Severe Weather

[cartman]

The tornado was reportedly TWO miles wide.

http://kfor.com/2013/05/19/weather-t...-across-state/

[Logan]

I saw this on Twitter. Unbelievable.

[GoldenEagle]

Wow. Speechless.

[Matthean]

8+ minute video

VIDEO: Tornado wipes out homes, schools, businesses in Moore | KFOR.com

[Lathum]

My goodness. Weather channel reporting some kids in school didn't make it. Horrible

[MrBug708]

Why would anyone live in Oklahoma? This is crazy

[Dutch]

Man, that video is just too hard to watch...

[JonInMiddleGA]

The reports from one of the local stations about the death toll are ... heartbreaking is the only word I can think of.

Barring something in the realm of a miracle, I fear this may be very very bad.

[Easy Mac]

I'm sure the power will go out in Williamsburg for 30 minutes and media and celebrities will raise massive funds for those affected by the blackout within an out.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

The reports from one of the local stations about the death toll are ... heartbreaking is the only word I can think of.

Barring something in the realm of a miracle, I fear this may be very very bad.

I hope that report turns out to be false.

[Thomkal]

A bright moment from a terrible day:

Woman Finds Missing Dog in Oklahoma Tornado Rubble [VIDEO]

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

A bright moment from a terrible day:

Woman Finds Missing Dog in Oklahoma Tornado Rubble [VIDEO]

That just made me cry.

[Butter]

Good job on the death toll reports last night, dipshits.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Good job on the death toll reports last night, dipshits.

Ya, it used to be that the initial confirmed death toll would be low and then it would slowly grow as more information came out. I remember very early on 9/11 a news report actually reporting "2 confirmed dead" (I guess people outside who were killed by debris.) Today, they would have estimated the number of people in the towers at the time and reported 40,000 dead. Same deal with the Boston Marathon, early death toll numbers quickly reduced. I guess its for web traffic reasons.

Still sucks though of course, especially the kids and all the survivors who have lost their sense of security in their homes.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Hard to ding the media on this one I think.

After all, the 51 figure was given to them by the state medical examiner's office, about as official as you're going to get in a situation like this.

The miscount seems to have occurred with the officials (who double counted a lot of victims apparently), not sure how the media could have prevented that.

[cartman]

Some schools in the greater DFW area are closing early today, due to the threat of storms like the ones that hit OKC yesterday hitting the area this afternoon.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/education/N...208332441.html

Here's what the risk area looks like (spoilered due to size):

Spoiler

[GoldenEagle]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

A bright moment from a terrible day:

Woman Finds Missing Dog in Oklahoma Tornado Rubble [VIDEO]

That is awesome.

But the reporter is a dipshit. First she asks the lady are you able to comprehended what happened and then does not even help the lady get the dog out from the debris.

[molson]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Hard to ding the media on this one I think.

After all, the 51 figure was given to them by the state medical examiner's office, about as official as you're going to get in a situation like this.

The miscount seems to have occurred with the officials (who double counted a lot of victims apparently), not sure how the media could have prevented that.

The other thing I saw cited was "communication problems" and the lack of consistent cell phone coverage. Which sounds like the kind of thing that, maybe if you wait a few hours, you can be accurate, if not first.

[GoldenEagle]

Closing schools are a really good idea. A few years ago, a tornado hit the school I went to. It was nothing like this, but the school system did let out early to get everyone out. People questioned it at the time, but everyone turned out grateful.

The bottom line is people are going to die in a storm like this. But get the kids out of the school so you don't have a bunch of them in one concentrated area.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by molson

The other thing I saw cited was "communication problems" and the lack of consistent cell phone coverage. Which sounds like the kind of thing that, maybe if you wait a few hours, you can be accurate, if not first.

But that waiting, in this case, should have then fallen on the state officials.

What do you suggest, that the media simply ignore what they're told on the record by a high ranking state official who is one of the few people who should actually know the accurate number at that point?

It's not like this came from the aide to the assistant to the chief of staff of the Lt. Governor or something, it was from the state chief medical examiner's office (who presumably outranks the local M.E. in some fashion).

[molson]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

But that waiting, in this case, should have then fallen on the state officials.

What do you suggest, that the media simply ignore what they're told on the record by a high ranking state official who is one of the few people who should actually know the accurate number at that point?

It's not like this came from the aide to the assistant to the chief of staff of the Lt. Governor or something, it was from the state chief medical examiner's office (who presumably outranks the local M.E. in some fashion).

CNN reported "91 confirmed dead" at one point last night. They went double over what the medical examiner (apparently) reported. Maybe the medical examiner counted everyone twice, and then CNN reported everyone twice again (or maybe the medical examiner counted every victim three times). The medical examiner obviously screwed up too, since they have a media function in an emergency situation. But today, they're just saying that communication was bad and it was "chaos". Which tells me that they weren't ready yet to "confirm" dead, but did anyway, for whatever reason.

It's good news that the death toll is lower, of course. But people rely on this shit, they rely on accurate reporting, both before and after the tornado. When people are reckless like this, it ultimately becomes a part of conspiracy theories too, which are just a pain in the ass more than anything. "Confirmed dead" should be a pretty easy number to nail down, even if it takes a while. Maybe they should call them "speculated dead" if they're in such a hurry.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by molson

CNN reported "91 confirmed dead" at one point last night.

