Jeanne S

Well, we just had a severe storm with a tornado warning this morning! Spent about 45 minutes in the underground shelter. No real damage, no tornado, just 75 mph winds. Now clean up time...tree limbs and leaves everywhere, the pool is full of stuff and the electricity is out. Just another day in Oklahoma!! ;0)

Sandi

I live in Massachsettes and tornados are infrequent and rare - We had one bad one a few years ago in Monson.
I've lived in East Texas and tornados are bad there.
The best thing is to go in the basement if you have one or an underground shelter- if you don't a bathroom is the next best thing. Get an led light as you prob will lose power
And water . Ask yr neighbor's what they have done or talk to police and fireman for more info

quiltingshorttimer

Living in tornado alley (KS) we have them hit somewhere in the state every "season" several times. Living in the country, we don't get any tornado siren's going off and with satellite tv reception, we may not have warnings available, so people in our situation have weather alert radios that go off and let us know when it hit the shelters! In our house that's in the basement bathroom (center of basement) and we keep a "go to" plastic tub there--has a battery radio, couple of flashlights, battery lantern, extra batteries, a plastic envelope with insurance and other paperwork copies for making claims, safety deposit box key, thumb drive with house inventory (which we also have a copy with our insurance agent and one in safety deposit box), etc. Also some snacks, water, and a whistle--if our house falls in we want help to be able to find us! Basically we know that when there's one spotted and we are told to seek shelter, we put on shoes (debris can be a big problem afterward), grab the dogs and my DH diabetes meds and cell phones (keep a quick charge in the to-go box too) and go to basement--but once settled in, we may slip out the walk-out door to see what we can see! Have seen two over the last 19 yrs from our basement patio.
We had a mini-twister hit our detached garage/shop 2 years ago--about 30' from our house. Did minor damage to the house but took out the rafters and roof and 2 walls of the shop---found rafter beams about 350' away! Only knocked over potted plants on the front porch! Tornados are just really freaky and unpredictable. Because the local weather reporters had hyped the news anytime there was a watch (meaning conditions are good for one) those of us in Tornado Alley were getting pretty ho-hum about them and that was more dangerous--so now they have revised the system somewhat.

Anniedeb

Born and raised in Minnesota and we refer to tornados by the city and the year...Fridley tornado of '65, Har Mar tornado of '81, St. Anthony tornado of '84. I was impacted by these three especially. Luckily only property damage, but horrible to see all the losses. We are always prepared...we have a shelter built under/behind the basement stairs.

scrapnut

I live in Moore, OK AKA Home of the F5 tornados.
Central Oklahoma is blessed with the best meterologists in the nation. They know their business! We typically know a few days ahead of time to anticipate tornadic weather and make plans accordingly.
We USUALLY have ample time to move to safety. Tornados typically cycle into maturity. It is a process. They don't just form and drop from the sky in seconds. As they are maturing, the television stations are literally advising by street and cross street what areas to take cover. When it is very bad our television is nothing but weather until the threat ceases. Storm chasers stay with the storm from its beginning until the storm dies.
When you see the storm chasers filling up their vehicles, you know to start looking at the sky. As an Okie you just learn to become what is termed WEATHER AWARE.

scrapnut

You want to put as much between you and the outside as possible. Flying debris acts like shrapnel in a bomb.

scrapnut

I knew immediately where you live as soon as I read your mascots name 😊