visiting Wichita Kansas in May (Newton, Andover: hotel, houses, safe area)

[person222]

Hi
I have an opportunity to go for a visit to Kansas to do something I really want to do, in May. I have been there once in the winter. I live on the east coast. I would be there mid may for 7 days. I am wondering if there will be a significant chance of encountering a tornado a that time, and if I should reschedule for a safer time. If so, when would that be?
I will be in Wichita.
Thanks

[empires228]

Originally Posted by person222

Hi
I have an opportunity to go for a visit to Kansas to do something I really want to do, in May. I have been there once in the winter. I live on the east coast. I would be there mid may for 7 days. I am wondering if there will be a significant chance of encountering a tornado a that time, and if I should reschedule for a safer time. If so, when would that be?
I will be in Wichita.
Thanks

While Wichita has experienced some recent extreme weather the chances are that you will not run into a tornado during your time in Kansas .

[j_k_k]

The chance is remote (but non-zero). In any case, even if there were a twister, you'd know about it and be able to take shelter. Kansas has a good warning system that does a good job of predicting touchdowns and paths. However, your odds of being harmed by a tornado in one May week in are probably less than your odds of having a car accident were you to drive--so remote that if you let it influence you, you'd miss out on life, that remote. You're fine. I hope you like steak, because that's what Wichita does superbly. And remember: medium rare.

[empires228]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

The chance is remote (but non-zero). In any case, even if there were a twister, you'd know about it and be able to take shelter. Kansas has a good warning system that does a good job of predicting touchdowns and paths. However, your odds of being harmed by a tornado in one May week in are probably less than your odds of having a car accident were you to drive--so remote that if you let it influence you, you'd miss out on life, that remote. You're fine. I hope you like steak, because that's what Wichita does superbly. And remember: medium rare.

Truth.

The strong winds that took out power for several days, and destroyed the library and former ALCO building in Newton are rare.

[person222]

Thanks. I would be staying at a hotel that I stayed at before- and I think they don't have a basement! I remember reading on the door that their safe area is in the lobby--- and it didn't seem all that safe! So I do have concern that even with warning it wouldn't be that safe if there was a tornado. How long ahead can they predict them? Is there a few days notice so I could change my flight and leave early if one is predicted- or is it like a same day thing?

[j_k_k]

If you are thinking in those terms, you are doing it wrong. You are doing the equivalent of fearing to fly just in case the pilot turns out to be suicidal, or fearing to eat at restaurants just in case you get E. coli, or fearing to breathe because, well, someone over there is smoking. People live in Kansas all year long, and most never even have to take shelter.

Sack up, stop stressing, go, do whatever it is you've always dreamed of doing, and have a great time.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by empires228

Truth.

The strong winds that took out power for several days, and destroyed the library and former ALCO building in Newton are rare.

They do happen. Cousin in Andover got his house dozed by the big one in 1990, and everyone in my family has at least once taken shelter. Our ranch in Chase Co. is in a sort of skip zone where they pass over the house without harming it; not sure whose idea that was, but some 1800s builder either knew his stuff or got good advice from the Indians (who surely knew theirs).

[newtoks]

I recently moved to KS and I had some of the same concerns as the OP. The odds of even seeing a tornado up close and personal are extremely low, like finding a winning lottery ticket on the sidewalk low. There are lots of houses, trees, etc. in Wichita that have been there for decades, some houses are 100+ years old. Which means they have never been hit by a tornado and they have gone through dozens of severe weather seasons.

As far as prediction, they usually know that conditions may create a tornado a few days in advance. The problem is that they can't tell you exactly where, when or if it will actually happen. It seems like once a tornado actually forms, they give you about 30 minutes warning. In my short time in KS, it seems like a lot of overhyped nonsense to be honest. The local news channels are crazy, each trying to outdo the others on scaring people. I watched one idiot weatherman talk for 20 minutes about some shape on a radar image that could maybe just maybe be a tornado in an area of the state about 100 miles away from any living creature. Don't even watch the Weather Channel, they are trolling for ratings and routinely act like any type of storm is deadlier than cancer and a sign of the apocalypse.

One side note - the weather people on the tv news in Wichita are not attractive women like every other place I have lived. They are all fat, ugly, middle aged men that are so geeky it is hilarious.

I would not worry about it one bit if I were you, do what you want to do.

[mnemonikos82]

The weather forecasters here generally can tell you a week in advance if a storm has a chance of coming through and if that storm has a chance of producing a tornado. Given a 10 hour window, they'll tell you with pretty significant accuracy so that you can make arrangements. A tornado has no run through the center of town in a very very very long time. It's mostly the outlying suburbs that get hit and mostly the South side of town.

I've lived here for 30 years and never even seen a tornado, and in those 30 years I think I've "Taken cover" like twice. Tornados are like the pianos that fall from windows in the cartoons. You have to be really stupendously unlucky to encounter one in Wichita.

[person222]

Thanks, everyone! I also happen to have some fear o thunderstorms--- and when I look at the forecast it seems strong thunderstomrs are common in Kansas this time of year. sigh. Anyway, I am 90% sure I will go-- just haven't booked my flight yet.