There is nothing more scary to me than the sound of a tornado siren. I am still freaking out. On the phone on hold with tech support, Rick Mitchell says if you live in Edmond, you should be in your shelters ( what!!!) through it all, I kept the line with tech support! ha,ha... poor guy in India - my heart is still pounding!

I love the "it appears to be weakening - BUT, this could change at anytime folks! These things go through cycles and when you think it's over it could all of a sudden become deadly!!!!!! So, we will keep reporting until the sun comes out again."

Is anyone else frightened or is it just me? Hold me.

Yeah I'm at work inside a big building and had no idea until I caught the faint sound of the sirens. I was trying to look online but all of the news station websites are freezing I guess because of all the people looking. What exactly is going on here?

No warnings currently... we had a scare - tornado on the ground ( it happened so fast!) on the West side near Peidmont.. headed North but over now... winds pretty strong, power poles down on Kilpatrick Turnpike - a lot of power outages and phones out..

oops, wait- Hawley, Grant County, Tornado Warning as we speak.. North of Enid. sheesh, this is going to be a lonnnnggg night.

Karried, where do you live? Or, where are you at I mean? I live in Moore but am on North May. In the path of it all or something?

I have it set up to get this:

Issued at: 4:12 PM CDT 3/29/07, expires at: 4:45 PM CDT 3/29/07

The NWS in norman has issued a
tornado warning for: canadian county in central oklahoma, oklahoma county in central oklahoma,
Until 445 pm cdt
At 412 pm cdt, national weather service doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of
producing a tornado 5 miles northwest of bethany, moving north at 35 mph.
Locations in the warning include bethany, piedmont and warr acres.
Take cover now. Leave mobile homes and vehicles. If possible, move to a basement or storm
shelter. Otherwise move to an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor. Stay away from
windows and outside walls.
Lat, lon 3552 9779 3548 9761 3573 9762 3573 9779

No, you're good right now.. It's way North of us.. just in case, get your bike helmet and bubble wrap ready and head down to the basement if you hear a siren.. looks okay right now at 4:55pm - I'll keep you advised.. lol

No, you're good right now.. It's way North of us.. just in case, get your bike helmet and bubble wrap ready and head down to the basement if you hear a siren.. looks okay right now at 4:55pm - I'll keep you advised.. lol

lol. Thanks, and keep me entertained too if you can. Customers dont pay their car payments in this weather.

NOAA Home Page (http://www.noaa.gov) is a good web site to visit for weather infomation.

Thankee Intrepid.

Karrie-I'm at work in Stillwater...what do we look like here?

You're good in Stillwater.. no problems... just a quick mover with a lot of rain in Spencer headed towards Jones, tornado threat is way past you to the West near Cashion .... 10 sw of Wakita..

Isn't it amazing that this site can withstand all the traffic in this weather? I think it was the Platinum Members...

That was scary, I happened to have my office windows open enjoying the breeze and watching the crazy clouds, and then I heard the alarms, and everyone started scrambling to find a radio or radar. I'm hoping everyone's okay. And yes I think it'll be a long night tonight. One more stop this evening after this one, just hoping it doesn't get to rough downtown tonight.

Thankee Intrepid.


No problem.

Outta curiosity, what part of Moore do you live? I'm off of Santa Fe, on NW 5th. I can see Santa Fe Elem. from my drive way.

I love it, everytime I hear the sirens I want to go outside and look for the tornado

My dad said that the sirens blew in his neighborhood, which is near the corner of 89th and May. Nothing here in Moore though.

I was at school discussing with 3 students how we probably wouldn't have to deal with any tornadoes today...

Whoops. Sorry. I think we jinxed it.

Took all the remaining kids in the school into the hallway next to my room, grabbed my purse and my radio and plugged it into the hallway. No biggie. But it was the first time ever in my life that I have had to retreat to a dark interior hallway because of a tornado. 26 years, my streak is broken. But it was after school hours so maybe I won't count it ;) Haha.

bandnerd, I imagine after the tornado hit the Arkansas high school it is even more scary.. I can't imagine the responsibility of taking care of frightened students.

No problem.

Outta curiosity, what part of Moore do you live? I'm off of Santa Fe, on NW 5th. I can see Santa Fe Elem. from my drive way.

I'm on Broadway, can see Moore Rexall Drug from my house. Oh, and Omelettes and Moore MMMMMMMMMMM. On my way here to work there was a car turned upside down on the interstate. I hope the people are ok, I havent seen any breaking news about it so I guess it wasnt too bad. I dont know what's going on but I-44 West in front of May is moving way slow, can see the traffic barely moving from my window.

A tornado producing 250 mph winds touched down in northwest Oklahoma City late Thursday afternoon. Damage has been reported, including at least two people critically injured, officials confirmed.

The twister had been reported in northwestern Oklahoma City. Witnesses said it touched down along or near the Kilpatrick Turnpike, and there have been reports of damage. Officials said cars were blown off the road way; however, no motorists were hurt.

EMSA reported that two people, who were inside a trailer home near Kilpatrick Turnpike and Wilshire Boulevard, were critically hurt.

Also, Oklahoma Gas & Electric reported as of about 4:30 p.m. that roughly 12,000 customers were without power. Almost 2,000 of those people are in Piedmont, where the storm passed.

The threat for twisters in the Oklahoma City has diminished; however, power poles were down near Carrier in Grant County and some outbuildings were damaged. As of 5:15 p.m., the storm was weakening and moving north of Wakita.

According to Oklahoma City Fire Chief Tony Young, the twister touched down near Wilshire Boulevard in northwest Oklahoma City and trekked along the Kilpatrick Turnpike. He said one motorist was injured there.

The twister stretched for four to five miles, he said.

Young added that Wilshire Boulevard, west of the Kilpatrick Turnpike, was closed as is from Wilshire Boulevard to Northwest Expressway, where almost 40 to 60 power lines were reported down.

Watch our livestream on koco.com.

Stay tuned to Eyewitness News 5 for details.

Channel 9 tv is showing all the debris now - looks like pretty significant damage along Morgan Rd, Sara Road, etc. One serious injury so far - guy was in mobile home that got picked up.

I know it's terrible of me to say this - but I'm glad that, for once, MWC was left alone! After two near misses (2 blocks and 6 blocks - 99 and 01) - not sure I wanted to try my luck again.

I hope everyone is ok!

:Smiley026 Any rainbows yet?

I was driving north on Penn, near NW.36th, listening to my police scanner, when I heard a frantic voice on the EMSA channel. An EMSA paramedic was on the Kilpatrick Turnpike and frantically reported a funnel coming down from the clouds. As I was listening to him, I changed my radio station to 107.7 to listen to the weather. To my amazement, they were still playing music. It was so weird to hear an EMSA paramedic report a tornado on the ground before the news stations even had a chance to.

As I continued to listen, the paramedic reported the tornado on the ground near NW. Expwy & the Kilpatrick Turnpike. Just about that time, the sirens went off and the weather came on the radio. Then, I got stuck at the light at NW. Expwy and Penn.

Then, I am guessing the paramedic was fallowing the tornado, because he was reporting damage as it was happening, and watching cars get tossed off the road.

I got to my daughters school, and all of the students were huddled in the hallway. I picked up my daughter and we went home.

I was at work and I heard the sirens.. I mean it hit about a mile from me.. The shopping center is all Metal and I was kinda worried. But I think I am safer here than any other place.

Yeah Deni, I'd rather not be around a bunch of scissors when a tornado hits. lol. My real phobia is being in a tanning bed when a tornado hits. I don't want to be naked AND burned to death by a tanning bed AND thrown around in a tornado.

Yeah Deni, I'd rather not be around a bunch of scissors when a tornado hits. lol. My real phobia is being in a tanning bed when a tornado hits. I don't want to be naked AND burned to death by a tanning bed AND thrown around in a tornado.
Wow, my imagination went wild just then.

Thanks Karrie....my employees were a little worried and the newsok sight was too slow to keep up.

Karrie,

Nah, the kids were surprisingly calm about it, but we had quite a few teachers left in and around the building. I was a little nervous, more because I didn't know where it was and I couldn't get ahold of my husband. But the kids took it quite well, even those that are not originally from here (I have a recently relocated Pennsylvanian....poor girl lol) I was really proud of them. When I turned down the radio and turned it toward them, they all just looked at it and listened. Not bad for a group of teenagers ;)

Yeah Deni, I'd rather not be around a bunch of scissors when a tornado hits. lol. My real phobia is being in a tanning bed when a tornado hits. I don't want to be naked AND burned to death by a tanning bed AND thrown around in a tornado.


I think my shop is the safest.. I have a nice anchored front counter I was about to empty and climb into..

I aint about to hide in my stations there is lots of glass objects besides the scissors.. lol

:Smiley026 Any rainbows yet?
Here you go. I found this one out my back door at around 8:00 PM. I looked out a few minutes later and it was gone.

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/Rainbow_002.jpg

For those at work that need information, might I suggest getting a good weather radio from Wal-mart or your favorite local electronics shop.

Here's one on Amazon.com that's portable:

Amazon.com: Oregon Scientific WR102 Portable All Hazard Radio with S.A.M.E. Technology: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Scientific-WR102-Portable-Technology/dp/B00005N5XN/ref=pd_bbs_sr_6/104-2908036-0072751?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1175218839&sr=8-6)

Meaning of Tornado Sirens in Oklahoma City Metro Area

From Adam Knapp (http://okc.about.com/mbiopage.htm),
Your Guide to Oklahoma City (http://okc.about.com/).
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! (http://okc.about.com/gi/pages/mmail.htm)

A recent article in the Daily Oklahoman brought up an interesting and important point about the meaning of a tornado siren. It actually differs by the city, and some may be surprised to learn what OKC's siren is directing you to do.

In Oklahoma City, a tornado siren is intended only to alert drivers or people outside to check a radio or television weather broadcast. Since the city itself is so large, the tornado siren cannot always be intended to alert for immediate danger as the storm may be several miles away.

Tornado sirens in other cities, though, often mean something different from simply requesting to tune into the weather.

For example, in Bethany, Edmond, Moore and most other smaller communities, a tornado siren indicates residents should immediately seek shelter and take cover. When Tuning In...

Once checking the weather forecast, you should be aware of the difference between a Tornado Watch and a Tornado Warning.

A Tornado Watch, when issued by the National Weather Service for a particular area, means that conditions are right for possible tornado formation, and you should remain alert for any approaching storms.

A Tornado Warning, however, means that a tornado has be sighted or indicated on a weather radar. If it is in your area, you should take cover immediately. Your Tornado Plan

Your family should have a tornado plan. See this article (http://okc.about.com/od/forthehome/ht/oktornadotips.htm) for full details on preparing your household for tornado season.

For those at work that need information, might I suggest getting a good weather radio from Wal-mart or your favorite local electronics shop.

Here's one on Amazon.com that's portable:

Amazon.com: Oregon Scientific WR102 Portable All Hazard Radio with S.A.M.E. Technology: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Scientific-WR102-Portable-Technology/dp/B00005N5XN/ref=pd_bbs_sr_6/104-2908036-0072751?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1175218839&sr=8-6)

There are many radios that have a weather band on them including clock radios and walkmans. I know many people who have a clock radio in their office. If you have one it might not be bad idea to upgrade to one with a weather band.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Channel 5 broadcast the live severe weather alerts over 94.7, 96.1, 101.9, 102.7 and AM 1000.

Channel 9 uses 92.5, 104.1, 107.7 and 1520.

You might also save these web pages in your favorites at work.

Welcome to Intellicast (http://www.intellicast.com)

AccuWeather.com - World Weather - Local Weather Forecast - The Weather Experts. (http://www.accuweather.com)

Weather and forecast information on WeatherBug.com (http://www.weatherbug.com)

National and Local Weather Forecast, Radar, Map and Report (http://www.weather.com/)

I don't understand why they blow the sirens across the whole county. That makes no sense to me.

Thanks for the pic of the rainbow! There were 2 gigantic ones that were so bright when I got home, was a nice thing to show my daughter.

Here's a pic from Yahoo! this morning:

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070329/capt.ac72bf78b4534e819125d25d16aa7b0c.spring_storm _okcl101.jpg?x=380&y=253&sig=iH2L5pYPXUjLwC_uchJe3w--


Thu Mar 29, 12:59 PM ET

'A man stands in U.S. 270 while a driver slows as a tornado crosses the highway east of the Northern Natural Gas Plant in Beaver County, Okla., Wednesday, March 28, 2007. The storm swept from the Rockies into the Plains, killing at least four people in three states, authorities said Thursday. (AP Photo/Chad Love)'

Sirens = Run to the Shelter lol... I can't keep it all straight.. so I just get in there.

I've improved.. the first year I moved here I thought Green meant we might have a tornado so I just got in my shelter when it popped up, ha,ha.. the first time I heard a siren, off I went again .. my neighbor called my husband's cell phone and he alerted me and told me I could come out.. tornado was 30 miles away or something!

I'm getting better at it.. yesterday I kept my composure and didn't hang up on a computer tech support issue.. no way was I going to lose that connection.. of course, it was pretty funny.. had one phone on one ear, Direct connect with hubby, trying to round up the kids and the dog.. ( which I learned black labs do not like to come into a shelter or go down stairs - note to self.. he's on his own next time).

Here's my plan... go today and buy D batteries for my Weather radio... ( I never lose power knock on wood so far) but I like to take a radio in the shelter so I can know where it is and when to come out.

Charge my phone - another tip.. when all the cell phones and land lines are down or system busy... my Nextel Direct Connect never fails me.. I can get ahold of my husband wherever he is and same for him.. plus we can reach out of town relatives and let them know what is up.

Try not to worry about the kids being in school and not being able to get to them in case a tornado hits the school.. that scares me more than anything else.

