Weathering the Storm

A special guide to surviving Oklahoma’s extreme weatherWeathering the Storm

Page 2 Spring 2013 Enid News & Eagle

Enid News & Eagle Spring 2013 Page 3

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tornado inwoodward

Photos• The Ada News• The (Chickasha) Express-Star• The Claremore Daily Progress• The Edmond Sun• The Enid News & Eagle• The McAlester News-Capital• The Muskogee Phoenix• The Norman Transcript• The Stillwater NewsPress• The Tahlequah Daily Press• The Woodward News

Section DesignJoe Malan, Enid News & Eagle

Advertising• The Ada News• The (Chickasha) Express-Star• The Claremore Daily Progress• The Duncan Banner• The Edmond Sun• The Enid News & Eagle• The McAlester News-Capital• The Muskogee Phoenix• The Norman Transcript• The Pauls Valley Democrat• The (Pryor) Times• The Stillwater NewsPress• The Stilwell Democrat Journal• The Tahlequah Daily Press• The Woodward News

On the CoverA tattered American flag flies overtwo vehicles where two young girlsages 6 and 8, were found after asevere thunderstorm spawned amassive tornado shortly after mid-night April 15, 2012 in Woodward.The girls, Faith and Kelley Hobbie,and their father, Frank Hobbie,were three of the six fatalities inthe northwest Oklahoma destruc-tion. (Photo by BonnieVculek/Enid News & Eagle)

Damage (above andleft) covers the groundnear 34th Street inWoodward from an April15, 2012, tornado thatkilled 6 people anddestroyed more than 100homes and businesses.(Photos by RowynnRicks/The WoodwardNews)


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Everything from tornadoes to drought impact OklahomaOn April 15, 2012, the city of

Woodward was struck by a deadly torna-do.

The twister hit the western part oftown, damaging more than 100 struc-tures, but also leaving six people dead inits wake.

The tornado was just one example ofextreme weather to impact portions ofOklahoma in 2012.

An ongoing issue throughout the yearwas a drought that affected all of the statein some capacity.

Last year marked the warmest onrecord for Oklahoma. The state’s averagedaily temperature for the entire year was63 degrees, surpassing the previousrecord of 62.8 degrees set in 1954. Themark was 3.4 degrees above normal.

The resulting warmth, coupled with alack of precipitation, left some areas ofthe state needing upwards of 10 inches ofprecipitation to bring an end to thedrought.

That hasn’t happened, and most, if notall, areas in Oklahoma continue to strug-gle.

In 2012, Oklahomans also dealt withwildfires, some the result of the ongoingdrought.

Weathering the Storm 2013 will givereaders a recap of some of the mostextreme weather that occurs in Okla-homa, as well as how to deal with it.

In this section, you’ll find tips on every-thing from staying safe from tornadoes toconserving water in drought to drivingsafely in the winter.

A Cedar Creek fire crew battles a fire Aug. 3, 2012, in south Cleveland County. (Kyle Phillips/The Norman Transcript)


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A tornado rolls through Oklahoma in 2010. (Photo by Billy Hefton/Enid News & Eagle)

Know the signs of a tornadoBe alert when weather conditions change,especially if these conditions develop:

tornado

1234

A dark, greenish sky

Large hail

A large, dark, low-lying, rotating cloud

A loud roar, similar to a freight train

Next: What to do during a tornado

Info from ready.gov/tornadoes



Protect yourself during the tornado

1

Where you seek shelter depends on where you are at when the tornado is approaching.

If you’re inside a building: Go to a pre-desig-nated shelter area, such as a safe room, base-ment or storm cellar, or the lowest building level.If there is no basement, go to a interior room —away from corners, windows, and doors — in thelowest level of the structure. If you can, get undera table and protect your arms and neck.

See DURING THE TORNADO, Page 7

(Photo byRowynnRicks/TheWoodwardNews)

(Photo byRowynnRicks/TheWoodwardNews)



DURING THE TORNADOContinued from Page 6

If you’re in a high-rise, head to the lowest floor possibleand go to an interior room.In any case, do not open any windows.

