Decisions I never had to make when I lived in Montana

[Debi]

I'm in Iowa now and we're in the path of some pretty nasty weather (both tornados & golf ball sized hail have been reported - at least rotating clouds have been seen).

Do I put my new(er) car under our big Maple tree to protect it from the hail or will a tornado up-root the tree and crush my car???

http://www.kcrg.com/weather/popup?img=loop&w=640&h=480&path=/weather/regional&id=Radar+Loop


:shrug:

[Ptah]

1. Yikes! I have no idea.

Hoping you are able to stay safe.

:scared:

[Debi]

4. Looks like it's moving just around our home - it's about 14 miles from us right now

and we'll head to the basement as soon as the wind/rain starts hitting. Right now it may swing right North of us and all we'll see is the high wind/hail. I put the car under the tree - we have comprehensive coverage so it'll be covered if the tree falls - we'd probably not fix it if just hail hits it.

This weekend last year my husband and father got stuck in the middle of the golf course during a storm just like this one - they took shelter best they could under some trees - Dad got hit on the wrist by a piece of hail that was just jagged enough to cut and bruise him (he swears that's why his score sucked so bad!) x(

This will all be over in about 25 minutes.

[Critters2]

2. When I was in Iowa, without a garage, I always parked the car under a tree.

I've lived in the Midwest most of my life, and I've seen more hail than tornadoes. So, I always erred on the side of protecting against hail. With a tornado, your car will be damaged in some way no matter where you park it. But a tree could protect against hail.

But here's hoping neither one happens!

[Debi]

5. Yeah, our 'nicer' car is in the garage. The storm is moving at 40 mph

and is a dozen miles away and moving a little North as it comes to us. Sounds like hail is the bigger problem. Man, graduation just ended 45 minutes ago! Glad I'm not driving in this. :hi:

[Chan790]

3. My guess...

although I've never lived there. Put the car under the tree to protect from hail, anything strong enough to take the tree would have taken the car already. You might have to worry about falling branches though. :( :scared:

It's kind of a no-win situation.

[Debi]

6. We'll head to the basement if necessary.

Of course we have mature Maple/Silver Maples all around our house (30 years old). Right now there is no wind around our house - just clouds and thunder. Our poor dog is going batty.

[Wetzelbill]

7. Yeah but you probably won't ever wake up and have your car buried in a snow drift

Which has happened to my parent's car in MT a few times over the years.

I now live in Arizona. :)

[Debi]

9. Actually it happens in both state

but the skiing in Iowa is nowhere near as cool as in Montana. (In Iowa school gets cancelled b/c of the storm - in Montana it gets cancelled b/c all the kids are at Bridger Bowl looking for some cold smoke!) http://www.bridgerbowl.com/themountain/

[Wetzelbill]

11. This is the shame I have had to live with

:rofl:

[Debi]

13. I lived in Bozeman n/t

[Debi]

8. Bah - hail is hitting - size of jelly-beans

tornado spotted 12 miles from our house - but headed north-east - we'll be missed.

[Debi]

10. OMG Parkersburg just got hit HARD - saying tornado up to one mile wide

and houses smashed - roads impassable!!! This is crazy!

http://pmc.myweather.net/SevereWx/PopupText.asp?Tokens=71829601~4~FF0000,71753001~2~FF9966,&Title=BLACK%20HAWK%20Severe%20Weather%20Alerts&lat=42.046256&lon=-91.573358

[Critters2]

14. Holy shit!!

Hear anything about Eagle Grove or Clarion? I'm gonna check out the Weather Channel.

Stay safe, Deb!

[Critters2]

39. They're now saying 7 dead in Parkersburg. nt

[Debi]

42. That is terrible - the whole town is wiped out. n/t

[Critters2]

43. Reminds me of the pics of Greensburg, KS.

7 dead. Just so, so sad.

[Debi]

12. Power just went out - wind hard - and now nothing. Ewww

:scared:

My husband just went upstairs - one our living room window is shattered and a tree is down.

Here comes the next wind.

[Debi]

15. WE GOT HIT BY A TORNADO!

I'll post pictures after a couple of days - probably no power for 24 hours. My garage is on top of one of my cars and it hit the other one (the one that I put under the tree - yep, it's a mess). I hear that Parkersburg and New Hartford are in bad shape - whole housing developments gone.

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/05/25/news/top_story/doc4839f26069e5c347098257.txt

UPDATE: Injuries reported in Parkersburg
PARKERSBURG --- A triage unit has been set up in the town of Parkersburg to deal with injuries after a tornado swept through the southern half of the town.

There were reports of extensive damage to the town, including the school, but was not confirmed.

Ambulances from several area towns were rushing to Parkersburg. A triage area has been established and air-care was flying into the city.

