Officials described parts of Interstates 35 and 40 near Oklahoma City as 'a parking lot.'. When the NWS uses phrases such as "You will not survive, neighborhoods will be flattened" no one in their right mind is going to stay at home and wait out the tornado in their bathroom or closet above ground. William Wehrum is a lawyer and once, apparently, worked for the EPA. Three veteran storm chasers were among the 10 people killed, Dallas Area Storms Cause Power Transformer To Explode. Hopefully, that lesson will be learned immediately. Education may help, but first we need to educate Meteorologists in the media, the brilliant minds out there need to come up with a set of definitive standards on what to do and what not to do and hold the TV weather accountable, develop an educational program for the public, but most of all give people a place to go, public shelters or something for safety, if people have a shelter they more than likely wont get in their car in the first place. >>> I support this 100%. Contrast that, as bad as it was, with Dan Robinson's video from the El Reno, OK tornado that killed Tim Samaras, his son Paul and his long-time chase partner Carl Young. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. But once your car is inside an F3 or F4 tornado, that is no longer your problem alone. We cannot separate it from other compounds on earth (like we can, say, hydrogen), we cannot combine other elements to manufacture it (like we can, say, gasoline). These skeletons may have the answer, Scientists are making advancements in birth controlfor men, Blood cleaning? According to meteorologists about six to eight inches of rain fell in a 12 hour period between 7 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday. Or was it a rotating thunderstorm (a supercell) with small- to moderate-sized tornadoes swirling about one another? I've literally sat bumper to bumper with chasers on a five mile strech of road. This advice sounds reasonable, but it really isnt. The other hit Moore, a city about 25 miles away from El Reno, on May 20, killing 24 people and causing widespread damage. Timothy Michael Samaras (November 12, 1957 May 31, 2013) was an American engineer and storm chaser best known for his field research on tornadoes and time on the Discovery Channel show, Storm Chasers. Were all the people blocking the road amateur chasers? Countless hikers have fallen to their deaths from cliffs. - May 31, 2013 (his death) Other works book: "Tornado Hunter: Getting Inside the Most Violent Storms on Earth". Humans enjoy challenges that involve risk and admire those who "cheat death". There was just no place to go. I have heard that some professional storm chasers offer package tours. (Though I'm not so sure that restrictive law re tornadoes is the first or best strategy - simply ensuring that emergency personnel of all kinds have the authority to control traffic might be OK so long as they are adequately trained and backed up with good links to forecasters.) Storm chaser Tim Samaras died Friday doing the work that made him so well-known: following tornadoes. People were going southbound in the northbound lanes. They went in the field focused on collecting data to enable meteorologists to further the science behind tornadoes which we know has and will help to save countless lives. Tens of thousands were without power, and only eight minor injuries were reported. But, since we (we here discussing this) don't really know the laws and how they work regarding emergency response, traffic, etc. On the one hand, researchers have to pay the bills somehow, and this is one way to do it. But yes, I agree that people deliberately in the wrong place at the wrong time should be penalized. How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds. His body was found but the wildlife officer is still listed as missing. Take multiple pictures of vehicles "in the way" of emergency responders at tornado or other emergency sites. That's two more vehicles going into the danger zone. please note that I did not claim in my post what you claim I claimed. 1:50PM. He gave direction to leave if in the path. The network said though Betts was hurt, he and the car's two other occupants were wearing safety belts and were able to walk away from the banged-up vehicle. Samaras was killed along with his son Paul and storm chaser Carl Young in Friday's tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma.
An engineer by training, Samaras was known for devising instruments that offered the first views inside live tornadoes. Your freedom ends at my nose if your presence endangers me. I'm reminded of Grand Island, NE in 1980, when the tornadoes defied everything we supposedly know about them. Your argument that talking about a way to address a situation in which people lose their lives is inappropriate because the situation is an emotional tragedy is actually the misguided reaction. Storm chaser Tim Samaras observes a blackening sky in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. Not sure what happened with Tim. This spring's tornado season got a late start, with unusually cool weather keeping funnel clouds at bay until mid-May. There's no wiggle room. Violent weather also moved through the St. Louis area. Also my brother was forced to move to Oklahoma for a job just last week only days after the tornado in this article struck Oklahoma city. "This is a very sad day for the meteorological community and the families of our friends lost. Sher told ABC News: 'When the troopers found them, they were both deceased.'