Storms Rip Through Area

BY C.L. HARMON
PUBLISHER

. At 5:21 p.m. the National Weather Service confirmed an “extremely dangerous” tornado in the Westport area. That storm moved through wrecking roofs and windows of area homes and striking Westport Marina at Lake Keystone’s Cowskin Bay. This damage was some of the most severe casulties of the storm in this area.
Of course the damage would be much worse further east off 412 Expressway after the EF-2 tornado struck and destroyed the Daylite Donuts off exit 177. At approximately 5:34 p.m. the tornado struck the River Oaks Estates Mobile Home Park west of Sand Springs some 21 minutes after the first tornado warning was issued for the area.
The tornado produced estimated peak winds up to 135 mph, was on the ground for 9 miles and only 13 minutes, according to a NWS-Tulsa damage survey.

TORNADO SAFETY TIPS
• Prepare for tornadoes by gathering emergency supplies including food, water, medications, batteries, flashlights, important documents, road maps, and a full tank of gasoline.
• When a tornado approaches, anyone in its path should take shelter indoors—preferably in a basement or an interior first-floor room or hallway.
• Avoid windows and seek additional protection by getting underneath large, solid pieces of furniture.
• Avoid automobiles and mobile homes, which provide almost no protection from tornadoes.
• Those caught outside should lie flat in a depression or on other low ground and wait for the storm to pass.
KNOW THE SIGNS SOUNDS OF A TORNADO
Strong, persistent rotation in the cloud base.
Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base — tornadoes sometimes have no funnel!
Hail or heavy rain followed by either dead calm or a fast, intense wind shift. Many tornadoes are wrapped in heavy precipitation and can’t be seen.
Day or night – Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn’t fade in a few seconds like thunder.
Night – Small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm (as opposed to silvery lightning up in the clouds). These mean power lines are being snapped by very strong wind, maybe a tornado.
Night – Persistent lowering from the cloud base, illuminated or silhouetted by lightning — especially if it is on the ground or there is a blue-green-white power flash underneath.