This comes after a strong storm system moved through northern Black Hawk County and parts of Bremer and Butler counties about 5 p.m., leaving damaged buildings and homes in their wake.

A tornado also struck Dunkerton. There are numerous reports of homes damaged or destroyed in both cities, as well as buildings in Black Hawk County.

A barn located on Union Road just north of the Beaver Hills Country Club was severely damaged.

Power lines are also down in that area. Residents in that area are without electricity.

The storm moved quickly through the area.

The city of Parkersburg apparently took the brunt of the storm, with numerous buildings damaged and trees down.

Along Dunkerton Road, witnesses reported at least five damaged homes, along with a vehicle and a trailer flipped upside down in the ditch.

At least one woman was injured when the roof ripped off her home on home on Mount Vernon Road and cut her face. But there were reports that others also may be more severely injured.

Law enforcement and rescue personnel have been going door to door in the Dunkerton area checking on residents. Many are reporting that homes are destroyed.

Many streets in Dunkerton are impassable due to downed power lines and trees.

The Courier will continue to update this story as information becomes available.


+++++++++++++++

The barn that they talk about is our neighbor's pole-barn, they are directly across from our house. UGH - Thank goodness nobody in our neighborhood was injured. All those in P-Burg and New Hartford are in our thoughts.

[mwooldri]

16. Glad you're safe.

Cars and garages can be fixed. Hope all works out well for you.

Mark.

[Debi]

19. Yep, we're very lucky! n/t

[Haole Girl]

17. Oh no!

I feel badly that I didn't see your thread in time to tell you not to park under a tree.
Glad you are ok, though...and nobody in your neighborhood was injured! :hug:

[Debi]

20. The tree didn't hit my car - the garage did!

x( The tree lost some branches but all they did was fly into the yard and into the road. Other trees hit my house but no trees hit my car.

[TZ]

22. Sorry to hear about your car...

But at least you are safe...wowie..:o :hug:

[Debi]

23. Yes, injuries are being reported from Butler County and Grundy County

But none from my county yet. It's raining buckets now - but we can deal with the rain!

Here's a stream from KCRG, they're doing a good job of reporting this stuff: http://www.kcrg.com/news/streaming/10476432.html?video=pop&t=a

[JVS]

18. bummer. glad you're ok though.

[Debi]

21. Yes, the more I hear about Parkersburg and New Hartford I'm really worried

about those folks - sounds like they didn't have time to get to safety the way we did.

[Whoa_Nelly]

25. O my! Glad you all came through OK!

:hug:

Parkersburg was hit hard ;(


http://www.kimt.com/news/local/19250124.html

North Iowa Hit by Tornadoes KIMT

Mason City, IA--Colliding air masses created severe weather across North Iowa Sunday.

Tornado sirens began sounding Mason City at around 4:25.

Authorities were worried about a potential tornado moving from Franklin into Cerro Gordo County.

Shortly afterward golfball sized hail was reported in the Rockwell area.

Sometime after 4:50 p.m. sirens were sounded in Floyd County as a wall cloud with possible rotation was seen west of Marble Rock.

It appears several other places farther south in Butler County may have sustained worse damage.

A Butler county dispatcher confirms that it appears a tornado hit the city of Parkersburg,.

There are reports of damage and some people are trapped.

At this point there are no confirmed reports of injuries.

A command center has been set-up at a fire station on the Southeast side of town.

People are being warned about downed powerlines.

Any and all emergency assistance was being requested.

Farther East of Parkersburg on Highway 57 is the town of Sinclair.

There was a fear that a propane tank there could explode.

Farther East on Highway 57, there are reports that New Hartford and the town of Dunkerton East of Waterloo have been hit as well.



Update from KIMT-TV News 3's Cole Mathison at 6:45 p.m. in Parkersburg:

Looks like a signicant storm moved through.


Witnesses say they watched come into town from the West.


The Southside of the town got leveled.


The Parkersburg elementary is opening for shelter tonight.


Whole homes destroyed knocked off foundations and some homes flattened.

Trees down, powerlines down, some streets blocked off.


Fire crews from all over the region have arrived, several ambulances on scene.

Crews still trying to pull survivors from wreckage.


There are concerns about gas leaks, they are being checked out.

At least one person died of a heart attack.

[Debi]

27. WOW! I hope this is over soon. Sirens are going off in Cedar Falls

looks like severe thunderstorms w/some rotation.

Crap, tornado warning for Grundy County......here we go again.

