ICE STORM - OKC
Oklahoma is more than cowboys, native americans, covered wagons, football, and oil. We have fast paced weather. Everyone thinks of tornados. But what people don't know is that Oklahoma has 2 seasons: Wick Hot (the summer) and this other thing that is ever changing (the rest of the year). It could be sunny and in the 70's one day, then in the teens the next with snow. So basically I have my winter boots and sandals ready at any moment.
The storm started Sunday (the 9th). The rain turned into freezing rain to ice to freezing rain to ice...
Immediately people began losing power when the ice started accumulating on the powerlines. When the transformers blow, there's a bright blue/green flash. Very cool looking. Well until its close by and you lose power. Monday night we lost our power. We didn't get it back until Tuesday afternoon. We were luckly. some people will be without power for about a week. There were about 400,000 people without power because of this storm.
Here are some cool pictures that show a nicer side of a ice storm. I didn't see any need to show pictures of trees fallen down and other destructive images. Thats just not fun. So I hope you enjoy these pictures of the beautiful ice.
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What people don't know is that Oklahoma has 2 seasons: Wick Hot (the summer with temperatures in the 90's and 100's) and this other thing that is ever changing (the rest of the year). It could be sunny and in the 70's one day, then in the teens the next with snow. So basically I have my winter boots and sandals ready at any moment.
As for Tornadoes, there pretty much happen during Thunderstorms. But a Thunderstorm doesn't mean there's going to be a tornado. If you feel uneasy, just turn your TV or radio to the news. Oklahoma has the best weather service in the world. The Local TV stations spend more money on weather technology than the rest of the News station. Millions to Billions of dollars are spent for Tracking Storms. For more than a decade we have been able to pin point the street intersection that a tornado has been and going to. Of course the news covers the metro areas a lot more than the rural areas.
So the risk factor. Should you be afraid of tornadoes? In my opinion, don't be affair until its within 2 miles of you. In the realm of nature distastor, it a small one. Unlike a hurrican, flood, drought, earthquake, and blizzards, where there is mass destruction everywhere. A tornado has a destruction in a limited area.
If you find yourself about to be in danger from a tornado, find shelter in a room (like a bathroom) that doesn't have any exterior walls (a tornado shelter is best - like in a school or gov't building). If you are in an open area (like the highway), find a low area like a ditch and take cover. Do NOT hide at a Under Pass. It just becomes a wind tunnel. And of course you will want to Pray (your in the Bible Belt).
Living in Oklahoma almost all my life, I never been within 5 miles of a tornado. Only I've seen them off in the distance. Of course a little luck and knowledge helps. I would recommend people to shy away from certain areas that tornados have historical gont through like Moore, Del City, Midwest City, El Reno, Yukon, Piedmont, and Deer Creek.
