Interstate 70 Still Closed East and Westbound West of I-435 in Kansas City MO

Workers are still cleaning up the mess left behind when a tanker truck crashed and caught fire before dawn Friday morning.


The incident happened on westbound I-70 just west of I-435.

Nobody was hurt.


I-70 remains closed Friday afternoon- and from these KC Scout traffic cam images- looks like the freeway will remain closed through at least Friday night.  

Westbound I-70 is being diverted north on northbound I-435 and eastbound I-70- a parking lot- is closed at Van Brunt.


I-435 is open except the westbound I-70 on-ramps.


Alternate routes are U.S. 40- 23rd Street- Truman Road and Winner Road/Independence Avenue.

Oklahoma City's KFOR TV In A Public Relations Disaster

I've been watching TV news for more than half a century and I've been working in the industry for more than two decades.


Never in all that time have I seen/heard a broadcaster act so irresponsibly as what was done on KFOR TV-4 during the Friday- May 31 tornado that struck near El Reno OK..


KFOR's "chief meteorologist" Mike Morgan told viewers/listeners that they would not survive the El Reno tornado if it continued the 25 miles east to Oklahoma City if people didn't have below ground shelter.

Mr. Morgan also told people to flee their homes "and drive south."


Over the next hour or so- tens of thousands of motorists created monsterous traffic jams on not only freeways- but other primary and secondary roadways going south out of OK City.

The vehicle gridlock would surely have meant hundreds of fatalities if the now EF-5 tornado would have continued on into OK City- rather- the big tornado lifted just west of Yukon OK- and two smaller tornadoes touched down in parts of south and southeast OK City.


Mr. Morgan's supporters state "it was rush hour."

Metro Kansas City- a million people bigger- has our evening "rush hour" pretty much over by 6:30 pm- about the time the first tornado began forming miles west-southwest of El Reno.


I've also read the man's supporters state "he saved thousands of lives."

I'd like to know how that was so on May 31?


The 2.6 mile-wide EF-5 tornado lifted before hitting any population centers and if it had not lifted and hit OK City- the gridlock on roadways with families in their cars would have almost assured a death toll in the hundreds.

Many of those hundreds dead in the cars probably would have survived in their residences getting to an interior room and covering up.

Two small tornadoes- and EF-0 and an EF-1 did strike south OK City but fortunately too missed the freeway parking lots.


Mike Morgan has received a lot of criticism for his words to evacuate and rightly so.


Doesn't KFOR know this is 2013 where many Americans can't think for themselves and take whatever the bright box with moving pictures tells them as gospel?

Many folks who heard Mr. Morgan say they were going to die if they didn't run figured he knew something they didn't- and many threw their proper tornado safety procedures out the window and jumped in their vehicles.


Mike Morgan has not been on KFOR TV since last Friday- critics and supporters both are wondering aloud on KFOR's Facebook page what has become of the man.


The station management has not issued any statements on the whole affair and with their silence- at least in my book- creates a serious credibility problem for KFOR TV-4.

A Capt. Spaulding Golden Cigar Goes to Yukon OK Police Officer Matthew Fairchild

Why you may ask?


Officer Fairchild is sitting in the patrol car next to where storm chaser/researcher Chris Novy unwittingly drove into a flooded drainage ditch in Yukon on May 31.


See the officer's own cellphone video of the aftermath.


As a side note- I have both called and emailed Yukon's Chief of Police Mr. John Corn encouraging a public commendation regarding Officer Fairchild's most selfless and heroic act!


I owe you a cup of coffee next time I'm in Yukon Officer Matt!

A 4th Storm Chaser Also Died in May 31 Oklahoma Tornado

This is according to a story in The Oklahoma City OKLAHOMAN.


Thirty-five year-old Richard Charles Henderson decided to join the ranks of storm chasers near El Reno on Friday- May 31.

Mr. Henderson sent a cellphone photo of the tornado to a friend.


It was that tornado that would suck Mr. Henderson from his pickup truck when the storm's tornadic circulation shifted under the - to 1-1/2-mile wide wall cloud.


The newpaper story stated that Mr. Henderson's body "was found near El Reno."


Richard Henderson left behind two sons.

