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Tornado Alley

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Hoss in Me

05-13-2008 09:26:08




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Ive through most of it but could never understand why someone would live there,unlessthey were farming.Then a tornado comes along and wipes everything out and they rebuild on the same spot waiting for another tornado to come along!Dont get it.Some thoughts please? Hoss




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John S-B

05-13-2008 18:39:07




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
I would much rather live in tornado alley than anywhere near the coastline. A tornado does local damage, a hurricane can wipeout an entire region. You're rescuers and help may have to come from out of state. After being down in Miss. and New Oleans after Katrina, I'd much rather be in tornado alley.



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tlak

05-13-2008 18:11:47




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
A tornado"s path is from maybe a hundred feet wide to a 1/2 mile wide and they"re on the ground from 10 feet to 5-10 miles. So as big as this country is and even if you live in Tornado Alley you have little chance of being in their path.
But if your name"s Bubba and you live in a trailer, you"re a natural attractant.



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Howard H.

05-13-2008 17:59:33




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  

Here are pics of two that came past Dad's place a couple of years ago about this time - the big one tore up 40-50 center pivot sprinkler systems, but no one got hurt.

Where it crossed the highway perpendicular to the highway - it wiped out 15-18 double highline power poles - it was so wide :

third party image

The really weird thing about this day was it was two separate storms!


third party image


Howard

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jose bagge

05-13-2008 17:51:29




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
Our biggest concern was always hurricane season, but this tornado deal seems to be happening out here with more regularity. I am blown away (no pun intended) by the "precise randomness" of these things- wipes out 18 house on one side of the street, nothing on the other. I saw a house with the entire second floor wiped off- but the garden flag still hanging on the porch. Wiped out a row of houses, jumped the widows house but wiped out her recently deceased husband's cinderblock beagle facility right down to the ground- less than 20 feet away. Picked up a 14" boat and made it disappear (still hasn't been found) but left the sheet metal shed standing right beside where the boat was. Tornadoes are spooky damn things...

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Chris in MO

05-13-2008 17:50:54




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
I was unaware that we lived near the eastern terminus of "tornado alley". It is not the springtime tornadoes that bother me, it is the pop up thunderstorms with their high winds that do. These tstorms are actually not bad, but our land sits kind of at the turning point of a valley between northeast and northwest. Almost every (okay, every) summer our sweet corn gets blasted at least once and knocked sideways.

Other than that, the weather is not a big deal. We used to live on the east coast and then for several years in northeastern Minnesota. We have been here in southern MO for almost a decade. The worst weather I ever experienced was outside Washington, DC one winter when the area got hit by a massive snow storm followed by high winds (ain't that always the way it is?) and then a couple of weeks of subnormal temperatures. Everything was shut down and there was little in the grocery stores. However, that was a very unusual storm and no one was prepared for it. In MN we had numerous "storms" worse than that one. Life went on as usual. Why? People were prepared for it.

I'd have to say that the biggest "disasters" and "storms" are almost all man-made. Weather is pretty benign.

Christopher

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big fred

05-13-2008 14:48:08




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
My sentiments exactly, that's why I live near a volcano, and have my vacation/retirement home near a major earthquake faultline. Both near national forests, so I get the benefit of wildfires as well. But at least there's no tornadoes and I'm hundreds of feet above the floodplain!



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kyhayman

05-13-2008 14:38:32




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
While I dont live in Mississippi or some of the other areas where they strike we get them too. You just cant miss everything. I choose to live on a hill, knowing that the wind will get some things, even without a tornado. My thinking is flood is a far more frequent risk.

There are areas here that get hit harder and more frequently than others. I think it has something to do with the arrangement of the rivers. Where I live, we get much less wind damage than the other farm 7 miles away, and also get significantly less rain (like 8 in per year less on average)

To me, tornados are the least of the really bad natural disasters. Normally lots of warning on when conditions are right for them. Just go to the basement and make sure to keep your insurance paid up. What amazes me is seeing people who survive any of these disasters, are obviously ok though shaken up, and obviously have means to have adequate insurance all upset over stuff. I"m not depreciating people who suffer injury or death but the rest is just stuff. Buy plenty of insurance, and dont get overly attached to material things, think smart and plan for what disaster may strike your way and then roll with it. Maybe its just me but I dont get sentimental over things; land, maybe; people, definitely; but the rest is just stuff.

