-- Edited by Mary Sunshine on Friday 31st of May 2013 06:36:06 PM
Jo And Craig said
12:16 AM Jun 1, 2013
Terry and Jo, we are sitting here watching the horrible weather in real time in Oklahoma. How are things with you? Are you able to report to us? Are you both O.K.?
PD CFK said
12:19 AM Jun 1, 2013
Ditto, here. Watching some more scary weather and know you two must be hunkering down again. Saying a prayer for you. Pat K
Bob and Cheri said
01:17 AM Jun 1, 2013
They just came on NBC and said that there is a tornado on the ground in Oklahoma City. Prayers and thoughts for everyone in the area.
PD CFK said
01:30 AM Jun 1, 2013
Watching live telecast on Fox news at this time. Hope Terry and Jo are not at home as this tornado is right on top of their place. Prayers...
Terry and Jo said
03:04 AM Jun 1, 2013
Thanks, All. Once again, we are touched that so many are asking about us and the citizens of Oklahoma as well.
It looks like we dodged the bullet again tonight. When the storms started coming across, they were showing multiple (7 or 8, I think) vortexes within the storm and it was tracking pretty much along I-40 going East. I-40 is roughly 5 miles south of us, and with multiple vortexes, we decided to populate the "fraidy-hole." As it is, the storms diverted south again towards the south OKC/north Moore area and Norman.
We primarily got some heavy rain and small hail, so we are again blessed.
So far, we've heard of a mother and her baby being killed while they tried to weather the storm in their car. The vortexes were rain-wrapped, so they would have been hard, if not impossible, to see in time.
Down in the Norman area, there are some highways that are literally parking lots from people trying to leave the immediate area of the storms. That is not a good place to be if another tornado comes through down there. Flooding is also going on in some areas. Right now, some of the stores were down in the Lake Thunderbird/Little Axe area again.
Terry
Jo And Craig said
03:09 AM Jun 1, 2013
So good to hear from you, Terry, and to know that everything is O.K. for now. So many of us are thinking about you and Jo and prayers are being sent your way. Stay safe and please, please, PLEASE keep us up-to-date. We are (and have been) watching on TV and see everyone stranded on the freeway. Just stay safe, our friends, stay safe!!!
nightsky said
03:13 AM Jun 1, 2013
Glad this one skipped you! Stay safe!
PD CFK said
03:19 AM Jun 1, 2013
Thanks for updating us. So thankful that you "weathered the storm" and came through safely. Take care Pat K
NWescapee said
03:43 AM Jun 1, 2013
Terry - glad you guys are safe. Our kids / grandkids are in 2 different shelters right now in Norman, praying for their saftey as this storm passes through, wishing they were all together, but glad they are all safe at this time.
WestWardHo said
04:10 AM Jun 1, 2013
Terry & Jo,
So glad you're safe. Know you love it there but this is crazy! Sending you and others hope and love.
Sherry
Loretta said
06:06 AM Jun 1, 2013
Thanks for the updates. Thoughts and prayers to all that are going through this.
RickandJanice said
12:25 PM Jun 1, 2013
Terry and Jo, glad to hear everything is good with you two. Our prayers also go out to all of those affected.
sissys said
02:54 PM Jun 1, 2013
Wow, scary stuff, we too have been watching your area, and have been in our thoughts. Now let's hope things will dry up fast!! Take care, michele
Terry and Jo said
05:40 PM Jun 1, 2013
Thanks again to all. I guess I ought to write something up for my blog as an explanation as to why someone with some measure of common sense chooses to remain in a state where violent storms are possible. That might explain why we are still here, beyond the need to stay at least another year and a half for Jo to retire.
One of the other couples in the storm shelter last night said that they were originally from Florida, and that at least out there they could get a couple weeks advance notice of the storms. To which I explained that a hurricane caused a much wider area of damage than what a tornado does. In fact, the wide storms like we've had this year are pretty rare. Most are just little "Rope Tornadoes" with a narrow funnel that comes down. Those usually only cause damage in a very narrow path.
We did discover a leak near the front edge of our bedroom slide. It has gotten the carpet wet between the bed and the closet. I suspect that there was enough wind with the rain to "force" its way past the seal, but I'll have to get out there today and check things out closely. We held of on having the skylight replaced from the heavy hail storm we had a few weeks ago just because we figured to get May and its worse storm season out of the way.
Terry
Hina said
02:17 PM Jun 2, 2013
Wish you could hitch up and retreat to a safer place! The movies always make out like earthquakes in California happen all the time, and cause a lot of damage, not true! A quake is actually much safer than extreme storms. Maybe when Jo retires, you guys can go Snow Bird, and follow the sun to milder, sunny climes!
