Tornado Question

[Brandon Goforth]

Keep in mind you'll only get a debris swirl when there is actually something to pick up... ie. a weak tornado passing over a grassy field will barely pick up debris. On May 26th on the Pratt, KS storm, we were near a weak tornado which initially had a slight debris swirl but then it disappeared once it went over the grass field. We were close enough to see the tornadic circulations and condensation. Now, I'd imagine that a much stronger tornado could probably rip some of the grass out, especially if it wasn't deep rooted or lacking top soil.

There is ALWAYS debris with a tornado, it's just not always so visible. You can walk out into a weak tornado out in an open field with nothing but dirt to pick up, and you're going to get peppered, and it's going to hurt. Dust/dirt and other small objects will always be there.

 

[Laura Duchesne]

Yeah after thinking about it, I suppose you're right. Even on a windy day, dirt can become air borne and sting me in the face. Dirt particles are rather small, so I guess it would be rather hard to see unless there were enough of it blowing around. Either way, I certainly would not want to stand inside one... especially after witnessing what a weak one can do to one's windshield, yeesh!

 

[Skip Talbot]

I think the best way to get a taste of being inside a tornado, if that's what you are in to, is to go skydiving:

100 mph winds? Check.
Flying through the air? Check.
Pressure changes? Check.
Scary as hell? Check.

 

[Bob Hartig]

On June 6 last year in Nebraska, I stood outside our vehicle and took a direct hit from a strong gustnado. It wasn't exactly a planned act, just a calculated response to immediate circumstances, and I had mixed feelings about my choice once I'd committed to it; but having difficulty opening the car door in the wind, I figured, what the heck, how often does one get the chance? So I took mine and didn't sustain any damage other than getting majorly stung with sand, pelted with small gravel, and winding up with a whole lotta grit in my hair.

It was definitely a wild experience, and those of you who think I'm a fool are entitled to your opinion. The circulation was robust, but with no vertical development in the clouds overhead, the vortex seemed clearly the product of near-ground shear along an outflow boundary--impressive, but not tornadic. Blah, blah, blah--I still wasn't sure whether I wasn't making a mistake and the thing wouldn't prove strong enough to pitch me into a ditch. But the winds maxed out at around maybe 80 mph, and being six feet tall and 220 pounds, I had no problem remaining on my feet. I had to turn my back to the wind in order to open my eyes, which I did just in time to see what looked like a large, airborne tumbleweed go ripping past me. The overall experience was fun and interesting, and not the kind one can readily obtain in Michigan.

 

[Jason Harris]

Hey Bob, I don't recall reading that on your blog. So it wasn't like that first burst of dust beneath that massive wall cloud we saw with the Parkersburg supercell eh?
And no eye goggles or sun glasses? Sounds like it was a blast! (get it?)

Interestingly your behavior is pretty close (at least the turning your back part) to the prescription about how to face the demon of the whirlwind in this book of Scottish folklore I'm reading--but you were supposed to have your eyes closed and be thinking about a particular Gaelic prayer. Here's the relevant quote:
--
"Against the demon of the dust-cloud, as it swirls along the highway, a wise man will take this precaution: as it approaches, you are instantly to close your eyes and mouth as tightly as possible, at the same time turning your back upon it until it has swept by [. . .]"
Did anyone take your picture during this?

 

[Simon Timm]

I remember once when I was on a hill on a very windy day(50-60 mph gusts). While I was walking down the hill a I was hit by a huge gust of wind, and a piece of reed from the hill flew into my face and cut my lip. It was bleeding fairly hard. That gust probably was not even 60 mph, so I guess even a weak tornado over a field of reeds or something similar, could do some serious harm.

 

[Bob Hartig]

Hey Bob, I don't recall reading that on your blog.

This was in June of 2007, before I'd started my blog. It's not the kind of thing I'd be quick to write about, in any case--I've already got enough of a reputation as a lunatic. But it's now an old event, and it seems appropriate to this thread.

 

[Mike Krzywonski]

After watching Driven by Passion by Tim Samaras again, this thread kept coming to mind. The probes which captured close-up footage of a tornado in an open field were pelted w/ debris in the form of grass, dirt, & pebbles. That may give you an idea of what you would experience if you sustained a direct hit, notwithstanding the force of the wind. It appears quite frightening.

 

[Lanny Dean]

After pondering this question for a few days and wanting to respond to this ignorant question,( ignorance being a lack of knowledge) I decided to give it a few days before I attempted to give an answer.
As noted already by rdale though, I am not sure this belongs in this forum.

