*****TORNADO LIVEBLOG****

[FourScore]

The tornadoes have started.

Here is the latest (although really nothing new or specific) from the Storm Prediction Center http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/pwo.html :

Public Severe Weather Outlook (PWO)
Print Version
Experimental Multimedia Briefing MP4.
Please note this briefing may be out of date after 1615 UTC on 04/14/2012 and there will be no subsequent updates during the day.
Please send comments or questions to [email protected] or using the feedback page.
View What is a Watch? clip.

ZCZC SPCPWOSPC ALL
WOUS40 KWNS 142020
KSZ000-NEZ000-OKZ000-150200-

PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0320 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK OF STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES IS EXPECTED
OVER PARTS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT...

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERAL STRONG TO VIOLENT...LONG-TRACK TORNADOES OVER
PARTS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR STRONG TO VIOLENT AND POSSIBLY
LONG-LIVED TORNADOES INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

TORNADOES DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS CAN BE PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS
BECAUSE THEY ARE USUALLY FAST-MOVING AND OBSCURED BY RAIN AND
DARKNESS.

THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE

CENTRAL AND EASTERN KANSAS
CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEBRASKA
CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE MONITORING THIS DEVELOPING
SITUATION. THOSE IN THE THREATENED AREA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE
WEATHER SAFETY RULES AND TO LISTEN TO RADIO...TELEVISION...AND NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES...WARNINGS...AND STATEMENTS
TONIGHT.

..COHEN/WEISS.. 04/14/2012

Also weatherdude at DailyKos is keeping a liveblog going that is quite informative:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/14/1083401/-Major-Tornado-Outbreak-Underway-Across-Midwest

If you are in the area, please let us know what is happening and STAY SAFE!!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Chiefly STAY SAFE!

[blaze]

2. First link isn't working n/t

[FourScore]

3. Thanks! Fixed it. n/t

[blaze]

4. Stay safe everyone!! nt

[FourScore]

5. One poster at DK pointed out that Greenburg KS is vulnerable.

That was the town that was completely decimated by a tornado a few years ago and is a modal for green building now.

[appleannie1]

6. Warnings out in Oklahoma and Kansas.

[appleannie1]

7. The warnings are in a line from Woodward Oklahoma north east to Great Bend Kansas

[Brickbat]

9. Do you mean a warning or a watch?

A warning means a tornado has been seen by a trained spotter or has been detected on radar. Watch means conditions are ripe for tornadoes. Have they issued warnings already?

[DURHAM D]

11. Apparently south of Great Bend it was a warning.

I have not figured out yet if anything has been on the ground.

[CBGLuthier]

14. Have been a watch, Warning now

Tornadoes are on the ground near Freedom OK which is very close to Kansas. All the storms are heading NE as they often do so this stuff will hit Kansas.

[derby378]

8. Everyone, PLEASE be careful! (n/t)

[appleannie1]

10. Also a warning sw of Des Moines, Iowa

[FourScore]

12. Tornado touchdown east of Rush Center, KS. n/t

[DURHAM D]

13. Just got off the phone with family in Reno Co (Central) Kansas

As usual - Kansans don't worry much about tornadoes. The sun is shining and no wind yet.

Here are the bigger issues - For many of the schools tonight is prom night. Everyone is up in the air about moving/having prom. They are apparently moving them back to the high schools because they are safer than the Holiday Inn or whatever. How do you move all of those decorations?

Most of the baseball games have not been canceled.

The biggest issue - Mranda Lambert has a sold out concert in Wichita tonight. The concert has not been canceled but the tailgating/pre-concert parties have been moved and some canceled. Everyone is watching tv for updates on Mranda's plans.

[FourScore]

15. Great post, DURHAM D!

It really paints a picture of what's going on.

[DURHAM D]

17. I forgot this bit -

they put the extension ladder up against the house last night so if they need to get up on the roof to look to the southwest it is ready to go. dumb I know...

When I was growing up the family just got in the car and drove west of town to watch and that is what they still do in the small towns. We spent much of the summer at my grandparents farm and I only recall going down in the 'fraide hole twice. And even then we were way more afraid of possible snakes and bugs than storms.

But to be a little more serious - my family, like everyone out there, keeps a storm kit in the basement and financial info, insurance docs, pictures, etc. are all stored in the basement.

[Brickbat]

21. Hee, I LOL'd at your comment.

Being more afraid of what you might find in the cellar than of the tornado! I remember those days.

[FourScore]

42. I read over at Daily Kos that the concert has been suspended.

There are 6000 people in an arena who have been told to stay put.

[WillyT]

16. Spotter Network Here:

Zoom in on Kansas...

Link: http://www.spotternetwork.org/google.php

[FourScore]

18. Wow! That's a great site! n/t

[DURHAM D]

19. Wow - that is scary.

Not sure I wanted to see that.

[DURHAM D]

20. My God - they are everywhere.

[WillyT]

22. They Have To Be...

Quite a wide area to cover...




Link: http://www.intellicast.com/Storm/Severe/WatchesWarnings.aspx?region=default

[DURHAM D]

24. I was speaking of tornadoes not spotters - guess they are both everywhere.

An odd lack of rain being served with those tornadoes.

[RainDog]

23. best wishes for everyone's safety! n/t

[WillyT]

25. Check These Tweets Out...

Be sure to scroll down...

Link: http://www.breakingnews.com/item/ahZzfmJyZWFraW5nbmV3cy13d3ctaHJkcg0LEgRTZWVkGIOH3gcM/2012/04/14/tornado-still-on-the-ground-with-debris-in-the-air-rice-co-ks-tornad

[FourScore]

28. Pic from Crawford KS

http://instagr.am/p/JazEEpxZpo/

[WillyT]

36. Frightening In Its Beauty...

Sublime... is that the word ???

