Comments on: And now we start with the tornadoes. Are you ready? https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/ Thu, 22 Jun 2023 15:08:40 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.6 By: Stephanie Z https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502043 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:18:02 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502043 http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20110112_globalstats.html

]]> By: Tunderbar https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502042 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:30:52 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502042 These tornadoes could not possibly have been caused by global warming. The globe hasn’t warmed in 10 years. if anything, global temps have come down in the last ten years.

]]> By: Tony P https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502041 Sun, 17 Apr 2011 15:32:11 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502041 Luckily here in the northeast the only thing we really have to occasionally worry about is hurricanes. And fortunately those are easy to predict well ahead of time so there’s really no danger per se.

But we do get little mini-tornadoes on the rare occasion too. They’re about powerful enough to tear a corner of a roof off, or knock a few bricks off a building but not enough to tear a wide swath of destruction across the city.

But I do carry a Yaesu VX-7RB on me at all times. It’s a quad band amateur radio transceiver with a general coverage receiver that gets into the weather, aircraft and other bands through single function keys.

Because as I like to tell people, the telephone networks be they wired or wireless are only at about a 4:1 ratio and can start blocking at relatively low levels making communication useless.

]]> By: yogi-one https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502040 Sun, 17 Apr 2011 09:31:06 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502040 Of course, why worry about tornadoes, even to the extent of buying a dumb radio that will tell you! when one is coming?

Because Tornadoes are awesome that’s why

]]> By: Art https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502039 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:24:34 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502039 IMO a dedicated ’emergency’ radio is a fair investment for every family. The ability to act as a severe weather alert is a good feature to have. This allows it to monitor a weather frequency and activate itself automatically when the weather service send an alert to your area. Ir can be a pain to get awakened for a storm you might consider insignificant but one day it might save your family.

The ability to use a hand crank and/or solar cells is good for longer term. Batteries are okay but you have to remember to change them out soy you don’t lose the radio when you most need it.

Rechargeable batteries are nice but when the line power is down you need alternatives. An option to charge them off a car plug is good.

The radio should pick up all the weather frequencies and get AM and FM. with all media out a little music is nice to keep the mind off the situation.

Some radios come with a little LED light that has some utility because it can run off the hand crank. A nice little bit of reserve lighting when all else fails.

]]> By: daedalus2u https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502038 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 15:39:07 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502038 I once saw a video of the aftermath of a tornado where it has ripped asphalt up off of the surface of the road. Another reason to use concrete instead.

]]> By: HP https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502037 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 08:16:46 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502037 I’ve heard it said that if a hurricane is like an invading army, a tornado is like an escaped lunatic with a knife.

I’ve seen the sky turn green; I’ve heard the sound of freight trains where there should be no freight trains. Then I run for shelter, and wait. So far I’ve been lucky.

]]> By: Greg Laden https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502036 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 04:50:11 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502036 S.A.M.E. is essential. It has to be able to turn on by itself if there’s an alert, but you really want to specify which alerts you want to get. There is not a perfect correlation between quality of signal and where you live, so some radios (which find the signal that is strongest and tune automatically to that one) will give you a less than optimal source of info.

]]> By: Lyle https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502035 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 04:01:08 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502035 Both Amazon and LLBean have radios that include a weather band, and can be cranked to provide energy to run the radio (also include a flashlight). Same (specific area message encoding) weather radios (turn on when the alarm is sounded for your area) are as you note available online and at radio shack as well.

]]> By: Athena https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502034 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 03:28:22 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/04/15/and-now-we-start-with-the-torn/#comment-502034 P.S. Growing up in MN, the rule was to open the south and west house windows to “equalize the pressure” if a tornado should hit. Like that would be of any help when your house has been flattened!

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