Tornado!!!!

[adamdegraff]

Hey All,
Big warning in the area I'm in right now for Tornados. Evidently, the "perfect" tornado weather is brewing in East TX, LA, AR area. Heavy weather from the Rockies is meeting with gulf winds. Last night we drove through what was maybe the most violent rain storm I ever saw!

So, if I see a big twister heading my way, what do you do? Remember, I have two kids. I have heard you are supposed to get out of your car and get in a ditch. Really??? Again, REALLY? It seems that with crap being flung through the air at 150mph, one would want to stay inside.

Since the bus weighs 24 tons, I would think that staying in the bus might be the best option. Buckled up? All crammed in a closet? Under the bed? Any thoughts? I'm not from these parts.

Thanks for any ideas.

~Adam

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Adam, I understand your concern, but I am afraid I don't have an answer for you. I can only guess that staying in the bus would be better than being outside on the ground in a ditch.

If it were me, I would close the blinds and get into the center of the bus, away from as many of the windows as you can get, if you hear a rumble coming your way. Do you have heavy pocket doors you can close off the open areas of the bus, so you Lisa and the kids are in the center of the bus?

Do you have an Emergency Band weather radio to keep you informed of your area weather? Or maybe you could stay tuned to the CB for constant updates.

This afternoon I was picking up my bus at Birdland coach and never saw it rain so hard and for so long. The thunder and lighting was horrendous, but I am home safe and sound now, and the weather has passed.

Hope it clears up for you and your family.

Stay Safe.

Gary S.

[Ray Davis]

Hopefully someone from tornado country can answer, but I would guess if you can get under a bridge underpass or similar, you might be shielded somewhat from the full force? I think as Gary suggested, I'd stay inside, but I'm pretty sure a direct hit is never a good thing.

Ray

[hhoppe]

Adam, Peggy gave you good advice. Ive seen tornado watchers racing the things and seeking refuge under a overpass. don't stop near trees. Try not to travel at night during those warning periods. You can spot some of them and drive to avoid them. Good luck.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Adam, Peggy gave you good advice. Ive seen tornado watchers racing the things and seeking refuge under a overpass. don't stop near trees. Try not to travel at night during those warning periods. You can spot some of them and drive to avoid them. Good luck.

Harry, I will have you know Peggy is asleep at the moment, and sometimes I come up with good advice, too ! ?

Gary S.

[Coloradobus]

Adam,
IF you must stay in the bus, drive in a direction that is away from the Tornado.
Best case, is get out of the bus!! YES, the Tornado will blow the bus away and even pick it up!! So, staying in the coach is LAST thing you want to do.
As others have said, travel during the daylight. If a twister is not enveloped in rain and hail, you can see it. AND DO NOT SEEK REFUGE UNDER AN OVERPASS. They become windtunnels of DOOM!!! Try for a drainage ditch, or even a culvert, some sort of ground depression.
Many campgrounds and RV Parks in tornado prone areas have storm shelters. USE THEM!!
Some RV PARKS that have shelters will advertise such. Traveling in Torndao Alley during the prime season, SPRING, we ALWAYS stay in a camp that has a shelter, and that is not next to a Wal Mart like building. If the wind doesn't get you, the falling concrete block wall will.
Some shelters can be concrete constructed semi buried bunker-like structures, which double as campground restrooms.
A Tornado is NOTHING to lark about with.
They are sudden, compact, intense, brutal, erratic, phenomenons of nature. A 48,000 lbs bus is no match for a Tornado. If it doesn't pick the bus up, it will roll you many times like a log.
The bus is replaceable, your family and you aren't.
Don't mean to be harsh, but I wanted to emphasize the dangers Tornadoes pose to the motorist/RV'er.
Why do you think JIM SKIFF got so much flack and grief about having an Oklahoma State Rally in APRIL??? Argh----Tornado Central!!!

[flyu2there]

Jim,

Spot On! These things are not to be fooled with and your advice is sage. Get out of that bus and pronto and don't ever try to outrun one, they move when and where they want and at a speed of their choosing, usually much faster than any motor vehicle.

Be careful out there

John

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I have zero experience with tornados, their avoidance, and what to do when one is in the area. However on our very first trip in our first bus we encountered severe winds. It was in December, just north of Pittsburgh and it was snowing/sleeting and there was thunder and lightning an extremely rare combination. I pulled off the highway under a bridge on the interstate and it offered considerable protection. The precipitation was being dirven sideways and even under the bridge the coach was rocking, but nothing like before I stopped. We have never encountered winds of that level since.

[Steve Bennett]

One of the Techs @ Newell told me about a NASCAR drivers coach that was being driven to Newell for service. The delivery driver spotted the tornado right before he got to it. He stopped the coach, and was running to the rear of the coach. The tornado turned the coach on its' side, and spun it around in place. The refrigerator fell out of its' cabinet, and landed on the driver. He was able to lift it off, and suffered no injuries. I was told the coach was unrepeatable. I think the best move is to stay as far away from the severe storms as possible. Even an encounter with moderately sized hail can severely damage an XL's aluminum panels.

[GDeen]

Grew up in tornado alley as did a few others around here....

1. Get out of the bus and into shelter. There is a video out there of a school bus flying through the air in a tornado. The tornado that hit Clinton AR last year carried a fiberglass boat to near Mountainview -~ 25 miles.
2. Do not hide up under the overpass. Although there is a video of some surviving this way, many have been killed under overpasses. Winds are accelerated potentially under there which makes it worse.
3. Ultimately, the only safe place is below ground. The F5 that hit Jarrel TX in the 90's wiped a complete subdivision clean including peeling up blacktop and some concrete. Vehicles were found up to a mile away from were they were parked. Twenty something people were killed.
4. I cleaned up after three tornadoes as a boy scout growing up in southern OK. When you have seen the damage first hand, it leaves an incredible impression. Hot water heater wrapped around a tree 15' up like a beer can. Roof joists and studs stuck 2-3' feet in the ground.