2 If you’re in a trailer or mobile home: Leave immedi-ately and get the first floor of a sturdy building, or getinside a storm shelter.

3 If you’re caught outside: If you’re near your vehicle,get into it as quickly as possible. Buckle your seat belt.Cover your head and duck below the level of the win-dows. Use a blanket or cushion, if you have one, to fur-ther protect yourself.

One thing that’s important to remember if you’restuck on the highway during a tornado situation is tonever get under an overpass or bridge. You areactually safer in a low-lying area. Also, never try tooutrun a tornado.If you’re nowhere near your car, find a low area, per-haps a ditch — any ground that’s lower than theroadway. Cover your head with your hands and usea helmet, coat or blanket to protect yourself, if youhave one.

Information from ready.gov/tornadoes

Next: After the tornado hits



after thestorm

A tornado left a 15-mile path of debris (topleft and above) from Cherokee to Adair coun-ties in April 2012. (Photo by Josh Newton/Tahlequah Daily Press) An OU travel flaghangs from a remaining post of a shed east ofMedford May 1, 2012, after a tornado movedacross Grant County the day before. (Photoby Billy Hefton/Enid News & Eagle)



What do to when cleaning up after a tornadoJust because the tornado has passeddoesn’t mean you are now safe.

1

3

After the storm, continue to monitor your NOAAWeather Radio for the latest information.

2 If you intend on going out, make sure to wearheavy-duty boots or certain shoes so that glass,nails or other debris cannot pierce your skin.

Do not touch downed power lines orother electrical hazards. Report them tothe power company.

Use battery-powered lanterns to lightyour home, rather than candles. Also, donot use a generator inside your home,basement or garage to provide power.

4

See CLEANING UP, Page 10


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CLEANING UPContinued from Page 9

5 Upon inspecting the damage, if you notice struc-tural, electric or gas-leak hazards, contact yourlocal county or city building inspectors, who canoffer you recommendations on repair.

6 If you suspect damage from your home, youshould shut off electrical power and natural gasand propane tanks to avoid fire, electrocution orexplosions.

If you smell gas or suspect a leak, shutoff the main gas valve, open the win-dows and leave the house immediately.Notify local authorities of the issue, anddo not do anything that could cause aspark.

7

Information fromready.gov/tornadoes


No One Covers Oklahoma Weather Like Oklahoma’s Own.

Will Kavanagh

Gary England David Payne

Alan Crone Travis Meyer

Jim Gardner



Tornadoes: What’s true and what’s notfiction Lakes, rivers and

mountains protectareas from torna-does.

fiction A tornado causes build-ings to “explode” as itpasses overhead.

fiction Open windows before atornado approaches toequalize pressure andminimize damage.

fact No geographic lo-cation is safe fromtornadoes. A torna-do near Yellow-stone National Parkleft a path of de-struction up anddown a 10,000-footmountain.

fact Violent winds and debrisslamming into buildingscause the most structur-al damage.

fact Virtually all buildingsleak. Leave windowsclosed. Take shelterimmediately. An under-ground shelter, base-ment or safe room arethe safest places. Other-wise, go to a windowlessinterior room.

Information fromNational Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration


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A resident searches the Hideaway Mobile Home Villa grounds for belongings after a severe thunderstorm spawned amassive tornado April 15, 2012, in Woodward. (Photo by Bonnie Vculek/Enid News & Eagle)


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Most, but not all, tornadoes are weakweak tornadoes strong tornadoes violent tornadoes

4 88 percent of all tornadoes

4 Less than 5 percent of all torna-do-related deaths

4 Lifetime: 1-10 minutes

4 Winds less than 110 mph

4 Produces EF0 or EF1 damage

4 11 percent of all tornadoes

4 Nearly 30 percent of all tornado-related deaths

4 Lifetime: 20 minutes or longer

4 Winds 111-165 mph


4 Less than 1 percent of all tornadoes

4 70 percent of all tornado-relateddeaths

4 Lifetime: Can exceed 1 hour

4 Winds greater than 165 mph


Information on Pages 14 and 15 from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration



A tornado in Chickasha. (Photo provided)

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0 65-85

1 86-110

2 111-135

3 136-165

4 166-200

5 More than 200

enhanced fujita scale



January 3, 2012 January 1, 2013

2012 drought snapshot

Source: U.S.DroughtMonitor




How to prepare for droughtPages 19-23 can helpyou cope with periodsof little to no moisture.

