I want to talk about the clip where it showed a large group of people standing under the bridge. To those who think that is the best place to take cover during a tornado, this is a myth. Underneath an overpass is NOT the best place! In fact, it’s the worst because that narrow of an area can have higher windspeed. The best thing to do is look for a place to take shelter or drive away from the storm if it’s far enough for you to do so. Do NOT take shelter under an overpass!
Thank you for this comment! Definitely an incredibly important thing to know, and it's so shocking that so many people even today still think it's an okay place to shelter!
Exactly. It funnels debris, giving it hard surfaces to ricochet off, whilst at the same time accelerating the winds at the narrowest points, where the side slopes and overlying road deck converges. This becomes more pronounced as the wind direction shifts abruptly to oblique angles.
If you can, get in a storm shelter. If not put as many walls between you and the outside of the building as possible and put mattresses over you and anyone else. Do not mess around opening windows. If you're on the road and can't do those things. The best you can do if the tornado is pretty far away is figure out storm direction and drive in the opposite direction. If it's close then a ditch is a last moment thing. Definitely not the safest at all and wouldn't recommend at all. That really is the last thing people should be doing. Do not get under a overpass or bridge as we call them in the UK. Feel free to correct me on anything if I've got it wrong.
My mom bought a storm shelter a few months after Jarrell. She was so horrified by this tornado she would stop at no expense to keep us safe if anything like this ever happened.
@@CrooKdLetterJThere’s very few places you’re safe from tornados in North America (much like people). The only solution I’ve found is living underground, (tapping into the natural aquifer and maximizing hydroponics).
There was actually one lady who survived laying in her bath tub believe it or not. Her and her daughter both ended up caught in trees, but her husband was unfortunately killed.
@@douglasgriffiths3534 There wasn’t enough room in the bathtub for Billy. Poor guy tried to hold onto it for as long as he could. At least his wife and daughter survived. RIP Billy
And the bathtub was never found I believe. They were in the F4 track, just outside of the F5 rated area of the tornado. There was another family I think that also survived in the F4 area of it. No one survived the F5 section, except for those in the tornado shelter in the Hernandez house.
@@40ounce58 that was a bad one. I think I went past Joplin to get to Springfield and that tornado was the first thing I thought of. Crazy how close some of the worst storms were to me. Some less severe tornadoes are even closer within 10 miles maybe a bit more so I’m a bit scared with these flimsy new houses.
This tornado has both fascinated and haunted me for years. While I hope to never encounter a tornado with 300+mph winds, there is just something even more terrifying about a tornado with 260 mph winds sitting on top of you for 2-3 minutes. Thanks for covering Jarrell!
Jarrell is one of those tornado events where the traditional safety rules were not valid. You could only survive if you were below ground or out of the path. Tornadoes like that are rare, but when they do happen you'll need to be extra prepared.
Precisely. Most of your long-track violent tornadoes are traversing the ground at 30 mph or more. People who do shelter in place during those tornadoes say it is over in a minute or even seconds. Granted, that is an absolutely horrifying minute or less but at least gives people a chance to survive because the tornado is USUALLY moving quickly. But when the forward speed is basically a crawl...it just keeps chewing everything up like a giant damn lawnmower that got set on a spot in the yard for several minutes.
It was also the last F5 tornado in the state of Texas. Instead of it moving northeast, it moved in the opposite direction. Southwest along a stalled weather front.
What's really sad is that they probably thought they were prepared. It's unimaginable what happened that day, even if they knew what tornadoes could possibly do, who could have imagined that. It's just heartbreaking.
I’m sorry for what you went through. My wife and I just recently visited the memorial. I can’t imagine what they went through; pure hell. They are with Jesus now!
I was there too. My class was on the way back from a field trip to Austin. It was terrifying. I was in fourth grade. My school was in Temple, TX. I still live here.
I've always referred to this tornado as the one that broke the "rules ". No wind shear no strong winds aloft. It seemed to generate its own power. This is one meteorology schools will be discussing for years
@Suk Hastings To personify it a little more, during the early stage of the tornado, it appeared to be a thin and weak tornado at first; however, when the camera zoomed in at the base, it was scouring the ground something fierce. I like to think the tornado purposefully appeared weak to lull the town into a false sense of security, but once it got close enough, it revealed its might and became a wedge. Anyways, tornadoes ain't people, but it is fun to personify things.
Initially when the first responders pulled up on the road about a quarter of a mile away from they reported no damage and it went over open field only to realize a min later they were staring at the Double Creek neighborhood but couldn't see any debris it looked like a mudfield. Everything was flatten and wiped away to the point no one knew the neighborhood was there at first.
@@mimosa27 there was an old interview with a first responder who said initially they didn't think it hit any houses because not a single piece of debris over half a foot talll was left standing. The tornado disgraced everything
I purposely bought a townhouse with a basement. I put an offer down on it a couple of weeks after the Dayton tornados occurred in Ohio. I live in Ohio but not in the Dayton area but seeing the devastation close to home really affected me. My tornado plan is to put all my animals in their carriers when a watch is issued. They stay near me until the watch expires or is canceled. If a warning is issued I take myself and the animals into my bathroom in my basement. We shelter their until it’s over.
Congrats on the new place! Ohio is a pretty underrated tornado hotspot, so a basement must feel nice to have that sense of security. I love that your tornado plan consists of your animals:) they are so important!!
