In The Vortex

Author: David Drummond

  • Greensburg, KS Documentary

    A new documentary will be coming to PBS in the spring of 2008. It is about the Greensburg, KS tornado that happened earlier this year and will go down on record as one of the worst tornadoes in history as it almost completely wiped out the small town of Greensburg.

    I think any storm chaser that watches this, should sit down an reevaluate why they are out there, and what their primary purpose should be. Getting the pictures and the video is fine, but once you see just what sort of horrible destruction these things can do, you really can only conclude that you MUST take steps as an educated storm chaser to make sure you report EACH time you see a tornado, or are pretty sure one is about to form. You never know if your report might be the only one, and if you might save that one lone farmer out there, or an entire community, but submitting your report. Don’t ASSUME it was already reported. I have been guilty of this a few times in the past, when there were many chasers out. It won’t happen again. I will call in EVERY tornado, EVERY time. I challenge other chasers to do the same. Most chasers are good about this, others not so much.

    Tornado destruction to this magnatude is thankfully very, very rare. Often they are small and short lived, but it’s events like this that make big news and stick in the hearts and minds of the storm chasers that witness them. I have had a couple events that I was involved in that affected me in a very deep way. Jarrell, TX and Hallam, NE. The Jarrell community suffered intense damage and several deaths and while only one person died in Hallam, this was another case where almost the entire community was destroyed. You can’t even imagine the rush of emotions you feel to stand in the middle of a community like this, when everything around you in every direction is destroyed almost beyond recognition. I hope you never have to. I certainly hope your community is never devastated like this.

  • Phoenix Haboob!

    I just happened to catch this. An incredibly impressive haboob that nailed Phoenix, Arizona on Monday! Click the title to see the VIDEO!

     
    For those that don’t know, a Haboob is a term for an intense dust storm that is often very striking in appearance, as you can see from the above video. While these happen most often in desert climates (such as Arizona in the U.S.) they can happen in other areas as well, especially if most of the terrain is agriculture.

    Here are some tips from the Arizona Department of Transportation in dealing with one of these events should you ever encounter one.

    Quick Safety Tips:

    • Pull off the roadway
    • Stop
    • Turn off all vehicle lights
    • Set your emergency brake and take foot off the brake
    • Buckle up

    Guidelines for Traveling in Dust Storms:

    • NEVER stop in the travel lane
    • Travel at a speed suitable for limited visibility
    • If you can’t pull off the road, turn your LIGHTS ON
    • Sound your horn intermittently
    • Use the painted lane striping to guide you
    • If possible, look for a safe place to PULL OFF THE ROAD

    If you do pull off the road, observe the following safety tips:

    • Set your emergency brake
    • Take your foot off the brake pedal
    • Turn off all vehicle lights
    • Wait out the storm

    When returning to the pavement, be aware that the road may be slippery and in some cases, pavement markings may be obscured by sand and dust blown on the road. Rain frequently accompanies dust storms and will cause slippery conditions.

    Drive carefully.