A cow grazes on the edge of a pondaffected by the ongoing drought in2012 along North 42nd Street in Enid.(Photo by Billy Hefton/Enid News &Eagle)



Indoor water conservation tipsGeneral

• Don’t pour water down the drain whenthere might be a use for it.• Repair dripping faucets by replacingwashers.• Check all plumbing for leaks. If thereare, have them repaired.• Retrofit all household faucets with aer-ators that have flow restrictors.• Install an instant hot water heater onyour sink.• Insulate your water pipes to reduceheat loss and prevent them from break-ing.• Choose appliances that are more ener-gy- and water-efficient.

Bathroom

Kitchen

• Consider purchasing a low-volume toiletthat uses half the water as other models.• Install a toilet displacement device to cutdown on the amount of water needed toflush. Place a one-gallon plastic jug ofwater into the tank to displace toilet flow.Make sure installation doesn’t interferewith operating parts.• Replace your showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version.

• Start a compost pile as an alternatemethod of disposing of food waste, or sim-ply dispose of food in the garbage.

Info on Pages19-21 fromready.gov/drought. Imagescourtesy MetroCreativeConnection.



General• Periodically check your well pump. Ifthe automatic pump turns on and offwhile water is not being used, you havea leak.• Plant native and/or drought-tolerantgrasses, ground cover, shrubs andtrees. Plants adapted to local climatesmay not need as much water. Also,group plans together according to howmuch water they require.• Install irrigation devices that are themost water-efficient for each use, suchas micro and drip irrigation and soakerhoses.• Use mulch to retain moisture in the

soil. Mulch also helps control weeds thatcompete with landscape plants forwater.• Avoid purchasing recreational watertoys that require a constant stream ofwater.• Avoid installing ornamental water fea-tures (such as fountains) unless theyuse recirculated water.• Consider rainwater harvesting whenpractical.• Contact your local water provider formore information and assistance.

Outdoor water conservation tips

See OUTDOOR CONSERVATION, Page 21


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Lawn care• Position sprinklers so water lands onthe lawn and shrubs, not paved areas.• Repair sprinklers that spray a fine mist.Most misting issues result from a pres-sure problem.• Check sprinkler systems and timingdevices regularly.• Raise the lawn mower blade to at least3 inches, or to its highest level. A highercut encourages grass roots to growdeeper, shades the root system andholds soil moisture.• Plant drought-resistant lawn seed.Reduce or eliminate lawn areas that arenot frequently used.

• Avoid over-fertilizing. Applying fertilizerincreases the need for water. Apply fer-tilizers with slow-release, water-insolu-ble forms of nitrogen.• Choose drip irrigation or anotherwater-efficient form of irrigation fortrees, shrubs and flowers.• Turn irrigation down in the fall and offin winter. Water manually in winter onlyif necessary.• Put a layer of mulch around trees andplants to reduce evaporation and keepthe soil cool.• Invest in a weather-based irrigationcontroller — or smart controller.

Pool• Install a new water-saving pool filter.A single back-flushing with a tradition-al filter uses 180 to 250 gallons ofwater.• Cover pools and spas to reduceevaporation of water.

OUTDOOR CONSERVATIONContinued from Page 20

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During a drought: Indoor water conservationBathroom

• Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessar-ily.• Avoid taking baths. Instead, takeshort showers.• Avoid letting the water run while youbrush your teeth, wash your face orshave.• Place a bucket in the shower tocatch excess water. It can be used forwatering plants.

Kitchen• Operate dishwashers only when theyare fully loaded.• Hand wash dishes by filling two con-tainers, one with soapy water and theother with rinse water containing asmall amount of chlorine bleach.• Clean vegetables in a pan filled withwater, rather than under the tap.• Store drinking water in the refrigera-tor. Don’t run the water while waitingfor it to cool.• Avoid wasting water while waiting forit to get hot. Use it for other uses, suchas plant watering, or heat water on thestove or in a microwave.

