Tornado Warning for Sumter County
 

now till shortly after 11 PM

BTK

cancelled 11:16 PM
 

Whew!

That is the first tornado warning I've experienced, though there have been several watches in the past year.

Kathie, you're much braver than I am .. staying on the computer!! I spent a few minutes in the closet with my animals. It doesn't take long for the weather radio to let you know the danger has passed.

I was visiting TV 2 years ago and it was just 2weeks after the tornado had torn through parts of Sumter and destroyed many homes and even a rec center. It was horrifying just looking at that awful devastation. I pray one never goes through there again. It must be so scary. May the good Lord look over The Villages during these awful storms.

Our first visit to TV was at the time of the tornado in 2007. There was certainly a lot of devastation. It was a terrible situation for those involved. We were told that it was the first time in 40 years that the TV area was hit.

We bought a home in TV shortly thereafter. We loved TV so much that even a hurricane couldn't deter us.

We also did some research on the tornado activity after they got hit. We found out that over the years there have been several tornados in the area and that The Villages sits right in the middle of tornado alley for Florida. But we figured your going to have something no matter where you live so we still built there.

Can anyone tell me what channel you are supposed to tune in on the weather radio for the warnings? Thx

We have lived in Ohio and Indiana all of our lives and the Tornado watches and warnings happen frequently. You get used to it. Not nearly as many Tornados as warnings.

Scary!
 

Yes, we had a lot of Tornado warnings and watches in Illinois, but for some reason I take the ones in Florida more seriously. I stayed in the closet with my cats, talking on the phone with my daughter. Guess she wanted to hear my final shriek! :laugh: And as for my hubby... sigh... he took out his hearing aid, rolled over, and went to sleep... My Hero! :cus: :ohdear:

Alert Radio
 

Am I the only one whose monitor did not sound an alarm last night? Mine never let out a peep. The first I knew anything was up was when the TV started their coverage. (I have one of the Midland's)

You are right. Most of us had basements up north.

Poor poor vetman. Such abuse he gets. I'm sure his 6th sense was to keep his head to the pillow so he could feel the vibrations of the upcoming train and sweep you off to safety. :super:

I was watching ABC on TV (Orlando). The program was pre-empted by a Tornado Warning for The Villages. Always before it has been a Watch, so I took the Warning seriously. (Intrestingly the Villages channel didn't have much information).

Stupidly, my Weather Radio wasn't even plugged in. As soon as I plugged the radio in, it gave off little shrieks, and gave regular updates and told me when the Warning expired.

Barefoot, what channel is your weather radio set?

twynsmom....what you are looking for should be
 

available on one of the following sites:

http://nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm

http://www.weather.gov/nwr/CntyCov/nwrFL.htm

BTK

Hahahahah!
 

F16, I almost put a pillow OVER his head! Oh, yes, he would sweep me off to safety! :1rotfl: I was in the closet telling my daughter "Well at least the Life Insurance is paid up!" LOLOLOL. :laugh:

Weather radio setting
 

Originally Posted by dillywho
Am I the only one whose monitor did not sound an alarm last night? Mine never let out a peep. The first I knew anything was up was when the TV started their coverage. (I have one of the Midland's)

Since TV straddles three counties, we took our monitor over to the nearby fire station and they kindly set it for the appropriate area.

BTW, we keep an emergency supply backpack in our interior closet (aka "The Bunker"). It contains a wind-up radio/flashlight in case we lose power, duct tape, gloves, whistle, first aid, etc. After last night, we decided to take inventory so we remembered what it contained and how to use the wind-up radio. We also cleared a shelf in there for overnight storage for purse, wallet, hearing aids, cell phones, etc. Next time we head for The Bunker, we'll be much more confident.

We were at Carrabbas with neighbors wolfing down pasta during the whole thing. Ignorance is ...........less stressful.

I wanted to make sure my Weather Radio was set correctly, so I took my radio to the local fire station. They will happily set it for you.

GG, you were wolfing down pasta at 11 pm? You must have a cast-iron stomach!

I have already had mine set once. Maybe it needs to be done again. I don't have any problems getting the test alert, though. I'll check it out anyway. Thanks.

No. My wolfing was early,than we chatted and came home and chatted more and went to bed ignorant. We noticed the wind was blowing strongly and no...Not a one of us had alcohol.

Although a closet does provide some additional protection, I’d feel safer having one of these storm shelters in my garage when the going gets really ruff. It should be stocked like “earicks” suggested and maybe a few more items for an extended stay of a day or two.

I’ve been told that if you replace your cell phone, the old phone can still be used to dial 911 as long as you keep it charged.

Here’s a link to a sample shelter: http://www.usstormshelters.com/mite.html

In answer to Kathy staying on chat we told her to go to her closet and seek shelter but she wouldn't listen.

I have lived the past 12 years in Nashville, TN and Arkansas and we are in the area of what they call Tornado Alley. I grew up in Michigan and did experience tornado's there but at least had a basement. Michigan is nothing like what we have experienced down here.

I have an interior closet that we keep stocked with an emergency kit. It has bottled water, limited medical supplies, like aspirin, bandages, antibacterial ointment, Kleenex, emergency radio and flash light, extra batteries. When we get a warning I put in some edible staples. We also gather up our prescriptions, purse, and wallet. Since we will be sitting on the floor in the closet I throw in pillows to sit on and a large comforter to put over you for protection from any falling or flying objects if needed. Most of this was recommended by our local weather people.

One thing I still need to do is make a back up disc of insurance papers and any other information that could be lost if your home is damaged.

Curious
 

Why, with the threat of tornado's, they don't build homes here with small basements and more importantly, why don't they have warning sirens installed in each city that can warn citizens of imminent danger? :shrug:

Mik, that is very good information! It never occured to me to gather up prescriptions, wallets and important papers.

It is sometimes hard to take the whole tornado watch/warning thing seriously. On several occasions, I've gathered my animals and huddled in the closet with pillows and flash light and water bottles. And everything has been fine.

Still, my mom always said "better safe than sorry". So I'll continue to be mindful of my weather radio warnings.

I commend you for having a well thought out plan. However, before you rush to your hidey hole you might want to watch one of the Orlando tv stations after you get the warning. They do an excellant job of tracking the storm cells that caused the tornado warning.
An example was the recent warning that started for central Sumter county...alarming if that was all you knew. The tv stations had the storm cell pinpointed for south of Bushnell and on a track well south of TV and no further storms in the area. That information will allow one to stop worrying....for at least that night.

Twynsmom, take your radio to the nearest Villages Firestation and they will program it for you.

Thank you jtdraig, I will do that. :laugh:

I actually did watch the weather on Orlando TV after the alert from my weather radio. The TV news said the tornado was due to go through the Wildwood area, just south of 466A..

Being from Canada, I know nothing about tornados. I thought perhaps they could quickly change course and veer in a new direction. I guess I need some tornado education.

Bare,

Don't forget that in 1985 the Barrie area got whacked pretty well by at least one tornado.