Storm Chaser Nearly Drowns in May 31 Oklahoma Superstorm

In addition to the three storm chasers killed in the western Metro Oklahoma City tornado May 31- another storm chaser somehow escaped a sure drowning from the terrible flash flooding that occurred right after the twister.


The chaser posts his video (shown at the end of this story) of this dramatic event on You Tube.


The chaser- who posts as 'Modulate This' or 'MT' as we'll call him- was eastbound on OK-66 before it turns south on OK-4 highway in Yukon.

To avoid street flooding ahead- MT turns right instead of stopping and going in reverse.

The still images shown are a GOOGLE street view image of what the scene looks like on a clear- non-flood day and what it looked like to MT on that fateful Friday.

MT makes his right turn just past the sign and guardrail where the unguarded lip of the drainage ditch lies about a dozen feet south of the edge of the roadway.


MT drives too far forward at that spot and his vehicle slips off the edge of the culvert that runs north under OK-66.

MT's vehicle is quickly submerged in 8 to 10 feet of rushing water.


It is only by fate- luck- and/or the Grace of God that MT is not drowned- but as he reports on YouTube- his vehicle's windows broke out underwater and he was able to surface and swim.

The police officer (Yukon Officer Matthew Fairchild- see CSW post HERE) who you see in the video sitting just west of the culvert saw what happened and immediately rushes to the north end of the culvert and helps MT from the swollen ditch.



Otherwise- our friend MT most surely would have become chaser fatality No. 4.

Storm Chasers Reportedly Among The Dead From May 31st's El Reno to Oklahoma City Tornado

A Web site called "TheWeatherspace.Com" is reporting three storm chasers died in Friday's EF-3 tornado that tracked from El Reno into parts of Oklahoma City.

The site says that the chasers were "Tim Samaras- his son Paul Samaras and Carl Young" were among the nine people that died in the tornado.


This was being confirmed on other Internet sites- as well as a posting on Facebook by Tim's brother Jim Samaras.


The other six tornado deaths- including a mother and her infant- were also in vehicles.


At least two other people died in the flash flooding that the storms produced in those same areas.


As of Sunday morning- there were up to four people still missing.


I believe this will be among- if not the first storm chasers killed by a tornado.


Other CSW posts regarding this May 31, 2013 tornado can be linked to HERE and HERE.

One Oklahoma City TV Station Suggested Outrunning May 31 Tornado

News stories today are making a point of how many Oklahoma City residents were in their vehicles when the El Reno tornado-storm rolled in.

Tens of thousands of people took to the roads to escape the approaching twister.


At least ten of those folks died (reported two of those from flash flooding) and more than one hundred people were hurt.


What those news stories fail to point out is that at least one broadcast TV news station actually encouraged people to escape the storm via their cars.



We were watching KFOR-TV4 online when the tornado dropped from the boiling skies several miles southwest of El Reno on Friday evening.



As the funnel itself grew from a series of 'dancing fingers' into a cone- then a wedge shape- both the storm chasers and the on-air staff were growing increasingly concerned and rightly so.

The tornado was on the southern flank of a high-precipitation (HP) supercell- but new storm cells were also rapidly building southwest of this storm..

Not only did that not allow news helicopters (KWTV's-KFOR's GyroCam bird was down) a closer and clearer view of the existing tornado- but the new storms were disturbing wind flows into and out of the the El Reno tornado storm.

The tornadic circulation shifted southeast toward Union City in a matter of a couple of minutes and quickly became wraped in rain.

After several more minutes the circulation- with new vortices spinning up anywhere around the approximately mile-diameter wall cloud- starts shifting left (eastward) again.

Suddenly as it approached U.S. 81 a few miles south of El Reno- the tornado shifted sharply left- to the northeast.

This is where the Weather Channel crew got caught.

Just a mile or two southeast of El Reno- the tornado danced along and either side of Interstate 40 toward Yukon.  




At one point during KFOR's 'wall to wall' storm coverage- KFOR's "chief meteorologist" Mike Morgan said on the air "if you can't get underground- try to outrun the tornado."




That's right- get in your vehicle and flee the approaching storm.



(Here's a link to a WASHINGTON POST newspaper story that tells more.)


That might reasonably be done pre-1994 ('Twister') in rural areas with good north-south roads... 

Now- even in a rural area it's a crapshoot with all the storm chaser traffic.


In a large metropolitan area- trying to outrun a tornado could result in being in your coffin with four wheels.