• Avoid rinsing dishes before puttingthem in the dishwasher. Just removelarge particles of food beforehand.(Dishwashers can clean soiled disheswell, so dishes usually don’t need to berinsed beforehand.)• Avoid running water to thaw meat orother frozen foods. Defrost foodovernight in the refrigerator, or use thedefrost setting on your microwaveoven.

Laundry• Operate washing machines onlywhen they are fully loaded.

Information fromready.gov/drought


During a drought: How toconserve outdoor water

Car washing• Use a commercial car washthat recycles water.• If washing your own car,

use a shut-off nozzle thatcan be adjusted down to afine spray on your hose.

Lawn care• Avoid over-watering yourlawn. Water only when need-ed.• A heavy rain eliminates theneed to water for up to twoweeks. • Check soil moisture levelswith a soil probe, spade orlarge screwdriver. You don’tneed to water if the soil still ismoist. If the grass springsback when you step on it, itdoesn’t need water.• If you need to water, do soin the morning or the evening,when the weather is cooler.• Frequently check your sprin-kler system and make sure toadjust them so your lawn is

being watered — not thesidewalks or street.• Water in several short ses-sions, rather than one longone. The lawn will better beable to absorb water, andrunoff will be avoided.• Use a broom or blowerinstead of a hose to clean upleaves or debris on the drive-way or sidewalk.• Avoid leaving sprinklers orhoses unattended. A gardenhose can pour out 600 gal-lons or more in only a fewhours.• In extreme drought, allowlawns to die and instead pre-serve trees and large shrubs.

WEATHERING THE STORM 2013

Information fromready.gov/drought



How to survive wildfiresRead Pages 25 and 26 tofind out how you canprevent fires and be safe.

Fires south of Glencoe threat-en acres of property in 2012,including this site, where a fewvehicles and a large metal build-ing were threatened. (Photo byChase Rheam/The StillwaterNewsPress)



Logan Renner, 17, stands in what used to be his bedroom, looking for anything that might be salvageable after a firedestroyed his home in August 2012 in Luther. (Photo by Mark Schlachtenhaufen/The Edmond Sun)

Don’t make a sparkOklahoma Forestry Services offers thesetips for being safe while cooking outdoors.

1 Place grills over non-flammable surfaces, such as baredirt, at least five feet away from dead grass and weeds.

2 Never transport a barbecue pit or grill with live coals.

3 Have a source of water nearby in case a fire ignites dur-ing grilling.

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Take steps to protect your property from fires4 Rake leaves, dead limbs and twigs.

Clear all flammable vegetation.4 Ask the power company to clear

branches from power lines.

4 Remove vines from the walls of yourhome.

4 Regularly mow grass.

4

4 Dispose of newspapers and rubbish atan approved site.

4 Place stove, fireplace and grill ashes ina metal bucket. Soak with water for twodays, then bury cold ashes in mineralsoil.

4 Remove leaves and rubbish from understructures.

4 Thin a 15-foot space between treecrowns, and remove limbs within 15feet of the ground.

4 Remove dead branches that extendover your house’s roof.

4 Prune tree branches or shrubs within 15feet of a stovepipe or chimney outlet.

Clear a 10-foot area around propanetanks and barbecues.

Info from: usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/wildfire/




stormclouds

Gloomy stormclouds pass just

north of Ada Feb. 3,2012. (Photo by

Richard R.Barron/The Ada

News)



Traffic on York Street in Muskogee slows to a standstill as Muskogee Fire Department rescues Logan Rhodes, who wasstranded March 20, 2012, in high water in a 2006 Ford Explorer. (Photo by Dylan Goforth/The Muskogee Phoenix)

Be aware of high water when driving1 Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most pas-

senger cars, causing loss of control and stalling.