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cj in wisconsin

05-13-2008 14:25:10




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
I live in northern Wisconsin and we got nailed by an F3 borderline F4 in 2001, nearly wiped my little town off the map. it happens anywhere, you just pick up the pieces and move on. Everyone faces danger from nature just ask China and Myanmar (Burma).



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Kevin in OK

05-13-2008 13:42:12




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
Everybody else makes a good point already. Lots of places have their own threats, Hurricanes in the South/Southeast, heavy snows in the Northeast and Rockies, drought in the Southwest, and earthquakes on the West Coast. Here in the central part of the United States, it's tornadoes.

Really, they don't happen that often. Now is about the time that we get the most, but they can occur almost year round. When they do happen, USUALLY they aren't very big, meaning there is only a fairly small strip of damage where the twister came. And they don't generally hit the exact spot over and over (unless you live in Moore, OK. There is some sort of magnet there that naturally attracts any nearby twisters).

If you can get past the occasional twister (and the strong steady winds around here) it really isn't that bad of a place to live.

Kevin

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jamesinok

05-13-2008 12:42:34




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
Although, I am sitting in my office as we are in a tornado watch this afternoon. I have just finished reading about a tornado in Scotland that killed several people. A tornado can and does form any place in the world if conditions are right. That said, I know that as an insurance agent, I am sitting in the bullseye. If you draw line from Wichita Falls texas to Springfield Missouri. I am in the exact center. Has tornados touched my life, yes they have, but you continue forward understanding that as long as I walk the face of the earth, I face danger. So I just live withit and thank God that I am vertical and ventilating. Jamesinok

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Billy NY

05-13-2008 12:25:18




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
I've seen the results of 2 tornados in this area, first was a big swath cut out over off I-88 towards Cobleskill NY, late 80's real nasty storm, though the funnel size, duration and destruction was not like what you see further out west, anything that can fell trees and leave it looking like a giant lawnmower passed through is a serious force to reckon with. Lot of barns lost their roof's in that one.

10 years ago, May 31 1998 we had an all day prevailing southern wind, full of humidity, not too hot, but humid, another system or front collided with it, and the following thunderstorm was a real volatile one, high winds bending trees 1/2 over, and all the rest, about 10 miles north in Mechanicville and Stillwater NY, a tornado touched down, the damage was not as widespread as out west, but it wiped houses clean off the foundations, tossed vehicles around, cut a huge swath through the woods, tore a lot of roof's off, the goalie on our hockey team at the time lost his home and every bit of his equipment, some how we fitted him out to stay in the game.

Last year we had one that came close to the '98 storm, power was out just as long, the downdraft winds were isolated in a small area, it was a direct hit, you could tell the impending doom that day was going to be a direct hit too, does not happen often either, down the road, either direction, no wind damage at all, thing barreled right down the middle of our land, bent a lot of trees over.

Happens here too, matter of preference where one lives, if in a tornado prone area, I'd probably want a bunker installed and would keep my valued and irreplaceable items in there, so if my home got wiped out, items like these won't be lost.

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Mathias NY

05-13-2008 10:58:20




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
Good question. I've often wondered that myself. But when I get thinking about it, there are potential natural disasters everywhere. Most people are just not bothered by the disasters they are familar with.

Here in Upstate NY we have snow storms, ice storms, earthquakes, and nuclear power plants. All are potentially dangerous, but we have chosen to take the chance that it won't happen to us.



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Allan In NE

05-13-2008 10:49:52




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
I live in western Nebraska. Poverty strikes here on a regular basis. :>(

Allan



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Kent in KC

05-14-2008 09:41:09




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Allan In NE, 05-13-2008 10:49:52  
I know what you mean, Allen. Poverty struck my house ten years back and left the lawyer across the street unscathed. When I got divorced it took my boat, never to be seen again, and left that 20 year old truck that was right next to it.

Why, just last week I had another close call but managed to get to my poverty shelter just in time. When I came out the neighbors' battery had been sucked right out of his tractor!

