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First of all, I want to re-iterate that I apologize about my tone in the last thread I started on this subject. I mean no offense to any of the great people who live in this state and city by asking this.
I moved back to OKC last summer after having lived in several other places around the country. Last time I lived in Oklahoma I lived in Moore in 1999 and was nearly hit by the May 3, 1999 storm. After the tornado was past where my house was I watched the tornado wreak destruction out my back window. Needless to say, it was traumatizing. When I moved back to Oklahoma to accept a great job offer, I was concerned about tornadoes but thought to myself that the possibility of another storm like what happened on May 3, 1999 happening again was slim to none. Unfortunately, I was wrong as we all know what happened on May 20th. Now they are talking about the chance of tornadoes again this week and I am scared out of my mind. It seems that if there is a 'Ground Zero' for tornado alley, it is Central Oklahoma.
My question is, to people who have lived here a long time, how do you do it without having constant anxiety from April-June every year? I've lived in hurricane, earthquake, and tornado (though much less so than OKC) prone places but nothing compares to this. Maybe its the fact that though earthquakes and hurricanes can potentially do much more damage, tornadoes are far more frequent and random you never know where they are going to strike next and how strong they will be.
Is it something I will get used to after a few years here? Once again I mean absolutely no offense to anybody by asking this.
My answer is, bchris02, most of us don't. We know that there will always be a risk, and we accept that risk living in tornado alley. Like I said in an earlier post, I have more anxiety about tornadoes living in the Houston metro area because the weather coverage is so poor, and the suburb I live in has no tornado sirens. In fact, my area was under a tornado warning on May 20 just before midnight. We had to rely on spotty weather coverage from Houston TV stations and The Weather Channel to get our information. We are in more danger in this area of Texas because of poor coverage, the difficulty of tracking these storms and the density of tall pine trees which can collapse easily in straight line winds and do serious damage to a home or vehicle.
Keep in mind that there are also tornado droughts. Oklahoma City didn't get hit by any tornadoes between 1981 and 1986, and then again between 1992 and 1998. During those two periods, the weather patterns that usually create these types of storms shifted away from Oklahoma. It just so happened that the last 15 years have been very active, and the next 15 may or may not be. But we don't allow ourselves to become consumed with the dangers of mother nature.
You show a lot of care for both Oklahoma City and these storms. Once you become well informed, you will typically be less fearful.
With respect those who have lost property, loved ones and even their own lives, this is the problem as I see it:
Humanity claims to be the smartest, most intelligent life form on the planet managing to inhabit all continents and environments. Despite this fact, humanity has done some stupid, stupid things.
More to the point- tornadoes of various degrees have cavorted across tornado alley long before man walked the earth and will continue to do so long after as well. The big difference now is that there are people and property inhabiting their (tornadoes’) playground.
There are lessons to be learned from natural disasters- the biggest one is this, do not build a village, town, city or civilization where it is not safe to do so! You will be playing ‘weather roulette’ with people’s livelihood, property and their own lives!
Many historical examples support this supposition:
Pompeii, Italy. A town that was destroyed in 79 AD because it was built too close to a Volcano. (Mount Vesuvius).
Plymouth, Monserrat. A city that was also destroyed in 1995 because it was built too close to a Volcano. (Soufriere Hills)
New Orelans, LA a city that was destroyed in 1722 by a hurricane four years after its founding and would be many, many times over due to its proximity to hurricane alley. Oh yeah, it was destroyed again in 2005 after another hurricane.
Joplin, MO a city that was partially destroyed by a F5 tornado in 2011 due to its proximity to tornado alley.
Jarrell TX a town that was destroyed by a F5 tornado in 1997. Oh yeah, it is also located in tornado alley.
Haiti in 2010, Peru in 2007, Turkey in 2012, Japan in 2011, New Zealand in 2011, Malaysia in 2004 countries suffering catastrophic loss of life and property because of their proximity to the ring of fire/earthquake alley.
But what about early warning and detection systems? Yes they can be implemented to warn the populace, but they will not prevent disasters from happening. Unless a technology is developed to stop hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tidal waves from occurring- it is not worth your life, your loved ones lives or your property to live in areas where these incidents occur, can occur or will occur.
