Friday OT - Only Happy When It Rains

[Angie]

I saw some meme the other day about someone from another state cowering inside under a bed during a tornado and Iowans running at it with a camera.

What is your storm personality? During a big storm a few years ago, I was at work, and another friend and I just stood in the vestibule and watched. If it was going to kill us, it wouldn’t really matter if I was there or downstairs where there was still a bunch of glass.

Do you hunker down with radios and water bottles? Do you storm chase with a camera? Do you have multiple TVs on different storm channels like it is March Madness?

 

[CYCLNST8]

My wife and I would love to quit our jobs and be storm chasers if it was profitable. Big Reed Timmer fans.

Last July when that tornado hit Urbandale it went right over our house. The sirens hadn't gone off yet. We had lost power and I noticed shingles and tree branches swirling in the air- the debris ball. I was like, "Holy crap I think that's a tornado." We made our way to the basement and watched our neighbor's tree get ripped to shreds and fall over the utility lines. It's true that your ears pop. That was when we were like, wow- I guess we better hunker down in the bathroom. Fortunately it didn't intensify from there. We never panicked. We were fascinated. Even our one-year-old daughter thought it was cool.

 

[Gonzo]

We usually head outside to watch unless things get really dicey.

 

[Beernuts]

Sometimes it snows in April.

 

[wxman1]

I saw some meme the other day about someone from another state cowering inside under a bed during a tornado and Iowans running at it with a camera.

What is your storm personality? During a big storm a few years ago, I was at work, and another friend and I just stood in the vestibule and watched. If it was going to kill us, it wouldn’t really matter if I was there or downstairs where there was still a bunch of glass.

Do you hunker down with radios and water bottles? Do you storm chase with a camera? Do you have multiple TVs on different storm channels like it is March Madness?

Given my background (started in meteorology but wasn't smart enough to finish), trained storm spotter etc. I am generally trying to watch much to my family's dismay.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Me:

My wife:

 

[madguy30]

At night, downstairs if it gets dicey by the sounds.

Only do that in the daytime when it's an official warning or sirens. Otherwise I like watching. I've never seen a tornado and would like to from a distance and ideally it's in a field or something

Our porch on my farm growing up faces west and I have wonderful memories sitting out there on a stormy afternoon (so long as the wind had died down) hanging out with family.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I enjoy a good thunderstorm, but I have a pup who is terrified of them now, so I don't look forward to storms as much as I used to.

 

[gypsyroad]

Semi-related...

About 15 years ago a tornado got within a mile of our suburban house. Neighbor to the right had three kids who were always home alone, as they were on this day. Neighbor to the left had parents in town from southern Texas where there isn't much tornado activity and at the moment, the parents were there by themselves. I had met them previously.

I'm outside watching the tornado develop, sirens are going, the air has that eerie feeling. The parents come out of the house screaming, having no idea what to do. I tell them to go down to a specific room to wait it out and they'll be fine. As I'm trying to convince them they're not going to die, the three kids come out of the house and they're getting in the car. The oldest is probably 14 at this time. I sprint over and ask them what they're doing. Outrunning the tornado, of course. I tell them hell no and to get over to our house. They don't listen but they did at least go back into their own house. The other neighbor's parents went in as well. It was three minutes of chaos.

Tornado didn't hit our neighborhood, but it did demolish a few businesses less than a mile from us. And the only video we got was us saying "dammit, I forgot to hit record".

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I normally don't get too concerned about storms but we do typically head to the basement when there is tornado warning that is in our area. This exact Friday one year ago were the tornado's over in Omaha and western IA. We were in the direct path of the one heading up towards WDM and that is the first time I was truly worried.

 

[Cyientist]

I love watching storms roll in. It is one of the things that make me miss living in the country vs. suburbia. After the derecho, I am definitely quicker to the basement when the sirens are going off.

 

[AgronAlum]

Me:

My wife:

This is our house, but throw 3 kids in with my wife. I'm usually in the garage or at a window watching the storm with the TV going while everyone else is freaking out in the basement. Most of my time is spent calming people down while the sirens are going off.

 

[Al_4_State]

It’s situational.

If I’m out in it, I’m watching that ****. If I’m at home and the sirens go off, I’m getting my family and dog in the basement.

I’ve had both experiences. When I was in college I actually chased this tornado with my brother and best friend: https://www.weather.gov/arx/jun1104.../ 0-,Summary:,the Mitchell-Howard County line.

In December 2021, a tornado was coming right for the town I live in. Sirens were blaring, power went out, and my in-laws were frantically calling because KWWL said our town was getting hit and to expect heavy damage. We huddled up in the basement fully prepared to lose our home. About a mile west of town, the storm shifted its track to the north and petered out. Really felt like we were going to get nailed that time.

 

[CycloneDaddy]

I crack open a Busch Light and head outside. Wife goes to the basement.

 

[pulse]

Unless there are sirens, I might be out in it or at least watching.

 

[NWICY]

I'll watch or sleep through them.

 

[KnappShack]

When I moved to California I was amazed that work would stop if it rained. Kids would go outside and play in the rain. Made no sense

Before I left I'd stop working to watch the rain.

Now my California wife sprints to the basement when the sirens go off. I open the door and look at the action.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I live in a neighborhood with lots of tree and a hill rises to my west. The trees and hill block my view of incoming storms so there is no sky watching for me. When a tornado hit Wirth Park a couple blocks from me I didn't even know it till the police car sirens came through the hood. There were no storm sirens for that small tornado. Did find pieces of a factory roof (tar and insulation chunks) in my yard from the warehouse that got hit a few miles from me.

 

[matclone]

If there's a tornado warning, I go to a safe space. No need to get excited but it's the rational thing to do. Those who want to dare the storm, so to speak, remind me in a way of those who declined COVID or other recommended vaccines.

Also, it seems to me that a tornado can form anywhere during a storm. It's not like, "Oh, the tornado is 10 miles from us and maybe heading in a different direction so we're safe." Or, "Oh, no need to seek shelter until we can see a tornado."

 

[JP4CY]

I have to go pickup all the **** that's laying around outside to make sure a baseball bat that wasn't put away doesn't fly thru a window.