Massive storms

[jbhtexas]

I also have a question-- Why do houses in the south not have basements? Is it too costly? Water table too high? Soil to rocky? What is it?

Around here anyway, the soil is too unstable. It expands and contracts significantly with change moisture content. Basements could be done, but the cost to construct them so that the walls wouldn't be crushed by the moving soil would be exhorbitant. There are some older houses in Arlington that have tried it, but it was not successful.

On the other hand, tornado rooms don't cost that much, in the scheme of the total cost of the house, and IMO, should be required by building code.

 

[ISUAgronomist]

On the other hand, tornado rooms don't cost that much, in the scheme of the total cost of the house, and IMO, should be required by building code.

I agree.

 

[Cyclonestate78]

Weather Channel stating there were 137 reported tornadoes. For me it was hard to really put that into perspective until I saw this map. I am not a weather guru but to me it just seems hard to believe that a weather system can generate this many horrific storms over a few days.

Click & Interact: Tornado Outbreak Strikes the South - weather.com

 

[madcityCY]

Around here anyway, the soil is too unstable. It expands and contracts significantly with change moisture content. Basements could be done, but the cost to construct them so that the walls wouldn't be crushed by the moving soil would be exhorbitant. There are some older houses in Arlington that have tried it, but it was not successful.

On the other hand, tornado rooms don't cost that much, in the scheme of the total cost of the house, and IMO, should be required by building code.

I have worked on two houses in Iowa (when I was in HS) that used tornado rooms. For whatever reason (cost, soils, accessibility, etc), the homeowner did not want a basement. Instead, the put in an approximately 8' x 12' poured in place concrete room with a concrete cap in between the garage and the kitchen. It was finished with gypsum wall board (like the rest of the house) and used as a kitchen pantry. Afeter it was finished, you would never know it was thre outside of the thicker walls.

As others have stated, a good idea which doesn't add much cost - especially in lieu of a full basement.

 

[edr247]

I have a cousin who lives in Arkansas, and I was shocked when I went through their house and found that they had absolutely nowhere to go in case of a tornado. No basement (as others have mentioned), but also no safe room. Not even a bathtub!

Thoughts and prayers go out to those affected. Absolutely tragic. Hopefully they get the aid they need soon.

 

[SvrWxCy]

While I don't doubt that a few of the tornadoes may have been EF-5, a lot of you may end up being surprised with quite a bit of the damage that has been shown is only EF-4 (for the most part). Given it is hard to tell by pictures, but in order for a tornado to truly be an EF-5 according to the degree-of-damage of a family residence there should be absolutely nothing left, 'slab swept clean'.

I realize with so much damage that this would be hard to come by simply with the debris loading that was going on with the storm, but many of the pictures shown still have small portions of walls that are still up and this would only be EF-4 damage.

Once again, I have no doubt that the tornado was likely an EF-5 in some instances, but just want to shed some light on just how bad it really has to be in order to get a true EF-5.

 

[CycloneGamecock]

We caught a little bit of this storm here in south carolina last night. Crazy rain and thunderstorms and everything so it must have been just awful in the hardest hit parts.

 

[Rolling Clones]

To put these storms in perspective- the top 25 tornado outbreaks with number of deaths all precede 1955 when reflectivity radars were mostly nonexistent and could not warn people about impending storms. The storm yesterday, as of now, stands #7 on the list. With all of the technology at our fingertips now for forecasting/warning/seeing/communicating about impending tornadoes this outbreak was filthy nasty.

Template:25 deadliest US tornadoes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I also have a question-- Why do houses in the south not have basements? Is it too costly? Water table too high? Soil to rocky? What is it?

Here in Austin, Texas, probably 99% of homes do not have basements. Limestone layers are usually encountered which make it too expensive to excavate. For example, on my lot, I have 12" of "topsoil" before I hit solid and/or fractured limestone.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Anyone know what the Tuscaloosa tornado was rated on the F scale?

Jim Cantore on TWC is claiming Tuscaloosa as EF4, and he's as respected as a meteorologist as there is out there.