. Sometimes, a mismatch indicates the need for something new, like a new planet or a, "A cloud is made of billows upon billows upon billows that look like clouds. This is not an especially enforceable regulation". Nooooooooooo!!! Would one less car have been on that particular road had your proposed law been in place? 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. At the end of the day this is just a silly notion. " 'I'm not sure why people do that sort of stuff, but it is very dangerous. I doubt that the new law would save lives. They eventually revised this policy I'm assuming based on what has happened to folks in their stores during a bad storm. The comments below have not been moderated. Television images showed downed power lines and tossed cars as the storm systems dumped at least three inches of rain, stranding motorists in flood water. Damage: An Oklahoma home destroyed, its roof partially torn off after the tornado rips through, Salvaging: Residents retrieve belongings from a home destroyed by the tornados that tore through central Oklahoma. Storm Chasers Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras and Carl Young Killed in So it's quite the conundrum we find ourselves in. Flash floods: Two pickup trucks are pictured stuck in high water along NW 23rd Street in El Reno. In fact, the general wisdom is that if you are unlucky enough to be in a car when a tornado hits, you should pull over, get OUT of the car, and find a low place to hide. And, just like a tornado, the last place you want to be caught in a fire is in your car. 'Our hearts also go out to the Carl Young family as well as they are feeling the same feelings we are today. I dont think there has been a single case (correct me if im wrong) of external injury or property damage due to a chasers car getting picked up by a tornado. 'My car was actually lifted off the road and then set back down,' Ms Black said. I think this tornado did some stuff we didn't expect. The weather service initially rated the Friday tornado that hit El Reno as an EF3. The bodies of another motorist and the Discovery Channel storm chasers, Tim Samaras, his son Paul, and Carl Young, were found in a three-mile diagonal path near N.W. The Last Ride of Legendary Storm Chaser Tim Samaras 'My car was actually lifted off the road and then set back down,' Ms Black said. If you must call out Mike Morgan, then you must also call out Marc Dillard and Reed Timmer from KFOR for also suggesting people drive south. What kind of injuries would Tim Samaras and his partners have - Quora It truly is sad that we lost my great brother Tim and his great son, Paul. After a large and violent tornado went through Moore Oklahoma a few days ago, several people in various media outlets including CNN mentioned that given the (seemingly enigmatic) lack of good shelter in homes and public buildings in Oklahoma, that a good option to protect yourself in case a tornado comes your way is to drive away. That is the speed at which they rotated around the tornado, not their recorded windspeed. Oklahoma is a severe convective weather 'bulls-eye' and always will be. Which Storm Chaser Killed Himself - BikeHike Or, amateurs could get to a good viewing area well ahead of anticipated severe weather, and then stay put and off the road. This probe registered a world-record 100-millibar drop in pressure inside the twister. And, how exactly is an officer supposed to know the area to keep any car (stormchaser or not) out of? And that traffic jam was probably caused by the exodus of people following very bad advice, and possibly as well as non-professional storm chasers moving in on the likely path of the storm. They are pictured along with fellow storm chaser Tony Laubach, Avid explorer: Emotional tributes have been made to scientist and storm chaser Tim Samaras, who died doing what he loved, friends said, Destroyed: The Chevrolet Cobalt, pictured, driven by Tim Samaras was thrown half a mile in the terrifying storm, Tragic: Tim Samaras was found dead inside the car, pictured, while the other storm chasers' bodies were discovered half a mile in either direction. Everybody was running for their lives,' said Terri Black, 51, a teacher's assistant in Moore. Is it possible that Tim Samaras and his Twistex team were - Quora Actually, to get my point all you really have to do is read the post but to restate the idea: Jamming a county road or a state or federal highway during an emergency is a public danger. It is probably true that Samaras abandoned attempts at dropping probes more often then strictly necessary, cautiously avoiding rain-wrapped tornadoes where they would not have been able to see where the tornado was, in order to be extra safe. Car left in tornado with dash cam on : r/videos - Reddit It is unfortunate that when such behavior becomes a problem society sometimes needs to make a rule of some kind. This tornado was a once in a decade if not longer event that we have truly never seen anything like. When does spring start? Thanks for contacting us. The scale is based on observable destruction, and little was damaged as it tracked through the remote, relatively featureless farm country. None of them contributes to the scientific research and experimentation going on. Helium is a precious, non-renewable resource. At the time that Samaras, his son, and his colleague, were crushed to death inside their tornado-chasing car, which was apparently rolled by the force of 200-300 mile an hour