HomeStories submitted may be published elsewher
HomeA reminder that March 29th marks the F4/F5 tornado that ripped through St. Peter, MN two years ago in 1998. On this day, we shall all bow our heads and remember how little we are on this earth.
Hi, We just wanted to send out thoughts and prayers to the victims and families of the Valentine Tornado. We live approximately 1 1/2 miles from where one of the four tornados touched down in Georgia. I have two wonderful boys and could not imagine loosing one of them. If you didn't know, there were 7 people who died from this in Grady County. Ages ranging from 6mths. to ninety. God be with all of you in this time of suffering and recovering.
i think that it is very sad.Some people take tornadoes as a joke . i think it's because they don't have any idea what tornadoes are like.
As a survivor of the May 3rd tornado in Oklahoma City, I wish you and your loved ones everything Life can give you and that the People of your State know what hardship is as well as our. I we stick together and help Man to Man Woman to Woman and Child to Child, and love one another, you
God bless everyone injured and everyone who's life or life of a loved one as been taken. Sarah age 12
Name: Sudawan
Email : sweetsudie@hotmail.com
Date: 03 Mar 2000
Time: 17:54:33
Remote User:
In reviewing your site it reignited a desire in me to study more about tornadoes. Your graphics are very clever too. I was very intrigued with the "F" scale;where you measure the damage that a tornado does. I wasn't aware of the destruction a tornado can inflict. It really brings me back to reality, how small we really are and how precious life is. I enjoyed the survior stories and the pictures that went along with it. Living in the centeral valley, in California, we get tornado warnings but that's all that it mounts to. I would like to witness one but from a safe distance. Tornadoes are very powerful and very dangerous, I believe that is why they are so intresting. Thank for all the knowledge I have acquired from this site. It is truly and excellent site.
Cordially,
Sudawan , Visalia CA.
Name: Kathy Wells
Email : goergejr@yahoo.com
Date: 02 Mar 2000
Time: 16:27:49
Remote User:
I really like this site because I have always been fasicnated by weather, ecspecially tornadoes. And ever since I saw a tornado I have been even more fasicnated. My friends call me the weather freak. While they like to go inside while there is a storm, I wish I could be outside chasing the storm.
Name: Jason Thomas
Email :
Date: 25 Feb 2000
Time: 00:13:18
Remote User:
I think that this site is pretty cool. I have one suggestion though, I think you could probably put more pics on here. Once you do that, it will be awesome!
Name: Laureen
Email : otelco.net
Date: 18 Feb 2000
Time: 03:01:40
Remote User:
I love your website! I'm really fasinated with tornadoes and the pictures on here are amazing. Even though I'm fasinated with tornadoes I'm terrified of them. I've never been in a tornado and I hope I never am. I have heard some horror stories about tornadoes and I feel sorry for all the people who have been through a tornado. Lauren :)
Name: Michael
Date: 16 Feb 2000
Time: 06:33:50
Remote User:
I hope you can a little bit german. Die Qualität der Bilder sind sehr schlecht!!
Name: DAVID
Date: 26 Jan 2000
Time: 19:29:26
Remote User:
My name is David Criswell, my family-cousins, uncles, brother, and grandparents- are all survivors of the last tornado that hit Oklahoma, May 3rd, 1999. It was terrible, my grandparents and uncles houses were both destroyed. They were lucky to survive. The state gave them a new house and some vehicles to get them going again. When I last went to see them, I noticed how much space there was in Moore, Ok. Apartment buildings that I use to live in weren't there anymore, I don't remember the name of the complex but I do remember that it was down the street from 27th and Shields. I just can't imagine what is going to happen to all the residents of these buildings, a lot of families don't get along very well, but I think in circumstances like these, there's nothing one can do about it.
Name: Jessica
Date: 04 Dec 1999
Time: 20:05:14
Remote User:
I;'m 13 years old from australia and i used this site to do a project. Thanks so much for all your help. Your website had great pictures, and i liked the survivors stories. I think you should make a book out of all the survivors stories.
