Weather posts are really frightening me! (good, ending, channels)

[RjRobb2]

My neighborhood was hit by a tornado this last May. I woke up and it sounded like a train was going by right outside my window. I looked outside and the wind was blowing so hard that some of the thinner trees were at a 90 degree angle.

My wife thought I was crazy because I stood by our sliding glass door and watched while she took the kids and the dogs to the basement. I thought it was amazing.

Luckily, only the outside of it hit my house and we only had some stuff blow around and a shed door blown away. Some of my neighbors werent so lucky.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Yea, it's not that bad. It can get pretty "smoggy" on hot summer days, but I'm not sure there is a major metro that doesn't. Most of the time it's nice a clear. But I think we had 3 or 4 red alerts last year.

I think KC is one of the cleanest, big metro areas in the country as far as air quality.

Granite, you keep mentioning coal plants. Those things are all over the country, KC doesn't have any more coal plants than most other areas of the country.

Most of the pollution in KC (like most cities), comes from automobile fumes, small engines (lawn mowers etc) and things like that. The factories put out clean air and steam for the most part now.

I read somewhere that said one mower pollutes as much as 34 cars. However, I think some new legislation came about recently to make those small engines more efficient. KC is very much an autocentric city with sprawl on a smaller scale compared to Minneapolis. Yes, KC has quite a number of old coal plants close to the metro area. I assume you have never seen the Lawrence Energy Center that was built in the 1950s? Smaller cities like Omaha and Des Moines have far fewer coal units. The Midwest, in general, is heavily reliant on coal plants. The jet stream takes some of that less than stellar air and pushes it into the northeast, particularly during the summer months.

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

My neighborhood was hit by a tornado this last May. I woke up and it sounded like a train was going by right outside my window. I looked outside and the wind was blowing so hard that some of the thinner trees were at a 90 degree angle.

My wife thought I was crazy because I stood by our sliding glass door and watched while she took the kids and the dogs to the basement. I thought it was amazing.

Luckily, only the outside of it hit my house and we only had some stuff blow around and a shed door blown away. Some of my neighbors werent so lucky.

Yeah, you do have to be careful around windows - during any strong storm!

KS can sport some pretty dangerous straight-line winds that can blow debris and take out windows. I've sent my kids to basement more than once during such storms even when there was no tornado warning - because I was afraid of a window blowing in or something blowing through a window.

[dkk4f2]

From the EPA, 2007 data: http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/broker?_s...eqtype=viewmap
Air Quality Index for KC: Days Good 190 (52%), Moderate 155 (42%), Unhealthy/Sensitive 18 (5%), Unhealthy 2 (0.5%)

I live outside KC and when we look at the city from a distance we can almost always see haze over the city. I'm sure part of it is humidity.

[J1ndo]

Any car-heavy city with hot summers is going to have issues with smog. It's mostly ozone cooked up by chemical reactions between the sun and car exhausts. You're not going to find an American City of any size without it, at least in the summer.

[Johnny Bananas]

KC is nothing compared to LA's or any other big cities smog. From a distance it would most likely be haze from the heat. It does get quite hot and humid in the summer especially in July thru early August.

As for tornadoes, the majority of Kansans will not take shelter if the sirens go off. Like one person said we go looking for one but rarely will you get to see one (I haven't).

Whatever you do, do not turn to channel 5 and listen to Katie Horner while it is stormy and looks like tornadoes can form... She always goes over the top with warning people, etc.

Other than the summer, the winter is probably the worst of the weather you'll experience. It's not as stable. One day it could be in the high 50's and sunny and then the next day low 20's, snow, and windy (which has happened quite a few times this year already).

[shawnceltic]

Wow, great info everybody! TY

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by Johnny Bananas

Whatever you do, do not turn to channel 5 and listen to Katie Horner while it is stormy and looks like tornadoes can form... She always goes over the top with warning people, etc..

I second that. You would think that the end of the world is coming by watching her. She is a little too much.

Bryan Busby is the way to go on Channel 9 is the way to go.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

I second that. You would think that the end of the world is coming by watching her. She is a little too much.

Bryan Busby is the way to go on Channel 9 is the way to go.

I LIKE Katie Horner! I prefer her over any other weather people. I think the male weathermen on other local channels are worried that they are being outdone by her. Now if she stays on the air, they make sure they stay on the air. I used to like Gary Leezak best; now Katie's my favorite. Never much cared for Bryan Busby or the others.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by Samantha S

But you can tell the native Kansans from the rest of the folk when the sirens go off and we all head outside to try and spot one!

We do that too - run out the in street when the sirens go off. Sit on the porch with the neighbors and watch the sky up until the rain or hail arrives - then everyone runs inside!