Reuters & a lot of people had that same 91 figure. Here's the sourcing

"The official death toll from the tornado that swept through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore is expected to rise to 91 from 51, the Oklahoma medical examiner's office said early on Tuesday.

And with a little help from The Blaze I even found the exact source

UPDATE 12:53 a.m. — Amy Elliot, the chief administrative officer of the Oklahoma office of the Chief Medical Examiner, told CNN’s Piers Morgan that 40 additional bodies have been discovered — bringing the death toll to at least 91. Elliot said she still expects even more casualties. The official death toll remains at 51.

edit to add: As a reporter, I don't think I'd have thought anything amiss if that word came from the CAO, given the hour & all, rather than in a full blown press conference with the CME.

[cartman]

The Weather Channel's website is just crawling today.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by cartman

The Weather Channel's website is just crawling today.

Noticed that earlier too.

[GoldenEagle]

I never visit TWC.com anymore. It has become to bloated with ads and stories that having nothing to do with weather.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

My God... The woman in this photo...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by M GO BLUE!!!

My God... The woman in this photo...

Somewhere I saw her referenced as a teacher at the school, dunno if that's accurate or not though.

[Desnudo]

[QUOTE[I[/i]=M GO BLUE!!!;2825136]My God... The woman in this photo...

[/quote]

Not to belittle her situation, but I'm glad she was able to hold on to her giant handbag while saving the child. Made me chuckle.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

Not to belittle her situation, but I'm glad she was able to hold on to her giant handbag while saving the child. Made me chuckle.

I know, why would she want to cling to the only possession she has left...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Impressive stuff. Kid was smart enough to take a video with his cell phone out of a small opening in the storm shelter (unlike some of these idiots that are walking around taking video). Gives a pretty good idea of how quickly things go to hell, though they were at least lucky enough to be on the outer edge of the vortex.



Okla. men get video of deadly tornado overhead - Yahoo! News

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I'm glad she was able to hold on to her giant handbag while saving the child.

Maybe it anchored her to the ground

[Thomkal]

Tornadoes are hitting Oklahoma again-the biggest one currently moving towards Oklahoma City, maybe Moore again which would just be horrible. One of the tornado chaser vehicles from the Weather Channel tried to outrun it and failed-got hit and tossed 200 feet or so-the meterologist Mike Bettes was slightly injured, others in the crew too.

[Thomkal]

Tornado on the ground in South Oklahoma City it looks like

[Thomkal]

Tornado moving into Moore

[Eaglesfan27]

Following it on Wunderground.... terrible stuff.

[MizzouRah]

We just came upstairs.. tornado warnings just ended.

[murrayyyyy]

Looks like St Louis is next

[JonInMiddleGA]

I just realized that the Women's College World Series is in OkC this weekend. Lady Vols had been hunkered down in a parking garage at the hotel, were cleared to go back to their rooms & then minutes later have been told to return to the garage. Knox News-Sentinel reporters is in a "bunker" at the Marriott across the street from the team.

[JonInMiddleGA]

You St. Louis folks duck & cover for a bit, m'kay

[panerd]

I've have never been a big basement person but with Moore a few weeks ago, a new baby, and a really screwed up sky I think we might be downstairs all night. Plus we have directv so we can't get any good coverage.

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I just realized that the Women's College World Series is in OkC this weekend. Lady Vols had been hunkered down in a parking garage at the hotel, were cleared to go back to their rooms & then minutes later have been told to return to the garage. Knox News-Sentinel reporters is in a "bunker" at the Marriott across the street from the team.

Not only is the WCWS going on, but there are three huge girls fastpitch tournaments going on as well (ASA, USSSA, Triple Crown). By my estimations, there are probably no less than 500 teams down there. My daughter is texting like crazy to her friends and teammates that are down there.

[cougarfreak]

Jesus , everybody hunker down and stay safe. A lot of my family lives in St. Louis.

[cartman]

Here's some footage from one of the storm chasers that had a close encounter with the OKC tornado last night.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by cartman

Here's some footage from one of the storm chasers that had a close encounter with the OKC tornado last night.

How long before somebody just live streams and drives themselves right into the center of one?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by rowech

How long before somebody just live streams and drives themselves right into the center of one?

Just a matter of maintaining a good signal in the right vehicle.

[CleBrownsfan]

What the hell broke the windshield? Looks like a damn car that got picked up and thrown at the car driving!

Crazy kids...

[cartman]

A veteran storm chaser and his son were two of the victims of the El Reno tornado on Friday.

7NEWS - Colorado storm chaser Tim Samaras killed in Oklahoma tornado along with son, longtime partner - Local Story

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by cartman

A veteran storm chaser and his son were two of the victims of the El Reno tornado on Friday.

7NEWS - Colorado storm chaser Tim Samaras killed in Oklahoma tornado along with son, longtime partner - Local Story

That's sad. From what I recall from the show he was one of the more cautious guys out there and he was stormchasing for all the right reasons.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Logan

I saw this on Twitter. Unbelievable.

That´s insane

[whomario]

Germany as well as neighbouring countries (Czech Republic, Austria f.e.) is getting flooded btw from heavy rains and melt water making the rivers go to record levels, whole towns going essentially under water and doing their very own Venice impression My former place of residence is also going under as of now. (where i now live there´s no big rivers plus great weather)











couple million people with no electricity or running water.