Good plan. We have a 150 square foot root cellar under our bedroom where we would go to shelter if the need arises. We do live in northern AZ, and tornadoes are extremely rare, and if there is one, it's very weak EF0-EF1) and short lived. I have a similar plan for the cats and small dogs we have----put them in carriers, and put them into the cellar during the watch, then go watch the sky. We also have a weather alert radio. (Jan Griffiths).
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. My uncle lives off of Shiloh springs road in Trotwood. F3 went right past his apartment complex. Said the closest thing he could compare the sound to was the sound of the roar of a crowd at a sporting event. Deafening. Destroyed what was left of the Hara arena right across the street. He was really lucky he does not have a basement and rode it out in his bathtub. Smart move getting a place with a basement. Congrats
I live in Missouri. About an hour west of St Louis. While we aren't technically part of "Tornado Alley", we've seen an uptick in occurrences of low level tornadoes over the last 10 years. I will not buy a house without a basement. My current rental has a basement thank God. I have kennels for my pets already set up down there and when watches are reported, I move everyone down there so we don't have to look for them in an emergency.
Tim Marshall has said this tornado dug foot deep trenches in the ground. Local first responders at first didn't realize Double Creek Estates no longer existed
I also noticed how violent and fast the rotation was at ground level during that tornado's infancy. I don't think it ever had a relatively gentle moment at any point in its existence.
Great job. I live in Mayfield, Kentucky. I am sure you are aware of what we just went through. Craziest thing I have seen in all my years. I got my wife and kids out of town into a neighboring county about two hours before it hit. The location we relocated to had a basement. It didn’t hit our house but I spared them the trauma of sitting there wondering if it would, so I am glad we exited when we did. It tracked 1.5 miles from our home so they would definitely have experienced the horror of it close to them had we been home. I just knew that day something wasn’t right and followed my gut feeling. I just subscribed to your channel. Have a great day.
I am so sorry, my heart really goes out to you and your family. There really aren't words for an event like that, but I am so glad you and your family are safe now. 1.5 miles is so close, my gosh. There was definitely an eerie feeling about that day. I hope you all and your community can continue to recover as quickly as possible, my thoughts are with you guys this morning
Good man. ALWAYS trust your gut when it comes to the personal safety of our loved ones and ourselves. Some people may call you "weird" or "paranoid" but that means nothing or shouldn't. The only thing that matters is the safety of our families. At the end of the day, that's all we have in this world. ✌️
I'm so glad that you listened to your gut and made a plan early! You're correct, it would be horrific, sitting there knowing that a monster tornado is only a mile or so from your house!
I live in NW Ohio and I remember the eerie feeling of having summer temperatures in the middle of December. I spent all night tracking that outbreak and I just couldn't believe what was happening south of me. Then when first light came everyone saw the extent of it all and I just broke down because so many lives were lost and so much was damaged or completely destroyed. I've been through my fair share of tornadoes but those were just a windy day compared to what your community experienced.
Wow, absolutely tragic. Had no idea how powerful this tornado was. I just recently saw that one restored video of the tornado. Agreed, that it's some of the best footage out there, the zoom lens on that camera definitely made for some incredible shots.
2:29 Hey that's my VCR tape! I wish that section was in better shape but I rewound and pause that second so many time my VCR ate it and that's the best I could get it. Absolutely incredible storm and a true monster. Fantastic breakdown. I added a link to your video in my video description section. I'm sorry I didn't see this video sooner but hopefully you get some additional views with with the link. Take care.
This tornado in my opinion is the worst in history, and this is me speaking after the historic tornados of 2021. I cried the entire time. Something about this event is so unique and frankly sad.
I know that it's a terrible and corny cliché, but as others have said: if ever there was an "F6", then Jarrell was it. I think one of the things that makes it so tragic, besides the many children and entire families killed, is the fact that Jarrell was an obscure little town in the middle of nowhere, only to be hit by such a huge disaster. If this storm had hit a bigger and more populated area, it might easily have been the most destructive tornado of all time. It was also sad to hear about the many cattle killed: some were skinned; some beheaded; and some were literally disemboweled by the winds.
@@dieterdelange9488 In total , Jerrell Texas has been by 8 different Tornados over it's existence , so it's just not a great place to live , unless you are prepared to deal with the Tornados that sweep through Central Texas , just my 2 cents from a 64 year old Native Texan , I prefer to tough it out with the Hurricanes on the Gulf Coast .
@@brad5349I was only a year old and wasn't living anywhere close so I only have hindsight and my historical nerdiness but the truly scary thing is that Jarrell could've been way worse if it was only about half an hour to the south where downtown Austin is or to the north near Temple. It's truly horrifying to think that a bullet was dodged when the damage was this complete and devasting.
I think that Jarrell was the worst tornado in modern history, mostly because of its wind speed and slow movement forward - what is called a grinder tornado. Nice job with your videos - I have subscribed to your channel.
Also, I think what's visually the most telling about this tornado during its lifespan is that the upward motion was so violent that it looked as if it was "sizzling" as it barely moved. I've never seen that very often with many tornadoes if at all before, so yeah.
Cape values were found over 7500j/kg something most people skim past seems like. That would explain why the upward motion on it was second to none. Ps it had almost double the amount of cape EL Reno had or Moore 99.
