Almost four years later, I still have to watch the videos and work through the memory of that terrible day. I was about 10 minutes behind it, followed its path through the heart of town trying to get home to my son. I didn't know what I would find when I got there. Drove right through "ground zero" over power lines, around downed trees, wrecked cars, over boards bristling with sharp nails, broken glass and so on. There was almost nothing left standing, just this ocean of destruction as far as the eye could see. Our house sustained damage, but at least we still had one. My son was okay. Many friends of ours lost everything, including loved ones. The only thing good to come out of this was the outpouring of love from all over the country and even from overseas. Human beings can be incredibly brave and good...all is not lost!
I lived there at the time Julia. I had no place to go. No basement. The bathroom didn't help being next to and outside wall. I rode it out in the only interior place I had which was the hallway at Springview Gardens. Only bad thing was I had a window at the end of the hallway but it remained intact and I was on the phone with my mom in Arizona when it hit.
My husband and I worked for Conway Trucking out of Joplin, MO. We had just left Joplin about an hour to 2 hours before the tornado hit. We later made a delivery to the downtown area which was still being guarded by the National Guard. The total devastation of that area is something that would have to be seen. TV cannot possibly give even an impression of it.
Mike will always be a part of Joplin. I helped unload trucks at North Middle School. My son walked to the high school and along the way, he passed by a brick wall and a cd was unbroken, stuck in the brick. I'm glad Mike was here on the 5th anniversary of the tornado.
I was with a friend of mine the day of the tornado. She had just graduated from Joplin High that day. That evening, after the storm had passed, we went driving through the damage zone (my friend, her dad, her stepmom, and myself). It was awful. I couldn't tell what was what any more. When I got home that night, I remember my parents walking in the door worried sick about me. The first thing I did was hug my mom and repeat "I saw it" over and over again...
I like Mike Bettis, he is clearly a very feeling and caring person, after this situation, he almost got seriously hurt or worse on the 31st during the el reno tornado...
+Art Faucet of the people chasing the el reno tornado quite a few got hit by the tornado due to the usual track and changing speed of the el reno tornado
My sister's home gone. My life gone. I can't sleep at night without seeing it coming for me. it has been roughly 14 month and I can't make the pain go away!
Thank you Mike Bettis for all you coverage that you did for us it was a terrible site and I was in it just East of WalMart . I am so sorry you had to see all of this we are coming back building houses and businesses that were lost are back. You should come back and see us sometime. Thanks Again for getting the word out for us.
These storms cause a lot of tragedies. However, I must say that it is amazing to see how people come together to help each other after a tragedy like this.
I have looked upon the dead laying in the street. It is not easy the first or last time. I feel he did a fine job of holding himself the best he could. Cut this reporter a break. Until you have to deal with death and devastation. It shows he is human. You detractors should question your humanity if this does not affect you. I feel he did a good job. Tried to help, sent the call out and gave good solid information to the public. THAT is what journalism is about.
I used to work in Joplin, in 77-78 at KODE-TV. I believe the fact that The Weather Channel was following the tornadoes live and that Mike Bettes and his crew was able to go up on the satellite within minutes, helped to mobilize the outside world from Joplin to get into town and effectively rescue people, and help Joplin rebuild.
I remember this day..I was sitting at home watching the news and I heard the tornado so I hurried up and took cover! As soon as I didn't hear anything I walked out of my house(luckily my house didn't get damaged that bad) as soon as I walked out I cried because all I saw was debris everywhere! I'll always remember that day!
This would have been F5 on the old scale too. In fact, it takes a lot more for a tornado to be rated EF-5 on the NEW scale than it did to be rated F5 on the old F-Scale.
I went there to volunteer and saw amazing things. I saw a garden hose pushed through an 8 inch diameter tree limb, I saw cars and simi trucks wrapped around trees, and a wheel barrel somehow folded up into the size of a basket ball. Those are just a few of the unbelievable things I witnessed. It was an ef5 with winds well in excess of 200mph. I also saw a home home that was completely destroyed but right in the middle in the kitchen there was still a pan on the stove with food in it. Crazy stuff
This is so sad, we had a similar scene, although much smaller near Toledo, 7 people died, but man, my heart goes out to Joplin and Mike Bettes is a hero, a lot of people would just walk on by. A good man he is.
