// May 17th, 2009 // No Comments » // Oklahoma, Science, Thoughts
Go Vortex 2 Team!
It’s a bit daunting sitting smack dab in the center of tornado alley (I’m in Oklahoma, go Oilers! Give us a pro team!) conceptually, that is. One of the first questions I hear from visitors or friends living on the east and west coast is “Have you ever seen a tornado?” The answer, after almost 14 years here is still “no.” To be honest, I don’t even think about it in my day to day life. If I sat around worrying about being tossed a few hundred feet by a big ol’ gust of wind, I’d never leave the cellar.
So when sirens go off during a torrential down pour and the television displays a meteorologist saying “Don’t go near windows, go to a safe room in the interior of your dwelling.” I naturally kick on the storm switch in my head and promptly go… stick my head out the front door.
More often than not, my neighbors are out there too watching the Bradford Pear bent over by straight line winds, trying to touch its toes. Human nature? Heh, human ignorance more like. It makes me wonder how many personal injuries sustained during these storms are a result of not following directions. Check this dude out.
Even after thinking about it, do I care? If a tornado were sitting right across the street, I would still be trying to peek out the window. Yep, I’m the little kid who sticks his hand on the hot stove even though Mom warns me of the impending ouchies.
So, in regard to the professionals… Gallivanting across the country in search of “the origins, structure and evolution of tornadoes.” I’m happy to know that we have people willing to stride forward into the field and attempt such things. The Weather Channel has several employees that are thrill seekers by desire, or by trade, I mean, Nicole Mitchell is a Hurricane Hunter as part of her Military career. I envy them to a degree, I’d love to be in their shoes at least once.
So I’m following Mike Bettes and his team as they circle me looking for super cell storms sporting rotation. Maybe if he’s in Tulsa some time we can have a drink together.
Maybe the sirens will go off.
I guarantee he’ll stick his head out the door.