In the case of Oklahoma (and suburbs) the three F5 tornadoes that occurred in the last 14 years should be example enough. Whenever something like this happens- what is the first thing the residents say? We will rebuild! It is worth living where I live! (Is it really? There are other places which are much, much safer like Burlington, VT for instance). Yes residents will rebuild and recover, until it happens again. Lather rinse, repeat.
In closing, if I was Earth Czar no one would be allowed to live in tornado alley/Dixie alley, hurricane alley, earthquake alley/the ring of fire/volcano alley as a matter of public safety. Oklahoma City (and suburbs) would be relocated to New Mexico. New Orleans would be moved to Ohio or Pennsylvania.
The next time a natural disaster occurred the media would report that no property was damaged and that no lives were lost because people were banned from living there. So that F5, category 5, magnitude 9 or volcanic eruption would be a nonevent.
Back in reality, it may not take an Earth Czar to discourage people from living in those dangerous areas if insurance companies refuse to insure or reimburse homes, property and lives of people who care to do so.
With respect those who have lost property, loved ones and even their own lives, this is the problem as I see it:
Humanity claims to be the smartest, most intelligent life form on the planet managing to inhabit all continents and environments. Despite this fact, humanity has done some stupid, stupid things.
More to the point- tornadoes of various degrees have cavorted across tornado alley long before man walked the earth and will continue to do so long after as well. The big difference now is that there are people and property inhabiting their (tornadoes’) playground.
There are lessons to be learned from natural disasters- the biggest one is this, do not build a village, town, city or civilization where it is not safe to do so! You will be playing ‘weather roulette’ with people’s livelihood, property and their own lives!
Many historical examples support this supposition:
Pompeii, Italy. A town that was destroyed in 79 AD because it was built too close to a Volcano. (Mount Vesuvius).
Plymouth, Monserrat. A city that was also destroyed in 1995 because it was built too close to a Volcano. (Soufriere Hills)
New Orelans, LA a city that was destroyed in 1722 by a hurricane four years after its founding and would be many, many times over due to its proximity to hurricane alley. Oh yeah, it was destroyed again in 2005 after another hurricane.
Joplin, MO a city that was partially destroyed by a F5 tornado in 2011 due to its proximity to tornado alley.
Jarrell TX a town that was destroyed by a F5 tornado in 1997. Oh yeah, it is also located in tornado alley.
Haiti in 2010, Peru in 2007, Turkey in 2012, Japan in 2011, New Zealand in 2011, Malaysia in 2004 countries suffering catastrophic loss of life and property because of their proximity to the ring of fire/earthquake alley.
But what about early warning and detection systems? Yes they can be implemented to warn the populace, but they will not prevent disasters from happening. Unless a technology is developed to stop hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tidal waves from occurring- it is not worth your life, your loved ones lives or your property to live in areas where these incidents occur, can occur or will occur.
In the case of Oklahoma (and suburbs) the three F5 tornadoes that occurred in the last 14 years should be example enough. Whenever something like this happens- what is the first thing the residents say? We will rebuild! It is worth living where I live! (Is it really? There are other places which are much, much safer like Burlington, VT for instance). Yes residents will rebuild and recover, until it happens again. Lather rinse, repeat.
In closing, if I was Earth Czar no one would be allowed to live in tornado alley/Dixie alley, hurricane alley, earthquake alley/the ring of fire/volcano alley as a matter of public safety. Oklahoma City (and suburbs) would be relocated to New Mexico. New Orleans would be moved to Ohio or Pennsylvania.
The next time a natural disaster occurred the media would report that no property was damaged and that no lives were lost because people were banned from living there. So that F5, category 5, magnitude 9 or volcanic eruption would be a nonevent.
Back in reality, it may not take an Earth Czar to discourage people from living in those dangerous areas if insurance companies refuse to insure or reimburse homes, property and lives of people who care to do so.
One of the more absurd posts ever. As shown by the recent passing of a planet killer asteroid, there is no place on earth that is safe. Move OKC to NM? and use what for water? Yeah, lets park 300,000,000 people in Burlington VT and see how long it remains a nice place to live. Absurd.
