5/7/2023 0 Comments Storm it near me![]() Put another way, there’s a very small likelihood of Moore being struck by a tornado. But of all tornadoes that do strike us (again, not very many historically), there’s only a less than 1% chance of it being as strong and violent as what we experienced on May 3rd. Statistically, there is only about a 1-2% chance of a tornado – of any size – striking Moore on any particular day during the spring. There has never been such a strong and violent tornado ever in the recorded history of the City of Moore. Wrap yourself in overcoats or blankets to protect yourself from flying debris.” May 3rd was an extremely unique event weather wise. Emergency management and weather warning professionals see this as a testament to the tornado safety rules have been advocated for years: “In homes or small buildings, go to the basement (if available) or to an interior room on the lowest floor, such as a closet or bathroom. The vast majority of these people…in fact all but three in Moore…survived! Their homes were destroyed, but the people survived. While many people evacuated, many others took shelter in their homes. Warning for this event was outstanding – one research survey suggests that over 95% of the people in central Oklahoma knew of the tornado and its location. In this scenario, there’s a far greater likelihood of getting caught in your car when the tornado strikes! And experience proves that cars are NOT the place you want to be during severe weather events! On May 3, 1999, one of the most violent tornadoes ever recorded struck central Oklahoma, including the northwest part of Moore in its path. That’s just not enough time for a person to receive the warning, make a conscious decision to leave their home, gather the few things needed (family, keys, etc.), lock the house, get into the car, drive to a shelter (including possibly experiencing a traffic jam of others trying to get to the same shelter!), get out of the car, and make the way into the community shelter. The average tornado warning time is generally only 10-15 minutes. Yes, there is less overall risk by sheltering-in-place than by going to a community shelter. This is due to two factors: Overall, people face less risk by taking shelter in a reasonably-well constructed residence! There is no public building in Moore which has a suitable location for a shelter. The City of Moore has no community (or “public”) tornado shelters. Information on improving your home to better withstand storm winds, as well as building a storm “safe room” can be found on-line from both the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Texas Tech University Wind Engineering Research Center. If you’re sheltering in a closet, you certainly won’t want to have large, heavy items on the shelves above you. A caution: When evaluating potential shelter locations, be sure to look UP as well. Again, you’re trying to protect yourself from flying debris, failing walls, and falling items. Try to get under something sturdy, like a desk, and cover yourself with heavy blankets or coats. Choose a small room, which tends to be stronger. This helps to minimize the possibility of being next to a wall failing from direct winds, and also allows the walls to slow or stop the missiles. To take shelter above ground, choose a location with as many walls between you and the outside world as possible. ![]() ![]() Again, the object is to try to stop the wind-driven missiles, and minimize your exposure to walls that are exposed to the strongest winds. This in mind, shelter can also normally be taken above ground. ![]() Unfortunately, few homes in Moore have basements, and only about 10% or less have below-ground storm shelters. ![]() Typically the main threat when below ground level comes in damaged buildings falling through the ground level floor and onto those below. The winds blow only from ground-level up therefore being below ground eliminates the missiles which cause harm, and doesn’t allow the winds to cause direct building damage below ground level. The best place to take shelter is in a basement or a below-ground location. Unless you are in a mobile home or a portable building, normally the best place to take shelter is “in-place”, right where you are. ![]()
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