Each day of volunteer work for the Red Cross has been unique. One area of uniqueness has been closing time for the MARC (Multi-Agency Resource Center). We are suppose close each day at 7 PM. In my five days at Moore (Oklahoma City), we have not made it to 7 yet. We have closed early because of severe weather. Each day has had a different closing time, but never 7 PM.
May 30th was no exception to closing early. We stopped taking new folks at 2 PM and left the building at 3:15. At the time I left the MARC at Westmoore High School, multiple severe thunderstorm warnings and multiple tornado warnings were in place. Thrilling and Chilling to say the least.
My drive from Moore to Norman is 30 minutes. I sleep at the "neck id" (NCED) in Norman, OK. With black skies all around, I made it safely to Norman. Went to my room; changed some clothes; grabbed a computer and went to the ground floor. My wait at a table in the ground floor cafeteria was not long. Within ten minutes of setting down, alarms began to sound in the hotel. Glaring, loud alarms that hurt my ears. The announcement said, "This is a tornado warning, move to the tornado shelter area in conference rooms G and H."
Sitting on the floor with 300 other folks in conference room G was kind of fun. We was noisy; we laughed; we watched a large projection television. Experiencing Oklahoma meteorologists and Oklahoma storm chasers was freaky. They were not like Indiana meteorologists.
Here are some of my favorite comments from the television.
"We have Bob and Fred (names changed) in two separate vehicles and they are almost upon the worst of the storms." What? Why? Are they crazy?
"Bob, it looks like the most violent rotation in the storm is to the east of you. Can you turn now and head east?" WHAT? Are you asking him to die?
"George (name changed) is in Air 12 (name changed) and he has almost reached the largest thunderstorm wall and it looks like the wall may soon produce a tornado." George in in a helicopter, a HELICOPTER and he is flying to the largest storm wall. OMG!
"This is George in Air 12; right now we can see the funnel cloud pulling water up out of the lake. If you folks look closely at your TV screen you will see the lake water being pulled into the tornado. Stand by, we will try to get a little closer so you will have a better picture." AHHHGGG! Fly the other way, George!
"Wow, that rotation is so strong that it is pulling the hail balls from the back of the cloud and throwing them out the front of the storm. Now, that is something that you don't see every day. Let drive over closer." Are you insane!!! Run for it!!!
"Call your friends and family and tell them that if they are trying to drive on I-35, then their car is going to be destroyed." What???? Regular, normal people are out driving around?!!??
Well, Oklahoma is unique. I talked with some native Oklahomans today about their weather people. These folks told me the meteorologists and storm chasers are scientists who have their craft down to an art. They told me that the meteorologists and storm chasers do what they do to save lives.
OK,I have moved from OMG to awe and appreciation. Good job Oklahoma weather people.
PS: I weather the Norman storms and made it back to my hotel room at NCED in one piece!
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