Major tornado outbreak

[Becky]

If you don't already have one, get a weather radio.

Any recommendations? We've only had it less than a year, but our cadillac Midland radio no longer receives a signal. I'm not happy.

On a more important note, my heart goes out to those affected by these recent storms. I'm afraid of the weather-related implications of this mild winter....

[bmccasland]

Yesterday's tornado in Harrisburg Illinois missed my aunt & uncle's house by a couple of blocks.

Hope everyone has a nice quiet spring after this.

[marni]

my heart goes out to any one living in or near any tornado zones. between the droughts, the wildfires, the snow and blizzards, the rains and flooding and now the tornado, it surely seems like Mother Nature is a bit P*****.

Hope everyone survives.

marni

[Bike Chick]

Yesterday's tornado in Harrisburg Illinois missed my aunt & uncle's house by a couple of blocks.

Hope everyone has a nice quiet spring after this.

Beth, I had no idea you have family here. Harrisburg, Illinois, is 25 miles from me and is home to my husband's parents, sister and nephews and families. Two of my stepchildren live in neighboring towns. Everyone is ok, thankfully. The entire area has pulled together to offer assistance and the devastation and personal accounts are just mind-boggling.

The tornados that swept through the country yesterday set the sirens off at my workplace around 11:45 am and the entire building spent the next 30 minutes in the hall. The tornado in Harrisburg is a reminder that we live in tornado alley. I would say that we are used to it but I don't know if you ever get used to the feeling you get when the sirens go off or a warning's been issued.

[ny biker]

Any recommendations? We've only had it less than a year, but our cadillac Midland radio no longer receives a signal. I'm not happy.

On a more important note, my heart goes out to those affected by these recent storms. I'm afraid of the weather-related implications of this mild winter....

I haven't tried it, but this should be guaranteed forever by LL Bean, and it gets good reviews.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/70657?feat=radio-SR0

[OakLeaf]

Scary stuff. In particular and in general. Sending good thoughts out to all those affected.

As far as weather radio, whatever kind you get, make sure it can accept an external antenna - then get one and use it. Many don't accept one. If you live in hilly terrain, in heavy forest or on the wrong side of certain buildings, you may find that without an external antenna, your radio can only receive signal from the weather stations on the lee side of your prevailing winds. Not a whole lot of good to be getting the alerts fifteen minutes after the storm's passed you. If you're in a valley you may not be able to get any signal at all without an external antenna.

[Bike Chick]

Any recommendations? We've only had it less than a year, but our cadillac Midland radio no longer receives a signal. I'm not happy.

On a more important note, my heart goes out to those affected by these recent storms. I'm afraid of the weather-related implications of this mild winter....

Mine is a Midland WR-100. Inexpensive and very reliable.

[indysteel]

Any recommendations? We've only had it less than a year, but our cadillac Midland radio no longer receives a signal. I'm not happy.

On a more important note, my heart goes out to those affected by these recent storms. I'm afraid of the weather-related implications of this mild winter....

We have a Midland, too. The WR300. Have you spoken to Midland about yours?

[Catrin]

My computer was off much of the evening last night, just relaxed and read while trying not to worry about my family. They are in East Tennessee and spent much of the evening in the bathroom, but they are safe.

This doesn't bode well for a calm spring season - apparently there were 83 tornadoes yesterday for the midwest/south and the average for the entire month of March over the last 4 years was only 79 Hopefully there will be no more, or at least not as destructive. They said the violence of the storms are related to the mild winter...

No weather radio here. Perhaps that should change, I need to find an inexpensive one...

[Roadtrip]

I'm here... Very bizarre evening... Tornado touched down about twenty miles east of me.

They came at about 3pm and told us all to head home from work. This was a little worrying as I happen to work in THE most secure building in Cincy-- telecommunication trunk lines for the entire region runs thru the basement. So I headed home and got to my door just as the storm hit. Most of the devastation was in Southern Indiana... But there were 3 killed in Clermont Co Ohio... Small towns nearly wiped off the map. Just so sad.

It all blew tru so fast sun was shining a half hour after all the rain stopped.

Shannon

[skhill]

When we heard Friday morning that TWC's Jim Cantore was headed to Lexington, a lot of people here got very nervous. Then when he stopped in Louisville, we all relaxed a bit... Lexington got missed; the sirens went off once but no tornado. Which has meant that our fire department and other disaster personnel are available to help out in the towns that need it so much. Sounds like West Liberty is basically gone now, after getting clipped by a tornado on Wednesday then hit head-on Friday....

[ny biker]

I just read that a man living near Charleston, WV found mail from West Liberty, KY in his yard today. That's 110 miles away.

[shootingstar]

I'm here... Very bizarre evening... Tornado touched down about twenty miles east of me.

They came at about 3pm and told us all to head home from work. This was a little worrying as I happen to work in THE most secure building in Cincy-- telecommunication trunk lines for the entire region runs thru the basement. So I headed home and got to my door just as the storm hit. Most of the devastation was in Southern Indiana... But there were 3 killed in Clermont Co Ohio... Small towns nearly wiped off the map. Just so sad.

It all blew tru so fast sun was shining a half hour after all the rain stopped.

Glad that you're safe, Roadtrip.

[zoom-zoom]

Oh, this story is just so so tragic. In a weird way I almost hope she doesn't pull through...she's a tiny orphan, now. I hate to think that her future could potentially involve being bounced around foster care if she has no other relatives to take over guardianship.

[Koronin]

Owlie, thanks. When I spoke with my mom yesterday they were only expecting thunderstorms and high winds.

We just got rain today from those storms (no wind to speak of). My prayers to all who were effected. I have a friend on another message board (pet related one) that lives in or near Athens, GA and her home was totally destroyed by a tornado that hit there. Thankfully she, her daughter and all her pets made it through physically alright, just very scared.