Psycho-Babble Social Thread 897852

Shown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Devastation in Southern Illinois

Posted by cloudydaze on May 26, 2009, at 23:07:59

Southern illinois was hit by what I call (and many others are calling) an "inland Hurricane". This is not the actual scientific term for it (actually there is argument over WHAT it was) but it pretty much sums up the feeling of the storm. It had an eye, and looked on the radar LIKE a hurricane!

Around 1:30pm friday, may 8th, the storm hit carbondale. I was 30 mins from the end of my shift at the Coffee shop, and we got notice that the tornado sirens were going off and to close up shop and seek shelter. So I closed the gate and headed to the storm shelter hallway. Just before we got the gate down, the power went off.

Once I got to the shelter, I heard the wind pick up, and you could literally hear parts of the roof coming off. I have never heard anything like it in my life. Apparently we had winds up to 106mph (maybe more).

This lasted about 30-45 minutes, and finally died down. When they finally let people go outside the mall, it was just total chaos everywhere. Trees were UPROOTED - big trees. Buildings were damaged, trees were on top of buildings and homes, power lines were down (lots of them) and apparently power stations were destroyed.

There was NO power in at least 3 counties for several days. My house went without power for almost 6 full days.

Jackson, Franklin, and Williamson County were declared disaster areas (I'm in Jackson).

I feel blessed that no one I know was hurt, and that our home remains intact. Also very happy to have a gas stove and water heater!

Its going to take us awhile to clean up the mess from this disaster, but I am SO proud of my Southern Illinois for coming together and helping each other out! There have been people helping people everywhere!

Thanks to SIUC for having free meals on campus! They fed AT LEAST 14,000 people for free. Also thank you to the River Radio Stations for their 24 hour coverage of the aftermath of the storm. That had been our only source of information, and we greatly appreciated it!

On the upside, the stars were beautiful when there are no lights in the town! But I think the 8 or 9 pm curfew was a little much...

This was a crazy ordeal, and made for an interesting mothers day weekend!

 

Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois

Posted by Dinah on May 27, 2009, at 11:25:36

In reply to Devastation in Southern Illinois, posted by cloudydaze on May 26, 2009, at 23:07:59

How awful!

It's amazing how disasters bring out the best in most, and the worst only in a small minority. It really gives one hope for the future.

I haven't watched the news lately. Were there many casualties? I hope cleanup and recovery is swift.

 

Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois

Posted by Angela2 on May 27, 2009, at 15:32:08

In reply to Devastation in Southern Illinois, posted by cloudydaze on May 26, 2009, at 23:07:59

Wowww!!! That sounds absoultely crazy. I have never heard of that type of storm. I'm glad you and your loved ones are ok!!!! Thanks for posting this.

 

Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois

Posted by Larry Hoover on May 27, 2009, at 17:06:33

In reply to Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois, posted by Angela2 on May 27, 2009, at 15:32:08

According to the National Weather Service, the storm was a microburst. They produce straight-line winds at the surface, and can be devastating. I've seen the effects of a few of them. There was one that hit the Dallas Cowboys training camp on May 2. They knock planes out of the sky.

I'm glad you're okay.

Lar

 

Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois

Posted by cloudydaze on May 28, 2009, at 14:34:11

In reply to Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois, posted by Larry Hoover on May 27, 2009, at 17:06:33

Everyone is calling it something different. First, the national weather service refered to it as "LIKE an inland hurricane" at first, before they had done any research on it. Now I've heard the word microburst, meso-cyclone, derecho, and mesoscale convective vortex.

heres a cool link on that last one with radar of the storm:

http://www.weather.com/blog/weather/8_19404.html?from=sb_tools_face

There is still debate on whether or not they were straight line winds - I saw trees TWISTED...you would think that would indicate rotation.

Anywho - I'm calling it an inland hurricane even though I know its not. Why? Because it sounds cool, and it captured the feel of the storm...plus, it was the first description we heard of what happened (via radio, because no one had power in 3 counties...)

Only one fatality in Illinois, as far as I know. I think this was due to people being more prepared for it, because we had a weaker storm (we were under tornado warning) earlier the same day. People may have still been hiding out.

Actually it was probably the same storm system, just at a weaker point. I heard that the same storm came thru twice...

 

Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois » cloudydaze

Posted by Larry Hoover on May 28, 2009, at 16:58:09

In reply to Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois, posted by cloudydaze on May 28, 2009, at 14:34:11

That was a great link. Thanks! I really like getting the technical descriptions.

That storm was totally unprecedented, according to my research. Not that we've had the ability to monitor the weather this closely for very long, but the scale of what happened is beyond anything I've ever seen.

Lar

 

Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois » cloudydaze

Posted by 10derHeart on May 28, 2009, at 17:15:33

In reply to Devastation in Southern Illinois, posted by cloudydaze on May 26, 2009, at 23:07:59

It is SO strange I did not hear of this!! I do recall bad thunderstorms, but not this. I feel kinda stupid as I try to stay connected to that area. You are so near my "old" home. Belleville - 7 years. I moved away one year ago. My therapist also lives/works in a nearby city, and normally tells me this sort of stuff by email. (We still do therapy by phone as I have moved to the West coast)

How scary and exciting and awful - all at once. I have lived all over the USA and in Asia and Europe - and the weather in Southern Illinois was by far the most bizarre, and violent, I have experienced. I do not miss the steamy 100 degree+ summers, but I do miss the place terribly for other reasons.

I need to go look at your link, too. Isn't weather amazing and humbling?

Take care of that place for me, okay...;-)

 

Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois

Posted by alexandra_k on May 29, 2009, at 12:31:16

In reply to Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois » cloudydaze, posted by 10derHeart on May 28, 2009, at 17:15:33

wow. i'm so pleased that you are okay. freaked out, no doubt, but okay.

 

Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois

Posted by cloudydaze on June 8, 2009, at 0:54:17

In reply to Re: Devastation in Southern Illinois, posted by alexandra_k on May 29, 2009, at 12:31:16

Thanks for your concern, everyone! Yeah it was really weird, and scary, but we all got through it. There are still some places that have not been cleaned up, but for the most part, things are normal again.


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