County Currently Under a Tornado Warning
By amazon13
@amazon13 (69)
United States
May 23, 2008 6:33pm CST
The southwester portion of our county is currently under a tornado warning, thunderstorm warning with golfball sized hail. When the Emergency Broadcast system comes on it gives instructions of where to go for protection in your house. They also mention to not take shelter under highway overpasses. I have always wondered why this is not a safe idea. Anyone have any ideas?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@sunkissed (4330)
• United States
24 May 08
Well good luck to you. There have been way to many tornado's this year already. I live in Arkansas, and it is called "Tornado Alley" We have had so many here too. I do not know why thet say it is unsafe under these over pass's. I myself would think it would be a safe place to be.
1 person likes this
@Palmerhusky (843)
• United States
24 May 08
it could be that the underpass creates some kind of suction underneith that can pull you into the tornado. i donno. just an idea. im no scientist.
@amazon13 (69)
• United States
24 May 08
I think it would be a great place with all of that concrete around, but I suppose the people who are more in the know have their reasons.
We lost power and had to take shelter, but the tornado went just east of us. We are still expecting more dangerous weather the remainder of the night.
@luvstochat (6907)
• United States
31 May 08
My husband and I watched a video on pepole who took shelter under an underpass and they showed the tornado go right over the underpass and the wind went right under too and you can be sucked out from underneath the overpass.
1 person likes this
@amazon13 (69)
• United States
3 Jun 08
That is what my husband and I were thinking would be the reason. I have not paid much attention, but I suppose there wouldn't be much to hang onto underneath an overpass either. DH keeps telling me that laying flat on the ground would be the best option, but somehow I think I would have a severe problem laying out on the ground, in the open, with a tornado going over! Most of the geography around our parts is extremely flat...no place to hide!
You may have watched the same video we did...wish I could find it again.
Thanks for your comment!
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
24 May 08
I really don't know that much about tornadoes, but I have heard not to take shelter under highway overpasses also. I think that it has something to do with the suction effect of a tornado. Maybe they are afraid that if you took shelter under an overpass, you would be sucked right out.
1 person likes this
@amazon13 (69)
• United States
25 May 08
I asked DH if he knew why they are being so specific about that now. Being a government worker, he often attends training having to do with the safety of the public, so I thought he might have heard the reason. He did not know specifically why the public service announcements tell you not to take shelter under bridges, but he supposes that it has something to do with a widely publicized video about a family surviving a tornado by climbing up and behind the concrete directly under the overpass. The video showed their car being carried off and how the strong winds hammered them. They were safe. I would have thought this would be a good place for shelter, especially after watching the video. I wish that along with the warning, they would give a reason. Maybe mine is not to ask, but to do or die...lol.
@shymurl (2765)
• United States
24 May 08
Good luck to you. Two days ago a f-4 tornado hit my home town in Colorado. the tornado was a mile long. it destroyed my dads place of work, and many other places. it is terrible. I wish I was there to help out. So many people are without shelter, power, and food.
I have seen people in the past take shelter under an overpass. I'm sure its not safe in case it collapses. again good luck to you. be safe!
1 person likes this
@amazon13 (69)
• United States
24 May 08
Thank you for your response. I am very sorry to hear of the devastation in your area. We live about 18 miles from Greensburg, Kansas which was completely obliterated by an F5 tornado this time last year. I have never seen such distruction. The school where I taught, which was only 8 miles away became a shelter and FEMA headquarters. We never returned back to regular classes.
