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Tornadoes - Safety Tips and Tornado Videos

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 11 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Ranked #77 in Animals, #1168 overall

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Rated G. (Control what you see)

Warning: Tornado Alley Videos Ahead!

 

I live in the middle of tornado alley. Every spring the radar lights up almost nightly it seems! This year so far I have dodged 4 tornadoes, with 3 of those being deadly. The furthest tornado from my home so far has been 13 miles. The closest tornado this year was only a mile away.
So, what do you do to stay safe during a tornado? Read further to find out, plus watch some videos and view some images of some wild tornadoes!

Tornado Safety Tips 

Be aware during a storm and it may save your life!

If a tornado "watch" is issued for your area, it means that a tornado is "possible."

If a tornado "warning" is issued, it means that a tornado has actually been spotted, or is strongly indicated on radar, and it is time to go to a safe shelter immediately.

Be alert to what is happening outside as well. Here are some of the things that people describe when they tell about a tornado experience:

* A sickly greenish or greenish black color to the sky.
* If there is a watch or warning posted, then the fall of hail should be considered as a real danger sign. Hail can be common in some areas, however, and usually has no tornadic activity along with it.
* A strange quiet that occurs within or shortly after the thunderstorm.
* Clouds moving by very fast, especially in a rotating pattern or converging toward one area of the sky.
* A sound a little like a waterfall or rushing air at first, but turning into a roar as it comes closer. The sound of a tornado has been likened to that of both railroad trains and jets.
* Debris dropping from the sky.
* An obvious "funnel-shaped" cloud that is rotating, or debris such as branches or leaves being pulled upwards, even if no funnel cloud is visible.

If you see a tornado and it is not moving to the right or to the left relative to trees or power poles in the distance, it may be moving towards you! Remember that although tornadoes usually move from southwest to northeast, they also move towards the east, the southeast, the north, and even northwest.

Encourage your family members to plan for their own safety in many different locations. It is important to make decisions about the safest places well BEFORE you ever have to go to them.

Weather Band Radio Get Tornado alerts even without electricity! 

Midland WR-300 Weather Band Radio

Stay alert to conditions that affect you with Midland's WR-300 weather/all-hazard radio. The unit offers S.A.M.E. technology (Specific Area Message Encoding), which preprograms the device to receive only those warnings that apply to your local area--you can choose state, county, and/or nearby counties. The single-speaker radio offers 30 programmable county codes, AM/FM tuning, date, time, alarm functions, and even auto switch from AM/FM to pertinent all-hazard alerts.

For tuning, the radio employs drift-free PLL (phase-lock loop) technology and an easy-to-read blue, backlit LCD. You get a convenient, 10-alert memory, and you can add, edit, and remove unwanted alerts at any time. The radio uses the supplied AC power adapter or four AA Batteries (not included).

What's in the Box
Radio, AC power adapter, and a user's manual.

Product Description
Midland WR-300 Weather Radio with Civil Emergency Monitor. Get local weather reports when you need them most: Digital PLL tuning for clear reception; S.A.M.E. localized reception; 30 programmable county codes so you can receive alerts about one county or many counties... from your home, to your cabin and where your kids go to college; Full function alarm clock; Built-in AM / FM radio; 10 memory alerts... easily add, edit and remove unwanted ads Powered by included AC wall adapter and 4 AA batteries (not included). Order Now! Midland WR-300 Weather Radio with Civil Emergency Monitor

Midland WR-300 AM/FM Weather/All Hazards/Civil Emergency Alert Monitor with S.A.M.E.

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $45.99 (as of 07/27/2008)
List Price: $79.99
Used Price:

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Fujita Pearson Tornado Scale 

The Fujita Pearson scale is used to measure the winds and damage of a tornado



F-0
40-72 mph, chimney damage, tree branches broken, broken windows

F-1
73-112 mph, mobile homes pushed off foundation or overturned,broken tree

F-2
113-157 mph, considerable damage, mobile homes demolished, trees uprooted

F-3
158-205 mph, roofs and walls torn down, trains overturned, cars thrown

F-4
207-260 mph, well-constructed walls leveled

F-5
261-318 mph, homes lifted off foundation and carried considerable distances, autos thrown as far as 100 meters

High-quality art print of a Tornado 

Click on the image to purchase!

This high-quality art print is expertly produced to capture the vivid color and exceptional detail of the original

Title: Tornado in Monument Valley
Artist: Peter Rauter
Type: Framed Art Print
Frame:
Onyx (1 3/8")

Protective Layer: Clear Plexiglass
Finished Size: 35 x 25 in
Item #: 916997
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Our Price: $124.99

Watch this destructive tornado video! 