Jessica
Name: Victoria
Email : none
Date: 19 Nov 1999
Time: 10:24:34
Remote User:
I live in scotland, i have never seen a tornado in real life i have seen them on the telly and i know what they ca do. I have think that tornados are amazing and they fasenate me, i don't know what it is about them that makes so intrested in them. There was a torndao in Brimgham last year (1998) but that was only a F2. We do get alot of tornadoes over hear but they are mostly all in the country side and do not do any damage. Iam planning to move to America when i am older so i am trying to find out as much information as i can about them and were they are most likley to hit I still think that they are fasenating things but they ae also very dangours. The informaion that i have read so far has been very useful to me and the pics are so amazing. As i said earlier on i would like to move to America and i known about torndo ally but i am not quite sure where it is so i still need to find this out. Thanks for all the information it has been very useful.
Name: Amy
Date: 20 Aug 1999
Time: 20:10:22
Remote User:
My home, my parents home, and grandparents' homes were all hit by an upper level F-3 tornado on the night of January 1, 1999. We lived in southeast Texas and our homes were in a rural area. My parents had a very well built 40 year old brick home that was demolished completely by the tornado. Luckily, they were the only ones home at the time and received minor injuries. I lived in a double wide mobile home and those of us in my home were not so lucky. Our home was picked up and shredded as if it went through a paper shredder. My 2 year old daughter was asleep in her bed. It was about 11:45 when we were hit. One of my brothers and one of my sisters were asleep on our couch and loveseat. I was sitting in my bed and my husband had just closed our bedroom door when he felt a tremendous pressure build up. He saw the window behind our bed explode and saw me sucked out of the window. Thankfully, I do not remember any of that. He closed his eyes and felt our house get picked up and the two halves came apart and were beat against each other until there was nothing left. He remembers slamming into the ground with one side of his body and his face. He thought that I had to be dead and that everyone else probably was also. But after a few seconds he knew he had to find us. He found my daughter kneeling in the field with a circle of debris around her but nothing touching her. She was crying but not seriously hurt. During all this time the weather was still terrible. It was raining heavily and hailing, so we were all at risk for hypothermia. He picked up our daughter and found me next. He said I was kneeling on all fours. When he told me we had to get out of the weather, I told him that I thought my leg was broken. He told me that our daughter was fine and that he would go get help. Shortly after that, my little sister found him and my daughter and so they all headed in the direction of my parents home. They didn't know that there was no house to go to. When they reached the driveway they found my parents and grandfather. After getting my husband, daughter, and sister into my grandmother's home, my father, grandfather, oldest brother, and one of his friends went to find me and my little brother. They said that for the first time in their lives, they were praying for lightning so that they could find us amongst all of the debris. Amazingly, they found us and we were all transported to the hospital. My daughter sustained only minor injuries and didn't have to be admitted. My sister had a fractured spleen and was kept in I.C.U. for several days. My brother had a serious cut on his foot, had a bad cuncussion, and one of his legs had a fracture in the femur bone that was broken clean through. My husband's eye was badly damaged. The bone that supports the eye had been turned to powder when he hit the ground with the side of his face. Something had gone completely through the lower part of his leg. I sustained a broken neck, three broken ribs, a puntured/collapsed lung, a broken shoulder blade, broken hand, cracked pelvis, and one of my legs had two fractures in the femur that went all the way through the bone. We were all very lucky that we survived and that we all healed quickly. It was found later that my sister, daughter, and husband had been thrown about 85 yards. My brother and I were thrown 110 yards. One of our bathtubs was found in someone's backyard about a mile and a half away. Pictures and pieces of vinyl siding were found about 15 miles away. There were checks under the bed I was laying on that were found about 70 miles away after another tornado came down in another town. The whole ordeal just doesn't seem like it could even be real. I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. Our physical injuries may be healed or almost healed, but the mental trauma will never go away. It has taught all of us to never take anything for granted because you never know when it could all be blown apart, literally.
