Friday, May 15, 2009

Tornadoes and stuff

While I've been surfing around and reading your blogs I've had the Weather Channel on tv. I know that is really desperate, but I wanted to know if it is going to rain tomorrow. I finally looked up and they were having an interview with one of the guys on the Vortex2 tornado chasing group. Chasing is something I'll never do, but like the dancing shows, I love it when others do. I was a real fan of "Twister" the movie....even though I've never been in a tornado, thank you God! A couple of years ago I had attended a severe weather seminar so that I could call in severe weather...like I'd be out in it..HA! Anyway, they showed us how a tornado forms and what it looks like, etc. All day seminar that I thought would never end because it started so early in the morning. That is another post as to why in the world do things have to start so early in the morning. Anyway, back to the original thought process about the genesis of a tornado. The clouds start to rotate in a counter clockwise and sort of look "raggy". Imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks later I was coming home from work and saw the same formation right over the road I was traveling. I thought to myself that looks like that tornado....but decided I was just thinking about that class. Just a little after I got home that tornado touched down a few miles away. That was a very spooky.

We live in "tornado alley" here in Texas, and even though we've only had one big one here in Ft. Worth, that was enough. Our downtown area was like a war zone for a long long time....like about a year or more. One of the buildings was a high rise office building that had all the glass was blown out. Actually there was a restaurant at the top of the building getting ready to open for the dinner hour. The workers saw it coming and got to safety in time. However, the restaurant has now moved to ground level. Another story was about a church that had a Tower of Power where volunteers sat in the tower and prayed for people. The wall of that tower was blown completely away and the women inside were left looking out and probably offering up a prayer or two for their safety that day.

Anyway, getting back to the Vortex2 project here is the link so you can follow them on twitter or get a live feed http://www.norman.noaa.gov/2008/06/vortex2/

Or here http://www.weather.com/tv/programs/vortex2/streaming.html?from=tv_program_promo3 for more info

They are expecting to find one today in Kansas. Maybe it will be like the movie "Twister"....ya think?

6 comments:

  1. You know ME - I absolutely LOVE extreme weather of ANY kind! And I would LOVE to be a tornado chaser! Dennis and I have both thought about it, talked about it, but DONE nothing about it. Perhaps in our retirement years ... if Mom is no longer with us! I can't imagine HER chasing tornadoes - she whines if it drizzles! Of course, we don't GET too many tornadoes here in Maryland. A few - every now and then... but not like the midwest!

    However. I will say this. I would never WISH a tornado on anyone! If they're there, I'd like to see them... but I don't ASK for trouble!

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  2. No tornado chasing for me. My last name is Coward (even it I married him and I'm true to my calling. At first warning, Luckie and I are out to the Hidey Hole which supposedly guarantees our survival!
    It comfortably holds six persons so we can share with neighbors.

    http://www.hidy-holes.com/index.html

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  3. On a summer vacation when I was a child, I watched a tornado cross a prairie. Luckily, it was going away from us, but we were still in a pretty strong wind and it was super scary. We were out on the highway with nothing to protect us but the ditch my brother-in-law drove the car into, and the car itself. I'll leave the tornado chasing to braver folk!

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  4. Melli...ok you can chase and I'll handle the radio! I'm not wild about getting out in a tornado. I have a scanner and can listen to them.

    NitWit1-I looked at those shelters and we have thought about one for the garage. I think one in the garage would work best for us.

    Quilly-Ewwwww...that would have scared me silly...well, I am silly but not from being caught out in a tornado!

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  5. We have had enough rain and bad weather here to last me all summer. It has rained for two solid weeks. I am tired of reading, sleeping, snacking,etc. I am ready for some hot, dry weather! They say this week is supposed to be pretty with no rain. I am ready for it. Have a great weekend.

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  6. I rememember that. We lived in the Jarrell area both times it got hit.
    We had no damage but man, was it a mess! Have a good weekend, enjoy your rain!

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