This weekend storm season arrived in our NW Okieland corner of Tornado Alley. We knew all week it was coming and late yesterday it all kicked off, with a row of severe storms forming on the dryline. But yesterday we got lucky, the dryline formed just south of us and that meant the storms formed there, but then intensified as they moved away from us. So all we saw were wonderfully impressive thunderheads, as seen above and distant lightening. Where we spent Saturday was under the gun by 10pm though, which is why we planned ahead, went early and got back home. As we watched the 10pm News a tornado was on the ground in Enid, where we'd been shopping just hours before! It was on the ground for 10 plus minutes raging through residential areas. We are hoping when daylight appears, the damage will not be too bad. We have a rocky few days ahead of us, as the conditions here are perfect for storms to form. Today we will be under threat again later, our risk is slightly higher, but we are prepared just in case. I am much less panicky than I was when I first moved here. After nearly 4 years and alot more knowledge about weather indicators and cloud formations, I know the signs. I can read a dopplar radar, spot a hook echo on it and identify a wall cloud - essentials for living here! The National Weather Service is based in Okieland and we have the best warning system in the world as a result. Living here you have an enormous respect for what the weather can do and a tornado on the ground is always upsetting, as you know it could be you one day. But it also makes weather watching fascinating, and it's hard to resist it living in the midst of it all.
4/26/09
Spring storm season, springs!
This weekend storm season arrived in our NW Okieland corner of Tornado Alley. We knew all week it was coming and late yesterday it all kicked off, with a row of severe storms forming on the dryline. But yesterday we got lucky, the dryline formed just south of us and that meant the storms formed there, but then intensified as they moved away from us. So all we saw were wonderfully impressive thunderheads, as seen above and distant lightening. Where we spent Saturday was under the gun by 10pm though, which is why we planned ahead, went early and got back home. As we watched the 10pm News a tornado was on the ground in Enid, where we'd been shopping just hours before! It was on the ground for 10 plus minutes raging through residential areas. We are hoping when daylight appears, the damage will not be too bad. We have a rocky few days ahead of us, as the conditions here are perfect for storms to form. Today we will be under threat again later, our risk is slightly higher, but we are prepared just in case. I am much less panicky than I was when I first moved here. After nearly 4 years and alot more knowledge about weather indicators and cloud formations, I know the signs. I can read a dopplar radar, spot a hook echo on it and identify a wall cloud - essentials for living here! The National Weather Service is based in Okieland and we have the best warning system in the world as a result. Living here you have an enormous respect for what the weather can do and a tornado on the ground is always upsetting, as you know it could be you one day. But it also makes weather watching fascinating, and it's hard to resist it living in the midst of it all.
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13 comments:
Oh I dont miss scary weather at all, be safe as this season strikes!
I should think anywhere you are is a stormy kinda place, my lovely :)
xxx
We once lived in Demopolis Alabama, which was dubbed Tornado Alley...a beautiful town to be sure, filled with friendly people...and squall lines of tornadoes every summer! Don't think I could have spent more time there! Two years was enough!!! Glad you are over your initial fright, tho.
Sandi
Such amazing billowing clouds!
A fabulous photo.
Great cloud photo.
Yep, in Okieland we all get pretty expert at the weather.
Give you another year or two & you'll be out chasing twisters with your camera! ;-P
Sarah, I hope you don't have any tornados! The cloud picture was beautiful though! Be safe!
Oh my you have a great attitude towards this Sarah. What a change from England where we moan about the least problem with our weather.
Have to say I've appreciated that ours are minor problems and our climate isn't bad at all now I'm reading so many blogs where the weather is really scary and with extreme temperatures. Helps you get things into perspective.
Take care!
Dear Brit Gal: You are starting to sound like an Okie! All this talk of dry lines, Doppler radars, and watching storm clouds a-brewing! Good on ya! Keep your eyes peeled, those twisters sometimes cross the Red River, and then WE'RE in trouble! Love the post.
ExpatFromHell
Thanks everyone, well 11:30am Sunday and they just put us under a Tornado Watch until 7pm tonight (sigh)!
Oooh, make sure you have your supplies, and "safe place" ready on a moments notice.
We are in Tornado season too, last Friday one barreled through the town just 15 miles south of here.
As you say, you learn to respect them, they are deadly !
The cloud photo is lovely.
Take care,
Jo
Get under the duvet Sarah!
I'm a lot more panicky than when we first arrived here. I think that's because a couple of weeks ago, I went with a group from my church to help do some rebuilding work in Greensburg (tornado, May 2007, remember?) That really freaked me out.
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