[MaryLou2007]

You know, when you think Florida, you think: hurricanes = only threat. WRONG!!!

Thunderstorms, hail, TORNADOES, and tropical storms are very very common, yet overlooked by many. It is almost that people downplay these serious hazards. NO matter how prepared you might be, these form VERY often in FL due to the hap-hazard weather we have. It is constantly changing (like today, very muggy, almost 80 degrees, very uncomfortable).

I just saw a national commercial for "The Villages" on Fox news channel. Thye make it look like heaven... all golf courses for older folks. Do you think The Villages discloses to people that the Lady Lake/The Villages/Leesburg is a major hub for Tornadoes?!?

Furthermore, I have recorded on my journal almost 100 tornadoes touching down in Central FL in lass then 5 years. During the hurricanes of 2004/2005, there were a ton before and after the hurricanes! I see hurricanes forming in Kissimmee and north Polk County a lot. I also see them in the northern side of Central FL.... even Christmas day we had tornadoes everywhere. We had a tornado touch down Christmas day not even 1 mile down the road!

Does ANYONE (besides me) realize that tornadoes are a part of Central Florida as they are a part of Oklahoma and Kansas??

Does anyone realize how serious and deadly they are... farthermore worse than hurricanes?

Does anyone realize that tornadoes are everywhere in Central Florida, can happen anytime unlike other places in the US where tornadoes can form in the spring?

Ps. People have been devastaed by the Christmas day tornadoes and now this. Please help the American Red Cross.... let's all pool together and help.

As we all know from the insurance crisis, many of these people cannot/could not afford insurance and many had their coverage dropped when this happened. They lost everything!!!

You never know when YOU can become a victim. No house is tornado-proof, believe me! Help the American Red Cross, folks. Be careful of bogus sites! Google "American Red Cross" for the real deal!

Thanks! God bless!

[Jammie]

Yes, isn't it terrible? Tornadoes and microbursts happen quite often in the midwest from Texas up through North Dakota and they're often devastating. I realized that Fla. has tornadoes spawn during canes and occasionally get a small cat 1 tornado, but I really had no idea they had these powerful tornadoes.

We have a friend who is the head of our local Red Cross and we plan on looking her up this weekend. Nearly ever city has a Red Cross chapter and I feel that it is just safer to give to your local one since they make sure the aid goes to where it is needed.

[spotrod]

YES _ the natives know all of these things and more.....but if we say anything, shhh we will be called negative and fl bashers. so on the positive side , when the insurance company pays out you can build a bigger and better home and your homeowners will NOT go up due to this .

[macguy]

Originally Posted by MaryLou2007

You know, when you think Florida, you think: hurricanes = only threat. WRONG!!!

Thunderstorms, hail, TORNADOES, and tropical storms are very very common, yet overlooked by many. It is almost that people downplay these serious hazards. NO matter how prepared you might be, these form VERY often in FL due to the hap-hazard weather we have. It is constantly changing (like today, very muggy, almost 80 degrees, very uncomfortable).

I just saw a national commercial for "The Villages" on Fox news channel. Thye make it look like heaven... all golf courses for older folks. Do you think The Villages discloses to people that the Lady Lake/The Villages/Leesburg is a major hub for Tornadoes?!?

Furthermore, I have recorded on my journal almost 100 tornadoes touching down in Central FL in lass then 5 years. During the hurricanes of 2004/2005, there were a ton before and after the hurricanes! I see hurricanes forming in Kissimmee and north Polk County a lot. I also see them in the northern side of Central FL.... even Christmas day we had tornadoes everywhere. We had a tornado touch down Christmas day not even 1 mile down the road!

Does ANYONE (besides me) realize that tornadoes are a part of Central Florida as they are a part of Oklahoma and Kansas??

Does anyone realize how serious and deadly they are... farthermore worse than hurricanes?

Does anyone realize that tornadoes are everywhere in Central Florida, can happen anytime unlike other places in the US where tornadoes can form in the spring?

Ps. People have been devastaed by the Christmas day tornadoes and now this. Please help the American Red Cross.... let's all pool together and help.

As we all know from the insurance crisis, many of these people cannot/could not afford insurance and many had their coverage dropped when this happened. They lost everything!!!

You never know when YOU can become a victim. No house is tornado-proof, believe me! Help the American Red Cross, folks. Be careful of bogus sites! Google "American Red Cross" for the real deal!

Thanks! God bless!

People who lost their wind storm insurance are covered by the general policy for this.

[Need_affordable_home]

I extend my condolences for the tornado and hurricane victims. Ive been in several hurricanes but never seen a tornado. Every state, even Alaska(!) gets Tornados and many states get more tornados than FL.

[sunrico90]

If you want ot help see below:


Florida Disaster web-site:
http://www.floridadisaster.org/index.asp

American Red Cross web-site:
http://www.redcross.org/index.html

America Red Cross Donations:
http://www.redcross.org/donate/goods/

[MaryLou2007]

Originally Posted by spotrod

YES _ the natives know all of these things and more.....but if we say anything, shhh we will be called negative and fl bashers. so on the positive side , when the insurance company pays out you can build a bigger and better home and your homeowners will NOT go up due to this .

I know, it is amazing how hush-hush people keep the tornado thing. The hurricane thing is too big not to talk about, but tornadoes are WAY bigger and more serious than hurricanes (in my humble opinion).

To add on to Need_Affordable's comment, yes, every state has tornadoes, but most to a much lesser extent than FL. As a matter of fact, every state has some kind of peril (hail in CO; earthquakes in CA; etc). But tornadoes are soooo scarry! And devastating. Not even during the 2004 hurricanes do I remember 19 dead on the first day's count!

I was shocked to learn FL ranks all the way in the top-5 places for tornadoes in the USA!! Yikes! I think the message here is: let the buyer beaware!

This is creepy... too scarry. I feel blessed not to have been a victim. We are donating some clothes and food to the local Red Cross, these people need it badly. This is hard to watch....

Folks, please help!

[pslOldTimer]

I couldn't respond to your poll because I need a definition of "victim". for example, I have been a "victim" of tropical storms many times -- I have gotten wet! But, I haven't died in one, yet..so what constitutes a victim?

[Need_affordable_home]

Originally Posted by pslOldTimer

I couldn't respond to your poll because I need a definition of "victim". for example, I have been a "victim" of tropical storms many times -- I have gotten wet! But, I haven't died in one, yet..so what constitutes a victim?

Suffering damage or injury. If you got wet and caught a cold or shivered all day, thats suffering. If your favoriate tree lost a branch, thats property damage. Death is the worst thing

[MaryLou2007]

I found these in my old notes...

In February 1998, 5 twisters hit outside Orlando over two days, killing 42 people and damaging or destroying about 2,600 homes and businesses. It was Florida's deadliest tornado event on record.

On Decmber 25, 2006, 3 tornadoes hit parts of Orange, Seminole, and Lake counties. Hundreds of residents were evacuated from the Sutton Place Apartments in Daytona Beach as well, after a twister ripped roofs and walls off of several units. Not even Embry-riddle got away (and they have a pretty solid building).

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