I was in Joplin the weekend before the Tornado visiting a friend. I was mowing the yard when the Tornado struck and came in and saw it on the news. Luckily, she was on the literal edge of the complete destruction path and was fine. But half a block from her house was total destruction. I went up the next weekend with supplies from NW Arkansas and to see it the weekend before with everyone shopping and all the homes and then to just arrive there one week later and it is all gone......all gone. Just really was bad.
I was in 4th grade went this happened. Everyone in my family sat by the TV watching the weather channel and I was crying because I didn't want anyone to be hurt or dead
Please know you have my sincere condolences and hope that you will pull through the horrific trauma that you went through on that day in Joplin. I hope you have much support and groups to go to, and even temporary medicine to take the severe edge away so you can reorient yourself again in mind and spirit.
I remember this footage, my mom called me to the room and told me that joplin was hit by a tornado, sad day because i live in florida and just stood amazed of what happened, i was just about to go to church that day as well
I hope he had resources available to him after being present for this. You can’t be present for something like this and not have some sort of internal scar from it.
Actually, this was a really low end EF5 tornado, winds about 205 mph max. I've seen much more severe damage. It doesn't take a super powerful tornado to do damage like this, it just takes one moving through a highly populated area. Low speeds across the ground are also a factor, and was a factor in Joplin.
Alabama actually has the most F5 tornadoes on record, and Dixie Alley (parts of MS, AL, TN and AR especially) is prone to some of the longest, most violent tornadoes. La Nina typically brings longer, more violent tornadoes and larger outbreaks, and they happen more often in the south.
I've lived in Missouri my whole life seen tornadoes , hid in a crawlspace and basement a few time's but none of the storms I've been thru were as devastating and horrible as this Tornado
im surprised he held up as long as he did, i was spared from a tornado during the outbreak in alabama but when i walked outside i instantly broke down, had to sit down. our house was untouched (aside from dibris scattered on the yard) but 4 houses down it was just like this
OMG, just saw this vid. I once worked with the guy looking for Larry. Glad he and his family were ok and that Larry was found. Cell phones in town were close to useless since so many towers were affected by this monster. Thank God for The Weather Channel though. My family was north of this madness but without cable we could not see the devestation. We were getting reports from family in K.C. and the rest of the country.
Well, actually, there was an F5 tornado in Pennsylvania (Niles - Wheatland tornado on May 31, 1985). And Massachusetts had one in June of '53. It was rated F4 officially, but most still believe it to be an F5. But obviously you're right that they're much rarer in the northeast, west, etc.
I feel horrible for the people of joplin..to those who have lost family and friends during this tragedy..may God comfort you..and to those who had lost their lives..may you rest in peace.
There were 158 killed in Joplin (plus three others that weren't tornado-related). And much of the damage in Joplin was officially rated EF3-EF4 due to poor building construction. But the width of the EF4 path was absolutely incredible, and it's probably the most intense, widespread urban damage I've ever seen. I'm not arguing with you though, your point was mostly right. Most tornadoes in the northeast are weaker and have a shorter path length. Apparently I just like to ramble about tornadoes.
Illinois State University Drumline members were heart broken after our instructor told us the devastation after the massive tornado in Joplin, Missouri
If you're dealing with depression & nightmares due to this, you really need to find a counselor to talk to about it. You might have developed Post-Traumatic Stress disorder...LOTS of people in Joplin have, myself included. I lived near St. Johns. First came numbness, tornado nightmares, & depression...I didn't seek help until I started getting flashbacks and 'Spacing out.'It was worse in the end because I waited. I sympathize completely with your losses, & want you to know you're not alone.
Yes, we are rebuilding, but many residents have moved to nearby towns. The major signposts of Joplin (Joplin High School, St. John's Hosptal, much of Main Street, much of Range Line Road) are still unrecognizable. People who were directly impacted are still suffering emotionally. Imagine crawling out of the rubble of your home and having nothing to show where you are. That is exactly what happened.
What is worse about this, is that the northern part of Joplin had minor damage or nothing at all..... people who lived in that part of the city had really luck. We can see it by the trees in the distance.
My point is, not YET. That doesn't mean it will never happen. There have been F5 tornadoes in Canada where conditions aren't exactly "prime" as they are in tornado alley.
People say this only destroyed about 10 percent of the city. What people don't understand is there were so much residential taken out, effected close to half the population, maybe more!!