LibertyLinda said
02:47 PM Jun 2, 2013
we decided to populate the "fraidy-hole."
Terry & Jo,
You are blessed! My dummy question of the day is what is a "fraidy-hole"? If you are so inclined, I would love to know your advise about what to do if you are traveling thru the mid-west tornado ally and you do run into one of these awful and unpredictable storms? Do you park under a bridge and run for it? The flash flooding reports were disturbing as well.
(I may have asked about this a long time ago, so I apologize if this is a repeat question)
We watched the live coverage during this recent storm on your local station, and they did a really great job in their coverage. They actually said a "RV or Trailer Park" has been damaged and we thought of you guys & prayed for the best for you & the OK citizens.
Terry and Jo said
03:12 PM Jun 2, 2013
Linda,
"Fraidy-hole" is an endearing term for a storm shelter. They come in various forms from built in concrete "safe rooms" within one's home to totally underground ones either in the floor of one's garage or outside. In our case, it is an outside, totally underground one that is about 100 feet from our RV's entry door. It is large enough for a number of people, but once one gets in there, radio is the only thing that gives one an idea of what the storms are doing.
Jo and I prefer to turn on the TV and watch one of our local TV stations. The meteorologists here in central Oklahoma are the cream of the crop. The senior one at Channel 9 has been involved with the evolving technology in radar and tornado forecasting. When we are watching TV, we have a very good idea of where the track of the storm is "likely" to go. This time, with the storm having multiple vortexes (funnels) and traveling eastward along I-40, we decided to be a lot more prepared to "bug out." Since they were also calling for hail, Jo decided that she didn't want to make that 100 foot trip in a hail storm to get to the shelter, so we went over early. As it was, the storm diverted south away from us.
NEVER EVER park under a bridge or overpass. When the winds get generated in an area like that, the wind currents through those areas are ferocious.
If one sees that a tornado is close upon them and do not have access to a storm shelter, one is supposed to go to an interior room (without windows) and cover up with a mattress or a lot of blankets. Bicycle helmets are helpful, along with eye protection and long sleeve shirts and long pants. If one is out in the open and a tornado approaches, one can find a depression in the earth like a ditch and lie down, trying to get as flat to the ground as possible. Keep in mind, though, that if one is in a depression, one needs to be alert for sudden flowing water because it is usually raining during these events as well.
Flash flooding in our area can occur, but most people in this area get into trouble because they try to drive through water where they can't tell how deep it is. Flowing water of only a few inches on a small car can take it off the road. Once the water reaches the height of the bottom of the car and begins up on the side, it really gets dangerous because the water has a lot more area to affect than just the wheels.
At least in the Oklahoma City area, a number of the radio stations are partnered with the local TV stations and will broadcast the audio of the TV stations. If one can have a tablet or smart phone with maps on it, one can listen and get an idea of where the storms are and with an idea of one's location, it is pretty easy to know whether one should take shelter somewhere other than one's vehicle. Oh, never ride one out in an automobile.
Terry
LibertyLinda said
02:54 AM Jun 3, 2013
Thanks for the advise.
We do know about the flooding part, as we have had major flooding in our area. Amazing how folks still try to go thru water ways!
Let's hope your tornado season is at an end - OK has had enough!
PIEERE said
03:06 AM Jun 3, 2013
Ann4now wrote:
Thanks for the advise.
We do know about the flooding part, as we have had major flooding in our area. Amazing how folks still try to go thru water ways!
Let's hope your tornado season is at an end - OK has had enough!
Just like the folks who try and outrun the train to get across the tracks, or pull out in front of an 80,000 # tractor trailer rig. Nope I will wait or find a different way to go.
Here is a link of live stormchaser coverage: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/chasercam-live/theater
-- Edited by Mary Sunshine on Friday 31st of May 2013 06:36:06 PM
Terry and Jo, we are sitting here watching the horrible weather in real time in Oklahoma. How are things with you? Are you able to report to us? Are you both O.K.?
Prayers...
Thanks, All. Once again, we are touched that so many are asking about us and the citizens of Oklahoma as well.
It looks like we dodged the bullet again tonight. When the storms started coming across, they were showing multiple (7 or 8, I think) vortexes within the storm and it was tracking pretty much along I-40 going East. I-40 is roughly 5 miles south of us, and with multiple vortexes, we decided to populate the "fraidy-hole." As it is, the storms diverted south again towards the south OKC/north Moore area and Norman.
We primarily got some heavy rain and small hail, so we are again blessed.
So far, we've heard of a mother and her baby being killed while they tried to weather the storm in their car. The vortexes were rain-wrapped, so they would have been hard, if not impossible, to see in time.