[Whoa_Nelly]

29. In looking at weatherunderground animation map

there is counter-clockwise rotation coming over your area
http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=DMX&lat=42.52862167&lon=-92.45090485&label=Cedar+Falls%2C+IA&type=N0R&zoommode=pan&map.x=400&map.y=240¢erx=91¢ery=407&prevzoom=zoom&num=6&delay=50&scale=0.370&noclutter=0&showstorms=0&showlabels=1&rainsnow=0&lightning=0

go low, dig in deeply. Be safe and post later :hug:

[Debi]

32. thanks for the link - we're getting hit by hail right now. n/t

[skygazer]

24. WOW - glad you're safe, Debi

That's scary weather - I hope no fatalities come out of this.

[Flaxbee]

26. Yikes, Debi!

Glad you and your husband are safe! Come back and let us know how things are whenever you can. Be careful of loose debris, OK?



And - totally irrelevant right now, but when did you leave Bozeman? My best friend lives there, worked in county government --- I wonder if you knew her.

[Debi]

48. 22 years ago - graduated in 1986 n/t

[Flaxbee]

59. hm, OK, probably not, then - she didn't settle there until 1995 or so --

do you ever go back to visit?

[Debi]

60. Often - just back for Christmas last year.

Love it there (a little more today!)

[graywarrior]

28. Oh man, I kinda know what you're dealing with after living in FL for 5 years

I never knew what was worse, the wind or the flooding.

[greenbriar]

30. do NOT put it under tree

strong winds, hail ect...

branches may fall and crush car

[Debi]

31. The tree did not fall on the car - the garage did

x( and on the car IN the garage. But we are much better off than the poor folks in Parkersburg and New Hartford. Some of them have lost everything.

[greenbriar]

33. I am sorry its our turn now...tornado in county above us we are in watch till 4 am

I hate storms

[Debi]

34. Good luck to you - I hope it passes over you! n/y

[Debi]

35. Photos of the damage - we have power now and looks like the worst has passed

:crazy: What a day!

[Whoa_Nelly]

36. Wow!

Swiped and wiped your garage!

So sorry! :hug:

[Haole Girl]

44. OMG

That looks pretty severe....especially the 2nd from the right one! I'm so glad you weren't hurt! :hug:

[Debi]

49. Yeah, we're fine and our neighbors are fine all up and down the road

I hear that seven have died in Parkersburg from the tornado. Those poor people. We are very lucky.

[Haole Girl]

58. Kick

You ok today Debi? :hug:

[Debi]

61. Yes, I keep hearing about the folks near us that lost so much more.

family came over to help cut branches up and trees down (I didn't realize just how many trees we had on our property!). We've gotten in touch with insurance and started that ball rolling, and had our carpenter out to give us a status report on our roof and windows (not good). Obvously the garage is a mess and we still don't know HOW we're getting our Mountaineer out from underneath all the rubble. That's for tomorrow....

[JeanGrey]

46. I'm so sorry Debi but so glad you are alive!

[Debi]

50. So are we!

:hi:

[fed-up]

37. glad you are okay!!! nt

[fed-up]

38. reccing for the great live coverage-thanks-you must still be shaking in your boots! nt

[Critters2]

40. Glad you're okay, Debi.

I've got to check on a couple of friends in Cedar Falls.

I just can't get over the destruction in Parkersburg.


I'm so glad you're alright! :hug:

[Debi]

51. Sounds like CF is okay - as is Waterloo

Just the rural areas got hit (Dunkerton, Janesville, out North Cedar Road).

[Khaotic]

41. Glad you're okay, so sorry about the property damage

Things are pretty quiet here in the Quad-Cities right now.

By the look of the radar we'll be getting some strong winds and heavy rain before 3 a.m.

We're also under a Tornado Watch, but hope nothing is seen and that it stays as only a watch.

Again ... glad you're okay.

Take care & be safe.

[Debi]

52. How'd things turn out?

How about flooding down there?

[Skittles]

45. glad you're OK girl

yes INDEED :o

[Debi]

53. Skittles, you could say that tornado kicked our ass

x(

But we're all okay, and now just get to clean up.....

[Skittles]

62. I've been lucky considering all the years I've spent in tornado alley

my dad was a meteorologist and he hated tornadoes - he called the suvivors of the bad ones "the luck of the draw" :o

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

47. Insure the car and protect your life

I'd park under the tree to protect from hail. If the tornado hits, the car will be tossed (and toast).

[Debi]

54. Car is fully covered - tree didn't touch it - the garage fell on it

but that's covered too! What a crazy Memorial Day weekend!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

55. I'm glad you're ok

and that you still have the internets intact.

Scary weekend in that part of the country.

[Debi]

56. We actually were the only one with internets from around our area

Yea for laptops and air-cards. Neighbors from a couple miles up the road stopped to check on us and we signed on to live-stream the news (of course everything was only available for a few hours but we made it by getting off and on through the night). Between cell phones and our son's computer we were in good communication. Lucky us.

Still so worried about the folks in Parkersburg. Hope we can do something to help soon.

[Debi]

57. dupe