted the tornado that hit West Bloomfield or the 18 inches of snow that blanketed us one Thanksgiving (they said 'flurries') so I always take their predictions with a grain of salt, watch the sky and check Doppler on my computer.
ReplyDeleteI take them all with a grain of salt anymore too! What will be, will be.
DeleteBetter to be safe than sorry. At least you get a warning. Earthquakes come out of the blue with no time to prep. Although, when we get a rain storm... The weather people are so funny. It's like the end of the world then.
ReplyDeleteThat is true, Liz. We are having some of those minor earthquakes now here in Kansas!
DeleteYes, I remember 'your' funnel cloud! Of all nature's wrath, I'm most scared -- terrified, actually -- of twisters. I'll never forget driving by the rubble and ruins that was a high school the day after a big one struck Empire, AL a few years back.
ReplyDeleteMy son says you just have to get used to it; if not, you'll drive yourself crazy. Honest? Just thinking about relocating to Alabama qualifies me for a straight jacket!
Keeping y'all in my prayers!
I used to be terrified of them too! I think now, without Richard, I know that I have to be the responsible adult so I don't seem to be as afraid as I once was. Wonder if that will work with flying?? LOL
Deletegreat post
ReplyDeleteThank you Denise!
DeleteI hope all is well. And I know just what you mean about not knowing how prepared to be--I guess it is probably much better to be over prepared than under prepared, but I've found that if you prepare enough times and have "nothing" or nothing much happen, it gets harder and harder to convince yourself that anything really bad will happen. At least that's the way my brain works when it comes to weather predictions.
ReplyDeleteThat is my biggest worry. That is why I wish they wouldn't blow these things out of proportion!!
DeleteFrank, being a pilot, checks the weather radar constantly. We follow his predictions much more closely than the weatherman's. LOL
ReplyDeleteI would follow Frank's predictions too! My oldest brother used to do a pretty good prediction. However, he no longer lives here!
DeleteBeing a homeowner now, I was a lot more worried about this last storm because I didn't want any damage to my roof or cars. Luckily we only got rain and strong winds but nothing serious.
ReplyDeleteOwning a home makes a difference with storms and a lot of other things in life!
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