Dave D
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
- Location
- Vancouver, B.C.
I hope everyone is as OK as is possible under the circumstances. I wish everyone well and I hope those who need it get as much help as possible quickly.
Dave
Dave
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US Tornados
- Thread starter Limy Sami
- Start date
- Replies 51
- Views 5,833
Patrick Black
Aluminum
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2007
- Location
- Middle Tennessee
I'm surprised they're talking about it on the other side of the Atlantic. Turn on CNN stateside and all they're talking about is Obama's birth certificate and the Royal Wedding. The weather channel and the locals are the only TV coverage we've seen. Seems the national channels can't be bothered much with such "trivia".
Had a small tornado rip up a bunch of trees a couple miles north of the house yesterday morning. Apparently had one go right over while we were having supper last night that touched down about ten miles east. I was out on the tractor ten minutes later digging a trench to drain the vegetable garden/lake. Pretty light up here in Middle TN compared to poor old Alabama. They got flattened.
Thanks for asking Sami
Pat Black
Had a small tornado rip up a bunch of trees a couple miles north of the house yesterday morning. Apparently had one go right over while we were having supper last night that touched down about ten miles east. I was out on the tractor ten minutes later digging a trench to drain the vegetable garden/lake. Pretty light up here in Middle TN compared to poor old Alabama. They got flattened.
Thanks for asking Sami
Pat Black
9100
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2004
- Location
- Webster Groves, MO
Around St. Louis, tornados are just a fact of life, but most of them have diameters measured in feet. They cut a channel of total destruction and leave the rest largely unscathed. One shown in amateur video on the news was a ---ing mile wide!! I'm reminded of a quote from Mark Twain, which I cannot remember exactly, but it amounted to that men sometimes think they are controlling the river, but in the end the river will show them who is boss. Despite our marvelous achievements, the weather is still running the show.
Bill
Bill
MachinistChest
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2008
- Location
- North Texas
Do to the jet stream being pushed north,Texas has been in drought conditions for the last five years.
Some time in early April the stream took a nose dive, and triggered electrical storms along the dry line just west of DFW They`re still fighting fires over there, fueled by the winds.
The winds coming up out of the gulf have been strong and constant. For days at a time they were 30-40 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH.
It`s still early in the tornado season.
AccuWeather.com - Weather News | Rain, Humidity to Help Put Out Texas Fires
Some time in early April the stream took a nose dive, and triggered electrical storms along the dry line just west of DFW They`re still fighting fires over there, fueled by the winds.
The winds coming up out of the gulf have been strong and constant. For days at a time they were 30-40 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH.
It`s still early in the tornado season.
AccuWeather.com - Weather News | Rain, Humidity to Help Put Out Texas Fires
Ox
Diamond
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2002
- Location
- West Unity, Ohio
Jet stream - North?
....and I would have said south. The South has had our winters for the last two yrs now. A yr ago Alabama was colder than we were, while it was about the same temp another 500 miles further north yet. And it was like that for some time.
This last winter didn't seem too much different either eh? Oklahoma was colder than we were.
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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
....and I would have said south. The South has had our winters for the last two yrs now. A yr ago Alabama was colder than we were, while it was about the same temp another 500 miles further north yet. And it was like that for some time.
This last winter didn't seem too much different either eh? Oklahoma was colder than we were.
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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
jim rozen
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
- Location
- peekskill, NY
Amazing stuff.
There's talk of "the next big crash" on one forum. But so far nobody's
mentioned climate change. Seems like paying a buck more a gallon for
gas is small potatos when it could be your entire town that got wiped
off the map.
There's talk of "the next big crash" on one forum. But so far nobody's
mentioned climate change. Seems like paying a buck more a gallon for
gas is small potatos when it could be your entire town that got wiped
off the map.
Limy Sami
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2007
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
Not ''having a pop'' at you here, but we're a small island nation,.. (I think the UK fits in to Texas twice + change)..... and are often accused of ''punching above our weight'' so we have always looked well beyond our shores because so much of what happens in the world can have an effect on us.
We have the BBC which probably has one of the least biased agendas of any media in the world.
FWIW Your presidents birth certificate mularky raised little more than a brief ripple over here, while the tornados, the subsequent loss of life and your Governments reactions to same, were making the hourly news on BBC radio 4 - (the national speech radio network)
And don't get me started on that adjectival wedding.
jim rozen
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
- Location
- peekskill, NY
What, is linsey lohan getting married?
Limy Sami
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2007
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
What, is linsey lohan getting married?
Linsey who??
Miguels244
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2011
- Location
- Denver, CO USA
Not to be cold but...