Mayhem_2_0_0_1 Well it really only took about 10 to 15 percent of the city. What they don't take into account is that it went through a lot of densely populated areas. Therefore it took out about 40 percent or so of people's homes/apartments
i remember that, you couldnt check on anyone because so many towers were down, and the ones left were overloaded with people.phone lines were down too so there was very little contact with other people, i live about a mile south of where the tornado went through
Have you considered a trip to Joplin to Volunteer? It's a year and a half later, but many still need help. There are homes being built, buildings being fixed and torn down, and there's still debris in a lot of places, like trees. Many people's homes and property were uninsured or under-insured, and many are still trying to pick up their lives. It's kinda difficult to deal with it yourself after that. There's LOTS of stuff you can do to help. Either way, thank you for your support, and take care.
Was Larry found? Was he okay? Great job to Mike and everyone else involved in forecasting this tornado and involved in the rescue efforts. Mike, it was okay for you to cry. You’re human. All of us cried that day.
@3:26 look behind mike bettis over his right shoulder, I cannot tell if thats the tornado or perhaps a different one or just a cloud formation that looks ominous
i heard that st. johns had a device on the roof that measures wind speed, and it recorded 400 mph winds in that tornado before the roof was ripped off....
Amber, you will survive. Get some counseling, go to find spiritual support if you so wish. You are not alone and you are loved. May God bless you with comfort and peace.
Yea!!! this tornado was the strongest tornado that happened in 2011,its very shocking to see how many strong EF5 tornadoes that year though within a sort period..
This tornado was worse then Moore 1999.. The only tornado worse then this was the El Reno 2013.. I don't know what is EF-5 damage to you, but a destroyed hospital and 6,000 destroyed or heavily damaged homes, and neighborhoods that lost ALL of their trees and everything else is damn well EF-5 damage..
The El Reno tornado wasn't really in El Reno. It was rural Canadian County.. mostly over open fields. But imagine if the El Reno tornado had been 25 miles to the east. Through Yukon, Mustang, and straight into the heart of downtown OKC. It could have been 20 Joplins.
No one really knows how climate change could affect tornadoes. More instability because of warmer temperatures and more moisture could theoretically make tornadoes more common and/or stronger, but more homogeneous temperatures could also reduce wind shear and make tornadoes less common. It's interesting to think about though.
Joplins population before the tornado was 51,050 as of the 2010 census. As of the 2017 estimations it is at 52,288. By day the city has up to 200,000 traveling through it from neighboring cities such as Webb City, Carl Junction, Galena, etc. The city also sees so much traffic because it is quite literally a halfway point to all the larger cities like Springfield, Kansas City, and Tulsa. The death toll was 158 + 3 indirect deaths as a result of the storm.
I have never in my life seen a tornado in person...believe me I don't plan on seeing one anytime soon. I mean tornadoes do happen in the state I live in...but it's just tragic by what damage tornadoes can make.
i agree, never on that scale but instead just something tiny and even then its rare in NY. i was simply disagreeing with "don't get tornadoes in upstate NY" or even NY in general.
WOW I live in mo. and I am all ways on the look out I have seen a tornado forming it hit two miles away for my house and that is the worst feel in the world is it going to hit you and what will I do if I lost everything. I mean tornado's happen all the time in mo. I could be next.
see upstate can be considered anything north of the Mohawk River. so for me i live in Albany and that's considered upstate. but i think you mean upstate in the Adirondacks upstate. im sure that area hasn't gotten anything but as far as the rest of NY and other areas called upstate have gotten something here and there, may they only be F0-F1's. I know F5's are rare and ive seen a ton of tornado videos but these ones about the Joplin... they disturb me. its like apocalyptic level =(
Almost four years later, I still have to watch the videos and work through the memory of that terrible day. I was about 10 minutes behind it, followed its path through the heart of town trying to get home to my son. I didn't know what I would find when I got there. Drove right through "ground zero" over power lines, around downed trees, wrecked cars, over boards bristling with sharp nails, broken glass and so on. There was almost nothing left standing, just this ocean of destruction as far as the eye could see. Our house sustained damage, but at least we still had one. My son was okay. Many friends of ours lost everything, including loved ones. The only thing good to come out of this was the outpouring of love from all over the country and even from overseas. Human beings can be incredibly brave and good...all is not lost!
