Tornadoes outside the city, as in Independence, MO? (Kansas City, Greenville: how much, mobile home)

[movingover]

I have been looking at buying some land in Independence, somewhere between 10-40 acres. Some of the land I've looked at is heavily forested, which is fine by me.

Can anyone tell me how bad the tornadoes are outside of the city itself, and how dangerous it is? Are you any better off if your house is surrounded by forest or does it make no difference? Also the house I would be moving into would be a modern and large structure, not a small mobile home, however I have no idea if that makes any difference. I have never seen a tornado in my life.

Also, do tornadoes just pop up with no warning, or are there some kind of early warning systems?

[northbound74]

10-40 forested acres in Independence? Congratulations on actually finding that.

Hills, trees, city, country... none of that makes any difference to tornados. A solid house of any size is generally going to have a better chance of surviving a tornado over a mobile home. Really strong tornados, like f3's and stronger, will do major damage to any structure. Make certain you have a basement or some sort of in-ground storm shelter.
There are strong storms with tornados somewhere in the region every year. They often have a tendency to drop down and touch the ground, and then go back up, so it's not like entire neighborhoods get wiped out all the time. A lot of times, they just knock some shingles off the roofs, and that's about it. Other times they are more severe, like the things that make national headlines.
The weather forecasters go a little overboard at times, but at least you know when some sort of severe weather is about to hit. There's usually enough warning to take shelter. Most places also have tornado sirens that go off if conditions are right for tornados. They don't go off unless they're pretty certain something is out there.
Unlike earthquakes, they are usually very predictable.
It's rare to actually see a tornado. I don't think I've seen one, though I'm certain I've seen the cloud a tornado came out of before.

[kcmo]

Yea, KC gets some severe weather, but the news gets super dramatic about it, especially KCTV 5.

northbound is right, we get a touch down once in a while, most of the time, nobody even was a tornado and just think it was a tornado by the damage done.

A few years ago, a twister bounced around the area from KCK and across the northland and did a lot of damage.

I think few people are hurt or killed in them though, at least in metro KC because of the news and the fact that there are few trailers etc in the metro. If there is a tornado in town, there are usually press helicopters in the air following them.

You hear of a lot more deaths and injuries when they hit rural areas and trailer parks where they have little news coverage and less stable buildings.

KC has gotten so large and takes up so much area that tornadoes have more of a chance of hitting some part of the metro now.

The Star did a story a while back trying to show how much damage a twister like the one that his Greenville, KS would do if it blasted across the metro and the numbers were just off the charts. Billions and billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of people homeless.

It's probably just a matter of time before this happens to a major city like KC or Dallas or StLouis, but for the most part, tornadoes are really not something that you should really worry about.

The actual chance of you even seeing a tornado is extremely slim, let alone one striking your home.

Get a home with a basement though. I do think it would suck to live in KC and not have a place to go underground if you did need it.

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by kcmo

The actual chance of you even seeing a tornado is extremely slim, let alone one striking your home.

Get a home with a basement though. I do think it would suck to live in KC and not have a place to go underground if you did need it.

I agree with this. (Hey look kcmo! We can agree on something! )

[luzianne]

Like I said earlier today on the Missouri thread, you won't find acreage in Independence. You are going to have to move outside the city for that. You won't have to go way out, but the closer you are to the city the more expensive it will be.

Don't worry about tornados. Chances are you are never going to encounter one. I have lived in Kansas and Missouri all my life and I have yet to be killed by a tornado or to even see one with my own eyes. I have been through a lot of tornado warnings and made a lot of trips to the cellar when I was a kid, but have never known anyone to have actual tornado damage.

Here's why KCTV5 was so "dramatic" back in 2003 when Katie Horner was criticized for staying on air:


YouTube - Tornado Kansas City, Ks. May 4, 2003


YouTube - Kansas City Tornado Outbreak May 4, 2003


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klTn9...eature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDpw7...eature=related

I find it exciting, personally! I am official "tornado spotter" (took training by local meteorologists on what to look for, how to identify a tornado) but have never seen one with my own eyes.

[MrsMo]

Katie Horner is so full of herself, we never watch her, she likes to scare people and try to get them to think it is worse than it actually is outside! Watch the other channels. Have lived here for many years and only remember one time being terrified, it was the Ruskin tornado in '57. If there is a tornado, you will have plenty of warning.

[Johnny Bananas]

Originally Posted by movingover

I have been looking at buying some land in Independence, somewhere between 10-40 acres. Some of the land I've looked at is heavily forested, which is fine by me.

Can anyone tell me how bad the tornadoes are outside of the city itself, and how dangerous it is? Are you any better off if your house is surrounded by forest or does it make no difference? Also the house I would be moving into would be a modern and large structure, not a small mobile home, however I have no idea if that makes any difference. I have never seen a tornado in my life.

Also, do tornadoes just pop up with no warning, or are there some kind of early warning systems?

I would be very surprised if you got anywhere close to that much land. Chances are it isn't going to happen in the Independence area.

Tornadoes are not bad. I'd say we average about a dozen or so storms that will produce tornadoes in the summer/spring. Tornadoes depending on it's category can be very dangerous... actually any tornado can do some damage or cause injury if you're not informed about them. It actually does matter what kind of structure you're in. A home "glued" to the ground is much much better than any mobile home if a tornado was to occur.

The news around here is good about keeping everyone informed if there is a possible tornado coming. You won't just find one touch down without warning. Plus there's sirens everywhere that will warn everyone if there is a tornado warning.

Originally Posted by kcmo

Yea, KC gets some severe weather, but the news gets super dramatic about it, especially KCTV 5.

northbound is right, we get a touch down once in a while, most of the time, nobody even was a tornado and just think it was a tornado by the damage done.

A few years ago, a twister bounced around the area from KCK and across the northland and did a lot of damage.

I think few people are hurt or killed in them though, at least in metro KC because of the news and the fact that there are few trailers etc in the metro. If there is a tornado in town, there are usually press helicopters in the air following them.

You hear of a lot more deaths and injuries when they hit rural areas and trailer parks where they have little news coverage and less stable buildings.

KC has gotten so large and takes up so much area that tornadoes have more of a chance of hitting some part of the metro now.

The Star did a story a while back trying to show how much damage a twister like the one that his Greenville, KS would do if it blasted across the metro and the numbers were just off the charts. Billions and billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of people homeless.

It's probably just a matter of time before this happens to a major city like KC or Dallas or StLouis, but for the most part, tornadoes are really not something that you should really worry about.

The actual chance of you even seeing a tornado is extremely slim, let alone one striking your home.

Get a home with a basement though. I do think it would suck to live in KC and not have a place to go underground if you did need it.

Did you mean Greensburg, KS?

A tornado touching down should be the least of your worries. Personally I think you'd have a better chance of getting hit by a car or getting robbed in NYC than having a tornado touch down near ya.

[mjb62676]

My guess is lightning is a MUCH more valid concern.

Lived in KS/MO for 30 years and have never seen a tornado.