This F5 Tornado struck Oklahoma City on May 3, 1999

Watch the video of the worst ever tornado on earth! This tornado destroyed over 10,000 homes and buildings, and killed 44 people. The wind speed from this tornado was recorded to be 318 mph. If there was an F6 level this one would have made it!

F5 Tornado, Oklahoma City, May 3, 1999

This is the tape of the worst, the strongest tornado ever recorded on Earth. It killed 44 people and destroyed more than 10.000 homes on May 3, 1999.

Runtime: 3:49 | 522255 views | 1193 Comments

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Storm Chaser Dark T-Shirt 

Storm Chaser Dark T-Shirt
Look cool without breaking the bank. Our durable, high-quality, pre-shrunk 100% cotton t-shirt is what to wear when you want to go comfortably casual. Preshrunk, durable and guaranteed.
$22.99

Tornado Myths and Facts 

Popular myths and the facts about Tornadoes!

Tornado Myths:

MYTH: Areas near rivers, lakes, and mountains are safe from tornadoes.
FACT: No place is safe from tornadoes. In the late 1980's, a tornado swept through Yellowstone National Park leaving a path of destruction up and down a 10,000 ft. mountain.

MYTH: The low pressure with a tornado causes buildings to "explode" as the tornado passes overhead.
FACT: Violent winds and debris slamming into buildings cause most structural damage.

MYTH: Windows should be opened before a tornado approaches to equalize pressure and minimize damage.
FACT: Opening windows allows damaging winds to enter the structure. Leave the windows alone; instead, immediately go to a safe place.

Adventures in Tornado Alley from Storm Chasers 

Take a photographic journey right into the center of many violent storms.

This book is a photographic journey directly into the paths of oncoming storms. The book is full of amazing photos of violent storms taken by two of the best photographers and storm chasers there is!
This book has been rated 7 times and has gotten 5 stars from each person rating it!
Get it today, you will love it!

Adventures in Tornado Alley: The Storm Chasers

Amazon Price: $17.43 (as of 07/27/2008)

Book full of beautiful photographs of violent storms and tornadoes!
This book has a 5 star rating by 7 out of 7 people!

Have you ever seen a tornado? 

Vote yes or no in this poll!

Everyone loves to vote in polls! So I have set up this simple poll. Go ahead and vote! It's fun!

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What causes a Tornado to form? 

Tornadoes often form during severe thunderstorms.... why?

What causes tornadoes?

Thunderstorms develop in warm, moist air in advance of eastward-moving cold fronts. These thunderstorms often produce large hail, strong winds, and tornadoes. Tornadoes in the winter and early spring are often associated with strong, frontal systems that form in the Central States and move east. Occasionally, large outbreaks of tornadoes occur with this type of weather pattern. Several states may be affected by numerous severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.

During the spring in the Central Plains, thunderstorms frequently develop along a "dryline," which separates very warm, moist air to the east from hot, dry air to the west. Tornado-producing thunderstorms may form as the dryline moves east during the afternoon hours.

Along the front range of the Rocky Mountains, in the Texas panhandle, and in the southern High Plains, thunderstorms frequently form as air near the ground flows "upslope" toward higher terrain. If other favorable conditions exist, these thunderstorms can produce tornadoes.

Tornadoes occasionally accompany tropical storms and hurricanes that move over land. Tornadoes are most common to the right and ahead of the path of the storm center as it comes onshore.

Storm Chaser - Images of tornadoes and storms 

A Photographer's Journey

This book is a weathers lovers dream come true! It is full of awe inspiring photographs and stories about natural disasters like Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Lightning and Thunderstorms! 7 people have rated it a 5 star book!

Storm Chaser: A Photographer's Journey

Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 07/27/2008)
List Price: $35.00
Used Price: $17.50

A photographic journey of storms! See the storms and their aftermath threw the lens of a camera!
5 star book for weather lovers!