I wonder if, in keeping with the conservative, small government attitudes, the AL legislature and Governor will decline FEMA benefits?
As a net Fed dollar source I think I should not have to pay for a state that is a net dollar sink.
Well, first of all, let's go right to it. We're going to balance the budget. We should live within our own means, and we should read the bills and work with the American people.
Jeff Sessions
I wonder if, in keeping with the conservative, small government attitudes, the AL legislature and Governor will decline FEMA benefits?
As a net Fed dollar source I think I should not have to pay for a state that is a net dollar sink.
Well, first of all, let's go right to it. We're going to balance the budget. We should live within our own means, and we should read the bills and work with the American people.
Jeff Sessions
Mike C.
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2004
- Location
- Birmingham, AL
Went up to West Point, just west of Cullman, on a service call today with one of our electricians. Volunteer fire Department had two station generators out. One we got running instantly (seemed it probably lost natural gas pressure and crank timed itself out). Flipped it off and back on and it fired right off and ran. Second one ran fine, but the field coils were shorted to ground. Can't win 'em all. They have damage there, but only totally destroyed structure I saw was a mobile home. Nothing left but concrete steps and the floor 20yds away.
This was the first time I had been out and about since the storms. The damage is unike anything I have ever seen before. Typically in a tornado situation, you have a few discreet damage paths where the funnel tears up everything in it's path and no other damage, even a short distance away. Not the case this time. You can't go 1/2 mile in any direction without finding a streak of trees down, a roof blown off, a sign wadded up, etc... It's like there were hundreds of small undetected and unreported tornadoes everywhere. We went about 45 miles and it was this way the entire trip.
We came back through Cullman itself. We just glanced into the damaged area from several blocks off to avoid getting in the way. The closest thing I have seen to what the old downtown area looks like is WWII pics of Berlin and London after bombing raids. The 80yr old brick buildings there are just piles of rubble.
Hanceville is just south of Cullman. I had heard it reported that only 20% of the structures there were undamaged. I believe it. Almost every house, business or church in sight had the roof torn off or a tree through it. The buildings were still there, though.
Many areas have nothing but foundations left. If the tornado base stayed up high, it sheared of the trees and threw them on the structure or took off the roof, causing damage, but leaving the structure in place. If the base dropped to ground level, there is nothing left above ground. Tuscaloosa reports in-ground swimming pools pulled out. About 3/4 of the way though that video I posted is a railroad trestle that has been torn apart and thrown into a ravine. 40ft long sections with two parallel 36" deep I-beams and cross bracing pitched dozens of yards. Trussed trestle sections are just twisted and thrown in the creek bed. Never seen that kind of power before.
Will be going in other directions during the weekend and will report back as to what I see. The number of houses and businesses damaged is absolutely staggering.
Friend's daughter mentioned before came through the sugery, but is still very critical. One leg has regained feeling, but the other has not. We just keep hoping for the best.
This was the first time I had been out and about since the storms. The damage is unike anything I have ever seen before. Typically in a tornado situation, you have a few discreet damage paths where the funnel tears up everything in it's path and no other damage, even a short distance away. Not the case this time. You can't go 1/2 mile in any direction without finding a streak of trees down, a roof blown off, a sign wadded up, etc... It's like there were hundreds of small undetected and unreported tornadoes everywhere. We went about 45 miles and it was this way the entire trip.
We came back through Cullman itself. We just glanced into the damaged area from several blocks off to avoid getting in the way. The closest thing I have seen to what the old downtown area looks like is WWII pics of Berlin and London after bombing raids. The 80yr old brick buildings there are just piles of rubble.
Hanceville is just south of Cullman. I had heard it reported that only 20% of the structures there were undamaged. I believe it. Almost every house, business or church in sight had the roof torn off or a tree through it. The buildings were still there, though.
Many areas have nothing but foundations left. If the tornado base stayed up high, it sheared of the trees and threw them on the structure or took off the roof, causing damage, but leaving the structure in place. If the base dropped to ground level, there is nothing left above ground. Tuscaloosa reports in-ground swimming pools pulled out. About 3/4 of the way though that video I posted is a railroad trestle that has been torn apart and thrown into a ravine. 40ft long sections with two parallel 36" deep I-beams and cross bracing pitched dozens of yards. Trussed trestle sections are just twisted and thrown in the creek bed. Never seen that kind of power before.
Will be going in other directions during the weekend and will report back as to what I see. The number of houses and businesses damaged is absolutely staggering.