I lived there at the time Julia. I had no place to go. No basement. The bathroom didn't help being next to and outside wall. I rode it out in the only interior place I had which was the hallway at Springview Gardens. Only bad thing was I had a window at the end of the hallway but it remained intact and I was on the phone with my mom in Arizona when it hit.
Oh, Cody, I'm so sorry. It must have been terrifying to take a direct hit. I'm so glad you survived it.
I was actually missed by a block and a half from the tornado. Still close enough to do severe damage.
Thank God your son was okay and that you still had a home. Heartbreaking devastation and loss.
My husband and I worked for Conway Trucking out of Joplin, MO. We had just left Joplin about an hour to 2 hours before the tornado hit. We later made a delivery to the downtown area which was still being guarded by the National Guard. The total devastation of that area is something that would have to be seen. TV cannot possibly give even an impression of it.
Mike will always be a part of Joplin. I helped unload trucks at North Middle School. My son walked to the high school and along the way, he passed by a brick wall and a cd was unbroken, stuck in the brick. I'm glad Mike was here on the 5th anniversary of the tornado.
I was with a friend of mine the day of the tornado. She had just graduated from Joplin High that day. That evening, after the storm had passed, we went driving through the damage zone (my friend, her dad, her stepmom, and myself). It was awful. I couldn't tell what was what any more. When I got home that night, I remember my parents walking in the door worried sick about me. The first thing I did was hug my mom and repeat "I saw it" over and over again...
I like Mike Bettis, he is clearly a very feeling and caring person, after this situation, he almost got seriously hurt or worse on the 31st during the el reno tornado...
moskii 1958 because he is an idiot...
Art Faucet you're an idiot
Exactly😓
+Art Faucet of the people chasing the el reno tornado quite a few got hit by the tornado due to the usual track and changing speed of the el reno tornado
Speaking as a chaser the El Reno tornado took a different track then what everyone thought. Caught a lot of seasoned vets off guard.
Mike is a good man. I like him a lot and I watch TWC for him a lot.
My sister's home gone. My life gone. I can't sleep at night without seeing it coming for me. it has been roughly 14 month and I can't make the pain go away!
i feel your pain
I sincerely hope you are doing okay now
Thank you Mike Bettis for all you coverage that you did for us it was a terrible site and I was in it just East of WalMart . I am so sorry you had to see all of this we are coming back building houses and businesses that were lost are back. You should come back and see us sometime. Thanks Again for getting the word out for us.
Karri Godd
These storms cause a lot of tragedies. However, I must say that it is amazing to see how people come together to help each other after a tragedy like this.
I have looked upon the dead laying in the street. It is not easy the first or last time. I feel he did a fine job of holding himself the best he could. Cut this reporter a break. Until you have to deal with death and devastation. It shows he is human. You detractors should question your humanity if this does not affect you. I feel he did a good job. Tried to help, sent the call out and gave good solid information to the public. THAT is what journalism is about.
I used to work in Joplin, in 77-78 at KODE-TV. I believe the fact that The Weather Channel was following the tornadoes live and that Mike Bettes and his crew was able to go up on the satellite within minutes, helped to mobilize the outside world from Joplin to get into town and effectively rescue people, and help Joplin rebuild.
I remember this day..I was sitting at home watching the news and I heard the tornado so I hurried up and took cover! As soon as I didn't hear anything I walked out of my house(luckily my house didn't get damaged that bad) as soon as I walked out I cried because all I saw was debris everywhere! I'll always remember that day!
You could just see the pain that Mike was suffering through after seeing all those dead people and devastation.
I wish that more of our most powerful people had a little of the empathy that Mike is showing.
This would have been F5 on the old scale too. In fact, it takes a lot more for a tornado to be rated EF-5 on the NEW scale than it did to be rated F5 on the old F-Scale.
I had an anxiety attack watching this. Even a year later, my heart still breaks for them.
Back when The "Weather" Channel used to do weather
Art Faucet they still do
I went there to volunteer and saw amazing things. I saw a garden hose pushed through an 8 inch diameter tree limb, I saw cars and simi trucks wrapped around trees, and a wheel barrel somehow folded up into the size of a basket ball. Those are just a few of the unbelievable things I witnessed. It was an ef5 with winds well in excess of 200mph. I also saw a home home that was completely destroyed but right in the middle in the kitchen there was still a pan on the stove with food in it. Crazy stuff
This is so sad, we had a similar scene, although much smaller near Toledo, 7 people died, but man, my heart goes out to Joplin and Mike Bettes is a hero, a lot of people would just walk on by. A good man he is.
