How concerned should a person be about tornadoes in OKC? (Norman: renting, new home)

[LongNote]

Thanks for replying everyone! What if someone lives in an apartment and they don't have a cellar? Do tornadoes ever strike in the middle of the night?

Originally Posted by Rubi3

It may be common knowledge, but I don't know if they knew that's what they should do. I realize it's too bad they didn't know.

Ah, I see. Yep, when it comes to business people can (will) get dirty and start playing prison rules. It's best to be paranoid and safe than sorry. CYA!

[prerunner1982]

Originally Posted by LongNote

Thanks for replying everyone! What if someone lives in an apartment and they don't have a cellar?

Is there a laundry room that may be centrally located within the building with no outside walls? Other than that keeping an eye on weather and having an escape route in mind might be your only option. I would suggest finding a community shelter but have heard that many places are no longer offering them.

Originally Posted by LongNote

Do tornadoes ever strike in the middle of the night?

From the National Severe Storms Laboratory:
"tornadoes can happen at any time of year. Tornadoes can also happen at any time of day or night, but most tornadoes occur between 4–9 p.m."

Severe Weather 101: Severe Weather 101: Tornado Basics

[LongNote]

Originally Posted by prerunner1982

Is there a laundry room that may be centrally located within the building with no outside walls? Other than that keeping an eye on weather and having an escape route in mind might be your only option. I would suggest finding a community shelter but have heard that many places are no longer offering them.




From the National Severe Storms Laboratory:
"tornadoes can happen at any time of year. Tornadoes can also happen at any time of day or night, but most tornadoes occur between 4–9 p.m."

Severe Weather 101: Severe Weather 101: Tornado Basics

Uhh, what if a big one occurs while you're asleep? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there some sort of scientific phenomena where tornado winds don't effect people the same way they effect buildings and cars? Usually when a person is injured by tornadoes, it's due to something hitting them that was picked up and dropped by the tornado?

[prerunner1982]

Originally Posted by LongNote

Uhh, what if a big one occurs while you're asleep? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there some sort of scientific phenomena where tornado winds don't effect people the same way they effect buildings and cars? Usually when a person is injured by tornadoes, it's due to something hitting them that was picked up and dropped by the tornado?

The storms associated with the tornado typically wake me up and since I live in the country and can't hear any tornado sirens I usually will get up and check the weather just to make sure any time a storm comes through at night.

Not sure what you mean by a tornado effecting people differently than cars and buildings, they are all made differently or different materials. Buildings usually get blown apart because of the way they are constructed, cars are typically thrown around or lifted up, people can be lifted up as well but are typically injured due to flying debris. You could be sucked up by the tornado to and then where and how hard you land may likely kill you, but getting sucked up is probably rare.

[LongNote]

Originally Posted by prerunner1982

The storms associated with the tornado typically wake me up and since I live in the country and can't hear any tornado sirens I usually will get up and check the weather just to make sure any time a storm comes through at night.

Not sure what you mean by a tornado effecting people differently than cars and buildings, they are all made differently or different materials. Buildings usually get blown apart because of the way they are constructed, cars are typically thrown around or lifted up, people can be lifted up as well but are typically injured due to flying debris. You could be sucked up by the tornado to and then where and how hard you land may likely kill you, but getting sucked up is probably rare.

Hmm, I thought I heard differently, maybe they were talking about being in the eye of the storm. Why doesn't the state mandate that all hotels, apartments, and houses come standard with cellars? And that all homes are equipped with sirens?

[okie1962]

Originally Posted by LongNote

Uhh, what if a big one occurs while you're asleep? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there some sort of scientific phenomena where tornado winds don't effect people the same way they effect buildings and cars? Usually when a person is injured by tornadoes, it's due to something hitting them that was picked up and dropped by the tornado?

You can get apps for your phone that will warn you when severe weather is approaching. The app I use is called "Weather Radio". It works great.

As far as a tornado's effect on the human body, not good at all. Most folks not from tornado alley think all there is to a tornado is wind. What they don't realize is a tornado has a huge debris ball around it This debris Will rip you to shreds if you're in it. A buddy of mine was working on a construction site down in Texas back in the 1970s. The site got hit by a tornado, three of the men were killed. They found one of the men about 100 yards away wrapped up in a barb wire fence. My buddy said it was the worst thing he had ever seen in his life!

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by LongNote

Uhh, what if a big one occurs while you're asleep? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there some sort of scientific phenomena where tornado winds don't effect people the same way they effect buildings and cars? Usually when a person is injured by tornadoes, it's due to something hitting them that was picked up and dropped by the tornado?

Not likely at all to occur during sleep hours.

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by happyjack70

A closet ? Excluding Moore, the odds of your home getting hit by a tornado are what ? 1 in a million ? 1 in a thousand ? 1 in 100 aren't exactly what I would call safe odds. Is your closet reinforced, or built in a way to offer more protection? From listening to what a lot of folks are saying about tornadoes, perhaps I am being a tad paranoid.

The closet is the underside of the top half of our staircase, so yes it is reinforced more than a regular closet. It is in the center of the house with the lower half df the staircase on one side and a wall of cabinets on the outside of the other wall. We only have one bathroom downstairs that does not have a window and is not on an exterior wall. That bath only has a walkin shower, no tub. To me the closet seems more safe because at least there's no glass shower doors and big mirrors to cut us up. Would it save us if we took a direct hit from an EF 4 or 5, maybe not, but what are the odds that we would not only get hit by one, but get hit by a really big one?

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by LongNote

Uhh, what if a big one occurs while you're asleep? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there some sort of scientific phenomena where tornado winds don't effect people the same way they effect buildings and cars? Usually when a person is injured by tornadoes, it's due to something hitting them that was picked up and dropped by the tornado?

What I've come to do is stay up and watch the coverage of storms. Its actually rather fascinating. You also know if a storm is approaching your area. I've watched the radar enough to have noted that storms tend to turn west before my area. We've gotten lots of thunder but it was along the side of the storm. So learn the usual weather patterns as well.

The only advise I've got in go to an interior room. For me that's a closet with drywall around it. Not comforting. I wish I had to money to build a storm shelter.

[BeauCharles]

I have quite a few relatives in the OKC metro area. My cousin and his wife lost their new home in 1999 during the tornado (wiped it clean to the cement slab). So yeah, it can be a concern. I wouldn't live there unless I built a storm shelter in the garage.