winds over a distance of a half mile or so, it was said by numerous news sources that this car had been trapped by a traffic jam caused by looky-loos who wanted to see the tornado and/or people sent out on the roads by a local weather reporter to "escape." You shouldnt be allowed to do that. It isn't just the clouds that appear smooth, but aren't if you zoom in close. It airs at 10 p.m. EDT Wednesday. independent local journalism in Dallas. What is it that causes some people to react to every tragedy in life by trying to legislate the risk out of living in a free country? Tim Samaras, 55, along with his son, Paul Samaras, 24, and Carl Young, 45, died on Friday in El Reno after a tornado that packed winds of up to 165 mph picked up their car and threw it,. Any house would have been completely swept clean on the foundation. from a major non profit, click through the the X Blog to read the press release. Okay, fair enough. Oklahoma schools are not properly educated on how to shelter children. "
, The 'extreme cruelty' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like? Some of my colleagues stayed, where there is a basement. I have a feeling that Scienceblogs will not last long without me. Debris was tangled in the median's crossover barriers, including huge pieces of sheet metal, tree limbs, metal pipes, a giant oil drum and a stretch of chain-link fence. You can read the preliminary version here. Sheltering in place should always be recommended. The three had no chance, said Tim Samaras brother, Jim. 'We were very concerned this would move into downtown. This is a free country, or at least we want it to be a free country, and being able to freely travel on public thoroughfares is part of that. I've been reading Jeff Masters' blog regularly. But if the Acme Office Building, on Main Street, is on fire, broken glass is blowing out of windows and fire trucks and other emergency vehicles are trying to gain access to the building and nearby fire hydrants, and ambulances are trying to get in to pick up injured, and out to bring them to hospitals, you cant walk down Main Street. I hope that newscasters are better informed about the advice they should give and that this tragedy is never repeated. Flood waters up to 4ft deep hampered rescue attempts and frequent lightning roiled the skies well after the main threat had passed to the east. It's your life so guard it like you own it. The roads need to be kept open and clear for the REAL scientists out there gathering data and for the safety folks to do their job. Contributions are fully tax-deductible. The three storm chasers Tim Samaras, his photographer son Paul Samaras, and meteorologist Carl Young were killed when the twister they were pursuing made a sudden left turn and slammed into their car, sending it flying through the air like a toy. Television cameras showed debris falling from the sky west of Oklahoma City and power transformers being knocked out by high winds across a wider area. Here's the before photo, of Mr. Samaras' car. The spot a few yards off Reuter Road where the body of Tim Samaras was found inside the crushed vehicle (his son. Paul is right. Three storm chasers died in that storm. An engineer by training, Samaras was known for devising instruments that offered the first views inside live tornadoes. Tim Samaras Dead: Oklahoma Tornado Kills Storm Chaser, Son Paul Samaras Anyone can be wrong and that includes forcasters on tv, government and business emergency policies. 'The trees were leaning literally to the ground. Samaras' Chevy Cobalt was traveling east down a dirt road with the tornado to his south. Myers said the man left for work early Saturday and his vehicle was found empty near East Hefner Road and Dobbs Road just after 6 a.m. 'His vehicle was found washed off the road,' Myers said. 2) "But the hundreds, or even thousands of non-professional storm chasers are probably not contributing to the science of tornadoes and tornado safety." The latter group tend to get in the way. The interstate was shut down due to the storm, with multiple crashes and injuries. 'What got me scared was being stuck in traffic with sirens going off,' she said. Keith: I know, I hate words! Large, long-lasting thunderstorms known as supercells are responsible for producing the strongest tornadoes, along with large hail and other dangerous winds. "He looked at tornadoes not for the spotlight of TV but for the scientific aspect. Yes, lets get the facts straight, which the comments below and the information added here help do. If idiots who don't know what they're doing want to drive into a twister, let them. His graduation was at Alameda International High School in 1976. This would make it so a chaser has to stop to render aid along his path. Apply that technology to license plates instead of faces. She quickly regretted it. state by state the possibility that some kind of adjustment must remain open. In 2013, Tim Samaras died in one of the epic storms he'd spent decades chasing. I refer you'all to this: http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/06/19/pilger_nebraska_torn, I think the only thing storm chasers should do is be apart of the new pioneering field of tornado disbursement, its a idea I had years back in the field of weather modification using scaled up drone quad copters to deliver large quantities of helium gas to new forming tornadoes. They were probably thinking, somebody should do something about this situation.". and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, Dallas Observer's The Morning After Brunch, The Last Ride of Legendary Storm Chaser Tim Samaras. 