I was in Joplin the weekend before the Tornado visiting a friend. I was mowing the yard when the Tornado struck and came in and saw it on the news. Luckily, she was on the literal edge of the complete destruction path and was fine. But half a block from her house was total destruction. I went up the next weekend with supplies from NW Arkansas and to see it the weekend before with everyone shopping and all the homes and then to just arrive there one week later and it is all gone......all gone. Just really was bad.
Glad to hear everyone was okay!
m0t0rcade Can't even imagine what you felt... Very glad your friend was ok...
I was in 4th grade went this happened. Everyone in my family sat by the TV watching the weather channel and I was crying because I didn't want anyone to be hurt or dead
Alberto I was in 4th grade too. The very end of the school year. This event happened on my dad’s 50th birthday. Crazy day
I know the tragedy has passed, but I still have the strong feeling to get to Missouri and find as many survivors as possible.
Please know you have my sincere condolences and hope that you will pull through the horrific trauma that you went through on that day in Joplin. I hope you have much support and groups to go to, and even temporary medicine to take the severe edge away so you can reorient yourself again in mind and spirit.
That poor little doggie. I think that made me cry more than anything else. God bless Joplin.
I remember this footage, my mom called me to the room and told me that joplin was hit by a tornado, sad day because i live in florida and just stood amazed of what happened, i was just about to go to church that day as well
I remember coming home from school and seeing this on the TV, I was mind blown... I remember Mike starting to cry as he watched it all.
I hope he had resources available to him after being present for this. You can’t be present for something like this and not have some sort of internal scar from it.
You will forever part of Joplin. Thanks, Mike.
I was watching TWC when this happened but I forgot to record this event. Devastating tornado, for sure. :(
If this isn't EF-5 damage to you; than I don't know what is....
Actually, this was a really low end EF5 tornado, winds about 205 mph max. I've seen much more severe damage. It doesn't take a super powerful tornado to do damage like this, it just takes one moving through a highly populated area. Low speeds across the ground are also a factor, and was a factor in Joplin.
Alabama actually has the most F5 tornadoes on record, and Dixie Alley (parts of MS, AL, TN and AR especially) is prone to some of the longest, most violent tornadoes. La Nina typically brings longer, more violent tornadoes and larger outbreaks, and they happen more often in the south.
I've lived in Missouri my whole life seen tornadoes , hid in a crawlspace and basement a few time's but none of the storms I've been thru were as devastating and horrible as this Tornado
The Joplin twister from 2011 was the deadliest in Missouri since 1896.
im surprised he held up as long as he did, i was spared from a tornado during the outbreak in alabama but when i walked outside i instantly broke down, had to sit down. our house was untouched (aside from dibris scattered on the yard) but 4 houses down it was just like this
OMG, just saw this vid. I once worked with the guy looking for Larry. Glad he and his family were ok and that Larry was found.
Cell phones in town were close to useless since so many towers were affected by this monster. Thank God for The Weather Channel though. My family was north of this madness but without cable we could not see the devestation. We were getting reports from family in K.C. and the rest of the country.
I'm from St.Louis, and the same storm hit St.Louis in Sunset Hills. Luckily, it missed us
Well, actually, there was an F5 tornado in Pennsylvania (Niles - Wheatland tornado on May 31, 1985). And Massachusetts had one in June of '53. It was rated F4 officially, but most still believe it to be an F5. But obviously you're right that they're much rarer in the northeast, west, etc.
I feel horrible for the people of joplin..to those who have lost family and friends during this tragedy..may God comfort you..and to those who had lost their lives..may you rest in peace.
There were 158 killed in Joplin (plus three others that weren't tornado-related). And much of the damage in Joplin was officially rated EF3-EF4 due to poor building construction. But the width of the EF4 path was absolutely incredible, and it's probably the most intense, widespread urban damage I've ever seen. I'm not arguing with you though, your point was mostly right. Most tornadoes in the northeast are weaker and have a shorter path length. Apparently I just like to ramble about tornadoes.
This was officially rated EF-5
Am not sure how this ranks among all time tornado damage//fatalities etc. but i have NEVER seen this kind of damage from a storm before. Unbelievable.