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old

05-13-2008 10:35:52




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
Does not matter where you live if its your time it will get you and theres no running away from it. Tornado alley is sort of like the triangle out off the east coast. It there and thats about it. I have lived in tornado alley as it been called most of my life as did my mom and ya we have been hit a few times but so what. It can happen any place in the world ya maybe not a tornado but no matter where you are theres floods, earth quakes, hurricanes, or what ever else. Only safe to live if no place because there is something no matter where you live that can/will get you

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ScottyHOMEy

05-13-2008 10:17:16




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
I hear ya, but I'm not sure your argument, which works very well for flood plains and beach houses, can be extended to Tornado Alley. It's a big place, and only very rarely would two tornados follow the same path or strike the same spot. I'd expect the costs of cleanup and rebuilding in the wake of an entire season's worth of tornados is still far less than the same costs for a single bad hurricane sweeping across Florida (think Hugo or Andrew) as happens much more often. That said, I don't believe a suggestion to depopulate Florida wouldn't get very far.

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Mike (WA)

05-13-2008 10:15:08




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
Your question is a valid one for those in New Orleans who live below sea level, but not for tornados in the midwest. Tornados are completely random in their location, and your chances are probably about the same regardless of where you live in those states in "tornado alley". As for living in tornado alley at all, there are many reasons (family, employment, business opportunities, etc.) for staying which probably outweigh the dangers.

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pair-a-dice farms

05-13-2008 10:12:09




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
People believe anything the news show on TV. The news blow everything out of proportion. My family has lived in Arkansas since the early 1800's, none of my family has ever been injured or killed in a tornado. Part of the problem is people that have lived in other parts of the country are coming here and not taking the precautions that are necesary to avoid being hurt. I know personally of times when the news media has shown pictures that looked like total devistation and you could turn around and not know anything had happened. You are more likely to loose your home and life to a fire than to a tornado.

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paul

05-13-2008 10:05:24




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
Why do people live in California - earthquakes?

Why do people live in New Orleans - flooding?

Why do people live in the Carolina's - hurricanes?

Why do people live in the southwest - drought?

Why do people live in Minnesota - blizzards?

Seems like a silly question. People live where they live, what they are used to, what they want to do.

Everyplace has risks. Tornadoes are a pretty low risk. You hear of them, but looks like only 1% as many people die in tornadoes as die on our highways - do you have a car?????

Why do you take the risk of driving?

--->Paul

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farmermatt

05-13-2008 09:57:39




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
This question is one of the most rediculous Ive ever read here. I've lived in Kansas my entire life and have never suffered damage from a tornado. Im only 29 years old so I guess I havnt been around long enough you'll say. Well the house I live in is over 100 yrs old. My parents place is 120 yrs old. My grandmothers place down the road is 90 years old. Lots of storms have come and gone and many more will too.

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hay

05-13-2008 09:54:49




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
natural disaster can and do happen anywhere in the world. "tornado alley" is just a moniker for an area that seems to have more violent weather than some other areas. besides, the area can shrink or expand on changing weather patterns. if you live in an area without natural disasters of any kind, then you are very lucky indeed.



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Hoss in Me

05-13-2008 09:53:59




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
I feel for all in the area and hope all pull through. Hoss



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noncompos

05-13-2008 09:45:48




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
From a completely practical standpoint, the odds were vastly in your favor for many years, simply because there was an awful lot of area and relatively few people, thinly spread, together with what some weather professionals felt was a low-storm period...with the increase in population, and development, we now have much less "open space", and if this is coupled with an increasing number of storms, or the same number but more severe storms, we may have serious problems in the area...

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bradk

05-13-2008 09:45:17




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
Not nearly as bad as rebuilding a city situated below sea-level,but good point..... ..... ....



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Hoss in Me

05-13-2008 09:38:16




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
Nancy,I guess i cant understand why one would keep putting ones self in harms way. Thanks for the reply, Hoss



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JT

05-13-2008 09:57:33




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:38:16  
show me 1 place in the good old USA that is not an are where soemthing can happen. Jim



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Nancy Howell

05-13-2008 09:32:49




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 Re: Tornado Alley in reply to Hoss in Me, 05-13-2008 09:26:08  
There are natural disasters in virtually every part of the world. Farming is probably one of the most difficult professions. You"re always battling something - drought, too wet, too cold, late frost or freeze, too hot, insects, plant disease, etc., etc. IMHO - the real question is, do you have what it takes to pick yourself up after one or more of these things knocks you down and keep going?



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