Name: Crystal
Date: 09 Aug 1999
Time: 02:58:11
Remote User:
Want I Think about Tornadoes, I think there wonderful, I love tornadoes, I sometimes study, I know a little about them, but there beautiful,. They are very desturctive and kill people but that's apart of nature and I guess we all have to live with it. But I love your web site, and I love reading about them.
Thank you.
Name: Tracy
Date: 29 May 1999
Time: 22:41:11
Remote User:
I actually have a question. Do tornadoes occur in Montana? If they do in what parts of the state? I have watched many documentaries on tornadoes and I cannot see how people can live in an area where there entire existence can be wiped out in seconds. I know I live in California where there are earthquakes but how often do earthquakes happen. The only ones that I can remember are little nothings. The only other one that I remember is the one that hit San Francisco within the last decade or so. Other than that I hear about tornadoes more. What actually makes a tornado so powerful? I enjoy watching them on tv but I would hate to chase them or be directly involved with them in anyway. Thanks for your time.
Name: Denise
Date: 12 Apr 1999
Time: 15:29:07
Remote User:
I am really interested in tornados and how they form. I also would like information on storm chasing. I have an informative speech to present and my topic is tornados. I have been obsessed with tornados since I experienced one as a child. One day, I hope to be able to join in on a storm chase with the experts.
Name: Danielle
Email :
Date: 05 Apr 1999
Time: 05:45:06
Remote User:
I've actually never had a tornado experience, but I hope to study tornadoes and their effects on the Earth in colledge/University. I've always loved storms and how that one day there can be perfectly normal weather and the next black , Dark, and dreary. I know others have different opinions towards them, but this is mine and I don't like any hard feelings from others.
Name: Julia
Date: 13 Mar 1999
Time: 22:22:39
Remote User:
This is a great site. I spent atleast about 2 hours on here. I'm only 13, but I have my plans made out for the future. I plan to become a meteorologist and specialize in tornado chasing. Tornadoes absolutly fascinate me. Unfortunatly, I have never really been in a tornado. I've been in horrible storms that have produced tornadoes, but never have seen or experienced one. Great job on this site!
Name: Ashley
Date: 12 Mar 1999
Time: 23:11:01
Remote User:
I enjoyed your site very much. Im 13 years old and plan on becoming a Tornado chaser very soon. I know most everything there is about Tornadoes. My Obsession began when I was 7. I hope to find some interesting Tornadoes and maybe help prevent the deaths of many. They can be scary but they can also be fun to watch! Thanks
Name: Ivy
Email : N/A
Date: 12 Mar 1999
Time: 08:54:12
Remote User:
I think this is a great website. The survivor stories are really cool and I actually have two of my own! However, I think some of those stories are terribly exaggerated or completely made up. Tornadoes ARE NOT a joke, they hurt, devastate, and kill! I know one person who is so deathly afraid of tornadoes that she passes out at the sound of a long, ongoing siren whistle, even if it's not a tornadoe siren.....and that' s no lie or joke! When she was 11, her Dad tried to outrun a tornado with the car....well it struck the car and demolished it. The mom and dad were killed and the 3 kids were all laying at 1/4 mile apart from each. Thankfully, they all lived..but, had no parents! Also, I was born in Lawton OK in 1977. I was 3 days old when a tornado (f3) struck our area of town. My mom and I were the only ones at home and we went into the bathtub and she covered us with a twin size bed mattress. Our bathroom, hallway, pantry, and one bedroom were all left standing; everyother room was demolished. Now I live in ND; where tornadoes are common, but usually not as deadly. I saw about 3 this last summer and I can remember being at work at the nursing home when 7 tornadoes where within 2 miles of our small town. Our nursing home is on the 2nd level of the building and in between warnings, we had to move all of the residents to the main floor of the building. Only 2 of the tornadoes touched down in our town, but they were very small with little or no damage involved. Thank you for such a great website. I'll check back now and then to see what's new.
