March 29 , 2001 Forecasters Urge Tornado Vigilance

DALLAS (UPI) -- Forecasters used the anniversary of last year's deadly North Texas twin tornadoes to issue a warning Wednesday for the public to keep their guard up even through twister activity across the nation is below average so far this year.

Two tornadoes struck March 28, 2000, one tearing through downtown Fort Worth and a second cutting through residential areas of nearby Arlington and Grand Prairie. Five people were killed and damage totaled $450 million. Six office buildings and 1,700 homes were wrecked.

Sheets of plywood still cover thousands of windows where glass was shattered in the 37-story Bank One building in downtown Fort Worth, a reminder of the 158 mph winds that struck the city shortly after 6:11 p.m. as the homeward-bound rush hour was winding down.

Weather experts and Fort Worth officials believe there would have been more fatalities if the Fort Worth twister had struck when downtown buildings such as Bank One were filled with thousands of workers, or even later in the evening.

"An hour earlier would have been during rush hour with a lot more people in the streets and offices," said Keith Wells, assistant emergency management coordinator for Fort Worth and Tarrant County. "Later in the evening, more people would have been in restaurants and theaters."

Tornadoes have struck other urban centers in recent years, notably Nashville, Tenn., and Salt Lake City, Utah, but they are very rare, according to tornado experts.

Many Fort Worth residents recalled where they were night of the twisters.

Attorney Walt Fortney, who was recovering from minor surgery at home, watched television coverage of the tornado that hit the Bank One building where his 35th-floor office was located.

"I had five windows and it blew in two of them, and fortunately they did blow in, otherwise I would have had stuff all over the street," he said. "I did have stuff down the hall. The ceiling fell in and it was wet, damp, and dirty."

Fortney said about 10 people were working in the office, but no one was injured.

About 70 Americans are killed by tornadoes and 1,500 people are injured each year. An average of 1,200 twisters cause more than $400 million in damage.

This year's tornado season began March 1 and experts at the National Weather Service, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, are concerned that below average twister activity so far this year may make people complacent.

At the time of the North Texas tornadoes last year, there were 177 twisters recorded across the nation by the end of March. So far this year, only 49 have been recorded, which is below the three-year average of 77 by the end of March, according to the NWS.

"While it is certainly gratifying to see so few tornadoes so far his year, we must remember that the severe storm season is just entering its more active period," said Bill Proenza, director the NWS southern region. "Traditionally, the most prolific tornado producing months are still ahead of us, and in fact tornadoes can occur any time, any place. So, we always have to keep our guard up and be prepared."

The season in "tornado alley," from Texas up to Nebraska, usually runs from early March through May, although southern states usually have another season in the fall. Tornadoes have hit all 50 states but they are most common in the Plains states.

Texas leads the nation in tornado fatalities and damage, largely because of its size. Texas is followed by Oklahoma, Kansas, Florida, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, Illinois, and Colorado, according to NOAA records.

Dan McCarthy, warning coordination meteorologist for the NOAA Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma City, said there is no way to make long-range predictions of tornado activity for a season because weather patterns change so quickly.

McCarthy said when severe weather is forecast it is time for people to pay attention.

"When a tornado watch is forecast, you should have a radio or television on to keep abreast of any changes, which could occur within a hour's time, and when you hear a tornado warning, you should immediately take cover," he said.

McCarthy also offered some sage advice when monitoring tornado activity.

"To get advanced warning, know what the counties are to your west," he said. "When that county is issued a tornado warning, you should take note because your county maybe the next one that is warned."

The storms that produce tornadoes usually move from the west to the east.

The NWS also offers the following safety tips:

-- In a home or building, move to a basement shelter.

-- If basement shelter is unavailable, move to an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under sturdy furniture.

-- Stay away from windows.

-- If caught in a vehicle, get out, seek shelter or lie flat in a ditch or depression.

-- Watch for flying debris.

-- In a mobile home, leave and seek shelter.

Sometimes tornadoes will develop too fast for the NWS to issue a warning so they urge the public to be alert for the signs of a twister development, such as dark, greenish skies, large hail, and a roar that sounds like an approaching train.

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2001

Answers

Response to ND-Forcasters Urge Tornado Vigilance

I'm surprised that there has never been a concerted campaign to suggest that those with bicycle or other protective helmets at home put them on if a tornado seems imminent, given the problems with head injuries associated with them. Too much like tinfoil hats?

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2001

Response to ND-Forcasters Urge Tornado Vigilance

Good idea Firemouse. Never even thought of it. We had one go through Ocala yesterday tearing up 83 homes, businesses and the industrial park. Rearranged things in my back yard but no damage.

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2001

Response to ND-Forcasters Urge Tornado Vigilance

Firemouse is not just another pretty face, remarked Old Git, deadpan, to no-one in particular.

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2001

Aw, you are so sweet, Old Git! And it's not just because you are probably the only person that I've ever encountered who could possibly understand why I needed 12 jars of Branston Pickle and 6 boxes of Typhoo as preps. ;)

PS Have you explored the Dialpad service, whereby one can use a headset and talk through the computer as a phone call? We just got set up, my daughter was able to natter on about teenage things for 45 minutes with her beloved cousin in Surrey, we've had a couple of hours of conversation with other relatives over in England, and it is costing about $3.00 an hour!! Yes, that's right, an hour, not a minute.

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2001