Pre-tornado wind and rain can close roads vital to ones' escape.

Wrecks from panicky drivers can also constrict/close those roadways.


As seen in OKC on Friday- the huge number of people in their vehicles trying to get away from the storm on top of the later afternoon drive-time commuters made many of the freeways and major arterials low-speed parking lots.



Fortunately the large tornado had broken up into two smaller- less intense (but still deadly) tornadoes as it ground along I-40 north of the OKC airport and through southern and southeastern Oklahoma City.


The safest and surest way to outrun a tornado is as soon as a tornado watch is issued where you live- get in your vehicle- drive to the airport- and take a flight to a state where no tornadoes are forecast.


Otherwise- HAVE a below ground level storm shelter at your disposal or pre-plan where one close by might be.

Tornado Strikes Western Through Northern Suburbs of St. Louis

Damage has been reported at the Hollywood Casino in Maryland Heights- with other damage also  reported in Earth City- west of Lambert- STL airport..

There was some damage reported at Lambert- but none at the passenger terminals.


Lambert/STL was closed as of 10:15 pm due to "debris on the airfield-" but should reopen by Saturday morning...


In Earth City- it was reported a Holiday Inn Express hotel just south of I-70 and east of the casino was struck.


The "roof" was reportedly blown off parts of the Hollywood Casino and patrons were evacuated.


There are reported a number of tractor-trailer trucks in and around Metro St. Louis that were overturned by strong winds as well as the tornado.


There are homes damaged in St. Peters- as well as a large number of trees and power lines down.


As of 9:30 pm- "no reports of serious injuries" as relayed from a county official via St. Louis TV..


I-70 was closed by the MO Highway Patrol in St. Louis and St. Charles counties as of 9:30 pm Friday night.


As of 10 pm- around 100000 people in Metro St. Louis had no power.


In addition- there is a high risk for flash flooding through the night into Saturday morning in Metro St. Louis.

Live coverage HERE on FOX-2 in St. Louis.


Live coverage HERE from KSDK Newchannel 5.


The St. Louis POST-DISPATCH has a live weather chat on this link.

"Tornado Emergency" Issued for Oklahoma City - At Least 4 Dead

A large- multi-vortex tornado that formed southwest of El Reno near I-40 continues to move east toward Yukon and Oklahoma City.




The NWS has just issued a "tornado emergency" for Oklahoma City.


The tornado has changed direction at least twice- but missed El Reno to the south and east.


The tornado overturned numerous vehicles that were on I-40 and U.S. 81 near El Reno where there were injuries ... and fatalities.

One of those vehicles caught in the changing-direction tornado belonged to a Weather Channel crew.


The SUV called "Tornado Hunt 2013" became the prey on U.S. 81 south of El Reno- and was rolled several times from the highway into a field.

The crew which included Mike Bettes- who was the first reporter in Joplin after the 2011 tornado there- suffered only minor injuries.

Two fatalities were reported along I-40 when an SUV with a woman and an infant was tossed from the freeway into a field.



At 9:06 pm- two more fatalities- again in vehicles- was reported near Union City OK- southwest of OKC.

Live coverage found HERE on KFOR-4 in OKC.


That large tornado which appeared to be capable of at least EF-4 damage- continued east along I-40 through western and southern Yukon.


The funnel itself was mostly rain-wrapped as it entered the western part of OKC- where the tornado's intensity lessened.


Smaller tornadoes were also reported further south in- of all places- Moore.


The initial tornado storm missed the Tinker Air Force base to the south before moving near Shawnee and eastward.

On top of the tornado- many areas in and around Oklahoma City suffered from flash flooding with reports of more than 6 inches of rain in several hours.


As of 9:45 pm- more than 65000 people in and around OKC had no electricity.


By 10 pm Friday night- a state emergency management official stated the death toll had reached five- with more than 70 people injured..


On Saturday morning- the death toll had increased to nine- with several people still missing- and the injured approaching 100.


On Sunday evening- Oklahoma officials are reporting 13 people died from the tornadoes and flash flooding- with eight people still unaccounted for after taking refuge in drainage ditches that flooded.


With the discovery of a female child's body along a creek Monday afternoon- the death toll from the May 31 tornado and flash flooding in Metro Oklahoma City stood at 15- with at least five people still missing.

