Frank...

I wrote a blog over on MySpace about our recent weather. This is one of the comments I received and I thought you might get a kick out of it...

"Years back, when I visited my parents, who at the time lived in Mississippi for a bit, they had a tornado pass through. It hit the nuclear power plant, an literally welded the porta potties to the side of the big cooling towers. One woman called Bechtel about 2 days after the storm and asked if they were going to come get their spot-a-pot out of her maple tree. I kid you not!

When the sirens went off, they gave the usual warnings, plus one I had never heard before.. "To those of you living in the mobile home park at the west end of town, get out of your trailers, and lay underneath them, it is safer." Hunh? I now live in Jersey, and while I have seen crud weather here lately, no tornadoes yet. But the season is young, the weather is weird, and there is still a chance. LOL

Posted by *Nanc* on May 14, 2008 - Wednesday at 7:26 PM"

That part about "getting under your trailer" cracked me up. I'm thinking the weatherman who said this had been taking a little too much cough syrup or something!

JohnnyK

During the tornado Saturday, 5/3 in Yanush, OK; it didn't rain. Is this unusual? I thought tornados had rain. We are very thankful it didn't because a lot of our roof blew off and we would have had considerably more damage if it had rained.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COVERAGE AND WARNINGS GIVEN BY KTUL.. CAN YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SAFE PLACES IN TULSA. SCHOOLS AND MALLS? I WAS TOLD THIS BUT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM THE EXPERTS.

THANKS FOR KEEPING US INFORMED AND SAFE!!!

Jan,

The 'E' stands for Enhanced. Last year, the 'Fujita' or 'F' scale was updated and now there is a better classification for tornadoes. You can read all about it by going to:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ef-scale.html

Thanks Kevin KTUL Website Manager kking@ktul.com

I was in the Tulsa Emergency Operations Center during the storm on 1 May and feel that we escaped by the hair of our heads from having a tornado go right through the 71st and Yale area. I remember one that went through that area on almost the same path in 1974 and the area wasn't as built up then as now. That housing addition at 71st and Sheridan was hit really hard by that one. Fortunately we had only one death, but many injuries.

I am a volunteer with the Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency and with the Tulsa Medical Reserve Corps as well. I encourage people to have a family disaster plan and to practice it. There is training available for neighborhood associations and for businesses to help you be prepared in the event we get hit by a tornado or other disaster. By having a plan you could save your families lives, but a plan is only good if it is practiced and everyone knows what to do.

WHat is the "E" in the designation "EF" regarding tornadoes stand for? I am used to seeing the "F" but not the "E" ! Thanks-- Jan

That weather call thing is a very good deal too. I did not realize this but you can sign up more than one phone number and also a couple of email addresses and it's still only 6 bucks. This is a great idea because most people have a phone with them at all times, but not everybody has a radio or tv on at all times. This is the best way to get a warning quickly.

I live in Pittsburg county however, McAlester was not the only town to receive damage from the recent tornado on May 10th. I live southeast of McAlester in the community of High Hill we were called to help in the residents in the community of Arch. There was major storm damage here. Three homes were destroyed however no lives were lost. I will endeavor to send pics and footage of the distruction. My wife and I serve on a volunteer fire department for High Hill.

Richard

Hey Frank,

Can you explain to us why it seems the storms rolling through this year seem to be so much more violent compared to years past? I don't think we have had any come through that haven't had really high winds and major hail. What ever happened to garden variety showers?

Thank you Thank you for getting off the air. I believe in keeping people informed. I have family south of Rogers, in Lowell and I know for a fact they don't watch KTUL or KOTV. Then to tell us we have great weather here, for Drillers game, Full Moon Run and hear that Frank or somebodies garden has plenty of water. Give me a beak! I know blue sky when I see it. Weather coverage is extremely important but, so is common sense.

I realize weather coverage is important but how far away does it have to be and what is your coverage area? The storms are in excess of 100 miles away and you are the only local station covering them. Switch to the basketball game please.

AFTER TYPING MY BLOG, I WENT TO READ THE COMMENTS. I REALLY WISH ALL OF YOU TV-MISSING WHINERS WOULD GET A LIFE!!!! WHAT IF YOU LIVED IN A RURAL AREA AND NEEDED WEATHER INFO FROM OUR GREAT BUDDY, FRANK? I MISSED MY SHOWS TOO!!!! BUT, IF EVEN ONE LIFE WAS SAVED, IT WAS VERY,VERY MUCH WORTH IT....I WON'T DIE, IF I MISS MY TV SHOW!!! THANKS TO EVERYONE ON THE CH 8 WEATHER TEAM....KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK, REGARDLESS OF THOSE WHINERS OUT THERE!!

