Life's what happens when you're busy making other plans...
Less than three hours after I posted about my Summer Plans on June 3, I was seeking shelter from a tornado headed towards Oakland. In case you're wondering, cowering in a dark basement was most definitely not on my list of summer plans. The National Weather Service had warned of the high potential for severe weather in Southwest Iowa but I was not prepared to face it.
The NWS Tornado Warning was issued nearly 15 minutes before the storm hit my house (see WEA info below). Therefore, I had time to gather flashlights, bottled water, granola bars, and to wrangle my cat Zoey for a trip to the basement. We are fortunate to live in an age of sophisticated computer forecasting models and radar but we cannot always depend on having such advanced warning before a disaster. I am ashamed to admit that I did not have an emergency kit already prepared and located in a safe place. I teach an elective Weather class and when we discuss severe weather I emphasize the need for emergency kits in every car and house. I do have most of the required supplies scattered throughout the house but I will definitely be crafting a disaster supply kit using these references: Basic Disaster Supplies and Expanded Disaster Kit. And, another way I will use this as a learning experience is by compiling radar and storm damage images to create an Oakland Tornado webpage for my Weather class.
Thankfully, there were no injuries reported from the severe storm that hit Oakland. The National Weather Service surveyed the area and classified the damage to farms west of Oakland as an EF2 tornado (111-135 mph winds) and the damage in town as the result of 100+ mph downbursts. Trees were uprooted or split all over town, windows were shattered from the hail, and farmers will have to replant their crops. The siding on the north side of my house is full of holes from high-velocity hail and will need to be replaced. Our beautiful park along the highway is flooded and full of downed trees. It's incredibly sad but we are all thankful the damage was not any worse.
Less than three hours after I posted about my Summer Plans on June 3, I was seeking shelter from a tornado headed towards Oakland. In case you're wondering, cowering in a dark basement was most definitely not on my list of summer plans. The National Weather Service had warned of the high potential for severe weather in Southwest Iowa but I was not prepared to face it.
The NWS Tornado Warning was issued nearly 15 minutes before the storm hit my house (see WEA info below). Therefore, I had time to gather flashlights, bottled water, granola bars, and to wrangle my cat Zoey for a trip to the basement. We are fortunate to live in an age of sophisticated computer forecasting models and radar but we cannot always depend on having such advanced warning before a disaster. I am ashamed to admit that I did not have an emergency kit already prepared and located in a safe place. I teach an elective Weather class and when we discuss severe weather I emphasize the need for emergency kits in every car and house. I do have most of the required supplies scattered throughout the house but I will definitely be crafting a disaster supply kit using these references: Basic Disaster Supplies and Expanded Disaster Kit. And, another way I will use this as a learning experience is by compiling radar and storm damage images to create an Oakland Tornado webpage for my Weather class.
Thankfully, there were no injuries reported from the severe storm that hit Oakland. The National Weather Service surveyed the area and classified the damage to farms west of Oakland as an EF2 tornado (111-135 mph winds) and the damage in town as the result of 100+ mph downbursts. Trees were uprooted or split all over town, windows were shattered from the hail, and farmers will have to replant their crops. The siding on the north side of my house is full of holes from high-velocity hail and will need to be replaced. Our beautiful park along the highway is flooded and full of downed trees. It's incredibly sad but we are all thankful the damage was not any worse.
The Omaha news mentioned the radar-indicated Tornado Warning at 4:58 and one minute later my cell phone sounded the alert.
- What are WEA messages?
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are emergency messages sent through your mobile carrier. You do not need to enroll in this program; alerts are sent automatically. All of the largest mobile carriers participate in this program. - What types of alerts will I receive? Extreme weather (tornado, flash flood, tsunami, hurricane, dust storm, extreme wind warnings), AMBER Alerts, Presidential Alerts during a national emergency
- Will I receive a WEA if I am located somewhere else than where my phone is registered?
Yes! - What if I travel into a threat area after a WEA message is already sent?
If the threat remains, your device will receive the message when you enter the area.