@@chevyrider9027 Yes, I've read on how it was a relatively low shear and higher cape outbreak. I'm not that familiar with certain nuances of cape in climatological lore, but I know lifted indices of negative six or so to my foreknowledge is actually technically the highest that can be recorded with some of the returns through doppler scans. That would make consistent sense to me since it would have quite literally more explosive dynamics to feed off in its genesis with higher cape events leading to more noticeable motion with circulations. And it formed along the stalled frontal boundary in central Texas at that time and essentially when the cap did invariably break, it produced what's coined as, "zipper effect" and what it connotes is the instability being so bountiful. Another reason as to why the tornado was so deadly from what I've studied was that Jarrell can be seen essentially as a hybrid gustnado that was merged with an updraft already in place and birthed the unconventional mesocyclone. By trick of fate, even Lon Curtis has stated that it's almost as if the funnel took aim at the Double Creek estates because that's when vortex itself widened and then slowed down even more prominently and was spinning faster than a top virtually. It would probably lead to the most pronounced debris ball signature on radar to date if was as advanced as it is currently. My understanding is that the Tuscaloosa EF4 actually had the most accentuated gate-to-gate wind shear that've we ever sampled in the modern era I believe next to the recent EF4 Mayfield tornado (I still believe somewhere in its life cycle that it reached EF5 level strength especially considering the supercell traveled across four states. It wasn't necessarily continuous, but even with it being cyclical that's still anomalous) It was actually harder for the forecasters to distinguish the hook echo on the Jarrell tornado because it was asymmetrically moving in the opposite direction. You can see hail in the Buckhorn video that's one of allegedly the only two long form clips of Jarrell known to exist. Who knew at the time that they'd be filming pound-for-pound the most violently damaging tornado ever recorded over one area? Hindsight's everything, but still. Worst case scenario at the worst time for those residents unfortunately. If I'm wrong about anything, someone in the comments section or even Carly herself point out those mistakes and correct me. I'm very keen on there being no misinformation and getting things as accurate as they can be. The science is so important and should be taken very seriously. Carly even pointed out in the Hackleburg video that one fatality accidentally got counted twice and led to an inaccurate death toll for it if I remember correctly. Needless to say, aside from the numbers all those lost were irreplaceable and so sorry they were taken prematurely. My condolences to every family that's ever been affected by any natural disaster.
In the early stages of its life, the Jarrell Tornado looked like a ghostly ballerina, prancing along the countryside. I find it interesting how both with the Ellie/Manitoba tornado and this one start out as ropes only to strengthen
I have heard meteorologists say “closets won’t cut it on this one… you’ve still got time get under ground or get out of the way” and they’re able to do this because of our enhanced technology as far as being able to see size of debris field, how high it may be being lofted, gate to gate shear, and storm spotters. I think using language like that as necessary to let people know typical precautions may not help is great. You may die trying to outrun it but you’d most likely die if you tried to ride it out, so some may take the option of running.
The ironic thing about this tornado is most of those who followed the nws recommendations died while most of those who survived went against those recommendations.
While there are tornados that are place far above what happened in Jarrell this to me is the worst of them. Almost everything about that tornado was unique. The speed, the fact the tornado hit with the rain and hail behind it etc.
I was living in the first story of a 2 story apartment building in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Austin on that day in May 1997. The winds outside were howling so much that I could have sworn that the weather was still tornadic by the time the system reached my area. The power went out for maybe 15 minutes, and I spent the evening listening to a cube-shaped "Realistic Weatheradio" that my grandmother had given me earlier that decade, as well as to KLBJ 590 AM, where regular programming had been preempted by special coverage of the weather, provided by the usual talk show hosts (mainly Bobby Mercer) scheduled for that time slot. One guy called in and claimed that his family's home was in the path of that Jarrell tornado, but that he left work, got to his home, found his family sheltering in a closet, and evacuated them just in time as the slow-moving tornado loomed. A couple of months ago (March 2022) we had a tornado outbreak in and around Austin, but most of those tornadoes ranged from EF-0 to a low EF-3 strength. For tornadoes like that, the standard safety precautions (shelter in an interior room away from windows) are sufficient, but the NWS was talking that day about the potential for PDS (particularly dangerous situation) level storms, the kinds that can spawn EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes. In such situations I think the best plan is to shelter either underground (basement or storm cellar), or in a specially constructed surface level safe room (like the kind FamilySafe and Jarrell Storm Shelters manufacture). Also, I've read that dome-shaped structures made of concrete and rebar (like monolithic domes) have withstood direct encounters with EF-5 tornadoes while sustaining only exterior damage, but windows and doors would still be vulnerable points of such buildings. During that March 2022 outbreak I decided, after a tornado watch was issued but while the weather was still calm, to drive to a nearby massive medical center, park my vehicle in the parking garage (2nd story of a building that was 5 or 6 stories high), enter an adjacent hospital and proceed down the stairs to the bottom level, which was 2 stories underground. I sat in a waiting area for several hours and had my insurance card out to appear like I was reviewing medical coverages and other health care options, but nobody paid me any attention and I certainly wasn't bothering anybody. I used the hospital's wi-fi to access social media on my phone and chatted with friends and family who were in the area, including one who was a mile away from the tornado that knocked down the tall light post at the intersection of I-35 and SH 45. The danger passed, my area didn't even get any storms (just overcast skies and some wind), and I happily paid the $5 parking fee as I vacated the premises 3 or 4 hours after arrival. I felt a lot safer there than I would have in my normal dwelling or at work. That's my plan for future incidents involving the possibility of PDS events, unless and until I move someday to a residence that has sufficient tornado-resistant shelter installed.
