When I was about 6, around 1951-2, Dad worked at building the AEDC base at Tullahoma, TN and we lived in Winchester. A tornado hit in the next town over from where we lived, Decherd. The day after, Dad drove us over there to see what happened. I can still visualize the railroad locomotive laying on its side off the tracks, box cars and flat cars quite a way from the tracks, and 2x4 lumber spread all over town. Nope, no thanks. 
Steve
I've lived here in Tornado Alley my whole life and have seen quite a bit. There has been an explosion of warehouses being built within a 50 mile radius of the Arch, and lots of new housing developements also, rising out of what used to be farm fields. If a Tornado went through, nothing too newsworthy about that. Nothing to get flattened except a barn or farm house, and unless it was your barn or your farm house no big deal! A few years ago there was another Tornado touched down on the east side of the Mississippi River in one of those new huge warehouse developments, and it hit a brand new Amazon warehouse squarely in the middle. When these events happen, it takes several days sometimes more to fully examine and understand how strong the Tornado was. It's not like a hurricane where it can be tracked and studied for a week or more sometimes. Tornados just happen with very little warning, and wind speeds can reach 300mph in a very short amount of time, and then run along a path for an hour or disapate in a few minutes and be gone. This Tornado that hit the Amazon warehouse was a quick hit and run. There were unfortunately several workers killed in the disaster. The building was opened up like a sardine can on one end and the other end still stood. And that very evening there was cries if substandard construction methods and lawsuits file almost immediately. The NWS originally called it an EF1 or 2 tornadowhich put winds in a much lower range and that prompted the early complaints and lawsuits about substandard workmanship. But after a few days of examining the damage and lack of damage in surrounding areas, it was determined that it was at least an EF 4 or maybe even a 5 with winds in that 300mph range. It ripped sheet metal roofs like paper and twisted steel roof support beams like licorice sticks. Many fingers were pointed at building codes and such but the building was inspected frequently during construction and met all current, strict building codes. It was just never perceived that it would have to withstand a direct hit by an EF 5 tornado! This type of storm has hit the same area several times in my memory over the years, but like I said, nothing to get blown down but some corn or soybeans. The climate change alarm people like to jump all over these events like ducks on a June bug! Like they have never happened before. But there was no internet in the old days to put it under a microscope nor money to to be had from research into what we already know will happen!! It's just Mother Mature having her way with what's hers!! There is no pattern to them. They still happen now and then, sometimes more, sometimes less. It might be 2 years or 10 until the next one.You just have to be ready to stand on your own two feet and deal with it!
Power is still out, but crews are working on it. Power company truck just went past the front door. Nothing to do but sit here, watch the gawkers and contractors drive by and rant on Stunthanger on my phone!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
Topic: St. Louis Storms (Read 1132 times)