I don't get scared. Sometimes I almost wish I would. I am one of those who stands outside looking for the things. That's what we did on the farm in Kansas when I was a kid. That was long before TV, doppler, Weather Channel...All we had was a transistor radio tuned in to a station 50 miles away, and all they knew back then was 'hook echoes'. So we stood in the field and looked for ourselves.
There was so much swirling around last night and they were going in every direction, unlike the normal north east path they usually take. I and my dog got into the bathtub, which I think I've only done once before. But after about 5 minutes, I couldn't stand not knowing what was going on, so out I came, back to the TV.
It's so funny to read these post by folks who don't know anything about tornados. I guess they think they are experts, because the watch the weather channel.
I guess a lot of you folks who live outside tornado ally think here in Oklahoma there is nothing but death and destruction from border to border and debris is hanging from wind ravaged trees. You must think all the houses are in shambles and people walk around aimlessly sifting for their belongings while a tornado siren can be heard in the distance. OKC got hit hard this year. This is not normal and we may not see this kind of event again for years to come.
I have lived here over 50 years and have only seen one. And it just briefly touched down and didn't cause any damage.
Even Vermont has natural disasters. They do occasionally have tornadoes, and I found an interesting article entitled "Vermont's Greatest Natural Disaster".
The torrential rains began on November 3, 1927.
It had already been a wet October and rivers were swollen and the ground saturated. Nine inches of rain fell in a thirty-six hour period and horrendous flooding began. Though all of New England was affected, Vermont was devastated. The state flooded from Newport to Bennington, with the Winooski River Valley the hardest hit. Eighty-five people died and 9,000 were left homeless. Many of Vermont’s roads and over 1,200 bridges were washed away. The great Flood of 1927 would change Vermont forever as communities turned to the state, and the state turned to the federal government for assistance.[/LEFT]
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In closing, if I was Earth Czar no one would be allowed to live in tornado alley/Dixie alley, hurricane alley, earthquake alley/the ring of fire/volcano alley as a matter of public safety. Oklahoma City (and suburbs) would be relocated to New Mexico. New Orleans would be moved to Ohio or Pennsylvania.
One little problem with your solution... Deserts are not capable of supporting a large population as natural resources are not sustainable... Doesn't matter how any reservoirs are built. Phoenix and Las Vegas will face the imminent danger of water shortages if they keep up their current growth and consumption.
Ohio and Pennsylvania are both prone to tornadoes, flooding and blizzards. You are forgetting mountain wildfires, rock avalanches, snow avalanches, mudslides, sink holes, heat waves, ice storms... So the mountain states and midwest are out of the question.
I get where you are coming from, however to believe you are safe anywhere on this planet is a fool's paradise. Even more, these discussions are a moot point because we quickly forget that humans are a greater threat to humans than mother nature will ever be. I'd be more concerned about crime or dangerous drivers on the road than the next storm system.
One little problem with your solution... Deserts are not capable of supporting a large population as natural resources are not sustainable... Doesn't matter how any reservoirs are built. Phoenix and Las Vegas will face the imminent danger of water shortages if they keep up their current growth and consumption.
Ohio and Pennsylvania are both prone to tornadoes, flooding and blizzards. You are forgetting mountain wildfires, rock avalanches, snow avalanches, mudslides, sink holes, heat waves, ice storms... So the mountain states and midwest are out of the question.
I get where you are coming from, however to believe you are safe anywhere on this planet is a fool's paradise. Even more, these discussions are a moot point because we quickly forget that humans are a greater threat to humans than mother nature will ever be. I'd be more concerned about crime or dangerous drivers on the road than the next storm system.
I agree with you about the deserts. The booming desert SW will face a catastrophe of epic proportions due to lack of water sometime in the next 50 years. Also everywhere does have some form of natural disaster. Whether that disaster is more or less destructive or deadly than a tornado is a good question and in the grand scheme of things, tornadoes (individually) are less destructive than many of the planet's other natural disasters. However, tornadoes are one of the scariest disasters and are also relatively frequent and sudden. Psycologically, living in tornado alley can be much more difficult than living in an earthquake or hurricane prone area, though I would put California wildfires at or above tornadoes in terms of scariness.
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This Is The Problem
