This is my very first actual blog I’m writing where I sound off on what’s on my mind. With tornado season here, I thought this was fitting to start with. I want to start with the definition of “tornado”. A tornado is a localized, violently destructive windstorm occurring over land, especially in the Middle West. It is characterized by a long, funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground and made visible by condensation and debris. A “violently destructive windstorm”; you got that right!
Tornado Season – Mother Nature Whips Up A Storm
Today is March 1st, 2017. Yes, this is tornado season, but honestly, that is not completely what triggered me to write this. Let me explain. It started this morning. I watched a show called “Inside the Mega Twister” on the National Geographic Channel. It was about the May 31st, 2013 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma. This, of course, peaked our interest, because my husband is from El Reno, Oklahoma.
When Mother Nature Throws A Tantrum!
The El Reno, Oklahoma Tornado was a large EF3 tornado. By “large”, I mean it’s known as the widest tornado in recorded history, at its peak 2.6 miles wide. For those of us that need a visual, imagine this…a football field. Now imagine 45 of them put together. In fact, 45.76 football fields. That is enormous!
Now what is an EF3 you ask? Well, tornados are measured by their intensity, winds, and destruction rate. To put it in perspective, the scale runs from EF0-EF5. So even though this particular tornado was in the middle of the scale, it was still a mega beast.
The peak winds were at 295 mph within the vortex. What is a “vortex” you ask? Well, simply put, it’s the main funnel of the tornado. The “eye”. I say “main” because tornados can have sub-vortices. Which basically are smaller tornados circling around the main vortex. The tornado lasted 40 minutes long.
My Heart Goes Out To The Families That Lost Loved Ones
Tornados may have patterns. Nevertheless, when we are dealing with Mother Nature, she is very unpredictable. Even the most skilled and knowledgeable of men and women are not truly safe.
There were eight fatalities during this tornado. Among those eight was a storm chaser team known as TWISTEX. The TWISTEX team consisted of Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras, and Carl Young. They were caught in the unpredictable path of this monster. A sub-vortex, which acted as if it were targeting TWISTEX, landed on them. This sub-vortex lingered on them for 22 seconds. I know 22 seconds doesn’t seem like a lot of time during a normal day. However, 22 seconds can feel like a lifetime when you are going through a traumatic experience. This is truly heart wrenching to think about what they went through. My heart and condolences goes out to all the families that has ever lost a loved one in a tornado.
How Hearing This Story Affected Me
My heart hurt for these people. Other storm chasers being interviewed, recollecting the events of the day, what they went through, what they seen others experience. I sat across from my husband and thought to myself, “OMG, he could have easily been there.” I began to cry. Even though he had been safe here with me, just the thought of that possibility really rattled me. It touched a little too close to home for me.
Be Prepared!
Tornado Season is amongst us…What if a tornado hit where I live? Where I’m from, we don’t really get tornados. So if ever there were a time that Mother Nature decided to toss one our way, I would want to have the awareness and knowledge of what one should and shouldn’t do. I remember learning these things in school, but honestly, that was a long time ago. There is no harm in refreshing my memory. So here is what I’m gonna do. Below you will find a link to “7 Things You Should Never Forget When Tornadoes Strike” by The Weather Channel. Read up on it. There is no harm in reinforcing what we were taught so long ago. It could save our lives.
The Weather Channel: 7 Things You Should Never Forget When Tornadoes Strike
Response Magic