Weather With a Twist Episode #2: We’re Not in Kansas Anymore- Touchdown in Little Rock

The speaker discusses their childhood experience of listening to weather warnings and the impact of climate change on the frequency and intensity of storms. They share a personal account of a tornado hitting Little Rock, Arkansas, causing significant damage but no fatalities. They explain that storms are becoming more deadly due to climate change and the lack of preparedness in areas not accustomed to tornadoes. The speaker provides suggestions for individuals to prepare for tornadoes, such as having a safety plan and secure rooms, and emphasizes the importance of community communication. They also mention the need for broader societal efforts to address the issue of more dangerous storms. The sound of the weather radio going off in the middle of the night may be frightening to some, but it's exciting and sort of soothing to me. In my house, that sound was almost always immediately followed by the sound of two footsteps sprinting down the stairs, as me and my brother ran to listen to that robotic voice to clarify that a storm was on the way. The National Weather Service in Tulsa has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Southwestern Craig County in Northeastern Oklahoma. Rogers County in Northeastern Oklahoma. My younger brother and I knew the script of these warnings by heart, and we often said the words along with the radio, like trying to guess how fast the storm was moving and what counties would be in the path. Storms were commonplace, but every now and again, we'd hear those words that we were looking for. Tornado warning. In Tornado Alley, you can approach anyone you meet and ask them for a tornado story. They'll almost certainly have one to tell. But as we established last episode, a whole new set of people are experiencing these frequent storms for themselves. Thanks to climate change, we're not in Kansas anymore. Let's dive into a recent tale located right here in Little Rock, Arkansas. Hey y'all, welcome back to another episode of Weather with a Twist. I'm your host, Raegan Hodge, and today we're going to be taking a closer look at the impact that this extreme weather has had on Arkansas lately, specifically Little Rock. A few weeks ago, meteorologists were predicting some severe weather over the weekend, and all week I'd been checking the radar and watching for the promised storms to arrive. On the afternoon of Friday, March 31st, I was in my dorm building with a snack and a sweet tea in hand as I sat by the open window listening to the wind and letting in the smell of rain. Now not too long after I sat down, I began receiving alerts on my phone, one after the other, some from various weather apps and some from the university, and finally one from the RA that read, everybody go to the basement. I reluctantly abandoned my post at the window, but kept the news going on my phone as I headed downstairs. Although it didn't feel like we were in the basement long before getting the all clear, that brief amount of time is all it took for many people's homes to be uprooted and tossed about by an ES3 tornado. Just a reminder, the Enhanced Fujita Scale, or the ES Scale, goes from 0 to 5, and 0 is basically 3 second wind gusts of 65 to 85 mph, and a 5 is upwards of 200 mph. An ES3 such as this one possesses wind gusts at 165 mph, and according to ABC7 News, this powerful storm in particular sent at least 50 people to the hospital. The following day, April 1st, Mayor Frank Scott Jr. informed CNN that close to 2,600 structures and at least 2,100 residents have been impacted by this disaster. But thankfully, no one was killed. This was the result of good timing on the tornado's part. Because it was mid-afternoon, most people were still at school and work, so even though it was largely housing that was struck, for the most part, nobody was home. Though Little Rock was fortunate enough to avoid fatalities, other cities and towns haven't been so lucky. Almost four months into 2023, there have already been 68 deaths as a result of severe weather, and ABC7 News writes that this number is shocking since the average number of deaths per year is 71. So why are storms becoming more deadly? As we talked about last episode, climate change has ramped up our storm intensity and lengthened our storm season. It has also shifted the path that we affectionately refer to as Tornado Alley to a new set of states in the southeast and midwest. These areas are not only more densely populated than the plains, there are fewer basements and underground storm cellars because of the moisture in the soil, and surviving a violent tornado without an underground shelter is difficult to do. Additionally, these storms are striking by night, and research suggests that nighttime tornadoes are twice as deadly because people are asleep. With all of these factors in mind, remember as well that tornadoes were not as frequent in these regions until fairly recently, so people are not accustomed to responding to these threats either. So what can Arkansans and those in what we can call the New Tornado Alley do to prepare? First, have a safety plan in place, and make sure that everyone in your household knows what to do in the event of a tornado. If an underground shelter is not possible for your area, then install above-ground shelters, or ensure that there are secure, windowless rooms on the lower level of any new buildings. Another consideration for those new to weathering the weather is to have wind-resistant roofing added to city buildings and homes. A final step that you can take that is so simple but so, so important is just to have a list of friends and loved ones that you can call to check in on after a storm. If someone was to be buried under rubble, it's crucial to get them out before the structure collapses anymore, so having that communication among community members helps keep everyone safer. Okay, so we've gone over what communities that are facing increased tornado threats can do to be a little more prepared, but what about society as a whole? How are we addressing the issue of more dangerous storms nationwide, and is there any way we can reverse this change? Come back next week to find out, and thanks for listening.