There was a concrete dome home hit by the 99 Chickasha F-5 which was damaged beyond repair and the people who were in it were all killed. Even above ground FEMA-compliant shelters can't be relied on at F-5/EF-5 level, and even being underground might not be enough. The 2011 Hackleburg tornado ripped the concrete roof off of an underground shelter and flung it 50 yards away; luckily the shelter had been unoccupied. Any shelter is better than none but anything short of an underground bunker may not be enough- there's no guarantees in life when one of these rarities comes calling to your location.
@@P_RO_ My previous reply doesn't appear to have posted, so I'll try again but without the Monolithic Dome Institute link. That dome affected by the Chickasha outbreak (in 2011, not as you said in 1999) wasn't built by Monolithic Dome standards (it used steel fiber in vertical patterns instead of rebar running both vertically and horizontally, and its airform had been removed), and the family inside survived but was injured because the people stood by some of its many windows to watch the storm instead of retreating to an interior windowless room: 'One of those homes - a thin shell concrete dome - constructed in 1981 by an independent builder took a direct hit. When the tornado alert sounded, the owners, Jane and George Cox, both in their 80s, were in their dome home, feeling perfectly safe. According to Debbie Leonard, their daughter, they felt so safe they remained near the windows hoping to watch the tornado. Debbie said, "My parents were inside and they were injured because they didn’t take cover. I was taking it (the tornado alert) very seriously. They kept saying, ‘These houses are tornado-proof.’ And I kept telling them the windows were not tornado-proof. “If they had been in their closet, they would not have been injured,” Debbie added. “But they kept looking out the windows. When they saw it coming, they started toward the back of the house, and that’s when it hit. They were knocked down and bombarded with all sorts of stuff. They’re lucky to be alive.” The debris that came flying through the window included a 300-gallon diesel tank and a full roll of barbed wire fencing, and the dome was hit by cars and all kinds of heavy debris. Debbie said, “My parents had to go to the hospital and get stitches. Mom’s ankle and foot were seriously hurt but should heal without surgery. It was bad. I mean, they wouldn’t be alive if they had been in a regular house.”'
As a weather enthusiast it is so easy to get lost in the wonderment that is Mother Nature and all of her fury. She is mighty, unforgiving and kills without prejudice. I love watching storms, I get excited when they come rumbling in. It is also so easy to forget the pure devastation they can afflict though however, and this serves as a stark reminder of the damage that can be done. There have been more powerful tornadoes (May 20th 2013 Moore, OK), bigger tornadoes (May 31st El Reno, OK) , however none have left devastation like we have seen here. That slow moving factor truly made it a giant grinder and there just was nothing left! I'll still get excited when storms roll in, I am still just as fascinated... but I also want to help in maybe giving someone 30 seconds or a few minutes longer to prepare in the event of imminent danger from a tornado or any weather related phenomenon! If my actions can save even just 1 life, it is worth it!
Actually the winds for Jarrell tornado winds were never recorded. They gave a estimate based on damage of 261- 318 mph which was a F 5 tornado back in 1997. I agree that there have been many larger tornadoes than Jarrell. The 2013 Moore tornado wasn't as strong as the Jarrell based on damage. The Jarrell tornado has ever produced the most extreme damage ever recorded.
Actually Jarrell most likely is the strongest tornado in US history. The winds were never recorded for Jarrell. Moore is the strongest tornado that was recorded. Im guessing winds in jarrell may have been in the 350 mph .
@@greatriffishere the winds of the Jarrell tornado were recorded by radar at 260 to 300mph. What made it so destructive was its slow movement. Most tornadoes move at 40-60mph. This one averaged less than 15mph. It sat over double creek, by some accounts, for up to 10 minutes. Nothing can withstand 260mph winds for that long.
@@CaptainRudy4021 The winds were not recorded. That's just an estimate. I estimate closer to the 350 mph range. It was indeed slow moving as you stated.
@@greatriffishere it's honestly hard to say. The slow moving nature of this tornado is one of the reasons why the ef scale was developed. No one could agree on if the winds caused all that damage or its slow speed.
A 100 mph wind could do that much damage if it was concentrated in one area long enough. I don't think the wind speed was anywhere near 300 mph. I'd be surprised if it hit 200 honestly.
Just came across this video today and great job! I am so fascinated with tornados. Our first encounter with one was back in 2001, on May 4th, our youngest son's 6th birthday. We had just moved to Texas that year from the west coast. We lived in Grand Prairie, and the tornado came close enough to our apartment complex that I heard the distinct "train" sound that everyone talks about. I'll never forget it. We were fine, our apartment complex didn't get hit. Our son had nightmares for years after. He's 26 yrs old now and still is very cautious when a storm is predicted
Underground is the only way to go. I grew up in Oklahoma and Texas and was a storm chaser for 2 years in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and I moved away because it is just not worth the worry and anxiety every storm season. Don't get me wrong I love a good storm but don't love being in harms way in spring and fall. If I ever moved back that way I would only live where I had an underground shelter
I study weather events as a hobby, especially tornadoes. I've watched more documentaries and first-person videos of tornadoes than I can count. I remember watching the tornadoes in 2011 like in Joplin and Tuscaloosa unfold on the news. But nothing puts a knot in my stomach quite like the Jarrell tornado. All tornado damage pictures are haunting, but seeing what this one did just makes my blood run cold. Absolutely terrifying.