'Use a telephoto lens for gosh sakes. More than 210,000 customers lost electricity in the areas affected by the storm. After seeing last month's tornado also turn homes into piles of splintered rubble, Ms Black said she decided to try and outrun the tornado when she learned her southwest Oklahoma City home was in harm's way. I hold a degree in atmospheric and oceanic sciences. (MORE: Tornado Hunt Team Takes Direct Hit by Tornado). Dallas' independent source of A total of five tornadoes struck the Oklahoma City metro area, the National Weather Service said. Tim Samaras' Death - Cause and Date Born (Birthday) Nov 12, 1957 Death Date May 31, 2013 Age of Death 55 years Cause of Death N/A Place of Death May 31, 2013 Profession Meteorologist The meteorologist Tim Samaras died at the age of 55. I had spotty phone connection with my husband watching TV in Kansas City, and my sister watching from Edmond, OK. Just as it was coming toward us, it turned south. He almost certainly didn't know that the rain-shrouded vortex was hooking toward him, to the northeast, and that he had entered its circulation. Flash flooding accounted for some of the deaths, such as that of a 65-year-old man who died on Saturday when his car drove off a damaged bridge in eastern Oklahoma County. "We still don't know why some thunderstorms create tornadoes while others don't," he told National Geographic last month. It dumped around 8 inches of rain on Oklahoma City in the span of a few hours and made the tornado difficult to spot for motorists trying to beat it home. They were caught off guard not by traffic, but by an extremely powerful and erratic multi vortex tornado that grew from a mile wide multivortex into a 2.5 miles in diameter behemoth as it also accelerated and turned north toward the ill fated chasers. Photo by George Johnson. Which, I think, was one of Greg's original points. They were essentially targets just waiting for a tornado to touch down,' Ms Randolph said. People who chase storms need to back off a little bit. But Fridays massive tornado avoided the highly populated areas near and around Oklahoma City, and forecasters said that likely saved lives. It seems to me that we should be collecting equivalent data from storms that do and storms that do not drop tornadoes, because, after all, one of the things we want to know more about is the difference between those two types of storms. The deaths of Mr. Samaras, his son, and Mr. Young had absolutely nothing to do with the horrendous traffic affecting other parts of Oklahoma on May 31. It truly is sad that we lost my great brother Tim and his great son, Paul. And two, the chaser would have to carry a business license on his person to prove he had a need to be there for whatever his business reason might be. It's just news. When she emerged from the freezer her car windshield had been shattered by the hail. There are many chasers who do stop to render aid and time and time again they are often the first to reach the victims in crucial first moments with skills to save lives. Birth Name: Tim Samaras Occupation: Meteorologist Place Of Birth: Colorado Date Of Birth: November 12, 1957 Date Of Death: May 31, 2013 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: Unknown Nationality: American Tim Samaras was born on the 12th of November, 1957. If you want to walk down Main Street, in downtown America, you can do that, because it is America. Road closures exist now, but there are lots of roads. Perhaps, the day before tornado-warned storms are expected, you could fly to France, but that is not really an option for most people. We've received your submission. I have stood up for professional storm chasers in this post. But what about big storms that dont drop tornadoes? Using the unfortunate but unrelated deaths of well known storm chasers to rail against people trying to seek safety from a storm by getting out of the way strips any slight merit or credibility from your already weak and less than well thought out argument. Photograph by Carsten Peter, National Geographic. Terry Garcia, executive vice president of the National Geographic Society, said: 'We were shocked and deeply saddened by the news that longtime National Geographic grantee Tim Samaras was killed in a tornado in Oklahoma on Friday, along with Tim's son Paul and their colleague Carl Young. Samaras shows probes he uses to measure. Two and half miles has been the widely accepted dimension, but if you measure wind speeds, the tornado could have been anywhere from three to 4.5 miles across. But forecasters could pinpoint a relatively compact geographical region that would feel the effects of the hurricane, and they could do so with 24-48 hours notice. In 2012, storm chaser Andy Gabrielson died while driving home from a chase when a wrong-way driver struck his vehicle on Interstate 44 in Sapulpa, Okla. When told to seek shelter, many ventured out and snarled traffic across the metro area - perhaps remembering the damage from May 20. I have suggested that such a thing should be worth, at least, a parking ticket. Amy Williamson, who lives just off I-40 in the western Oklahoma City suburb of Yukon, said when she heard the tornado was heading towards her home, she put her children, baby sitter and cats in her car and drove away. speaking of high velocity wind, that was the sound of the point flying by Dan L. 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