Illinois State University Drumline members were heart broken after our instructor told us the devastation after the massive tornado in Joplin, Missouri
If you're dealing with depression & nightmares due to this, you really need to find a counselor to talk to about it. You might have developed Post-Traumatic Stress disorder...LOTS of people in Joplin have, myself included. I lived near St. Johns. First came numbness, tornado nightmares, & depression...I didn't seek help until I started getting flashbacks and 'Spacing out.'It was worse in the end because I waited. I sympathize completely with your losses, & want you to know you're not alone.
Yes, we are rebuilding, but many residents have moved to nearby towns. The major signposts of Joplin (Joplin High School, St. John's Hosptal, much of Main Street, much of Range Line Road) are still unrecognizable. People who were directly impacted are still suffering emotionally. Imagine crawling out of the rubble of your home and having nothing to show where you are. That is exactly what happened.
What is worse about this, is that the northern part of Joplin had minor damage or nothing at all..... people who lived in that part of the city had really luck. We can see it by the trees in the distance.
I was thinking about a trip to Joplin, Missouri but i dont have a car. We did pray for Joplin
My point is, not YET. That doesn't mean it will never happen. There have been F5 tornadoes in Canada where conditions aren't exactly "prime" as they are in tornado alley.
People say this only destroyed about 10 percent of the city. What people don't understand is there were so much residential taken out, effected close to half the population, maybe more!!
I think it took either 65 or 70% of the city maybe even more
Mayhem_2_0_0_1 Well it really only took about 10 to 15 percent of the city. What they don't take into account is that it went through a lot of densely populated areas. Therefore it took out about 40 percent or so of people's homes/apartments
Aminals That tornado just about demolished Joplin...so sad. Correct if I am wrong...but the hospital was the only building standing.
It destroyed 75 percent of the city.
it destroyed about 20% of the city.
i remember that, you couldnt check on anyone because so many towers were down, and the ones left were overloaded with people.phone lines were down too so there was very little contact with other people, i live about a mile south of where the tornado went through
the houses are gone! THE LEAVES ARE GONE!!!!
True. This one took out so many homes/apartment complexes
I'm from New Orleans and I have tornado nightmares.
Have you considered a trip to Joplin to Volunteer? It's a year and a half later, but many still need help. There are homes being built, buildings being fixed and torn down, and there's still debris in a lot of places, like trees. Many people's homes and property were uninsured or under-insured, and many are still trying to pick up their lives. It's kinda difficult to deal with it yourself after that. There's LOTS of stuff you can do to help. Either way, thank you for your support, and take care.
We need Men like Mike in America... Hope this gentleman has been Promoted... at TWC. 😊👍🇺🇸
Woodchuckchips Chipschuckwood no he kitesailed 2 vehicles. he's lucky he didn't get fired
I remember watching on TV that day. When I saw the damage around the hospital, I know right away that it was really bad.
Was Larry found? Was he okay? Great job to Mike and everyone else involved in forecasting this tornado and involved in the rescue efforts. Mike, it was okay for you to cry. You’re human. All of us cried that day.
Niklas Enblom yes he was
Some of the damage was EF-4 and some of it was EF-5.
I think of all I’ve seen...this is the saddest and the worst.
I was in first grade when this hit Joplin and I remember my dad was gone and my mom and I thought they both died.
you know its bad when the video is glitching that much
That's how it works. EF-5 would be where the worse damage is. Then, on the outside there will be EF-4 and so on...
Didn't the tornado shift the SJMC on its foundation.
It shifted a hospital 8 inches.... Yes that's what happened
SJMC was destroyed
This was definitely EF5 damage. in the old system this would probably been an F-4. Old F-5 damage was even worse. Just search Xenia tornado, 1974
GOD BLESS YOU SIR I CAN TELL HOW MUCH IT HURT YOU TO WITNESS WHAT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
@3:26 look behind mike bettis over his right shoulder, I cannot tell if thats the tornado or perhaps a different one or just a cloud formation that looks ominous
More tgan a coverage... God bless you all. RIP to all the victims.
i heard that st. johns had a device on the roof that measures wind speed, and it recorded 400 mph winds in that tornado before the roof was ripped off....
False
The highest wind speed recorded was in Moore 1999. 318 mph, give or take a few. So, they need to get their instrument fixed....
I cant imagine what that mustve been for you. My heart and prayers go out to you and your family
Amber, you will survive. Get some counseling, go to find spiritual support if you so wish. You are not alone and you are loved. May God bless you with comfort and peace.
