Me, too - and anyone else in OK, especially Moore - the devastation is unreal.

Me three. Don't take chances!

The pictures are unbelievable. I hope everyone is safe.

Amazing that all those children are ok. The pictures are scary.

Is she in the area where the storms are located?

OAKLEYeeee! I won't be able to stop worrying until I hear from you!!!!!! Praying for Oakley and her beloved state.

Waiting to hear from you, Oakley!

She posted today a little after 3:30. Hope she isn't responding because power is out and nothing worse. I heard from a friend who lives right there-her DH and house are fine. Hope all is well with Oakley and her family, too!

I'm fine! We got lucky because the dry line passed right over us then the storms began. We're NW of OKC, Moore is S of OKC.

The kids are NOT fine. So far two dozen are dead. 3rd graders, I believe. And there's another school in the same boat but no one knows anything.

We are LIVID that many schools in OK. do not have a basement! WTH are they thinking? Our town has a basement. My DIL's school, in the best (and wealthiest) school in OK., has no basement either.

Moore has had three tornados like this in 14 years. It's unbelievable. It's a highly populated area since it's a suburb of OKC. Every year "they" talk about the May 3rd, 1999 tornado, but this one surpassed it.

My DIL's principal let her go home early today, and I was so glad to see her and the kids show up. DS works in downtown OKC and they all watched the tornado, but were out of harm's way.

I hate Spring. I think I've mentioned that before. :) We do have a cellar though, which we bought after the May 3rd tornado.

Really sad but it's becoming very common. The last big torndo a couple of years ago was a mile from my DS's house.

Thanks for asking about me. DIL is pretty upset right now, she teaches 2nd graders.

News just said debris is landing in MO. and AR. Wow.

It's good to hear you're ok. Been checking in to see if you would post. I don't know what to say. The magnitude is almost unspeakable.

So thankful you checked in. This was a monster. It makes me so sad to think of how much people lost. Houses and stuff can be replaced but so many people have died.

I was gone all day and was shocked when I returned to hear about it.

Thank you so much for checking in. We care so much.

Knowing Oklahoma like I do, I thought you were probably safe, but am so glad to hear that your family is, as well! My heart goes out to the wonderful people of Shawnee and Moore. I'm especially familiar with Moore, as it's just north of Norman and the University of Oklahoma. The deaths of those third graders makes me weep. I agree, it's a true crime that, with all the tornadoes Oklahoma gets, every school in the state does not have a dedicated, safe tornado shelter. DD, who has been home for Summer Break since the Friday before Mother's Day has only heard from 3 of her sorority sisters so far. One, in Moore, had her family home completely destroyed but all family is, thankfully, safe. The other two girls' family homes were spared major destruction. Still waiting to hear that the other girls are safe. We will be keeping all of Shawnee and Moore in our thoughts and prayers.
Lynn

I'm glad you are ok too. Our news reported that all the children in the elementary school were fine, just a few with minor injuries. They also said that after the 1999 tornado, that most people in Moore built cellars and most schools had them too. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you hear on the news, especially when they have reported all they know and are just filling air time.

I am so sorry to hear about the number of deaths, both people and animals. So horrible that they have lost homes and loved ones at the same time. So many people mourning right now.

Everyone who lives in tornado alley knows about the danger, but I always feel so helpless when we have a warning. No one here has a cellar or basement.

I can't believe such a terrible storm has hit Moore again. It hurts to watch the destruction on tv.

The Weather Channel is reporting that 7 of the children drowned from storm run off? Awful. Not sure I want to hear more.

Oakley, glad you are safe.

So very glad you're all ok, Oak. Been thinking about you all day. My cousin in Iowa had some damage to his house due to a tornado there-and a friend in Missouri is currently experiencing flooding. My nephew is in boot camp in OK, and they're fine, too. I'm so heartbroken over the news.

Oakley! So very very glad that you and your family are safe!

More storms on the way for tomorrow -- make sure to keep an eye on the sky!

Yes. I do hate spring too.

The pain and suffering and the losses are more than a person can bear. All we can do is pray and send money when they set up a fund.

