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Oklahoma tornadoes kill at least one, injure others, cause major damage
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A series of powerful storms surged southwest to northeast across Oklahoma today, killing at least one person as the system spawned tornadoes, high winds, and tennis ball-sized hail in some areas.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol just confirmed at least one death in the central Oklahoma area. Other injuries have been reported, including a fireman and police officer. Several homes were damaged in Edmond. Many power poles were downed in several areas, including Oklahoma City, above.
I spent some time in my storm shelter, a closet tucked underneath my staircase. Although I'd been monitoring the storms by satellite, I didn't really get moving until my good friend and expert meterologist Larry Cosgrove called me.
A double-pronged tornadic storm was headed right for my northeastern Oklahoma neighborhood, he said. In fact, he pulled up my street address and plotted the direction of the storm. Get into shelter now, he said, firmly.
He was right. After piling into the closet with my emergency all-purpose radio along with my dog, Owain Glendower, I continued to listen to the scanner outside the door as well as local radio. As I settled in, I heard a storm spotter's report: a funnel was on the ground slightly southwest of me, heading my way.
Luckily, that funnel just disappeared. But it was a tense time, even for someone who loves storms.
My area is still having intense thunderstorms. We're having a spate of flash floods and other heavy rain-wind problems. As for actual storm damage, we won't quite know until daylight. So far, it seems as though the worst missed the central part of my area.
I'm grateful for our good luck, a good friend like Larry, and the good services of NASA and NOAA weather satellites. I can track storms with the latest satellite information right on my computer, which is a great addition to safety.
But I must admit--when I headed for the closet, I forgot my laptop computer. Usually, it goes with me so that I can continue to track the storm. I missed it--and those satellite pictures, which are among the many benefits of space. The services of those instant satellite images, plus the skills and dedication of storm spotters and meterologists, save lives.
Image credit/AP David McDaniel
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