My address was in the polygon for the tornado tracking, just 2 days ago, but we did not get a phone call from WeatherCall. We were already signed-up for the program, and I had done a test to confirm our set-up. WHY DIDN'T WE GET A PHONE CALL??????????????????????????????? I want this to work, or get a refund. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Logic next time the weather is severe and there are tornadoes or rotation that could turn into tornadoes and you get mad because the news channel is doing its job and trying to help save lives, do everyone else a favor and turn off your tv and go stand outside next to something metal and make sure there is a big puddle of water underneath your feet please! =)

Logic, Last week when people like you were posting the same complaints, 6 tornadoes touched down, 2 people were injured and a little girl died. Did you ever think that just maybe there would have been more injuries for deaths if Ch. 8 showed a tv program like the other station did instead of staying on the air to make sure everyone got the warning?

Why does your network along with others feel the need to constantly have up to 10 different people say the same thing minute after minute about the weather? Seems as though you enjoy scaring kids and the elderly when not need be. I do not need to hear that it is raining minute after minute and hour after hour. I do not need to see every single chart. Just tell me when I need to take cover; not that it is a slim possibility that there maybe hail in Beggs. It is like listening to a recorder over and over. Please stop trying to justify the waste of time or the justification of safety. Most of all stop scaring and making people worry for no reason other to say that you are number one.

Thank you

had a tornado pass about 50 feet over our heads at 134th and memorial at the YMCA

I cannot believe some of the comments people are making! Give me a break. Do you think the weather men really enjoy being a work all hours of the morning tracking storms while their families are at home? You all should be ashamed! It's TV! You will not die! However, you could die in a tornado if someone didn't tell your selfish you-know-what to take cover!

Channel 8 I for one appreciate you. I live in a small town and when they sound the sirens, its too late to go anywhere. Thanks to you, my family and I are safe and sound in the cellar by the time they do!

During a storm I have to get in my vehicle and drive around to make sure my community is safe. My wife watched your weather and calls me to let me know what's going on. My wife is a die hard TV watcher. Nobody in my family minds when your on the air warning us of dangerous storms. Keep up the good work. P.S. your phone calls are most appreciated.

From the Flechs Family on Grand Lake, we appreciate the job you do. And in my opinion let them see reruns. You guys are 2 thumbs up. We were listening to you guys on our weather radio during the storm,it was good to know someone cared enough to keep the public informed. Again Thanks for keeping us informed. God Bless You and Everyone at KTUL Channel 8.

DO YOU HAVE A MAP THAT SHOWS THE RECENT HAIL DAMAGE WITH THE SIZES OF HAIL LOCATIONS?

Dear Frank & News Channel 8 Weather Watchers,

Thursday May 1st was pretty wild for the first of the month. But do you suspect we will have a wild may like we had an out of control April? Usually April isn't that bad, but we had quite a few tornadoes last month. I'm pretty spooked about thunderstorms and especially TORNADOES. My family can't afford your weather call. I have school tomorrow and Wednesday. I really don't like being at school during severe storms and stuff like that, because we have outside individual tin buildings that arn't too safe. So, do you think the area of Kansas, OK will be good for me to go to school? Where will the severe stuff be? PLEASE let me know. Thanks!

HELLO FRANK

YOU ARE TRULY A GREAT GUY AND YOU WHOLE STAFF IS THE BEST AND WE LOVE EACH AND EVERYONE THERE AT CHANNEL 8 . WE ARE SO GLAD TO HAVE THE WEATHER CALL ALERT SYSTEM AND IT WORKS AND IS THE BEST THING YOUR STATION HAS PROMOTED IN A GREAT LIFE SAVING MANNER. THANK YOU FOR IT! THANK YOU FRANK KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND WE LOVE YOU.

At 3am I got up to take our daogs out and it was lightening in the west. When I went them back in I told my husband how humid,quiet and it was lightening in the west. He said turn on the tv to Channel 8,so I did.And you and Mike Collier were doing a storm track on the tornado.You all said for people to take cover in the Grand Lake area around langley,strang & spavinaw. WE DID!!!! You and Mike Collier said a tornado was coming and what time it would hit,we were gone to place of safety. And at 338 am it hit hard,just at the time you all said it would. It howled,rained,lightened and thundered as the wind blew. Thankfully to God we have no damage to our home,our family and pets were safe. THANK YOU SO VERY FOR GIVING RIGHT INFORMATION. I don't have your weather call yet but I am going to get it now. BLESS YOU BOTH FOR A GREAT JOB!!!! Thank you both for being there to tell us all the right inforamtion.