Just checking in. I too had heard that all was OK with the kids...then this report. I am so glad that you and your family are not in harm's way. The idea of no basements is truly terrible. I hope that they will now see the error of their ways. c

How horrible. So glad you are ok, oakley. Such scary stuff! The pictures are unbelievable. It is so heart breaking times a thousand.

Were you all watching CNN last night? I surfed around to see what other news stations were saying, and CNN was the only one not up to date. They kept saying the kids were fine.

Matt Lauer's here, so I bet others are too. I think the best live coverage would be MSNBC and FOX news.

I think around a 100 people were rescued from their cellars over night. Whew!

My heart breaks for those poor parents. Lynn, OU has opened up their dorms for families. I thought that was so nice.

Kind of on topic. About 2 weeks ago we had a big storm and had golf ball size hail. That's the largest we've ever gotten. Everything was fine, or so we thought.

Last night DS was outside and he happened to look up a the siding above the brick. Holes everywhere! We had no idea!

I didn't even get upset. It's nothing compared to other's problems.

re no basements in Oklahoma, I had read that parts of Oklahoma and Texas are situated on bed rock, and that the only way to make a basement is to blast with dynamite. So I looked it up to see if it was true, and it's true for some of Oklahoma -- the other parts of the state are clay & loam & high water table, in which case basements are problematic because of flooding & foundation issues.

Explanation 1

Explanation 2

Explanation 3

Oakley, glad to hear you and yours are safe....mourn for all those who lost their lives in this awful storm....pray for strength for those who have to start over.

Praying from Alberta.

It's awful awful day for Oklahomans but it's always heart warming to see how we band together to help others. I'm way northern Oklahoma and watched every minute of coverage.

It's horrible that the news reported all children were okay and didn't clarify that it was at one school not all schools. We have several friends in the Plaza Tower area that had significant damage and even lost homes but so far all are safe and accounted for.

My heart breaks for the families of those still missing.

I would never have a basement in Oklahoma, most places it would leak and get all musty. Home resale value for houses with basements are not good because of that factor. But, these are older homes I'm talking about. Maybe there are better materials made now to help with that, I don't know. Most people I know have a shelter in their garage floor, but you have to make sure your shelter is registered so they can find you if your home is hit.

Sadly, Plaza Towers, where some of the children perished, is an old school, probably not much of safe place in there.

Also, what was so bad about this tornado, was it moved so slow, almost sitting in one place just grinding and grinding, compared to most tornadoes that powerful and move quickly across.

Glad to know you're safe, oakley - funny how thoughts immediately go to the member friends here located *near* the latest trouble zone. We all know general locations for many here and key in when news occurs in those areas.

I'm overwhelmed looking at the footage - this was such an unusual tornado and produced a swath of destruction very different from the norm. Not that any tornado is good but they often hop skip around. This seems to be part of our changing weather picture. Our local weather guru here in Chicago, Tom Skilling, has been talking about that for a while and every area will deal will more intense versions of whatever they normally have.

Not sure I believe the stuff about basements. A lot of older and some new homes here have them and they've held up well. No dynamiting at all. Maybe in Southern OK it could be harder, not sure. I've never known anyone not to buy a house with a basement.

Our schools have nice basements also. I've heard that safe room's don't stand up to F-4 and F-5 tornados.

The news is slowly questioning why the kids had no place to go. I'd gladly pay any tax to build something safe for all schools.

I'm glad you're ok Oakley. I can't even imagine. . . those poor people. How do you even begin to clean up?

Thanks for checking in, Oakley.

I emailed a guy who was a participant in our workshop this weekend. He is from the eastern part of the state near the Ark. border. He said they are fine, but they have debris from the storm, 180 miles away!

Well, I've decided today that CNN has the best coverage! lol. Plus I enjoy Mr. Cooper.

Gscience, I'm not surprised that the debris traveled that far.

I tell ya, I think I'm now in an official funk! Why do have TV on? Why don't I change channels?

I need to watch Sophia the First when DGD wakes up. :)

Oh, I am so glad the death count was lowered. I woke up this morning and they said 91 people so far.

Just wanted to add that I'm glad you and your family are
safe. As mentioned above, I immediately think of my cyber
friends on GW when something catastrophic happens.