Hi everybody and welcome! The weather events of Sunday, May 4th in the Mid-West area of the country signify how much Mother Nature can affect our everyday lives. Although there was massive destruction, the death toll was kept as low as possible because of adequate warnings that the National Weather Service issues whenever severe weather is going to be a threat. One of the most important tools to get out up to the minute warnings is NOAA weather radio. NOAA weather radio stays alert and on guard even as you sleep to be sure you get the warnings you need to save life and property. I think weather radios should be as common in households as computers or TV’s. Personally, I have 4 radios and at least 2 are on at all times in the alert mode.
When purchasing a new weather radio, make sure it has all 7 channels and that it supports the new SAME technology. Simply stated, SAME allows you to program your radio to your specific location so you don’t receive unneeded information and alerts from 6 counties away. This is especially useful for nighttime emergencies and you do not want to be awakened by alarms that do not pertain to your local area.
The strong storms that generated the severe weather outbreak that caused the tornadic activity was caused partly by a very strong jet stream taking a large south west curve across the center of the country. The jet stream combined with hot surface temperatures and cooler air in the upper atmosphere coupled together to form all the ingredients needed for the massive tornado out break.
The hardest hit areas were Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee. All in all, 37 people were killed by the devastating storms and several people were still missing. Several counties in Kansas and Missouri have been declared federal disaster areas and they will be available for federal funds for cleanup and rebuilding.
The city of Jackson in Tennessee was hit very hard. Preliminary damage reports indicate that the tornado that moved across Madison County and the Jackson Tennessee Metro area on Sunday, May 4, 2003 produced F-4 tornado damage in the downtown Jackson area. The tornado Fujita runs from a low of F-1 to a high of F-5. There are 2 confirmed fatalities in Jackson and 7 additional fatalities that occurred across the county. Two people are still missing. The storms disrupted power and even the city’s water supply had been cut off.
Henderson County in East Tennessee was also hard hit. Preliminary damage reports show that f-1 and F-2 damage was produced from Luray in the SW part of the county to just east of Lexington. There were 20 injuries, 8 were serious. Twenty-eight mobile homes and four conventional homes were completely destroyed with others heavily damaged. Fourteen businesses were heavily damaged also.
In Dyer County, which is located in West Tennessee, the tornados produced F-1 and f-2 damage throughout the county. In Dyer County ten people were injured and 170 homes were damaged. Forty homes were completely destroyed. In the city of Dyersburg, the roof and back wall of a motel was blown off and 20 mobile homes were destroyed. Also in Dyersburg, a factory was heavily damaged and the wall of a high school was completely blown out. Numerous trees and power lines were down throughout.
One more hard hit area was Henry County, also in West Tennessee. Preliminary damage reports show that F-@ damage occurred in the city of Paris. Two people were treated for minor injuries and 127 structures were damaged. Among the damaged buildings were the Paris Elementary School and the Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation Training center. An auto parts store and a church were completely destroyed.
So a tornado warning has been issued for your location…what do you do now? Here are some guidelines.
1. In open country – Find a ditch or culvert or other low-lying area and lie down as low as possible. Cover your head with your hands for protection.
2. In homes or small buildings – Go to a basement or small all interior room on the lowest floor such as a hall or bathroom closet. Cover yourself with a mattress or blanket. This room should also be designated as your safe room in the event of a hurricane.
3. In mobile homes or vehicles – Abandon ship and find a safe structure or a low culvert to ride out the storm. Do not try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle!
4. In schools, hospitals and shopping malls – Follow instructions and go to predetermined shelter areas. Avoid outside walls and windows.
With a little common sense and pre-planning, loss of life and injuries can be kept to a minimum in the event we are subjected to one of these violent storms.
Now, on to the Time Capsule….
May 16, l975 -- afternoon -- Sumter Co., Wildwood -- Lightning killed a man and injured another while running for shelter.
May 16,l983 -- early morning -- Florida Panhandle -- Strong winds and heavy surf - Three people drowned along Panhandle beaches as a cold front with strong winds pushed through the area, bringing rough surf and heavy swells. An l8-year-old student drowned at Panama City Beach; a 53-year-old man drowned at Gulf Islands National Seashore; and a 20-year old man drowned east of Destin. Tallahassee, Leon County -- A tornado struck a warehouse and hanger area at the Tallahassee Municipal Airport, demolishing one hanger. Six people were temporarily trapped inside the hanger when a live fallen power line blocked their escape. The tornado continued along a west to east path, touching down several more times, damaging some mobile homes, and hurling a bus onto a car. Jefferson and Madison Counties -- Thunderstorm winds damaged mobile homes, toppled trees and power lines, and blew an automobile 200 feet down the interstate highway. Baker County -- A tornado demolished several farm buildings about 3 miles south of Sanderson. Light metal roofing was blown over l00 yards.