Name: Lorena
Date: 07 Mar 1999
Time: 13:20:37
Remote User:
Hola: *Me encantan los tornados desde siempre y me gustaría que me mandarais información en Español, se muy poco acerca de ellos. Gracias
Apodo: Lorens
Name: Roland Tellier
Email : telstar@ncia.net
Date: 06 Mar 1999
Time: 01:16:21
Remote User:
I don't know where this is going, but . . .
I have been watching the weather trends for years, now. Up here in northern NH, I have watched the weather change over the course of 45 years, or so. When I was a boy, every winter was basically, cold and/or snowy. In the Winter of 68/69, we got 269 inches of snow. Since then, the Winters have been more and more eratic. Last winter we got the ice storm which destroyed every tree in this area. The dead, limbless trees are now falling over with the wind from increasing wind-storms. This winter, I call, "the winter of rain and ice". The ice caps are melting. The coral reefs are dying. The oceans are being fished out or the life in them is dying from polution. The Pacific coast has been battered by one storm after another all winter. What is coming, once the Northern Hemisphere WARMS UP??
I have done some calculations and would like to see the figures crunched by someone more capable than myself.
The year 1995 saw the world consume 376,000,000,000,000,000 (376 quadrillion) Btu's of energy, Assuming that to be 1/10 of mankind's energy release, (add to that fires, bombs, war, friction, fireworks, destrucion of solar reflecting acreage into solar absorbing acreage), we are now increasing the energy storage in the atmosphere by 3 quintillion Btu's or so, annually. If we factor in the extended history of mankind's use and waste of energy in just the past 2,000 years, I estimate that we have added about 3 sextillion Btu's to the Earth's atmosphere. One Btu is the energy required to heat one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. Considering how rarefied the Earth's Atmosphere is compared to water, it is easy to see that that amount of energy has to go somewhere, but it can't escape into space because the Earth is bathed in the Sun's energy output by day, and it is increasingly trapped by Greenhouse Gasses by night.
Is there any wonder that storms are increasing? Storms are the result of energy in the atmosphere. This energy theoretically is at a balance with the level of solar energy in which it is bathed, and should maintain stasis. However our energy release is in excess to the solar gain.
Nor can that energy be absorbed by the mass of the Earth, which is warmed internally by the Earth's molten liquid layer. That heat is becoming trapped, as the atmosphere to which it contributes energy gets warmer.
Tornado season is considered to run from approximately April to June. This January the record for tornados, which has been boken repeatedly in the past decade or so more than tripled the previous record. We are on a logarithmic upward curve for disastrous storm frequency and intensity. As we push forward in time on that curve, more and more people should statistically recognize the curve we are on.
I could not count the number of times the meteorologists on The Weather Channel have used the expressions, "amazing, wild, dangerous, record-breaking", etc., this winter. The average person is recognizing it, increasingly. And so are all those scientists and other observers in between.
But no-one wants to cut back on their waste. Not as long as those with money seek to increase their money be raping the Earth.
I predict several things.
First, that man will continue his energy consuption at the current 10% increase annually, and that the increse should steepen as more countries vie for "prosperity" such as ourss.
Second, that since Neuton cannot be violated, that that energy will continue to be absorbed and amassedby the Earth's atmosphere, which will continually warm up.
