Understanding Fujita

I worked a very strange shift today. The work wasn't odd, the hours were. Mailed out another issue of my union newsmagazine after work, had my annual diabetic eye exam (no "diabetic retinopathy," thank you), and went with my wife and daughter to our family doctor to discuss an ongoing issue.

Sadly, nowhere in that day was there a place for me to chisel out uploading my post for e-mail. So you get just the blog again today.

I see that on this day in 1896, 255 people in Saint Louis, Missouri were killed when a tornado struck.

Of course, we have much better detection and early warning systems in place today, but still, those things can be dicey. As the weather warms (unless you're living south of the equator), it might be a good time to review your tornado safety tips from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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Understanding the "F"-rated Fujita Scale for tornadoes:

F1: Laughable little string of wind unless it comes through your house, then enough to make your insurance company drop you like a brick. People enjoy standing on their porches to watch this kind.

F2: Strong enough to blow your car into your house, unless of course you drive an Expedition and live in a mobile home, then strong enough to blow your house into your car.

F3: Will pick your house and your Expedition up and move you to the other side of town.

F4: Usually ranging from 1/2 to a full mile wide, this tornado can turn an Expedition into a Pinto, then gift wrap it in a semi truck.

F5: The Mother of all Tornadoes, you might as well stand on your front porch and watch it, because it's probably going to be - literally - quite a last sight.


[selected from sillydog.org]

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WISDOM for YOUR WEEK: "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet." (Nahum 1:3)

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