Down in the Norman area, there are some highways that are literally parking lots from people trying to leave the immediate area of the storms. That is not a good place to be if another tornado comes through down there. Flooding is also going on in some areas. Right now, some of the stores were down in the Lake Thunderbird/Little Axe area again.
Terry
So good to hear from you, Terry, and to know that everything is O.K. for now. So many of us are thinking about you and Jo and prayers are being sent your way. Stay safe and please, please, PLEASE keep us up-to-date. We are (and have been) watching on TV and see everyone stranded on the freeway. Just stay safe, our friends, stay safe!!!
So glad you're safe. Know you love it there but this is crazy! Sending you and others hope and love.
Sherry
Thanks again to all. I guess I ought to write something up for my blog as an explanation as to why someone with some measure of common sense chooses to remain in a state where violent storms are possible. That might explain why we are still here, beyond the need to stay at least another year and a half for Jo to retire.
One of the other couples in the storm shelter last night said that they were originally from Florida, and that at least out there they could get a couple weeks advance notice of the storms. To which I explained that a hurricane caused a much wider area of damage than what a tornado does. In fact, the wide storms like we've had this year are pretty rare. Most are just little "Rope Tornadoes" with a narrow funnel that comes down. Those usually only cause damage in a very narrow path.
We did discover a leak near the front edge of our bedroom slide. It has gotten the carpet wet between the bed and the closet. I suspect that there was enough wind with the rain to "force" its way past the seal, but I'll have to get out there today and check things out closely. We held of on having the skylight replaced from the heavy hail storm we had a few weeks ago just because we figured to get May and its worse storm season out of the way.
Terry
Terry & Jo,
You are blessed! My dummy question of the day is what is a "fraidy-hole"? If you are so inclined, I would love to know your advise about what to do if you are traveling thru the mid-west tornado ally and you do run into one of these awful and unpredictable storms? Do you park under a bridge and run for it? The flash flooding reports were disturbing as well.
(I may have asked about this a long time ago, so I apologize if this is a repeat question)
We watched the live coverage during this recent storm on your local station, and they did a really great job in their coverage. They actually said a "RV or Trailer Park" has been damaged and we thought of you guys & prayed for the best for you & the OK citizens.
Linda,
"Fraidy-hole" is an endearing term for a storm shelter. They come in various forms from built in concrete "safe rooms" within one's home to totally underground ones either in the floor of one's garage or outside. In our case, it is an outside, totally underground one that is about 100 feet from our RV's entry door. It is large enough for a number of people, but once one gets in there, radio is the only thing that gives one an idea of what the storms are doing.
Jo and I prefer to turn on the TV and watch one of our local TV stations. The meteorologists here in central Oklahoma are the cream of the crop. The senior one at Channel 9 has been involved with the evolving technology in radar and tornado forecasting. When we are watching TV, we have a very good idea of where the track of the storm is "likely" to go. This time, with the storm having multiple vortexes (funnels) and traveling eastward along I-40, we decided to be a lot more prepared to "bug out." Since they were also calling for hail, Jo decided that she didn't want to make that 100 foot trip in a hail storm to get to the shelter, so we went over early. As it was, the storm diverted south away from us.
NEVER EVER park under a bridge or overpass. When the winds get generated in an area like that, the wind currents through those areas are ferocious.
If one sees that a tornado is close upon them and do not have access to a storm shelter, one is supposed to go to an interior room (without windows) and cover up with a mattress or a lot of blankets. Bicycle helmets are helpful, along with eye protection and long sleeve shirts and long pants. If one is out in the open and a tornado approaches, one can find a depression in the earth like a ditch and lie down, trying to get as flat to the ground as possible. Keep in mind, though, that if one is in a depression, one needs to be alert for sudden flowing water because it is usually raining during these events as well.
Flash flooding in our area can occur, but most people in this area get into trouble because they try to drive through water where they can't tell how deep it is. Flowing water of only a few inches on a small car can take it off the road. Once the water reaches the height of the bottom of the car and begins up on the side, it really gets dangerous because the water has a lot more area to affect than just the wheels.
At least in the Oklahoma City area, a number of the radio stations are partnered with the local TV stations and will broadcast the audio of the TV stations. If one can have a tablet or smart phone with maps on it, one can listen and get an idea of where the storms are and with an idea of one's location, it is pretty easy to know whether one should take shelter somewhere other than one's vehicle. Oh, never ride one out in an automobile.
Terry
Thanks for the advise.
We do know about the flooding part, as we have had major flooding in our area. Amazing how folks still try to go thru water ways!
Let's hope your tornado season is at an end - OK has had enough!
Just like the folks who try and outrun the train to get across the tracks, or pull out in front of an 80,000 # tractor trailer rig. Nope I will wait or find a different way to go.