I remember seeing this tornado being reported when I was 15 back in 1997. this tornado is responsible for creating within me a fascination for tornados. Hurricane Andrew has the same effect on me back in 1991. that fascination has never gone away
I was going to say, "OMG why haven't I heard of this channel before?!" and then I realized you've only been here a few months! So happy you're here. Keep up the great work 👍 👏
This was utterly fantastic, and one of the best Jarrell tornado videos I've seen. You don't skip out on the science, and you present it in a way that's easy for a layman to understand. I'll look forward to checking out your videos since and look forward to many more.
Carly, I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the great work. The part where you tear up when you mention the victims shows great empathy and humanity. I live 35 miles from Jarrell in Killeen. A tornado just hit near my home yesterday and knocked down a tree in my yard that fell through the power line. It was very scary and I thought I was a goner.
I drove through a week after. I had never seen anything like it. It literally sucked up the asphalt on the road and I also saw were the concrete house foundations were sucked out of the ground standing up like walls.... just unbelievable.
Thanks for the great synopsis. This was a really unusual tornado in the setup, movement and the slow speed in which it passed over the area. Great work about a very interesting storm.
This Tornado shredded human and animal alike as a blender does. Some of the cattle that weren’t completely shredded had their lungs sucked out that is amazing power.
@@mimosa27 A lot of the official reports are no longer easily accessible but could once be found online, and the inverted lungs were noted in "upwards of 20" and "Over two dozen" cases if I'm remembering correctly. There were also some cattle found with their stomachs hanging out of their mouths too. The de-haired cattle "smelled burnt" from wind-driven debris grinding against them. I'm guessing that those reports still exist in digital archives, but you'd probably have to go in person to whichever office or agency they were affiliated with to see them now.
Wow! I had never seen that particular radar loop before, that is REALLY cool! The content on this channel is some of the best I've seen in all my years of watching and chasing and researching tornadoes!
Loved your Andover 1991 video. I live about 10 miles southeast of Andover and it went a few miles north of me and hit my moms work. I was 10 years old and freaked out. I live in the same place and went threw it again last Friday. I'm interested in tornados and Jarrell has always been the most fascinating to me. New subscriber
I remember that tornado, but had no idea of the dead man walking. That is so scary to me. Last year and this year were the first time I ever heard tornado sirens, and it was honestly scary! I heard cows were stripped, one had it's lungs in it's mouths and some of the people found, had no hair on their bodies. I remember being told that blades of grass were sticking out of tree trunks.
This is the storm I wanted to do a video on if I do something like this. 16:03 the comparison you did is my favorite part! This has to be the storm that produced the worst damage I've seen in any video. It's insane! Awesome work, as usual! (This is like my third comment on your videos, I'll stop now. 😆)
I lived south of Jerrell in Round Rock Tx. That day was scary. After the storm passed we (me and my mom) got in the car to go up to get office. When we got to I35 we saw 20 state trooper cars hauling ass north. We found out later about the destruction. My Dad had a friend who lived there and was at work when the storm hit, when he got home he found a human head in his front yard. I am still nervous about tornadoes in central Texas.
I lived close to this area when this tornado hit and I still remember how terrified my parents were when this happened and we went to church with a family that lived just down the road from where this tornado and they always said they were lucky to be alive. Thank you for covering this, seeing this video was a really holy crap I remember this happening moment for me.
I lived in Michigan at the time of this tornado and only found out about it recently. Now I'm living only about 2 hours away. I have a friend who lived in Austin in 1997 and remembers that storm. He describes it as "apocalyptic" in how it looked and felt. It's tragic what happened to those families. To answer Carly, as I live in a mobile home park, my plan is to drive to a parking garage about 5-10 minutes from here if I have enough warning. Otherwise, I can drive to the highway and just be mobile. I'm not allowed to build anything permanent here. I just have to dodge bad weather until I can afford my own land.
That little segment of the Dead Man Walking documentary you used at the beginning of this video haunted my childhood nightmares. I used to live in fear of the “deadman” and I didn’t even really understand the utter hell this thing unleashed on Jarrell. Even today those words give me chills and a sinking feeling of dread. If I were religious I would be absolutely convinced that this was the work of a malicious deity, it’s goddamn insane.
Ive only recently fell into a tornado hole. Learning as much as i can about the history because well, its fascinating. Sad, shocking, but fascinating. Plenty of tornadoes have caused more damage on a larger scale, effecting more people, but Jarrell seems to be in a league of its own. I have NEVER seen houses so cleanly swept away, down to their foundations, like what Jarrell did. Theres nothing, no lumber, no debris, just nothing. Like those houses were never even there. The photos of trees shaved down flush to the soil, foundations 100% bare, & asphalt ripped off the roads, are photos i will never forget. The trees weren’t just snapped, they were shaven. The force needed to shave a forest down to the soil is hard to quantify. That is unimaginable to me here in Michigan. Truly some of the most shocking footage i have ever seen.
I love your videos! You and ur cat are so cute! We need more community storm shelters! The tornado that destroyed Mayfield was 5 miles from my home. We had nowhere to go except a closet. Hardly anyone has a basement out here, and there are a few trailer communities. Not everyone can afford a storm shelter. It's so sad to see people that don't have anywhere safe to go.
