Wichita Kansas and tornados

Just like anywhere else you travel you need to be weather aware! Tornadoes come quickly, but the basic weather formations that cause them normally are seen coming for at least 24 hours, but the actual tornadoes form quickly.

Deb and Ed M wrote:
NEVER try to outrun a tornado - they are FAST (can move 50 mph)

"NEVER" is a bit too strong.

If you are already on the highway going 70, the math would say you have a 20 MPH advantage- as long as you are driving away from the tornado.

There's also the old advice to drive "sideways", away from the tornado's path.

This is one of those times where common sense comes into play. If you pull over and hit the ditch whenever there's a tornado warning, you're probably going to get swept away in a flash flood.

On the other hand, if you are sitting in the car, stuck in traffic, and the tornado is coming- THEN, it's time to hit the ditch and pray.

There are indeed cases of folks getting killed in cars trying to flee tornadoes- so "get in the car and run" isn't a good recommendation. But you really can't say that's the WRONG and the most dangerous thing to do.

I don't think there's any cases of tornado chasers getting caught FLEEING a tornado...certainly a few have been caught while CHASING/ATTEMPTING TO GET CLOSE TO a tornado.

I think the bigger risk is that tornados are not always the clear black funnel. They can be cloudless, hidden in rain, or hit you at night. In the case of Joplin, MO, I'm afraid that some folks were 'blindly' driving through a big rainstorm (not 'fleeing') and suddenly hell broke loose on them.

One thing you will find in Oklahoma and Kansas, is that when the weather gets rough, the local TV stations interrupt regular broadcasting, and just do weather until the threat passes. Even if that means all night. No commercials, JUST weather - alternating between broadcasts from the studio and airborne/ground spotters. It is amazing. They will zoom in on the storms, right down to the street intersections, and show you exactly which direction it is going. As long as you know where you are in reference to their map, you should be able to evaluate how much danger you are in.

NOAA weather radios are good, but they just repeat info plugged into them. It is VERY hard to discern where the storms are just by using a weather radio if you are unfamiliar with the area/counties. Also, unless you have your weather radio set for the alerts in the counties surrounding you, it will be going off for every warning within it's signal range, even if that warning is 100+ miles away. I would suggest you rely more on the local TV channels.

The technology is present now to allow forecasters to "know" when the storms will be bad. The forecasters then share this info, and make sure the public knows the area is at an increased risk for dangerous tornados. If you here them discussing how tomorrow evening might be bad, take note, they aren't kidding....

Hopefully, your campground owner will be a local native, and he/she will know what you need to do. Ask when you check in - sometimes there are local public shelters, though often you cannot take pets. The campground *may* have a tornado shelter on the property, but don't bank on it. The construction requirements and associated insurance costs make shelters pretty impossible for the private owner. At least that was our experience up until our family sold our campground in 2007.

We've been in a Kansas RV park during a tornado warning...sure there are risks in that region. That RV park actually had a storm bunker! The best advice is to have a weather radio on 24/7, even when driving and always know where the nearest shelter is...have a game plan in case things go bad in a hurry.

Yes I would be concerned but not panic about it. You are smack dab in tornado alley. I was stationed at the Air force base was in missile security. The can have some really good t storms. Go have fun but if it gets black out then you can worry.

A tornado went thru a few years back and tore up the Air force base really good.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDcQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiQ4g9m3EGxs&ei=x6OKUbe1DoSiiQK8vYGgBw&usg=AFQjCNFtfLLQblZi7Cwt6X45CbXCvJvUYg&sig2=Jrz5z9vNPKzdluInwcjiEQ

We were driving thru Denver once when the weather turned dark windy, and hail. What do you do? Who knows where to hide? Next to a tree, under an overpass, or just stop and run? We didn't know what this strange weather was going to turn into. People were driving fast to get home or to a shelter and we had no idea where to go or what to do. It stopped as fast as it started. Scary situation for sure.

We usually go outside to see if we can see it when the news breaks in with a tornado warning. Or stand at the door looking out ready to run downstairs if one comes HAHA.

I would almost rather take my chances with bad weather in Kansas than a hale storm in Denver they get some bad ones. I would hide under over passes if there was any room left.

A few funnel clouds were spotted near Hays, KS a day or two ago.

rkentzel wrote:

I would hide under over passes if there was any room left.

Not a good idea. Debris collects under the overpasses and it may take DAYS to find you.

You are safer lying in a roadside ditch.

Don't count on your cell-phone working either. The towers might have blown down.