May 16, l984 -- Dade Co., Miami -- Lightning killed a man standing next to a tree.
May 17, l974 -- Leon Co., Tallahassee -- Flash Flood. Thunderstorms dumped four to 5" of rain. Two boys drowned when swept into drainage canal.
May 18, l963 -- Afternoon -- Walton Co., DeFuniak Springs -- Lightning killed a person.
May19, l932 -- Escambia Co., SW Pensacola -- A tornado picked up a farm house and scattered it in pieces across a field killing the owner.
May 19, 1956 -- West Palm Beach -- Tornado-like winds overturned several trailers injuring four people seriously enough to require hospitalization.
May 19, l978 -- Hillsborough Co. -- A severe thunderstorm moved across Tampa knocking down trees, power lines, damaging 45 homes. A large tree crushed a mobile home. Wind gusts were recorded to 70 mph. No injuries reported.
May 20, l968 -- Hendry Co., LaBelle -- Lightning killed a fisherman while wading with two others.
May 21, l96l -- afternoon -- Brevard Co., Cape Canaveral -- Lightning killed a person.
May 21, l962 -- afternoon -- Seminole Co., Sanford -- Lightning killed a fisherman on the St. Johns River.
May 22, l984 -- St. Lucie Co., Fort Pierce -- Lightning killed a grove worker.
May 22, 1996 -- Collier Co., Naples -- A 17-year-old female was drowned in a
rip current at Wiggins Pass State Recreational
Area. A 32-year-old female companion nearly drowned and was hospitalized in
critical condition.
May 23, 1955 -- afternoon -- Tampa - Lightning killed one person.
May 23, l962 -- Afternoon -- Duval Co., Jacksonville -- Lightning killed a l3 year old boy fishing from a dock.
May 2,3 l963 -- Afternoon -- Duval Co., Jacksonville -- Lightning killed a person.
May 23, 1976 -- Morning -- central Florida -- Subtropical Storm spawned three tornadoes. A tornado in Tampa injured two in mobile homes. Other, weaker tornadoes hit Marion and Volusia Counties.
Now here are some national past weather events…
May 16, 1874 -- The Mill Creek
disaster occurred west of Northhampton Massachusettes. Dam slippage resulted in
a flash flood which claimed 143 lives, and caused a million dollars property
damage.
May 16, 1989 -- Thunderstorms
developing ahead of a cold front produced severe weather in the south central
U.S. Thunderstorms spawned twenty tornadoes, and there were 180 reports of
large hail and damaging winds. A tornado at Cleburne Texas caused 30 million
dollars damage. A violent (F-4) tornado touched down near Brackettville Texas,
and a strong (F-3) tornado killed one person and injured 28 others at Jarrell
Texas. Thunderstorms also produced softball size hail at Shamrock Texas.
May 18, 1980 -- Mount Saint
Helens (in Washington State) erupted spewing ash and smoke sixty-three thousand
feet into the air. Heavy ash covered the ground to the immediate northwest, and
small particles were carried to the Atlantic coast.
May 19, 1780 -- The infamous
"dark day" in New England tradition. At noon it was nearly as dark as
night. Chickens went to roost, and many persons were fearful of divine wrath.
The phenomena was caused by forest fires to the west of New England.
May 20, 1957 -- A tornado touched
down to the southwest of Kansas City and traveled a distance of seventy-one
miles cutting a swath of near total destruction through the southeastern
suburbs of Ruskin Heights and Hickman Mills. The tornado claimed the lives of
forty-five persons, and left hundreds homeless. It was the worst weather
disaster of record for Kansas City. About all that remained of one house was a
small table and a fish bowl atop, with the fish still swimming about inside the
bowl, rather unconcerned.
That’s all for this weeks Time Capsule. I hope you enjoyed it. I love to hear from you! Please e-mail me your ideas and suggestions to JOESDISCOWEATHER@AOL.COM. As always, for the latest in severe weather updates and now winter weather updates from your hometown go to JOESDISCOWEATHERCENTRAL.COM! You can also join me for a free cup of coffee and a free copy of The Hometown News at the Stuart K Mart garden center every Saturday morning!