I've been close to 4 tornados in my life, three within 2-4 miles, and one a bit further off during 2011 outbreak (Alabama), I was scared of them as a kid, but that flipped after 2011 and I became fascinated with them.
On my walk yesterday I was confronted with ef1 tornado damage that happened two weeks prior. Crews working to clear trees still. Those sights really put into perspective these huge destructive tornadoes you talk about. Even one giant tree uprooted does something to one’s nerves. I can’t even begin to imagine what the people involved in these whoppers feel. I am beginning to realize the service all you weather people give to all of us. God bless every single one of you.
I live in tornado alley so I am very familiar with them. Thankfully I have never been in one but was close enough to see them on a few occasions. I’m curious about the rebuild in Jarrel, how many (if any) included underground shelters in their new home? I know the Hernandez family had one which saved them and a neighbor family so I hope that would have influenced the ones that rebuilt to include a safe area.
@@mimosa27 I heard it was something like 308mph. I've also heard there's no official wind speeds for this tornado. So honestly I don't know what the wind speeds were for this tornado.
@@mimosa27 Above 261 is what they always say without a wind speed reading for the most violent tornados. They said the same about Smithville. Well let me tell you, both tornados were way over 300mph.
The Lil Wayne lighter click before dropping straight heat as well was a really nice touch 😘👌 your content is the best I’ve encountered from a weather content creator and honestly one of the best content creators I’ve ever seen in a very long time, bar none; keep up the great work Carly 💯
I really like your channel. I found you from watching Ryan Hall Y'all after the Mayfield tornado, and subbed right away. I like your calm, inciteful, pertinent information and your compassion with retelling these horrific events. I'm also a tornado fanatic, I definitely do not like what they do, but they are fascinating non the less. My house has only been directly hit with an F1, but it was still nerve racking. I only hope that these poor victims passed instantly...Thanks for the great job you're doing!
That’s pretty scary. I live in an area surrounded by mountains. They disrupt a lot of weather patterns, like jets and winds and stuff. (Sorry if my terminology is off. I’m not much of a meteorologist) All supercell spawning conditions get diverted away from us so we don’t have anything like this. Closest tornado to my area was an f1 in the 70s. I’m sure it was a fluke since we’ve never had one close since. I have no idea what would happen if that happened in our area since no one knows what to do. We don’t have sirens, shelters, etc. Its just scary to think about that’s all.
I'd like to commend you on going into the detail you did to what this kind of tornado could do to a human. You're the only channel I've seen so far (though I don't watch too many) that has actually gone into that kind of detail, and I think people need to hear it sometimes. Too many people think that they could survive something like this. Sure most tornados don't stay over one location for more than something like 30 seconds, but those 30 seconds of violent, potentially 200mph winds can easily kill you if you are even a little bit exposed. People don't understand how much debris is flying around, and how quickly it's flying around. It just blows my mind how the movement of air can happen at such an wild speed. Perhaps future building codes should include some kind of storm shelter for regions that can experience EF3 or stronger tornadoes. This kind of thing shouldn't be left up to residents.
Thank you for your analysis of this extraordinary event. The NWS guidance on sheltering dos and don'ts is *normally* effective for preventing tornado deaths. But - this tornado was one of the rare exceptions that defied conventional wisdom for above-ground survivability due to its sheer force and unusually prolonged continuous exertion of those forces. This was an incredibly rare tornado that virtually required either sheltering underground or a timely evacuation to be survivable. RIP to all the victims. 😔😢
Been serving the public as an emergency operations coordinator for 20 years as of spring 2021. Certified at all levels if incident command, SAR, triage and morgue. I was one of the first command in the lower 9th ward in New Orleans August 2005 and with only 3 years experience at the time it was so unreal and I definitely learned a lot of things there. Thankfully I have not yet had to work a disaster in my hometown and hopefully never will. Every scene I've put my boots on the ground I've been thankful that the victims were not my family, friends or neighbors. It's hard enough to stay composed when the victims are total strangers because many of them come back to visit when you close your eyes. I'm a very compassionate person who can't let some of them go I suppose but I live to do the work that most people are not capable of doing. Thank you for your videos though you do great work. Stay safe everyone and have a blessed day
Just discovered your channel...Most of my day off involved appreciating your passionate love of tornadoes and obviously am hooked. You tell the stories in a way that draws me in and paints an accurate picture, while those lost still get the respect that they deserve. Thank You!
As a resident of Alberta Canada in Edmonton i cannot imagine having to constantly having to deal with these horrific weather events. We had a monster in Aug of 1989 a F/4 ( i think) with great loss of life and i am so thankful that was the last event to hit Edmonton. I saw the beginning of a F/0 in Saskatchewan, out of a crystal clear beautiful blue day and i happened to look up to the south west and like a drop of ink in water a black squiggle quickly manifested into a weak tornado. I will never ever forget the long 30second thunder rumble that ended the event. Great stuff Carly !!
Great video, I love your work...I think it's very important to telltale gruesome details no matter how disturbing they are that way people get a realistic idea of what these things are really like and might take more precautions because of it
This is an excellent review by how weather developments happen quickly under extreme measures through instrument gathering , With this seasons weather casting tornado activity across local regions I found a new respect for your content , just excellent gathering and production . Rip to those who lost their lives , in memory research marchs forward to save lives, never forgetting .
