Tornado warning!

[thewayne]

Today someone sent out a tornado warning to everyone who works for the City.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

OK. Basement is good, I once again work in the basement. I can theoretically crawl under my desk. The entire wall behind me is glass, but there's cork covering a lot of it and a big book case, so I should be relatively safe.

But what's this crap about lying in ditches? WTF? As I recall, tornadoes are frequently accompanied by voluminous quantities of water. We have an amusing little feature here in the southwest: flash floods. I can just picture someone lying in a ditch to avoid a potential tornado and getting killed by a flash flood!

Comments

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

"Auntie Em!" or "*Glub*!"

I don't know which way I'd go. ;-) I think I'd probably go for the sight-seeing. But for that matter, my car is 4WD, so I think I'd stand a decent chance of out-running it. They don't move that fast, but I don't know the radius of the accompanying winds.

[deborak]

I think I'd stand a decent chance of out-running it.

It was nice knowin' ya! ;-)

[apostate-96.livejournal.com]

If I had to pick one danger or the other, I'd almost be more inclined to pick going airborne. There'd at least be a better view and, depending on how high 'n' far you flew, a better chance of surviving it. Once you're in a flash flood, you're pretty much fucked short of being plucked out by the Hand of God.

[fastlearner.livejournal.com]

You going airborne isn't so much the problem. Rather, it's all the other stuff the tornado picks up and flings at you at 100mph+. Heavy things. Sharp things. Even tiny things can tear your flesh off. Bad juju.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Very bad juju indeed! Flensing while flying doesn't sound like much fun!

[apostate-96.livejournal.com]

No argument. Given that tornadoes have been known to blow stalks of straw through telephone poles, perforation is definitely a hazard.

Admittedly, if you get picked up and flung at the 100mph+, you might be OK in the air because the relative velocities mean you won't be hit as hard or fast. Of course, landing becomes a very different issue....

[fastlearner.livejournal.com]

Aye, even at only 100mph, the planet hits pretty hard. :)