Meteorologist told people

[Are_grits_groceries]

to get in their cars and drive away.
This contradicts everything usually done. However, he could tell that people wouldn't survive if they weren't underground. Leaving in a car had better odds.
This scared the crap out of him for him to say that.
(MSNBC reporter)

[Skittles]

1. my dad was a meteorologist

for all the jokes about their work, they do a great public service

[xmas74]

6. I've known a few over the years

both tv and with NWS. They're "good people", no matter the jokes.

[Skittles]

9. when my dad got ribbed...

he'd reply, "YOU go up against Mother Nature....see how YOU do!!!"

[xmas74]

12. I used to speak with them when I worked in public safety.

Before everything was easily available with a click we would sometimes speak with NWS and the local tv/radio stations about storms. We'd receive a call and would tell them about the conditions, storm damage, etc. With NWS it was always with a meteorologist, with the tv stations it wasn't uncommon to also have the on-air personally call and ask if you would speak on-air about what was going on in the area. I've met a few of them off the clock-just really nice, pleasant people.

They've saved more lives than they'll ever know.

[Skittles]

13. my dad was USAF

then a private meteorologist - he did do occasional radio station reports

[xmas74]

14. I've dealt with them too.

I live about 10 miles from a base. I used to speak with them during storms and would relay info for them on our point-to-point, since they had other concerns going on at the same time. Also good people who deserve lots of credit.

[Logical]

20. I am tired of media weatherman. They always discuss the worst possible snowfall, etc. I had a....

NWS meteorologist tell me that the giggle at the TV weather guys wen they predict 5-15 inches of snow when the NWS is predicting 5.

[RudynJack]

28. Indeed they do.

They do the best they can with very imperfect information. Yet people get pissed at them when it rains when they said it wouldn't.

Do they get mad at the Sports guy on the news when he gets a prediction wrong? No! "Well, you can't PREDICT sports!" When why should weather be any better? A million variables, incomplete models, and just a whole lot of randomness thrown in for fun.

[riderinthestorm]

2. Wonder if he knew most of that area had no basements? Or many trailer homes without options? nt

[Are_grits_groceries]

3. The reporter said he probably did. nt

[RebelOne]

4. If I had the time to get my car and drive away,

would be a good thing because I live in mobile home, but there is no time to do this, as you only have a few minutes warning before the tornado hits. So when I hear the tornado sirens, I hope for the best.

[Are_grits_groceries]

7. That's true in general.

However, there are some people who do have time. For him to say leave was extraordinary.

[lunasun]

29. off topic but I have alway wondered if in a mobile home can you get under the "skirt"

and be underground in a tornado,
or would that be even worse( no support?)

[siligut]

5. Is there any information on how many people took his advice?

I remember something about terrible traffic, but I don't remember where I read it.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. how much notice did they have?

[Are_grits_groceries]

10. It would depend on where they

were in location to the storm. He knew that they would not survive above ground. It's a gamble but if you can get away, go!

[NotThisTime]

17. Moore had 24 minutes notice

[csziggy]

11. Watching the coverage live of that was startling

MSNBC and The Weather Channel were broadcasting the local station live with coverage from helicopter and from the studio of the funnel passing over Moore. At one point, CNN was using footage from the same station.

The two things that struck me early were the meteorologist telling people to get out - the funnel at that point was 1/4 to 1/2 mile wide and getting bigger. The second was when the reporter in the copter realized that the location of the funnel was right where his house was - amazing man stopped for a few seconds, then continued to cover the progress of the tornado churning across his community.

The reporters at that station - I don't know the call letters - were amazing. The were obviously frightened, scared for themselves, their families and their community, but they held it together, giving warnings, giving the track of the tornado, giving advice on what to do. They all deserve awards and recognition for their professionalism.

[uppityperson]

27. KFOR. Here is link and they were amazing.

http://kfor.com/on-air/live-streaming/
http://kfor.com/2013/05/19/weather-tornadoes-on-ground-watches-warnings-across-state/
http://kfor.com/2013/05/20/how-to-help-okla-tornado-victims/

[Z_I_Peevey]

15. We take our meteorologists seriously here

They are very good at what they do

[wercal]

16. That is an amazing recommendation.

For those unfamiliar with the mid-west, in most areas the major roads are north/south and east/west, spaced at 1 mile intervals...like a giant sheet of graph paper was laid over the region. This is possible because the area is so flat, and sort of evolved with the way land has been divided for over a hundred years (the sectional land system).

Anyway, since tornados go diagonally from the SW to NE, this makes it practically impossible to outrun one. If the tornado is going 50 mph, you're going to have to get to 85 mph to beat it. So, in my mind, the goal would be to drive either straight north, or straight south to get out of its way. Still a tricky proposition...but something I have contemplated as I 'plan' for what I would do.

Complicating the issue - the tornado producing storms usually travel to the NE...but once the tornado is formed, it hooks right to a more easterly direction. This makes it very hard to predict a tornado's path...and the reverse happens when it starts to lose power, and it hooks back left, making it even trickier to predict.

[ThoughtCriminal]

19. I wonder if you would be better off driving east?

Hypothetically if the tornado is heading NE at 60 MPH and is 2 miles away. If you drive south at about 42 MPH, after one minute - if my quick and dirty math isn't too fouled up - you would be about 0.7 miles from the tornado. But if you drive east at the same speed, the closest approach would be about 1.4 miles. Once the tornado is due west, it might be wise to turn south. If the tornado's heading is 45 degrees (NE), going north (and then west when it was due south of you) would provide the same gap.

Unfortunately, tornadoes don't play by the rules and it could just flat out follow you east or north. But at least it would be a "Stern chase".

I live in a "manufactured" home, but there has never been a recorded tornado within 40 miles of here. They are rare in our region and usually less than F2 strength. But if there is even so much as a watch, I know it is exactly one mile to a building with a basement (and I have a key). I would not try and ride one out in my home.

[wercal]

25. East might be good...

If you're very sure that the tornado is tracking west of where you are headed.

[ThoughtCriminal]

18. Big tornadoes can be seriously bad-ass

When I look at the high fatality rate in cars caught up in them, it make you realize just how nasty these storms are. My vehicle, has airbags and seat-belts. It is designed to protect me in roll-overs and collisions at pretty high velocities, but if something bigger than Godzilla picks it up and throws me into a strip mall a mile away, all that protection isn't worth much.

[5X]

21. That made me laugh, but it is true.

Since we live in Oklahoma, we know when to keep an eye on the weather.
We have gotten in the car and driven out of the path several times.
Fortunately, we haven't really had to yet, no damage to our house. But,
we usually have plenty of warning. There doesn't have to be a tornado
for you to start leaving, just the right conditions and in the path of the storm.

[ThoughtCriminal]

24. It's important to have a safe place to go.

Having been through a few outbreaks during the Alabama phase of my life, I know that getting out of one tornado path can just as easily put you in the path of another. There are a surprising number of people who have been hit by multiple tornadoes on the same day - sometimes a few miles away and sometimes in the same place.

[Dawson Leery]

22. Why didn't they close the schools today?

[JCMach1]

23. Tornadoes are not predictable... if you closed every tornado prone day in OK,

you would have to end school in February...

[hedgehog]

26. Thanks for the info - I saw an interview with someone caught in traffic as they drove out of the

path and didn't realize that people were told to flee.