I moved to New Braunfels, TX after being a lifelong resident of Houston. The first Saturday we lived here, it was a sunny day and we heard a tornado siren. It was eerie. They test them here every Saturday. That first test made us realize we now live in an area where this may one day happen to us. We are also 90 miles rom Jarrell. Super creepy!
I think for the EF5s you need to be below ground to guarantee you will survive or get out of the way. Just like the December 10, 2021 outbreak with the Mayfield tornado you really needed to be below ground for that tornado. I know it was given an EF4 rating but I don’t care what rating it was since so many people died from that tornado.
This tornado was basically death incarnate. Literally the only way you could’ve survived is to not be in its path. At its peak and due to the fact it was so slow moving, everything in its path was literally disintegrated, Probably one of the most tragic tornadoes I’ve ever seen
Just taking a guess, but the dry line had stalled out and it was moving SW along the dryline instead of the usual NE track. Maybe it had something to do with the lift created by the two fronts crashing together that created the lift that wasn't naturally in the air that she mentioned? A lot of times the dry line and jet stream are moving and they push these cells along too. That didn't happen here at all.
Thank you Carly for making the research effort into this storm before discussing it. Your analysis and empathy do more justice to the memory of this event than most other TH-cam videos and documentaries. I was there that day as a kid. It was terrifying. It’s very interesting to read some of these other comments and watch the video and see how others’ experiences are different from my own. There are still signs of this tornado visible today. There are the cast iron tub standing in a yard (full of flowers last I saw), the twisted mangled remains of a combine in a field and there is the absence of the thick forest of trees that bordered the subdivision. You clearly have a passion for tornadoes. I think many of your subscribers would be interested in knowing how and why you got into this. Would you create a post to tell us?
26:21 This is my family’s tornado/severe weather plan. 1.) if there’s a chance for severe storms keep an eye on them. 2.) if it looks like they will hit us, get everything inside. 3.) keep monitoring weather. 4.) if tornado warning gets issued, prepare to shelter. 5.) if shit is about to hit the fan, we grab phones, shoes, cushions, blankets and everyone in the house and bring them to the most central part of the basement (aka the small living room area in the basement). The phones are to call for help, the shoes are for if we need to walk through debris and the cushions and blankets are to offer an extra layer between us and the tornado. 6.) wait it out there and use items if needed
There were areas in Cayce, Kentucky and Bremen, Kentucky that looked eerily desolated just like what the Jarrell 1997 and Bridge Creek-Moore 1999 tornadoes did. Of course it is referred to as the Mayfield tornado and should have been rated EF5.
I live in the caribbean this video now show me how powerful a tornado can be and dangerous it is to have one sit on top of a community for 2 to 3 minutes that's horrifying with winds that's strong it is so sad to see the people lost there lives in this tornado i hope the people in Texas will never see a tornado like that again.
13:00 at the foot of the tornado where it meets the ground, to the right of the funnel, you can see visible inflow. Is that what tornado watchers call the "ghost train"?
In a personal insight through hardships and getting through such times is being able to calm your thoughts , this preparing yourself for a good sleeping pattern , I’m a success and follower of ASMR , it helped through some of the hardest times of my life . Thank you for adding this detail in your content at the beginning ,it works and is a healthy added sleep conduit instead of drugs.
If you're wondering who the extra views are it's probably me because of my ADHD I'm always doing something in the background and I love your videos please keep making them I have got to have something to feed my brain and I love blaze ❤️
I like the way you narrate your videos and the way you follow up with how the people are coping with the devastation, so sad to always hear the loss of life, you can always rebuild but you can never ever replace loss of life
First off, I'm so incredibly heartbroken for the families lost in Jarrel. It's like they just didn't have a chance with the tornado literally stalling over the subdivision. I live in the Northeast and the tornadoes here aren't nearly as deadly but have increased over the years in frequency. I'm in Connecticut and I've actually been through one tornado. A tornado went through Wolcott, Connecticut I believe in 1996 or 97 and I think it was only an f2 but it did a lot of damage, ripped roofs off houses and basically went right over the house we were living in and took out the huge tree in the front yard and all the trees in the surrounding area. I had my 2-year-old son at the time and it was actually a very traumatic event. I woke up in the morning and it was eerily quiet. It was about 6:30 in the morning and when I went into the living room and looked out the window I just saw a gray wall coming towards the house and I instinctively put the window up because it looked like rain to me and before I could get the window up just branches and leaves and debris came into the living room and I was able to get the window up. I ran into my son's room, grabbed him and unfortunately we rented so we were on the second and third floors and I just hunkered down in the bathroom with him and he was screaming cuz it was so loud. It does sound like a freight train. After that whenever we got a tornado warning I was always terrified and I'm the first one in the basement lol .. over the years tornadoes have become a bit more frequent in Connecticut. And I think we've actually had an F4 that came down in Windsor locks some years ago. We actually had several tornadoes sweep across the state about five years ago. Certain areas of the state were hit pretty hard and a lot of damage was done.
