Author Topic: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017  (Read 2437 times)

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Offline BigOkie

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EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« on: August 06, 2017, 04:01:02 PM »
August tornadoes are pretty rare in Oklahoma...they happen, but not often.

Last night bore one out of a nice squall line that pushed through the area.  NWS has preliminarily rated it an EF2.

I was about 3 miles north of the biggest damage.  I got quite a wind event, and at one point the rain and wind was so intense I couldn't see my neighbor's house across the street.

Here's aerial footage from our CBS affliate.

http://www.newson6.com/clip/13560502/osage-skynews-6-hd-flies-over-aftermath-of-sunday-morning-storms

A picture from Twitter of the damage at a local TGI Friday's.



« Last Edit: August 06, 2017, 04:07:57 PM by BigOkie »
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Offline ocala

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2017, 04:29:31 PM »
Wow, a lot of damage. On the ground for a while too.
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Offline BigOkie

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2017, 04:48:44 PM »
Yep. It was a QLCS event made it hard to notify people. Injuries but no fatalities.

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Offline BigOkie

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2017, 07:31:52 PM »
Here are a few more from an imgur album posted in the Tulsa subReddit.

https://imgur.com/a/o30Yl
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Offline CW2274

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2017, 08:10:57 PM »
At least you weren't having an earthquake at the moment...

Offline BigOkie

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2017, 10:05:01 PM »
At least you weren't having an earthquake at the moment...

No kidding.
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Offline Bunty

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2017, 05:21:58 PM »
Talk about rare.  The Tulsa tornado was the first one in 60 years that hit Tulsa in August.   Thunderstorms this time of year are more likely to have high wind gusts.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2017, 10:17:55 PM by Bunty »

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Offline BigOkie

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2017, 06:22:56 PM »
Talk about rare.  The Tulsa tornado was the first one in 60 years that hit Tulsa.   Thunderstorms this time of year are more likely to have high wind gusts.

Clarification:  First one in sixty years in August.
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Offline BigOkie

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2017, 06:28:12 PM »
So now it appears that the know it alls are taking to social media to excoriate NWS Tulsa for not sounding the sirens in Tulsa.  Not even understanding that the NWS doesn't activate sirens; they send out the warnings that the local Emergency agencies act upon.

This was a QLCS event, and the TAEM (Tulsa Area Emergency Management) explained why the sirens weren't activated in Tulsa.  They didn't realize the storm was producing a tornado until the first velocity scan that indicated it and a subsequent DualPol CC scan indicated a 'debris ball'.  By the time they reported it to TAEM, the storm had moved into the suburb of Broken Arrow, where their Emergency Mgmt DID sound the siren after being notified by the NWS.

I took to SM to challenge those people to stop relying on sirens, that are obviously designed to warn those people outdoors.  Told them to get a damned weather radio.  I have two dedicated WX radios and then Bearcat.

People are lazy, and sometimes stupid.
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Offline Bunty

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Offline BigOkie

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2017, 12:47:14 AM »
http://newsok.com/10-tulsa-businesses-in-path-of-tornado-condemned-as-city-inspectors-evaluate-extensive-damage/article/5559195

Not surprising.  It's a helluva mess down there.  They still have 41st St closed, but opened up Sheridan and Yale tonight.  What a mess.

Here's a drone shot from the local Fox affiliate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKGQYaY1gAs

And if you can stand the music (mute it if not) here's a much longer video taken by an individual.  I wouldn't do this as I would feel like I"m encroaching on the people working on fixing stuff....but here you go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5rLWYQOoYg

And yet another one...a little shorter and the music is better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEzl5MIyoAE
« Last Edit: August 08, 2017, 01:00:02 AM by BigOkie »
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Offline Bunty

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #11 on: August 11, 2017, 03:03:45 AM »
Engineers to assess whether Remington Tower is at risk of collapse after direct hit from tornado, insurance expert says.

“We know the building twisted; we know the building is designed to twist, but did it twist more than it was designed for?” Sharpe said. “That’s the biggest question.”

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/engineers-assessing-whether-remington-tower-is-threat-to-collapse-after/article_e7e71f1a-329e-551d-a20e-52653ddf41ac.html
« Last Edit: August 11, 2017, 03:06:45 AM by Bunty »

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Offline BigOkie

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #12 on: August 11, 2017, 03:34:25 PM »
Engineers to assess whether Remington Tower is at risk of collapse after direct hit from tornado, insurance expert says.

“We know the building twisted; we know the building is designed to twist, but did it twist more than it was designed for?” Sharpe said. “That’s the biggest question.”

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/engineers-assessing-whether-remington-tower-is-threat-to-collapse-after/article_e7e71f1a-329e-551d-a20e-52653ddf41ac.html

On my way to meet a friend for lunch today, I took I-44 and exited at 41st (in the heart of the biggest destruction).  Wow; TV doesn't do it justice, and Remington Tower looks terrible.  Of course from my vantage point I couldn't see if it was twisted (obviously) but so many missing windows and the facade damage was noticeable even from a distance.  I drove past the Whataburger..it looked like someone detonated an IED out front.  Utility crews were still working on lines but it looked some cleaner.  I went the wrong way on my way to lunch to see any of the biggest damage (TGIF, AT&T store and the like) but likely those will all have to razed and replaced if possible.
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Offline ocala

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #13 on: August 11, 2017, 03:56:58 PM »
How do they know the building twisted?
Also it would seem on the surface that it doesn't look like it should be condemned.
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Offline BigOkie

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #14 on: August 11, 2017, 04:30:07 PM »
How do they know the building twisted?
Also it would seem on the surface that it doesn't look like it should be condemned.