Karried how long have you lived here? I'm one of those stand outside and see where it's at people. A couple years ago a smaller on hit Moore on like May 8th and my stepdad and I were driving through Moore when the sirens went off so we drove over to my aunts, still not knowing the weather status, and we're standing there with my uncle looking around and all the sudden a huge tree branch literally comes out of nowhere and hits my uncle in his face. (That part was funny.) Anyway, they're like OMG GO INSIDE! and I still didn't know what's going on and I swear 10 seconds later my step dad tells me to come outside and when I do there's a gigantic tornado like 10 streets away from us. I know it sounds insensitive tosay because of the damage they do but it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen or felt in my life. I witnessed one of the ugliest and most amazing parts of nature and at the same time knew all of the damage it was doing. It was definitely an emotionally intense moment, and so were the moments after when we hurried down to the hit area to help everyone. There was only one guy who looked injured, had blood on his head and was just standing there in shock. My stepdad and uncle went around shutting off all of the gaslines to make sure nothing exploded from all the dwned power lines. That was one of the craziest things that has ever happened to me but I'm sure it would have been a lot crazier if I actually would have been IN the tornado. When May 3rd hit my friend, his bro, and his mom were all in their house when it got destroyed, they were actually on the news when they were in the hospital. He still has nightmares and can remember verything that happened. It's a pretty eery story to hear. And to add some more about my experience, that moment is one that really validated (was only 15 yrs old) what I wanted to do with my life, it really bothered me not being able to help the injured and/or homeless people that were running around on the streets that day. I can't wait to be a nurse. Oh and forgive any typos, I'm not wearing my glasses or contacts.

wow.. see, your story already has my heart pounding.. is it just me or do tornadoes seem to hit Moore pretty frequently? More than other places?

I used to not be so scared about things.. but once I had my kids.. that all changed and I became very protective about my 'babies' even though they are 13 and 9 now, they'll always be my main concern and that is why you won't see me on the porch looking for a tornado .. I'll be, with the kids in tow, either ( depending on how far away it is ) a) in the car driving away as fast as I can or b) in the shelter

I don't understand why they blow the sirens across the whole county. That makes no sense to me.


I just make it a habit to keep close tabs on the weather this time of year. All a storm siren means to me is check the local tv or radio stations to see what is going on.

If I am in danger I take shelter. If not I go on about my business. A storm siren is not too much different then hearing a fire engine especially since I have lived near busy fire stations my whole life. Besides anytime a storm siren sounds you can pretty much bet there is at least 80% chance that same store that provoked an alarm is coming your way.

Wow, my imagination went wild just then.

Yes, I can see that, too. Especially after seeing her picture in the member's gallery yesterday. :) Just a compliment CM, just a compliment.

---------------

Here's my plan... go today and buy D batteries for my Weather radio... ( I never lose power knock on wood so far) but I like to take a radio in the shelter so I can know where it is and when to come out.


Just a little tip I use. Try to find a radio with a hand crank on it (dynamo powered). It never needs batteries. Mine isn't a "weather radio", but it does have a TV-band that I can pick up channel 9 on. Its kind of weird listening to TV with no picture, but they do a good job of being descriptive. A 30-second crank will last ten minutes on mine. It even has a built-in flashlight.

Here's a pretty cool one. It does have the NOAA stations and even a cell phone charger. I might have to buy this thing.
Eton Grundig American Red Cross FR300 by Eton AM/FM radio with NOAA Weather, TV VHF, flashlight, and cell phone charger (http://www.ambientweather.com/etgramredcrf1.html)

I just saw that Radio at Walgreens.. $59 (no shipping) hand crank - Red Cross... I didn't get it because it wasn't the new technology SAME.. and I didn't see an Alarm.. that's what I want .. something that I can program just for my area to wake me up in the middle of the night. ( I signed up for Cell phone alerts and was awakened every few hours the other night..Fog Warning, High Wind Advisory, Heavy Storm Watch.. ahhggg! I cancelled that one!)

I work near NE 36th and Sante Fe. We had already had 2 tornado drills when the real one sounded! Three times we marched down 2 floors to the garage of our building. At least we were ready for the real thing. I waited 10 minutes and marched back upstairs...figured the tornado scare was over by then!

Really got my exercise that day. On another note, I flew to San Francisco the next day. Our plane took off at 5pm and the rain was horrible. I hated taking off in all that stuff. Made it okay, but I left marks in the chair arms!!!

:sofa:

btw, I saw another Radio/Lantern with a handcrank at Sam's Club for $39 ... I thought that was reasonable because it had the alarm and noaa but I still didn't see the SAME technology. Still, I thought a latern and alarm/weather radio for that price was pretty good.

Hi Folks,

I am a new forum member. Let me bring to your attention a wonderful way to monitor real time severe weather reports in the OKC area. The reports originate from the National Weather Service in Norman. All that is needed is a typical police scanner from a supplier such as radio shack. The broadcast are made by NWS meteorologist who are also Amateur (Ham) Radio operators. Please check the attached web link for more information.

[URL="http://www.hook-echo.com/wx5okc/wx5okc.asp