Very similar to the Tuscaloosa Alabama tornado
Much worse than that...
Yea!!! this tornado was the strongest tornado that happened in 2011,its very shocking to see how many strong EF5 tornadoes that year though within a sort period..
I go through something like that, you better not be shoving a camera in my face.
That's really sad ;(
those couple of weeks were just terrible. Ive never seen outbreaks like that before.
"If your not in a basement you will not survive"
I cried when the reporter cried. I never want to experience anything like that. I just don't.
This tornado was worse then Moore 1999.. The only tornado worse then this was the El Reno 2013.. I don't know what is EF-5 damage to you, but a destroyed hospital and 6,000 destroyed or heavily damaged homes, and neighborhoods that lost ALL of their trees and everything else is damn well EF-5 damage..
Matt Schlicht does it matter if it's worse or not. wtf is it a competition dude. you're an idiot
The El Reno tornado was not worse than this. El Reno killed 9 or so people, this monster killed 162 people and costed more than 2 billion in damage.
The El Reno tornado wasn't really in El Reno. It was rural Canadian County.. mostly over open fields. But imagine if the El Reno tornado had been 25 miles to the east. Through Yukon, Mustang, and straight into the heart of downtown OKC.
It could have been 20 Joplins.
@@warrenduree9417 that is so true
God Bless Joplin always and always
One does not understand until they drive through the destruction zone.
Kevin Young I drove thru the Blue Ash one in 99 in Ohio. it was bad but not even close to this
In 2007 they got hit by an EF2 and killed three people.... This one was actually said to be a F5 +1 so the first F6 recorded
That’s not how tornado ratings work...
A year ago today...
No one really knows how climate change could affect tornadoes. More instability because of warmer temperatures and more moisture could theoretically make tornadoes more common and/or stronger, but more homogeneous temperatures could also reduce wind shear and make tornadoes less common. It's interesting to think about though.
Joplin's population before the tornado: 49,132
Joplin's population after tornado: 53,290
Death toll: 158 (162?)
Joplins population before the tornado was 51,050 as of the 2010 census. As of the 2017 estimations it is at 52,288. By day the city has up to 200,000 traveling through it from neighboring cities such as Webb City, Carl Junction, Galena, etc. The city also sees so much traffic because it is quite literally a halfway point to all the larger cities like Springfield, Kansas City, and Tulsa. The death toll was 158 + 3 indirect deaths as a result of the storm.
this really helped me on to my test I didn't studie
I'm very sorry to hear that. :(
my mom was near that
I believe 162 people were killed by this Joplin, Missouri tornado.
yea we do, just not as often as other places. hell i can even get a good thunderstorm where i'm at in upstate >=(
With storm-cellars I hope. Thats our biggest weapon against these things.
I have never in my life seen a tornado in person...believe me I don't plan on seeing one anytime soon. I mean tornadoes do happen in the state I live in...but it's just tragic by what damage tornadoes can make.
i agree, never on that scale but instead just something tiny and even then its rare in NY. i was simply disagreeing with "don't get tornadoes in upstate NY" or even NY in general.
I feel like crying now after seeing this if this happened to me we would pack up and leave before the tornado hits
Really ,I want to know if they ever found Larry and if he was found safe. If anyone knows please let us know. Thanks and God Bless.
He is sooo Awesome, he really wants to help them, he just Couldn't put the camera down and do it
WOW I live in mo. and I am all ways on the look out I have seen a tornado forming it hit two miles away for my house and that is the worst feel in the world is it going to hit you and what will I do if I lost everything. I mean tornado's happen all the time in mo. I could be next.
Explosion at the Hospital. I knew they were in trouble
crazytornadoguy I don't think that's the tornado. I feel like I see more ominous looking clouds later on in the video.
God bless that little doggie!
I wonder if they found that guys friend Larry .
Five years ago today...
Did they find Larry?
"Tuscaloosa....."😔
see upstate can be considered anything north of the Mohawk River. so for me i live in Albany and that's considered upstate. but i think you mean upstate in the Adirondacks upstate. im sure that area hasn't gotten anything but as far as the rest of NY and other areas called upstate have gotten something here and there, may they only be F0-F1's. I know F5's are rare and ive seen a ton of tornado videos but these ones about the Joplin... they disturb me. its like apocalyptic level =(