Tornado deaths

[Jeremy Lemanski]

I was watching Nature tech on the history channel a little while ago and right at the end of the program, There was a statement that went like this: "Many think the days of 100 deaths from a single tornado are over"

Now, i wonder how they can say such a thing? Yes, the tech. that is being developed is improving warning times/prediction, but at the same time we have a growing population and what seems like more tornadoes in less likely places, such as the numbers which the ohio valley have put up in the last few years. Think about this: Its rush hour, 1,000s of people are on freeways in cars/trucks/vans. A supercell thunderstorm moves in and drops a tornado. It doesn't have to be a monster, maybe a F1 or F2. This tornado moves 4 miles along the highway, tossing 1,000s of these cars with people inside them and hitting many more of those who have tried to flee on foot. Do you think the death toll would be lower then 100

Thoughts?

 

[Doug Lee]

Roger Edwards of the SPC has already done research into this and produced a presentation on "Severe Weather and Large Event Venues." In doing some of the research, he would ask the managers of stadiums, arenas, etc. about their safety plans and preparations. Some would welcome him and ask his advice; others would yell obscenities and give him a quick escort to the closest exit.

Any place with a large number of people where warnings might not get through easily is a potential disaster scene.

Another thing that could contribute to such a disaster is that the severe weather season is also the time when outdoor activities and travel tend to increase.

 

[Greg Campbell]

I've got to agree. It's just a matter of time until a strong tornado plows into an occupied stadium or coloseum.

If anyone is taking bets, I'll put my $ on the Indy 500 race being the first tornado disaster to kill over a thousand people. The speedway complex makes a large, densely crowded target, and takes hours to evacuate. Last year's race was held under a statewide T-watch; during the race a tornado developed less than 30 miles to the SW. (Later that night another tornado struck southern Indianapolis, threatening an NBA playoff game in progress.)

-Greg

 

[Craig Maire II]

I also watched the same program earlier today and definitely think that a 100+ death tornado is a possibility (hope it doesn't happen though). Was a very good program!

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

Large stadiums aren't the only thing to really worry about. On April 19 1996 a supercell hit Champaign, IL. One meso had been producing strong tornadoes all the way until the time it hit the city. The meso continued, as a new one developed to its south, which produced an F3 tornado in southeastern Urbana. However, several did witness the original mesocyclone passing directly over the University of Illinois campus. After hitting Urbana, the storm dropped a one mile wide F3 tornado, that flattened the town of Ogden, IL. Now had this original mesocyclone continued to produce strong and large tornadoes, we would have ended up with a large tornado passing right through the heart of the University of Illinois, on a Friday nite, with 30,000 students drinking their hearts out, definetly not paying attention to the weather situation.

 

[Joe Nield]

I've got to agree. It's just a matter of time until a strong tornado plows into an occupied stadium or coloseum.

If anyone is taking bets, I'll put my $ on the Indy 500 race being the first tornado disaster to kill over a thousand people. The speedway complex makes a large, densely crowded target, and takes hours to evacuate. Last year's race was held under a statewide T-watch; during the race a tornado developed less than 30 miles to the SW. (Later that night another tornado struck southern Indianapolis, threatening an NBA playoff game in progress.)

-Greg

The F2 that struck Indianapolis ended up passing around 10 miles south of the speedway itself. The one that threatened the speedway and the Pacers game was this F2.) I was working that day (my first day back after graduation and my chase trip), and I couldn't believe they were still running the race with a reported tornado so close to the venue.

It was surprising, and disturbing considering I later heard that no mention of anything other than some thundershowers was made during the broadcast or to the fans until the last possible minute, that the race was still held given that several tornadoes had already been reported statewide, and there were large and reportedly tornadic supercells approaching the city from the west for the final three hours of the race.

IMS and the city truly dodged a bullet that day. Several thousand people could have been killed, easily, had this tornado tracked 10 miles further north.