Tornado on the Ground in Okc & KS

Channel 5 Oklahoma ^ | 05/08/03 | Me

[Catspaw]

The majority of the tornadoes are so small and quick.

Even that small (1-2) tornado that hit my sister-in-law's house caused quite a bit of damage. It took down a grain silo a block away from her house--it was twisted like a pretzel--wiped out a gas station, tore off the one & only stop light in town (it was an overhead) and jammed it into the side of the bank like it was a javelin, tore off more roofs & damaged houses, garages, trees, etc., of course. They come so much faster than hurricanes--and hurricanes stay around much longer.

I just feel fortunate that the wildly unsettled weather is south of us this year. For some reason, because we live close to the bay, we have few tornados in this part of the county. Further south of us--just 10-20 miles--is a different story.

[nicmarlo]

[Petronski]

I was curious about what is built at the GM plant. FYI:

With the Oklahoma City investment, GM will build a new 250,000 sq. foot paint shop and renovate the plant's body shop and general assembly areas with new equipment, machinery and tooling.

Regular truck production is currently scheduled to begin at Oklahoma City during the 2002 calendar year.

"GM's Oklahoma City investment is part of an ongoing strategy to further expand truck production capacity and better align our manufacturing capabilities with customer demand," said Guy Briggs, GM vice president and general manager of the GM Truck Group. "Oklahoma City has been a great place to build cars and we know it will be a great place to build trucks."

For competitive reasons, GM is not releasing information on the specific truck products to be built at Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma City plant currently employees approximately 3,150 hourly and 230 salaried employees.

[thunders]

It just seems like the Midwest City and Moore area attracts tornados....I remember when the last big tornado hit that took out the gym where the state basketball playoffs were going to be held. My high school's basketball team was on a bus halfway there when the tornado hit....

Any new developments on the track of this storm and on the tornados? (I have't seen anything confirming that they aren't still on the ground) What about the weather situation in Kansas? (I also have family all over that area...) Thanks!

[kcvl]

Tornado Sweeps Across Oklahoma City
By JENNIFER L. BROWN
Associated Press Writer


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)--A tornado touched down in Oklahoma City as the afternoon rush hour began Thursday, damaging buildings and forcing authorities to shut down a major highway. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Television reports showed structures stripped of roofs, and automobiles and mobile homes scattered across the landscape. The footage also showed damage to nearby Tinker Air Force Base and a General Motors plant.

Sirens sounded in the area just before 5 p.m. and the twister touched down in suburban Moore at about 5:15 p.m. It then moved over Interstate 35 and a mall before moving to the east and into two more suburbs, Midwest City and Del City.

Authorities closed parts of Interstate 240 after heavy wind damaged industrial buildings, a mobile home sales lots, a bank and a fast-food restaurant.

The Plains, Midwest and South have been pummeled with tornado-packed storms that have killed at least 42 people since Sunday.


AP-NY-05-08-03 1908EDT

[nicmarlo]

employees approximately 3,150 hourly and 230 salaried employees.

I pray that none are seriously hurt; prayers, also, to all the other residents in the path of this tornado......how very frightening this must be!

[Tuxedo]

I hope the employees got to safety at the GM plant. Those things run 24/7, so there had to be people there. Picture from the weather channel look like it was wiped out. Almost looked as if it was partially under construction!

[kcvl]

Oklahoma City-AP -- A large tornado has apparently touched down in southern Oklahoma City and its southeastern suburbs.

News footage showed heavy damage to Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City and the General Motors plant in south Oklahoma County.

There were reports of injuries at the G-M plant, but that could not be immediately confirmed.

The storm paralleled Interstate 240, destroying metal industrial buildings, a mobile home sales lots, a bank, a fast-food restaurant and tossed 18-wheelers.

There also were reports of leveled businesses near I-240, a major thoroughfare in central Oklahoma. Officials have shut down eastbound I-240.

Structures were stripped of roofs, automobiles and mobile homes were strewn across the landscape.

Power lines and large trees also were toppled and other debris could be seen.

[Petronski]

KOCO-TV:

Tornado Took Same Path As May 3 Storms

POSTED: 5:26 p.m. CDT May 8, 2003
UPDATED: 6:25 p.m. CDT May 8, 2003
OKLAHOMA CITY -- A tornado moving northeast struck Oklahoma City Thursday, touching down in Choctaw and eastern Oklahoma County.

The tornado is carrying debris and moving at about 35 miles per hour.

The same tornado touched down in northern Cleveland County and Oklahoma County causing major damage.

Damage is being reported near Interstate 240 and Sooner Road in southern Oklahoma City. There are reports of damage near Del City, Midwest City and Tinker Air Force Base.

The General Motors plant along I-240 has sustained extreme roof and window damage. Injuries have been reported at the plant.

I-240 eastbound has been shutdown. Several businesses have sustained major damage. The tornado continues moving northeast at 30 miles per hour. People in the storm's path should take immediate shelter.

[kcvl]

At 6:00 PM...National Weather Service radar continued to show showers and thunderstorms over portions of northeast Oklahoma. A tornadic thunderstorm was approaching western sections of creek and Okfuskee counties. The most dangerous part of the storm was located over southern sections of Lincoln County...and had produced a large and destructive tornado in portions of the Oklahoma City Metro within the past hour. Another tornadic thunderstorm was approaching western sections of Pawnee and Osage counties. The most dangerous portion of this storm was near Red Rock. This storm also contains a tornado...and could produce significant damage to from Ralston to Burbank. All of this activity continues to move northeast at 35 miles an hour. The storms in creek and Okfuskee counties could affect portions of southern Tulsa County by 7:30 PM. Residents in any of these areas should take immediate precautions...and plan now to go to a sturdy shelter in the warned counties.

[Tuxedo]

Weather Channel's severe storm expert says this will be a long night. Been quiet in Ohio so far this spring. They are forecasting boomers for tomorrow, so we'll see if any of that stuff makes its way here. Been since 1985 that we've had an outbreak in Ohio worth remembering, and before that, 1974.

[nicmarlo]

Tornado Hits Oklahoma Town, Buildings Toppled
Thu May 8, 2003 07:05 PM ET

Live video footage from local broadcaster KFOR showed a restaurant destroyed by the tornado, which also ripped through large sections of a General Motors facility in the area. Fire trucks and rescue vehicles could be seen racing through city streets, and there were several buildings, homes and apartment complexes that were damaged in the tornado, the video footage showed.

The tornado was heading to the east, authorities said.

The broadcaster said at least one person was injured but authorities could not confirm the report. [snip]

[kcvl]

Rest of Tonight

Partly cloudy. Windy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may be severe. Lows around 70. South winds 20 to 25 mph becoming southwest 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent

[kcvl]

[John H K]

This has all tornado/Severe T-storm warnings updated instantly, just refresh it:

http://kamala.cod.edu/svr/

Regarding Kansas, there is a line of supercells extending the entire North-South Width of Kansas and about to move over the eastern quarter of Kansas. Most of them have hook echoes, it appears.

[Tuxedo]

Looks like Coffeyville is under the gun. The one headed for Tulsa appears to be weakening, but you never know.

[nicmarlo]

There's been so much devastation this past week with tornados....isn't this more than normal?

[Petronski]

It seems to be diffusing and steering south of Tulsa.

[Petronski]

It seems to be diffusing and steering south of Tulsa.

[CedarDave]

Anyone have a valid user name and password for the OK City newspaper? To register, you have to provide them with all sorts of very personal information, up to and including home address, phone number, income, mothers maiden name, dog's birthdate, etc.