At least 26 dead as 'destructive' tornado, storms batter Mississippi, Alabama

I didn't respond to this earlier (had to think it all through) because I wasn't terrified for myself since I was in a home with a basement and radar is so sophisticated now that its pretty easy to see the super cell storms and their direct path for several hours in advance. It was very emotional to watch nearby areas getting hit and feeling so scared for them and it's definitely stressful when the threat level is as high as last night ...constantly following TV, internet and radar apps.

It is terrifying to be out on the road during when a known high risk storm front is near. I try not to be in that situation ...will reschedule appointments, stay late at work rather than getting on the road but that's maybe once a year, more if it's an El Nino year.

A few times I've been caught in situations where there's not much of a threat when a cold front is coming through but all the sudden a funnel cloud will pop up. I was on the road twice when that happened and it is a horrible feeling. Like there's a monster all the sudden bearing down on you in a nightmare. Thankfully those were small and neither touched down.

This is the actual risk of getting hit according to NOAA: "Even in the most tornado-prone parts of Oklahoma and Kansas, a given point on the Earth can expect just one direct strike from a tornado every 1,585 years." There are some paths that are the exception to this. The Vaiden MS area has had damage at least five times that I can remember but mostly rural structures with few deaths. The Jackson Metro are has had several hits with multiple deaths.

NOAA article: https://weather.com/storms/tornado/news/struck-twice-americas-f5-tornado-towns-20130528#/1
Thanks for the info @AnnieA . I'm heading to your NOAA link now. Your post is very interesting. I live in Connecticut and we've had a few tornadoes here, too but very few during my lifetime.
 
A deadly tornado and strong thunderstorms swept across Mississippi and Alabama late Friday, leaving a trail of destruction for more than 100 miles, local and federal authorities said.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/7-dead-mississippi-tornado-official/story?id=98117564
I feel so bad for all those who are affected and who lost their lives, rest in peace, condolences to their families. This weather is the United States has been so severe this year, each year things worsen. :(
 

Thank you AnnieA for the information. I feel so sad for the people affected by this tornado.
This morning, on the Today Show, they were interviewing the mayor of Rolling Folk, MS. He is not only the mayor but is also the funeral director! He knows everybody in his town. Now, he has to deal with the devastating impact of the tornado, as well as providing help and services to all those affected, plus bringing comfort to the families that have lost love ones.
 
can i ask are these Brick buildings or other material thats been taken down? I cannot imagine a wind so strong to take a solid building down.
 
Thanks for reply @SeniorBen , we have some summer small tornado that whip up and sometimes take roofs off ,and perhaps a single brick wall , but nothing on the scale of that .
Same here in Colorado... just small tornados, although a few years ago, we had one that caused quite a bit of damage.
 
Mother Nature sure is one cruel mistress. we'd better starting her with the respect she deserves; these natural disasters are only gonna grow more fierce... :cool:
This. The thing with Tornados is they're tough to build against. They've made some progress with hurricane proofing buildings but the tornados come so quick with so much force and energy I don't where to start other more concrete, brick construction?

Some good news. Recent Ukraine migrants heading south from Minnesota to help victims.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/rec...-head-to-mississippi-to-help-tornado-victims/

Speedy recovery to survivors and RIP victims
 
If I were building again [as I did here] I would go with [at least] a partial basement . And I would consider [perhaps] a poured concrete house, with something decorative on the outside with an insulation barrier between, to give it a better appearance .

IMO, for an F-3/F-4 that is about our only real defence.

Of course if the windows go, and the roof is taken .... who knows what the chances are for those inside??
 
can i ask are these Brick buildings or other material thats been taken down? I cannot imagine a wind so strong to take a solid building down.

Most homes in Rolling Fork (not Rolling Stone lol) were not well built. It's in the Mississippi Delta which is one of the most impoverished parts of the US and has a type soil and high water table that prohibit underground construction. Also, that tornado was just shy of an F5 which can suck asphalt off the road. I remember reading about the F5 that hit Pennsylvania years ago that pulled a child out of a basement.

I lived 12 miles away from this home when it was hit by a F4 tornado in 1992. The house was two story brick and the top one was sheared completely off. A dad and three boys were killed as they were descending the stairs (one body was found a quarter of a mile away). The mom and the fourth boy had already made it to the ground floor and sustained injuries but survived.

Brandon tornado 1992.jpg
 

Last edited:

Back
Top