Having been hit directly by two tornadoes (29 May 2004, 09 June 2005) of which both cases, I attempted to "ride" the tornado out due to ignorance....both tornadoes visually seemed "week". I will give one example:

09 June, 2005 I was reporting and sending live video back via the First Cam for KAKETV near the small community of Fowler KS. After sending live video
of tornadogensis occuring while doing my phoner, see video here:
http://www.ipixcel.org/ld.htm, I made a ignorant mistake and "held my ground" trying to get that last shot and because visually the tornado did not appear to be that strong (had little, if any debris). It was a very poor decision on my part and it cost me.

I was two blocks from the High School when it sustaned a direct hit, throwing debris into my vehical as I was trying to turn around and escape. Seconds later a brick from the school went through the back window of the CRV and hit me in the back of the head and ultimatly causing over $8,000 dollars damage to my transmitting equipment (iPixcel) and the vehical.
Some 11 stitches later while questioning myself as to the decisions I made while getting stiched up, I came to the conclusion that: YOU CAN NOT TELL HOW STRONG A TORNADO IS VISUALLY, Nor CAN YOU TELL WHAT IS EXACTLY IN THAT TORNADO in regards to debris. That said,
After learning the tornado was given an F-2 rating, I felt extremely lucky that I was not killed.
My point is, you can not tell how strong the tornado is or even what kind of debris it may have in it. Not to mention what that tornado would/could do to you if you were to "step into it".

Mr. Ketchum makes a valid point...even the very small things like straw, rocks, sand and any other debris that may not be visable is likely to "sand blast" you and or kill you by causing not only external but internal injuries as well.

Although I do not agree with or even like Mr Doswell, uncle Chuck makes a valid point also about Darwinism in regards to situations/qestions or ideas such as this.

 

[Simon Timm]

Dually noted Dean. though I really do not think this question is that ignorant. I will however, take this into consideration and remember not to post question like this. I am but another Newbie, and I still have much to learn about stormtrack

 

[rdale]

All questions can be considered ignorant - it's not a bad thing.

But try to remember to post basic questions in the beginners forum, there's no "advanced meteorology" in this thread.

 

[Lanny Dean]

Simon, as I stated, "Ignorance is the lack of knowledge"....it does not mean stupidity or fatuity, nor does it mean that you are stupid, please do not misunderstand the two. As a "newbie" you should post any question you like but, please do not take offense at the answers you may receive in an advanced posting area of such an elementary question in which we all have the basic idea of what could/would happen.

My point(s) to your questions were elementary in regards the strength of the tornado and what might be inside of it. To be more specific, I think you would have a great chance at getting hurt very badly, or worse...being killed.

 

[Jeff Duda]

I joined the club of people who've been in a tornado on May 29th this year due to (mis?)fortune and admittedly some stupidity. On this day, I was in one of 3 cars to be hit by a very small tornado that popped out of the back of the supercell that produced the Tipton/Beloit, KS tornadoes. Despite being weak and small, it still broke a glass window on one of the other cars, injuring the driver. Also, the car I was in almost got lifted and pushed off the road. This tornado affected me for 5 seconds and had winds in the EF0 range (measurements were being taken) yet did all that. Never underestimate the power of mother nature. Even the seemingly weakest tornadoes have the power to kill you by some means.

 

[Warren Faidley]

Actually, my office has received a "host" of such questions of late, including a number of inquiries from people, including young teens, who want to drive into a tornado next spring and want to know where is the best place to do it, or they want instructions on making their vehicles "tornado proof." I'll let others chime in (or not) on where such sudden irrational ideas are being generated, but I really think we will see the first "on purpose" vehicle or person vs. tornado fatality in the next few years if not sooner. Chasing is morphing even beyond the very thing Dave Hoadley predicted many years ago.

As a journalist, I think its time to really start discussing and showing (via YouTube) and other places, the horrific things tornadoes can do to people and cars so the kids (and some adults) understand that no vehicle (I repeat, no vehicle, can withstand a strong tornado). In other words, a balanced reality check against the poor examples set of late. I for one, have seen the death and destruction caused by severe weather, first hand, since my first encounter in Saragosa, Texas in 1987, including the deaths of many children by (only) an F3 rated tornado. I'll bet there are people out there right now planning on doing really stupid things next year. (No offense to the person who asked this important question and this is not directed towards you).

Warren

 

[Jason Boggs]

I agree with Warren, it's getting bad out there. These kids and adults that see this stuff on tv think they can have fun and just do what they want without consequences. I'm sorry, but if one of these idiots drives into a tornado and dies, oh well. Stupid is as stupid does.