Third, that people will ignore, for as long as possible, the danger because people are mis-educated about exactly what global- warming IS, in the first place. Most people think that the Earth will become a nicer place to live on and that it will take hundreds of years to warm up to the danger level, and that by then we will be able to solve the problem! The temperature rise is not the problem; the increase of ENERGY, which causes the temperature to rise IS the problem; energy to cause floods, tornados, hurricanes, ice-storms, the spread of tropical diseases, the rise in oceanic levels, and the increasingly intrusive storm surges and waves is just the beginning of the problems global-warming will bring. The social upheavels wrought by these and other factors, such as famines brought on by shifts of weather patterns is the next level. The third, and final step will be the problems brought on as these disasters hit constantly.Our disater preparedness depends on outside sources coming to the aid of affected areas. A saturation point will be reached when each devastated area will be forced to fend for itself. This frequency everywhere will finally break down society back to a primitive level.
Perhaps, then, people will stop their wasteful, repetitive, competitive ways. They will have no choice.
I think that we have a history of turning the deaf ear to the warnings. We failed to hear the direction of people in the 1960's who advocated an Earth-Friendly life style encompassing, for instance, cutting back on waste and developing solar power tech- nology. We failed to heed the warning bell in 1973 when The league of oil producing and exporting countries cut back on the tap for more money. What did we do as a nation? We constructed the Alaskan oil pipeline, loading supertanker after supertanker full of oil for the "lower 48" and culminating in the Exxon Valdez disaster, among other not so well-publicized ones.
We developed the monstous nuclear power industry and the humungous stockpiles of nuclear waste.
We went full tilt into constructing natural gas and lpg lines all over the country to TRY to satisfy our need for energy. currently there are about 30 to 40 pipline projects in North America under construction. One of those projects has stripped thousands of acres here, in Northern NH. What does this portend as to future energy consumption?
We failed to slow down after the Gulf War and the burning of Kuwait's oil fields.
And now, with the price of fuel so low that some folks think nothing of leaving their engines running, while they spend time visiting with friends. So-called, "snow machines" devastate the wilderness, and houses on wheels (motor-homes) ply our nations highways and byways, towing the family limo behind, at highway speeds with their totally un-streamlined profiles.
And now Ford Motor company proudly rolls out their massive SUV, the "Excursion", at 6,500 pounds, 19 feet long and guzzling 11 to 12 mpg.
And no-one, "wants to hear it".
These factors, and many more remind me of a passage in the Bible at Revelation 11:8 - "The time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth".
And if that wouldn't come true, than the expression of a friend of mine coms to mind - "Don't forget, Mother Nature always bats last".
I don't know why I put all this in an e-mail. Perhaps because I'm hoping that my words will merge with someone elses', and they with others still until there can be a network fo people like me nad many others who can stand up and stop this up-coming mayhem.
But then again, maybe not.
Roland Tellier Randolph, NH telstar@ncia.net
Name: Naeem
Date: 04 Mar 1999
Time: 03:12:53
Remote User:
Just thought I meantion thank you for sharing the photos and information about tornadoes on your site and it was informative and interesting reading about the people's experience who survived to tell about thier stories and others.
Name: Naeem
Date: 03 Mar 1999
Time: 18:00:13
Remote User:
Although I have never experienced a tornadoe nor quite excited about meeting one I would like to say they represent a major force in nature that most people in thier sane mind would like to avoid.I have heard a tornadoe sounds like a train noise when coming close and they range from 30-40 MPh to F1 starting at 70 Mph and can go upto 150 MPH while ranging in diameter size up to one mile which can have a force of wind spinning upto 250MPH.The reason they are caused is due to cold and hot mass of air in clouds over each other in opposite directions causing a vortex or spin while they collide in the upper atmosphere they can cause lightning also some are referred to as chandlier type giving multi boosts of lightning zaps everywhere.They can pick up 20 ton trailers and toss them 100 meters or so and send large tree hurling like arrows depending on thier strength a good distance.They create devastation of what ever may lie in thier path.That the United States has approximately 1000 tornoadoes every year. Some find it a joke but I think one would easily change thier opinion if ever caught in its path.In India I read in the news where a tornadoe devastated some 70 villages in its path a lot more then one would think watching a twister movie.I respect nature and like it but prefer keeping my distance and respect its force and feel sorry for those that get hurt or may because they don't understand thats its not some game but people actually get hurt and die with loss of life and thier whole lives work building at times
Name: Donna Starkey
Email : galstar@cyberback.com
Date: 03 Mar 1999
Time: 05:50:10
Remote User:
I love your site, but was hoping to find more information about the kind of destruction a tornado can cause for my daughter's English class. The pictures were great. I live in Arkansas and used to live in Texas and Okalahoma and have seen some of these first hand. The first was in 1962 while standing out in my front yard. I could see the tornado two blocks away. It was awesome. I
Name: Tim Howe
Email : thow@loc.gov
Date: 09 Dec 1998
Time: 21:30:35
Remote User:
Niki and Justin:
Hi! This is Niki's Uncle Tim.