Friend's daughter mentioned before came through the sugery, but is still very critical. One leg has regained feeling, but the other has not. We just keep hoping for the best.
moonlight machine
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2007
- Location
- marysville ohio
Yup, must be that damn global warming, they haven't had so many tornado's since the 30's. Did they have global warming back then too? what a crock of sh.t. here in mid Ohio it is the wetest spring since the late 1800's, lets blame it on global warming too. When I was in HS the same bunch of bozos were all in to the next ice age!
Mike C.
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2004
- Location
- Birmingham, AL
Northeast side of Birminham is untouched for the most part. I saw one downed limb just around the curve from my house and nothing else out of place for 30 miles. Will be going down into the north side of town tomorrow evening. Will report back.
Mike C.
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2004
- Location
- Birmingham, AL
YouTube - B'ham Metro Tornado Damage Aerials Part 1
New video from the Birmingham area, northwest side of town. See other listed videos in the sidebar from 33/40 to see most of the heavily hit areas. The railcars in this video at 5:50 are the ones at USX Fairfield where my brother works.
Google map Masters Rd, Concord, AL to see where this video starts. Again, very distinct landmarks if you want to follow for before and after. Path is NE across Concord Highland Baptist Church. A friend said they were retrieving body parts from the trees in this area. This is blue collar working class neighborhoods. These areas were where the majority of USS Fairfield Works employees lived in Birmingham's industrial heyday.
New video from the Birmingham area, northwest side of town. See other listed videos in the sidebar from 33/40 to see most of the heavily hit areas. The railcars in this video at 5:50 are the ones at USX Fairfield where my brother works.
Google map Masters Rd, Concord, AL to see where this video starts. Again, very distinct landmarks if you want to follow for before and after. Path is NE across Concord Highland Baptist Church. A friend said they were retrieving body parts from the trees in this area. This is blue collar working class neighborhoods. These areas were where the majority of USS Fairfield Works employees lived in Birmingham's industrial heyday.
matt_isserstedt
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2003
- Location
- suburbs of Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Hey Mike, glad you're OK - have you talked to J. Sargent? I saw a couple pics of Tuscaloosa and knew it was BAD.
jim rozen
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
- Location
- peekskill, NY
MikeC, those videos are astounding. It's actually mind-numbing watching the
destruction spool by underneath the flight. Like the entire world's been
stuffed into a wok and stir-fried somehow.
Like you say, a few more of those things and the country's gonna be in trouble....
Stories here in the paper is that the water supplies for some of the towns are
disrupted so there's a boil water advisory - but there's no power in that area.
Hard to imagine what folks need the most right now.
I've never seen so many houses simply knocked off their foundations. It's astounding.
destruction spool by underneath the flight. Like the entire world's been
stuffed into a wok and stir-fried somehow.
Like you say, a few more of those things and the country's gonna be in trouble....
Stories here in the paper is that the water supplies for some of the towns are
disrupted so there's a boil water advisory - but there's no power in that area.
Hard to imagine what folks need the most right now.
I've never seen so many houses simply knocked off their foundations. It's astounding.
rivett608
Diamond
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2002
- Location
- Kansas City, Mo.
Thanks Mike C......... I have watched these for a hour and I just don't have the words.
lin842
Aluminum
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2008
- Location
- Richmond Va
I have always been amazed at how these storms can pick and choose what to destroy and what to leave standing. I built my house in the woods and there are some big oak trees on three sides of it. I cleaned out most all the trees in the back yard and left just 3 or 4 in several areas that stretched out over about an ac. The hurricane we had several years ago took out all of the really big pine trees that were left and a storm last week cleaned out the rest. The hurricane just laid them over with the root ball pulled out of the ground. The storm last week gave the rest of them a hair cut, or I should say a crew cut because it took everything and all that was left was a 15 or 20 foot nub left standing. The funny thing is it took everything away, no clean up required, LOL and one was about 20 ft from the corner of the house. I looked all around in the woods everywhere for the tops of the trees but they were nowhere to be found. The only thing it did to the house was remove 4 or 5 shingles from different parts of the roof and hauled off one plastic chair we had sitting at a table in the yard. It left the other three chairs, the table and umbrella that was mounted in the middle of the table.
Porschefix
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2009
- Location
- Bluff Dale
I am also an independant insurance adjuster and we are slammed, I started in Vilonia Arkansas three days ago and am working east, in Tennessee now for a few days and will be heading Alabama way soon. The damage is unheard of and certainly unprecedented on this scale. Maybe see ya there Mike C. This is the first time I have had to look at PM in almost a week, might be another week or two or three b4 Im back, operating on almost no sleep. God Bless you all and good luck.