Quote
Remington Tower suffered “multiple of millions” of dollars in damage after a direct hit from the recent EF2 tornado, and engineers will determine whether the building is in danger of collapse, an insurance adjuster said Thursday.

Bill Sharpe, regional manager of Jansen Adjusters International, said that in his opinion the high-rise will have to “come almost all the way down to the red iron” and be rebuilt up from there. The insurance firm was hired on a consultant basis by the tower’s owners.

The expert evaluation on the safety of the building’s bones could take several weeks, Sharpe said. The engineers are expected to arrive in Tulsa next week and will provide a report to the city after their review.

“We know the building twisted; we know the building is designed to twist, but did it twist more than it was designed for?” Sharpe said. “That’s the biggest question.”

Sharpe spoke Thursday afternoon to dozens of business owners who are tenants to try and answer questions and alleviate concerns that have festered since the tornado struck the 20-story tower early Sunday.

Tenants in part are unhappy they haven’t been allowed inside even for a few minutes to try and retrieve items critical to their businesses. Sharpe told tenants that anyone from floors 5 and 6 and up should expect a “total loss” and understand “you’re blessed” if you were to get in there and find anything salvageable.

Afterward, Sharpe described the building’s interior to reporters as like a set of a Steven Spielberg film.

“Basically what happened is the wind in the tornado — the pressure — came down the elevator shaft and blew everything out,” Sharpe said. “It literally pushed everything out this way.”

Intense rains with the storm soaked the building, and now Sharpe said his greatest concern is potential for mold because of humidity in the powerless building. A national mitigation firm has come in to do what it can to help keep water and moisture out of the building, he said.

Several rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast for eastern Oklahoma during the next few days. Tulsa may see 6 or 7 inches of rainfall from Thursday through Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

“We’re going to do the best we can,” Sharpe told the tenants.

No entry
Sharpe made it clear to tenants that entry into the tower is strictly limited for safety concerns.

“The city of Tulsa says no one for any reason other than professionals with liability insurance will enter the building for any purpose other than to assess the damage until engineers have cleared the building structurally sound,” he said.

Sharpe said if a business’s insurance carrier needs into a space to view the damage then “we’ll afford that opportunity.” He said he would pass out business cards and schedule times to get a carrier inside.

Brooke Riley, principal of OneWorld Benefits Group, wants to enter the tower to go up to her suite on the 15th floor to grab her computer in hope it is salvageable. She said it is crucial to the insurance agency’s operations, and the company typically does 90 percent of its business the last couple months of the year.

“It’s difficult. You’re used to having your computer and your space that you walk into every day and spend 10 hours in,” Riley said. “To have that ripped out and told you don’t know when you’re going to be able to get back into it is frustrating.”

Riley said she is looking for a new space for the business, given she suspects it could be six months to a year before repairs are done if Remington Tower isn’t completely taken down.

“All we wanted was one minute; we just want to grab one thing to keep our business running and minimize insurance claims for the loss, and they won’t give us that,” Riley said.

Sharpe also addressed security concerns, saying the Tulsa Police Department is providing 24/7 security and trespassers will go to jail.

 
He said one situation Tuesday with a looter was “alleviated.” He also noted that a KJRH Channel 2 news team snuck into the tower on Wednesday for a news story.

Another common concern among tenants was whether they would have to pay rent for spaces they aren’t allowed to enter.

Tenants were advised to seek legal counsel to interpret their leases. Sharpe said some leases say the tenant doesn’t have to pay if the space can’t be occupied, while other leases require payment regardless of occupancy.

Temporary spaces
The Remington Tower tenants meeting took place at the future home of Sunshine Center Pediatric Therapy, formerly the Wright Career College building.

Jessica Dyer, co-owner of Sunshine, also owns Emerge Marketing & PR. She has created a website — backtobusinesstulsa.com — in which displaced businesses can seek resources or others can sign up to help those businesses.

Dyer said many of the tower’s tenants are seeking temporary spaces in which to operate. She is offering free space in the upstairs of the 38,000-square-foot building that will be renovated to house Sunshine Center Pediatric Therapy.

Dyer said a few have taken her up on the offer so far. She estimates she has space to accommodate more than 100 people. She said she is hoping to find good furniture to help those who occupy the space.

Cox will provide internet access, and she is working to establish a printing and mailing center for businesses that need help, too.

ThriveFast, a displaced technology company moving in, will help with the tech.

She noted that McGraw Realtors is another business offering to help displaced businesses find temporary space.
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Offline WeatherHost

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Re: EF2 tornado in midtown Tulsa, OK Sunday morning 8/6/2017
« Reply #15 on: August 11, 2017, 04:48:51 PM »
They had sensors in place to detect and measure twist, right?

And ummm, Brookey baby, you want to find your way in, climb stairs, find your office (maybe), root around and find ONE computer (among how many), retrieve it and repeat the above in reverse in 'one minute'?  Ever hear of offsite storage for critical business data?