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

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Atkins, Arkansas Feb 5th 2008 Tornado Video 

Watch a video of the tornado that ripped thru Atkins Arkansas

Brief Summary: At 4:30pm I reached Atkins, AR ahead of a fast moving supercell that was making a beeline for the town. Unfortunately, this part of Arkansas is heavily wooded. I had planned on chasing E AR but that didn't pan out. It took me a good 20 minutes to scout a location with good road (escape) options and view to the southwest. I found this location on the southwest side of town as the updraft base was coming into view. The base was fairly small and with rapid rotation. I was confident that it was producing a tornado without having a view of the surface. At 5:00pm, I got a clear view of the tornado as it grew form an elephant trunk within a translucent bowl of rain, into a wide stovepipe. The core overtook me at 5:02 and I never saw it again. Moments later I came across the damage 1-mile east of Atkins. The damage track appeared to be about ¼-mile wide. Two homes on the periphery of the tornado appeared to have EF-0 to EF-1 type damage. The home in the middle of the path was completely removed from its foundation and disintegrated. It appeared to be built on a stacked cinderblock foundation. Two of the neighbors from surrounding homes were at this house looking for survivors. I asked if everyone was okay and they said they were fine. Although, they didn't know if anyone was at the home that was leveled. About an hour later I came back through the same area and there was a bad car accident at the start of the damage path. A car had collided with another vehicle that had stopped where a power pole was across the road. Judging from the damage the car must have been going at least 50mph and I wouldn't be surprised if fatalities resulted from this accident. The accident likely occurred when visibility was reduced by a line of storms moved through after the initial supercell.

Insane video of a violent tornado in NE Arkansas May 2, 08

Runtime: 3:27 | 38981 views | 115 Comments

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Tri State Tornado -  

The Story of the worst tornado disaster in United States History!

The Tri-State Tornado is a gripping account of the worst tornado disaster in American history. Claiming 689 lives during a three-hour rampage across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana on March 18, 1925, the storm had one of the longest uninterrupted paths (219 miles) and one of the widest (up to one mile) of any recorded tornado. Its continuous energy was so extreme that it completely obliterated several small towns in its path. Although the fatality count was nearly that of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, with the exception of meteorologists and residents of the affected area, few had ever heard of this catastrophe until this book's initial release in 1992.

The Tri-State Tornado: The Story of America's Greatest Tornado Disaster

Amazon Price: $13.95 (as of 07/27/2008)
Used Price: $8.93

The Tri-State Tornado reconstructs the tragedy, using vivid eyewitness accounts of fourteen survivors who lived along the tornado's path from the Missouri Ozarks to southwestern Indiana. The clarity with which they recall that day in their lives over sixty years earlier will give readers the unsettling feeling that the tornado struck days, not decades, ago.

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

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Beautiful photo of tornado and lightning

A Deadly Wedge Tornado Video 

Watch this wedge tornado wreck havoc in this youtube video!

Location: Beaver OK, in Beaver County OK Description: A deadly wedge tornado kills 2 in Beaver OK. The tornado crossed highway 270, just south of the city of Beaver Ok. Clip 01 Dash cam footage of the Wedge Tornado Clip 02 Footage of the tornado as it moves off to the north. Video by the BNVN.com Weather Paparazzi Chase Team.

03/28/2007 Deadly Beaver Oklahoma Tornado

Runtime: 2:18 | 146166 views | 176 Comments

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Links to information about tornadoes 

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | How a tornado is formed
A guide with graphics explaining how a tornado is formed.
Severe Weather Alerts, Watches and Warnings - weather.com
The Weather Channel provides detailed information on all severe weather alerts, including watches and warnings, for every state.

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mrsjordanjr

Great lens! I lenrolled it to my SkyWatch and SkyWatchTV lenses. :D I also have a Stormchaser Headquarters Group if you're interested in joining. Keep up the great work!

Posted July 07, 2008

alicesy

Excellent Lens. I like the quality insight you have provided here about Tornadoes - Destructive Forces. Keep up the good work.

Please check out my Reverse Cell Phone Lookup and Unlisted Number Search Site.

Posted June 26, 2008

The_Homeopath

The first time I read this lens was just a few days after the tornado that hit Colorado so badly and I honestly could not read it all the way through. I had driven through the edge of that one with 2 of my young children in the car and later that afternoon a smaller twister took off some of the siding on the far end of our barn. You have great information here, I have a weather band radio and it has been so useful and we have tornado drills here in our home (even a dedicated kid to grab the ferret!). 5* Thank You. Really.

Posted June 26, 2008

totalhealth

good job, you have a very informative and helpful lens. 5*

Posted June 26, 2008

beeobrien

This is a great lens Thomas. I grew up in the midwest on a hill with a 20-mile view. I saw my share of tornadoes.

P.S. Why is this lens in the "Animals" category?

Posted June 25, 2008

 
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