Highway Overpasses as Tornado Shelters:
Fallout from the 3 May 1999 Oklahoma/Kansas Violent Tornado Outbreak
Fallout from the 3 May 1999 Oklahoma/Kansas Violent Tornado Outbreak
The following information is taken from an abstract of a presentation made by Dan Miller, the lead author and forecaster at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Norman, OK. The presentation was made at the 24th annual meeting of the National Weather Association, held in Biloxi, MS, on Oct 15-22, 1999.
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"During the late afternoon and evening hours of 3 May 1999, tornadic supercell thunderstorms produced several long-tracked violent tornadoes that struck parts of central Oklahoma and southern Kansas. During the course of this event, many people sought shelter from approaching tornadoes under highway overpasses.
"Over the past 20 years, public perception that highway overpasses offer sound shelter from tornado winds has increased substantially, mainly due to the events of 10 April 1979 in Wichita Falls, TX and, especially, a video from 26 April 1991 in southern Kansas that gained widespread distribution. "However, it appears that highway overpasses offer, at best, questionable shelter not only from tornadoes, but severe storms in general: three people in Oklahoma lost their lives while seeking shelter near or under overpass bridges. "Evidence will be presented from several severe weather episodes throughout the country, as well, to demonstrate that highway overpasses are not acceptable storm shelter areas, for a variety of reasons. Proposed ways will be presented to communicate this information to the public, in order to counteract the perception of overpasses as potential severe storm sheltering locations." |
Due to media reporting and video from past weather events, people have become conditioned to shelter from approaching storms by staying under highway overpasses. Several people were killed or injured on May 3rd, 1999 because of this belief.
Also, people that could have escaped the path of the tornados instead chose to abandon their vehicles in the middle of the road and climb under the overpasses, thus blocking the road to others trying to escape.
The NWS slide presentation is a bit impersonal and fact based, but it is very educational.
Also, people that could have escaped the path of the tornados instead chose to abandon their vehicles in the middle of the road and climb under the overpasses, thus blocking the road to others trying to escape.
The NWS slide presentation is a bit impersonal and fact based, but it is very educational.
Highway Overpasses as Tornado Shelters
Page Last Updated, 05/08/09