 

[bpmcclain]

Crazy footage of the tornado by Bryant-Denny stadium

Clay Hasenfuss - 3rd story of my apt - TwitVid

 

[c.y.c.l.o.n.e.s]

While I don't doubt that a few of the tornadoes may have been EF-5, a lot of you may end up being surprised with quite a bit of the damage that has been shown is only EF-4 (for the most part). Given it is hard to tell by pictures, but in order for a tornado to truly be an EF-5 according to the degree-of-damage of a family residence there should be absolutely nothing left, 'slab swept clean'.

I realize with so much damage that this would be hard to come by simply with the debris loading that was going on with the storm, but many of the pictures shown still have small portions of walls that are still up and this would only be EF-4 damage.

Once again, I have no doubt that the tornado was likely an EF-5 in some instances, but just want to shed some light on just how bad it really has to be in order to get a true EF-5.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't an EF5 capable of unpaving a paved road?

 

[Cyclonestate78]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't an EF5 capable of unpaving a paved road?

I believe in some cases it can rip the pavement right out of the ground.

http://www.weathernotebook.org/transcripts/2000/07/19.html

 

[wxman1]

here are some great pictures of the storm and the damage.

Tornadoes kill over 200 - The Big Picture - Boston.com

 

[Cyclonestate78]

Death toll updated to 268. This is quickly approaching the deadliest outbreak of storms in US history. The highest ever was 330 in 1974. :sad:

 

[edr247]

Crazy footage of the tornado by Bryant-Denny stadium

Clay Hasenfuss - 3rd story of my apt - TwitVid

Why is he still in the 3rd story of his apartment?

That video kind of reminds most of us in Iowa City when the tornado hit (except the Bama tornado is much bigger than the IC one was). My friends and I, and a lot of us in the dorms just stayed in our rooms, even while the warning was blaring. Whoever didn't stay in their rooms, went outside. I had an exam to study for, so I just plugged in my headphones, cranked up the volume and read. It wasn't until later that I realized that an actual tornado had hit the city proper, several blocks away.

 

[Cyclonestate78]

Why is he still in the 3rd story of his apartment?

That video kind of reminds most of us in Iowa City when the tornado hit (except the Bama tornado is much bigger than the IC one was). My friends and I, and a lot of us in the dorms just stayed in our rooms, even while the warning was blaring. Whoever didn't stay in their rooms, went outside. I had an exam to study for, so I just plugged in my headphones, cranked up the volume and read. It wasn't until later that I realized that an actual tornado had hit the city proper, several blocks away.

My girlfriend at the time was going to Iowa and that tornado came very close to the apartment complex she lived in. She said it was one of the scariest experiences of her life. I can only imagine what goes through your head in a situation like that.

 

[Iastfan112]

Rosedale Courts in Tuscaloosa April 27, 2011 | Facebook

 

[Cyclonestate78]

Someone in Rainbow City, AL found home mortgage documents for a home in Tuscaloosa, AL. Those cities are 116 miles apart.

 

[2020cy]

Why is he still in the 3rd story of his apartment?

That video kind of reminds most of us in Iowa City when the tornado hit (except the Bama tornado is much bigger than the IC one was). My friends and I, and a lot of us in the dorms just stayed in our rooms, even while the warning was blaring. Whoever didn't stay in their rooms, went outside. I had an exam to study for, so I just plugged in my headphones, cranked up the volume and read. It wasn't until later that I realized that an actual tornado had hit the city proper, several blocks away.

You went to school at the U of I, makes sense.

 

[edr247]

My girlfriend at the time was going to Iowa and that tornado came very close to the apartment complex she lived in. She said it was one of the scariest experiences of her life. I can only imagine what goes through your head in a situation like that.

In my case, ignorance was bliss. Plus, a bit of distance, as the dorms were a bit away from the area hit. My third year, I stayed in an apartment near the church that was demolished by the tornado. Severe weather definitely kept us on our toes after that...

You went to school at the U of I, makes sense.

Yup! Plus, I'm from the "first or second ring" Twin Cities Metro suburbs, so even when we have severe weather, it's rarely that dangerous.