2 A foot of water will float most vehicles, and two feet ofwater can carry away most.

3 Never attempt to drive through a flooded road. You maynot know the water’s depth until it’s too late.

4 Never drive around a barricade. Stick to designed evac-uation routes, and be extra careful at night.

Information from ready.gov/floods



Alvin Pate (left) examines the damage to his Chrysler 300 fol-lowing a windstorm in 2012. (Photo by Randy Cowling/TheClaremore Daily Progress) At the end of September 2012, astrong storm hit most of Grady County, destroying a dugout(above) at Minco High School. (Photo by The ChickashaExpress-Star)



Be smart in the Oklahoma heat

Xaiver Franco, 5, tries to keep cool Aug. 13, 2012, at Andrews Park splash pad inNorman. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/The Norman Transcript)

4 Slow down. Wait to do strenuousactivities until it’s cooler out.

4 When it’s hot out, never leaveyour child unattended in a vehi-cle, even with the windowsdown.4 Wear lightweight, light-colored cloth-

ing.

4 Drink plenty of water. Don’t drink alco-holic beverages; limit caffeine intake.

4 Make sure your child’s safetyseat and seat belt bucklesaren’t hot before putting them inthe car.

4 Make sure all car doors arelocked so children cannot getin.

4 Spend as much time in air condition-ing as possible.

4 Don’t take salt tablets unless directedto by a physician.

Tips from nws.noaa.gov/os/heat/index.shtml



4 Accelerate and decelerate slowly.Don’t be in a hurry.

4 Try not to stop. Slow down enoughto where you’re still rolling slowlybefore accelerating again.

4 Don’t power up hills, but don’t stopwhile going up one, either. Buildmomentum ahead of time.

4 The normal following distanceshould be 8-10 seconds.

4 When braking, apply firm, steadypressure with the ball of your foot.

Information from AAA Exchange

A United Statespostal carrierassists a strand-ed motorist inblizzard condi-tions during awinter stormFeb. 1, 2011, inEnid. (Photo byBonnieVculek/EnidNews & Eagle)

Don’t get stranded in the snow



Ava and her brother Caden Bond take a ride on their Radio Flyer sled downthe hill in front of their home after a 2012 snowfall. (Photo by Julie Bragg/For The Norman Transcript)

Stay warm, safe in winter• Install a smoke alarm near bed-

rooms and on each floor of yourhome. Test it monthly. If it has a 9-volt battery, change the battery oncea year.

• Install a carbon monoxide (CO)alarm near bedrooms and on eachfloor of your home. If your alarmsounds, the U.S. Consumer ProductSafety Commission suggests youpress the reset button, call emer-gency services (911 or your local firedepartment), and immediately moveto fresh air (either outdoors or nearan open door or window). Know thesymptoms of CO poisoning:headache, fatigue, dizziness, and

shortness of breath. If you experi-ence any of these symptoms, getfresh air right away and contact adoctor for proper diagnosis.

• Make sure heating equipment isinstalled properly. Have a trainedspecialist inspect and tune up yourheating system each year.

• Keep portable space heaters atleast 3 feet from anything that canburn, including bedding, furniture,and clothing. Never drape clothingover a space heater to dry.

• Keep children and pets awayfrom space heaters. Never leavechildren in a room alone when aspace heater is in use.

• If you use a kerosene heater,use only the fuel recommended bythe manufacturer. Never put gaso-line in a kerosene heater — it couldexplode. Before you refuel theheater, turn it off and let it cooldown. Refuel outside only.

• When using a kerosene heater,keep a door open to the rest of thehouse or open a window slightly.This will reduce the chance of car-bon monoxide build-up in the room.

• Have your fireplace chimneyand flue inspected each year andcleaned if needed. Open the flue

See WINTER SAFETY, Page 35


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WINTER SAFETYContinued from Page 34

and use a sturdy fireplace screen when you have a fire.Burn only untreated wood; never burn paper or pinebranches — pieces can float out the chimney and igniteyour roof, a neighbor’s roof, or nearby trees.

• If you use a wood-burning stove, have the chimneyconnection and flue checked each year. Make sure thestove is placed on an approved stove board to protectthe floor from heat and coals.

• Never use your range or oven to heat your home,even for a short time.


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Weathering the Storm