[SoCalDem]

26. My home town (Salina) might get smacked

[WillyT]

27. Baseball-Sized Hail, 40 Tornadoes Reported As Dangerous Storms Slam Midwest - MSNBC

Link: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/14/11195529-baseball-sized-hail-40-tornadoes-reported-as-dangerous-storms-slam-midwest?lite

[FourScore]

30. Unbelievable!!! n/t

[FourScore]

29. A pic of a large wedge tornado -- enormous!

weatherdude at DK says :

Initial Update 613PM CDT: This was a screenshot from KWCH's live internet stream, showing storm chasers chasing a large, wedge tornado in Rice County KS, southwest of Saline. This is the type of tornadoes we're expecting today.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/14/1083456/-Major-OK-KS-NE-Tornado-Outbreak-Liveblog-2-Continuously-Updated-

[WillyT]

31. Wow...

[cecilfirefox]

32. I'm in Leavenworth KS tonight! Its stirring outside, no thunder or rain here yet! nt

[FourScore]

33. Do you have a basement or inner room with no windows?

And a motorcycle helmet?

[WillyT]

34. Stay Safe !!!

[cecilfirefox]

37. lol, we're just in the dining room now. I'm the only one here, I'll have an army of animals to try

and herd if that happens. lol

[FourScore]

35. Screenshot

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/14/1083456/-Major-OK-KS-NE-Tornado-Outbreak-Liveblog-2-Continuously-Updated-

[Odin2005]

38. (((GOOD VIBES))) for all the folks in the path of these storms!

[FourScore]

39. 3/4 mile tornado spotted in KS near Macksville. n/t

[FourScore]

40. "Per Weather Nation there have already been 73

tornadoes reported in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Iowa, and this thing is just now really getting started. New reports of tornadoes on the ground keep pouring in from the Spotter network on twitter. Everybody in those areas--stay alert tonight, an keep safe!"
- tonyahky at DK

www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/14/1083456/-Major-OK-KS-NE-Tornado-Outbreak-Liveblog-2-Continuously-Updated-#

[FourScore]

41. Large wedge tornado hitting Wichita

From weatherdude at DK:

935PM CDT: PDS Tornado Warning for Sedgwick County KS, including downtown Wichita. Large, dangerous tornado confirmed on the ground with this storm.



917PM CDT: Another large, wedge tornado on the ground south of Wichita KS, near Freeport KS. According to KWCH, this has the best chance to reach Segwick County KS and pass unnervingly close to Wichita.



http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/14/1083456/-Major-OK-KS-NE-Tornado-Outbreak-Liveblog-2-Continuously-Updated-#

[uppityperson]

43. Twitter feed here.

http://www.kansas.com/2012/04/14/2296027/follow-todays-severe-weather-coverage.html

[FourScore]

44. "Confirmed tornado about to make its way into or very near downtown Wichita."

weatherdude at DK:

1017PM CDT: NWS Topeka is issuing warnings for most of Kansas now. Confirmed tornado about to make its way into or very near downtown Wichita. Numerous power flashes have been reported, which are a tell-tale sign of a tornado (transformers being damaged by the tornado and arcing, causing a large blue flash).

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/14/1083456/-Major-OK-KS-NE-Tornado-Outbreak-Liveblog-2-Continuously-Updated-

[uppityperson]

46. I 35 S of ICT. And Tornado on ground near Haysville, heading toward Oaklawn. Possible threat to...

Tornado on ground near Haysville, heading toward Oaklawn. Possible threat to SE and E parts of Wichita

[FourScore]

47. Reporting a large tornado on I-35 south of Wichita. n/t

[uppityperson]

48. Towards Andover. In E Wichita, moving up Kansas turnpike to NE. SE side of Wichita.

[FourScore]

51. Sirens in Salina. n/t

[uppityperson]

52. I shut the feed and tv thing down. Can't watch. Been there, done that, got the fears

good luck to all out there in this long scary night. Will be back later.

Thank you for blogging this.

[FourScore]

45. DAMN!! Apparently Greensburg got hit again.

[Left Coast2020]

49. Be safe people please!!

And post some video or additional pics if you can.

[xmas74]

50. I'm sitting just a bit

southeast of KC. (I'm in an adjoining county.) Local news states that we'll begin seeing this weather after midnight and is almost pleading with us to be ready to take cover.

(I do mean pleading-I've heard the weather personnel using the word "please" numerous times.)

[FourScore]

53. latest update in Wichita

1033PM CDT: Significant damage reported south of Wichita, along with a possible debris ball on radar. Tornado emergency for Wichita.

THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. YOU COULD BE KILLED IF NOT UNDERGROUND OR IN A TORNADO SHELTER. COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS IS LIKELY. MANY WELL BUILT HOMES AND BUSINESSES WILL BE COMPLETELY SWEPT FROM THEIR FOUNDATIONS. DEBRIS WILL BLOCK MOST ROADWAYS. MASS DEVASTATION IS HIGHLY LIKELY MAKING THE AREA UNRECOGNIZABLE TO SURVIVORS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... PARK CITY...NORTHEAST WICHITA...ANDOVER...BEL AIRE...KECHI...JABARA AIRPORT AND BENTON.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/14/1083456/-Major-OK-KS-NE-Tornado-Outbreak-Liveblog-2-Continuously-Updated-

[nadinbrzezinski]

54. Holy shit, STAY IN SHELTER people

please...

(And this is for my benefit, since I doubt you are reading this)