Hey Frank - just wanted to let you know what a great job you and your crew are doing with the storm coverage (especially last night). We had attended a high school event but had the television station on Channel 8 to be sure we could take cover if necessary. THANK YOU.

Thank you for your coverage of last night's storms. It was comforting to know that when the storm rolled through Pryor last night, you were on the air telling us to take cover even when our sirens never sounded. I will be signing up for the weather call today, since your coverage seems to be all I can count on when severe weather strikes. God Bless You All!

Reveived two calls from Frank last night regarding severe weather and appreciated the heads up.

Frank and FAST Weater Team:

Thank you for your coverage of last night's storms. It was comforting to know that when the storm rolled through Pryor last night, you were on the air telling us to take cover even when our sirens never sounded. I will be signing up for the weather call today, since your coverage seems to be all I can count on when severe weather strikes. God Bless You All!

Thanks for all your weather info and for staying on air. I prefer safety to misc shows. Ignore those complaints and keep up the good work guys (& gals). It also helps me know of danger for family in SE KS and other areas. For those who complain about missing there shows-- may the tornadoes carry your tails there for keeps to see them live, even if you don't survive the 'ride'.

MR. MITCHELL, WHAT A VERY SMART MAN YOU ARE. I GOT THE WHEATHER CA LL FOR MY DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW BECAUSE THEY DON'T OWN A TV. THEY GOT A CALL ABOUT 3;30AM WARNING THEM OF THE SEVERE WHEATHER. I DID IT AS A SURPRISE AND SHE WAS IN SHOCK WHEN SHE GOT THE CALL, TALKED TO HER THESE MORNING SHE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT IT WHAT WAS FUNNY SHE THOUGHT YOU ONLY CALLED HER, UNTIL I TOLD HER ABOUT IT. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, VERY SMART IDEA. PEOPLE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU ON OUR SIDE IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER THANK YOU AGAIN DARLENE IN WELLING,OKLAHOMA MY DAUGHTER LIVES IN TAHLEQUAH.

I just want to tell Mike and Frank thank you for vigilant eye early this morning. My two boys (Jacob 8)and (Noah 7) had been sleeping in the livingroom because they had a no school today and a friend was staying the night. At around 3:00am this morning I woke up to the sound of heavey rain, wind, and then hail. I turned the TV to ch8 and that really helped. I knew just about how long the storm was going to last. It was dark so I could not see the sky. I was very worried! So I just wanted to say thanks for all your long hours and all the hard work!

Jeanelle Thomas

Thank you for all the weather information. We in rural areas appreciate knowing there is a tornado in our backyard! Just because we live in rural areas, doesn't mean we shouldn't get coverage to warn us! So get online and watch your stupid tv show if it's that important!!!

PEOPLE WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT THERE TV SHOWS, DONT THINK OF OTHERS MUCH..BET IF THE TORNADO WAS IN THERE BACK YARD THEY'D CARE....ITS JUST A TV SHOW ..A TORNADO IS LIVES...

THANKS FOR THE PHONE CALL FRANK, ITS A LIFE SAVER PROBRAM

ALmost constant from 3:25-3:40am we had HEAVY rotation on the north side of Keys,OK and at 4:07 we had the distinct sound of tornado but very still as far as movement at our home. Earlier mentioned caused lids to pop off buckets on front deck, looked as the trees in our yard was going to twist right off 1/2 way up, door reacted to pressure, my ears -which had been having problems due to sinus issue- suddenly popped and had very clear hearing then later hurt like I had been slapped/ hit severely, we could not see the edge of our deck at one point due to heavy horizontal rains and hail. When true daylight hits we will make rounds to inspect other things in yard and empty home to east of us. Even my hubby and oldest son who usually sleeps thru such was awaken by it all.

There were at least 6 tornadoes on the ground in our area. One was 100 yards wide. People's lives were in danger. There were homes damaged. Lives and property are more important that tv programs.

I know that the weather is important, but showing 2 hours of weather for rural counties is insane! Figure out a better way to communicate to those viewers and stop interrupting viewers that aren't even getting a drop of rain!!!

Frank, Dan, and Trav have been voted off the island! I'm missing Lost beacuse of you!

Some people need to know this information, so quit complaining. I for one have loved ones in the path of this storm and I would hope that if you did you'd have more respect.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that the weather team at channel 8 is just itching for airtime. There was not even a severe storm warning at the time I was watching. There is no reason for this level of interruption. This is the same thing that happened during the last storm.

Actually, there have been two. One in Oklahoma County and another in Pawnee County.

I think that since there are no tornados actually been sighted, you need to get off the air and let the programs run like the other channels