What can I say? Well done!
Very proud of you, Niki. I might be able to get you some waterspout images. Lill has about another year to go in the Florida Keys for her Master's degree. She's seen a few `spouts at a distance, but never had a camera handy. Apparently they are fairly common around the Middle Keys. We've got her a camera at her lab, so now she can dash out and get a few shots before taking cover. Actually, they are usually too far out at sea to worry about, and her boats are always tied up long before any develop, so she's never been very close to one, thank goodness! The lab is very low on the water and they have to keep a close eye on the weather.
If you're interested in seeing her research station's website, I'll find the URL for you. Or, if you want to search for it, use your favorite search engine for Pigeon Key Marine Research Center. That should turn it up pretty quickly.
Again, good job! I learned a lot, especially about safety, in the How To Save Your Life section.
Name: Laura
Email :
Date: 08 Dec 1998
Time: 17:27:53
Remote User:
I am a person who loves storms. When I was yonger I saw a tornado (vortex) We were out camping and it got very dark out(remind you this is in the middel of the day) the wind picked up and the rain came down very hard you could not even see the campsite next to us. Then all of a sudden it stoped no wind no rain just quiet. I thought I heard a trian my father said there were trian tracks in front of the park behind the trees. I walked out side of the camper and looked up and there I saw the wall colud and then the tornado(funnel) rotating. I prayed it would not land on us it continued to move northeast and landed a hafe mile away from us.
Name: DW
Date: 5/12/98
Time: 12:58:14 AM
Remote User:
I really enjoyed the photo gallery and am trying to learn more about the terrifying tornados that have been a part of my life. I was in the Andover Ks area in 1986(?) when the tornado that hit there wiped out a trailer court. I have been afraid of traveling during this time of year since then. I would like to know more about how the clouds look prior to tornado activity. The survivor stories are interesting. Thank You for your site
Name: Jason
Date: 4/20/98
Time: 9:14:37 PM
Remote User:
Hello, I live in York County Pennsylvania. Just the other day we had a severe thunderstorm. There was no tornado watch or anything, but it was reported that there was a tornado. The twister was said to have been in the Stewartstown area which is where I live. It happened around 5:30 pm and the fire department sounded their alarm. I was sitting on my deck watching the clouds, listening to the thunder echo across the sky for miles, and watching the lightning (weather has always fascinated me). I saw the clouds moving in a circular motion, which I've never seen before. I looked up how tornadoes form on the web and it showed a diagram of the starting rotational updraft, which comes down from the sky and rotates counterclockwise back up. Now, there seemed to be this huge circular opening in the clouds and in it were a few smaller clouds rotating down to the ground and back up counterclockwise. So my question, was this what they could have been talking about?
Just something else I thought was cool. We live in a mobile home so we left and went to a neighbors house. As we got in the car you could see the rain coming across the field in front of my house. It looked as if there was hail, so we hurried into the car as the rain got to us we saw 1/2" maybe bigger hail balls hitting our windshield. Our car suffered a few small dents no bigger than a pencil lead. Hail is another sign for possible tornado formation, it is caused by updrafts also and this had me even more curious.