Large Tornadoes in Northeastern and Central Kansas

A Tornado Watch- No. 233- continues until 10 pm for much of the eastern half of Kansas and the northern half of Missouri...


All of Metro KC is included...

This large tornado struck around 4:15 pm near Corning KS..

A home and some outbuildings were heavily damaged- but no one was hurt.


More than 5 inches of rain fell with this slow-moving storm over southern and eastern Nemaha county.

This large tornado is on the ground north-northwest of Salina KS..


No damage or injuries reported as the twister stayed virtually stationary for more than 30 minutes Tuesday evening.





The Metro Kansas City portion of Tornado Watch #233 was cancelled around 8:30 pm..

CSW WEATHER: Tornado Watch No. 233 Includes Metro Kansas City Until 10 PM

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
   TORNADO WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WT 233
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   225 PM CDT TUE MAY 28 2013

   TORNADO WATCH 233 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE
    FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

   IAC007-039-051-053-057-071-087-095-101-103-107-111-115-117-123-
   125-135-139-145-159-173-175-177-179-183-185-290300-
   /O.NEW.KWNS.TO.A.0233.130528T1925Z-130529T0300Z/

   IA 
   .    IOWA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

   APPANOOSE            CLARKE              DAVIS               
   DECATUR              DES MOINES          FREMONT             
   HENRY                IOWA                JEFFERSON           
   JOHNSON              KEOKUK              LEE                 
   LOUISA               LUCAS               MAHASKA             
   MARION               MONROE              MUSCATINE           
   PAGE                 RINGGOLD            TAYLOR              
   UNION                VAN BUREN           WAPELLO             
   WASHINGTON           WAYNE               


   KSC005-013-027-029-031-041-043-045-059-061-085-087-091-103-107-
   111-117-121-127-131-139-143-149-157-161-169-177-197-201-209-
   290300-
   /O.NEW.KWNS.TO.A.0233.130528T1925Z-130529T0300Z/

   KS 
   .    KANSAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

   ATCHISON             BROWN               CLAY                
   CLOUD                COFFEY              DICKINSON           
   DONIPHAN             DOUGLAS             FRANKLIN            
   GEARY                JACKSON             JEFFERSON           
   JOHNSON              LEAVENWORTH         LINN                
   LYON                 MARSHALL            MIAMI               
   MORRIS               NEMAHA              OSAGE               
   OTTAWA               POTTAWATOMIE        REPUBLIC            
   RILEY                SALINE              SHAWNEE             
   WABAUNSEE            WASHINGTON          WYANDOTTE           


   MOC001-003-005-007-013-019-021-025-027-033-037-041-045-047-049-
   051-053-061-063-075-079-081-083-087-089-095-101-103-107-111-115-
   117-121-127-129-135-137-147-159-165-171-173-175-177-195-197-199-
   205-211-227-290300-
   /O.NEW.KWNS.TO.A.0233.130528T1925Z-130529T0300Z/

   MO 
   .    MISSOURI COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

   ADAIR                ANDREW              ATCHISON            
   AUDRAIN              BATES               BOONE               
   BUCHANAN             CALDWELL            CALLAWAY            
   CARROLL              CASS                CHARITON            
   CLARK                CLAY                CLINTON             
   COLE                 COOPER              DAVIESS             
   DEKALB               GENTRY              GRUNDY              
   HARRISON             HENRY               HOLT                
   HOWARD               JACKSON             JOHNSON             
   KNOX                 LAFAYETTE           LEWIS               
   LINN                 LIVINGSTON          MACON               
   MARION               MERCER              MONITEAU            
   MONROE               NODAWAY             PETTIS              
   PLATTE               PUTNAM              RALLS               
   RANDOLPH             RAY                 SALINE              
   SCHUYLER             SCOTLAND            SHELBY              
   SULLIVAN             WORTH               


   NEC067-095-097-127-131-133-147-290300-
   /O.NEW.KWNS.TO.A.0233.130528T1925Z-130529T0300Z/

   NE 
   .    NEBRASKA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

   GAGE                 JEFFERSON           JOHNSON             
   NEMAHA               OTOE                PAWNEE              
   RICHARDSON           


   ATTN...WFO...DMX...OAX...EAX...LSX...DVN...TOP...ICT...