Useful information
By Patrick Kelley
Originally published 01:50 p.m., June 5, 2008
Updated 01:50 p.m., June 5, 2008
Wednesday’s front-page article about the potential for tornadoes in eastern Kansas today may have seemed alarmist to some readers, but we think that readers who were in Emporia on June 8, 1974, will take the article as it was intended — as a timely warning of the possibility of trouble.
After all, the similarity of today’s weather pattern to the pattern 34 years ago that produced killer tornadoes across the southern Plains was enough to alarm meteorologists and prompt them to pass the information along to the public.
There was no such warning in Emporia on June 8, 1974. The city was under a tornado watch, but with the radar available at the time, the only way to know that a tornado was coming was for someone to see it on the ground. Emporia had its storm spotters out, but nobody saw the twister until it dropped to the ground just west of Industrial Road, across the street from the Flinthills Mall. The wide, powerful funnel moved through the mall, smashed an apartment house and other homes, crossed Interstate 35 and turned the Lincoln Village mobile home park into aluminum rubble before tracking northeast into the county.
The storm killed six people and injured 200. If the tornado had formed just a few blocks south, it would have plowed a furrow across much of the city, and the toll would have been higher.
If Wednesday’s article had been published in The Gazette of June 7, 1974, would the toll have been less? Emporians would have had a bit more information about the possibility of tornadoes. When the clouds began to pile up, some people might have stayed closer to home and shelter. Across the southern Plains, there were 39 tornadoes that day and 22 people died. Perhaps some of them would have been saved.
Meteorologists cannot predict tornadoes, but they can see the conditions that breed the storms. They have seen those conditions for eastern Kansas today. That is worth knowing.
With a little luck, Emporia will get through today perhaps a little damper than it was this morning, but otherwise unchanged. We hope so. But there is reason to watch the sky and listen for sirens.
Saturday and Sunday will be the anniversaries of the city’s two worst tornadoes — June 8, 1974, and June 7, 1990. This is a time of year to be wary and the more information we have, the safer we will be.
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
I don't often agree with you, Mr. Kelly, but today you are right on the money. There is no need to be alarmed by all the storm warnings and predictions for today. Instead, be grateful such early-warning technology exists. Don't be scared, but be very wary... and respectful of Mother Nature's awesome power.
June 5, 2008 at 2:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
We've had so many storm watchs lately, we can get complacent. When the meteorologists see a bad situation forming, it's good to be informed by all the media. I've seen it on tv and heard it on the radio too. I just watched a special on PBS about storm chasers and they had video of a car driving right through a forming tornado. No joke! The storm chasers couldn't decide if the driver was clueless or what. He was extremely lucky for sure! We need to keep an eye to the sky tonight for sure. If the winds we have now are any indication, we're in for something to hit us. Hopefully just rain and wind.
June 5, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawker (anonymous) says...
Thank you, Mr. Kelley and the Gazette. We appreciate the notice.
June 5, 2008 at 2:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )