All joking aside -- heads up folks

steve crisp: blog

steve crisp's blog

all joking aside -- heads up folks

abuse

Published May. 8, 2008

We are in for a very rough night with severe storms and the possibility of tornados. This has the potential of being very bad from the Triangle eastward.

If you have NOAA weather radio, turn it on at full volume and place it on alert. That way if a warning is issued, you will wake up and can take cover.

No joke here. This is really serious. Go to the WRAL weather page and see the specific NWS watch for your specific county.

Remember, at night it is impossible to see a tornado. You have to rely on the National Weather Service and WRAL radar to detect it. All you will detect of a tornado at night is a roar immediately before it kills you. So heads up.

abuse

73 Comments

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I feel the same way you do about severe weather Beth, I LOVE it! I have a weather station that gives me stats and I'm always trying to get pics. Unfortunely I never get any "good" weather at my house. :( I started keeping weather records in 1996 and to date I've only had two thunderstorms that were severe. Severe meaning they have 58 mph winds or 3/4" hail. I got the hail part. Dam near killed me outside picking it up so I could measure it though, it was great! LOL I get so excited at the threat of tornados, hurricanes, blizzards, etc. I would NEVER wish destruction or harm on anyone EVER! The way I look at it is this. If it's gonna come we can't stop it. Take all the precautions you can, use common sense, then sit back and enjoy it. Mother nature can be incredible sometimes!

builder24car
GOLO member since November 26, 2007
May 9, 2008 8:06 a.m.

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4:30 and I'm still up and watching. I did doze in my recliner for a while with the tv on. I suppose I'll be staying up a little longer now. UGH!

Rocknhorse
GOLO member since July 18, 2007
May 9, 2008 4:31 a.m.

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At 3 am, the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Wake, Johnston, Orange, Durham, Nash, Edgecombe, and several dozen other counties until 9 am.

A line of storms has reformed west of the Triangle and is moving towards us. Keep attuned to changing conditions and keep up with the latest information on WRAL or the National Weather Service outlets.

Steve Crisp
GOLO member since July 3, 2007
May 9, 2008 3:05 a.m.

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Hawk_fan--I believe so!

Wheelerx5
GOLO member since August 3, 2007
May 9, 2008 1:51 a.m.

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Wheeler, isn't all of Wisconsin a walk-in cooler? :-)

I hadn't heard that story before. Interesting name for a town!

hawk_fan
GOLO member since April 25, 2008
May 9, 2008 12:46 a.m.

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Wasn't Raleigh hit by tornadoes in the night several years ago? Like in the early '90s?

hawk_fan
GOLO member since April 25, 2008
May 9, 2008 12:41 a.m.

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Anyone ever hear the story about the town of Siren, WI? I even saw the story on Storm Stories on TWC a few years back. The siren in the small town had broke and people were coming to fix it the next week. However, in the meantime a BIG tornado hit and the town was caught off guard. Ironicly (sp), Hawk_fan, a lot of people were at the local bar (I know, hard to believe in WI) and they hid in the walk-in cooler and survived.

Wheelerx5
GOLO member since August 3, 2007
May 9, 2008 12:25 a.m.

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Hawk_fan--there are sirens. However, I hear them the most to call the volunteer firefighters in the area. It still creeps me out to this day when I hear it in the middle of the afternoon on a sunny day. I believe they would use it if severe weather were on the way. I just wouldn't be able to hear it inside. Where I grew up, it seems like there were sirens every few blocks. We had one in the backyard. (Well, my parents still do.) There is no missing that when it goes off!!! But they have to have it up there, there's so many tornados. Yep, we were in the alley! ;)

Wheelerx5
GOLO member since August 3, 2007
May 9, 2008 12:18 a.m.

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As far as I know, Raleigh does not have any kind of public alert system. Or if they do, no one knows about it. And that is a real problem I have always had with emergency management services and the various public safety agencies in this county.

They play things very closed-mouthed and it is difficult to get any information from them concerning emergency preparedness or what they intend to do in the aftermath of a disaster. They apparently have their act together internally, but the public has no clue of what to expect. That attitude tends to lead to people balking when orders are being barked at them, demanding answers and the logic behind decisions at the very time when there is no time to give them.

Tell us ahead of time what the game plan is and there is a much better chance of us listening to you in an emergency. Cause personally, if someone tells me to evacuate and I have no clue to where, why, for how long, or what they intend to do to protect my property, I'm staying put.

Steve Crisp
GOLO member since July 3, 2007
May 9, 2008 12:08 a.m.

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Thanks, nclangs...I'll be leaving Rocky Mount within the next few mintues. Everyone, have a safe night!