As someone who has driven out of the path of 4 tornadoes and been in one i would recommond driving away....if you can see them or track them. If its dark, you cant get live radar, and/or its rain wrapped, youll have to ride that bad boy out. Tornados only go 60-70mph maximum, ya they dont follow roads and they can grow but often you know its coming atleast 5-10 miles out with warnings. Even longer if you are like me and worry about being in another, just by keeping updated on the weather during storms. My parents and mother in law both have basements (20 miles north and 10 miles south) and thats where we usually head for. I did some amature chasing in my 20s, in north central indiana mostly, its pretty open here and in the country every mile you have a north/south- east/west road. Tornadoes always head some version of east here, so once i know its going east, north east, NNE, south east, or SSE, i know which way i need to go to stay in front then slide out the way. Even at a mile or 2 away a tornado moving with a perfect angle cant catch you if you are moving twice its ground speed. Next fall we are adding an underground storm shelter with a steel safe room under the concreate steps going down into the storm shelter. Been saving up since the EF3 in 2016. Would have been done last year if not for a indirect hit, apr 1st 2023. Lost a shed and my central air unit. Moved to kokomo indiana in 2003 and its been a disaster movie ever since. (UFO, earthquakes, flood, and a hand full of tornadoes. the UFO thing made the history channel, all i saw or heard was what sounded like the largest sonic boom/pressure wave ive ever felt.)
Hi Carly - thanks very much for your effort to make this documentary. I live in London, England, but remember having a deep fascination with tornados and violent weather ever since I was a young kid. Only very occasionally I remember gazing in wide-eyed wonder at pictures of twisting snake-like tornadoes sprawled across the page of a glossy newspaper magazine. This was of course, many years before the internet - and as a youngster, my intense curiosity was starved for many years by a complete lack of any further information. In the UK, we get a relatively large number of tornadic events per square mile - but they are all weak events - and my understanding is that they are not formed from the typical supercell > mesocyclone updraft / downdraft models that are prevalent in the Northern US. We simply don't have the climate or the topology required to develop these kinds of systems. I have tried to research on the internet what are the alternative mechanisms that cause UK tornadic events - but I can't seem to get good explanations. :( Perhaps a channel like yours might one day throw some light on this? Otherwise the weather you get in your country is extreme compared to the rest of the world, and the Jarrell story is an extreme example of the extreme. The story of the families involved - particularly the Igo's - I find profoundly moving. Their family picture is especially haunting. I don't know why them more than the others. If I ever visit Texas, I will make a point to visit the Jarrell Memorial Park. I have a desire to pay them my quiet respects.
Damage that occurred to the residents and the farm animals wasn't done by wind alone but debris and soil blown by the very high volicity winds. It would have been a violent death as lumber snd any type of debris flying would have pummeled those killed continuously. The cows were said to have looked like pin cushions with wheat straw penatrating them. The only shelter that could offer a high level of safety from a tornado like this one is underground with the entrance able to be securely latched close. Many that shelter in interior rooms like closets and bathrooms have survived and if the only available shelter certainly use it.
I'm doing my final essay for AP Literature on this tornado and your video helped me so much!! This tornado is one of the most horrific ones I've heard of, and it's genuinely so tragic. It's why I wanted to write about it so bad.
I was living in Houston when the outbreak happened. When the news crews sent back video evidence of 18 inches of topsoil gone and a inch or two of asphalt from the road scoured from the ground made all of our jaws drop. It was because of this tornado that the Storm Prediction Center and the NWS started to create the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
I was 3 when Jarrell hit. I will never forget the fear my dad had when the 2000 Ft Worth F3 blew down our fence and took part of our roof. Growing up we always chased storms, and to this day I am very much an advocate of my kids not being afraid of storms. January of this year my town was hit by an EF3 South East of Houston. I was watching the weather all morning as we had several Tornado warnings pop up SW of us and we were under a hatched risk area by the NWS. Hearing Ryan Hall shout out my neighborhood on the track of the tornado sent a shiver down my spine. My wife and our 2 youngest were in the school pick up line for our oldest. COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS to the weather other than "Its just raining". It hit me first in the town over taking down several buildings across the street before entering our city limits. I was able to call my wife before and tell her to leave the school pick up line. She did, and drove away from the school which took a direct hit. Several vehicles were damaged in the pick up line by trees falling. Somehow some way, we had 0 injuries thankfully. (YES an MCI was declared but that was due to an assisted living facility getting hit and the city needed SETRAC to provide EMS for transportation to surrounding care facilities.) This was the Houston areas first ever "Tornado Emergency". It carved a path 24 miles long and had peak intensity of EF3 140+ mph winds and .75 mile wide. It derailed a train and tore down High line power structures.
I loved your video Carly! I was working in downtown Austin at the time. Rumors started coming in about tornado damage north of Austin, but no one had any idea how bad it was until we all saw it on the news hours later. Many of us went outside our building to watch the storm coming in. While the Jarrell supercell took a more southwest turn, we were well east of the storm as it moved south. Nevertheless, the clouds looked weird, the wind was intense, and we could see small random debris falling from the sky. At the time, we thought it was just stuff getting blown around from all the wind, but because of how high up some of the debris was, I had a feeling something else was going on. The next day, items were found as far as 60 miles or more south of Austin - personal items belonging to the families in Jarrell. It’s heartbreaking. Interestingly, Austin isn’t a hot spot for tornados. They occur, but they are always small, weak, and very short lived, like a minute or less. The larger ones usually occur much farther north or east. Jarrell is only about an hour north of Austin, so that was a wake up call. Of course last year we had a small outbreak around the area, with the EF2s that hit Round Rock and Elgin. The last F5 within about a 150 mile radius of central Texas before that was 1953 in Waco. I’ve read that a few researchers believe the Jarrell tornado was easily over 300 mph inside due to the items left that they analyzed. Hard to imagine. Anyway, keep up the great work Carly. 👍🙂
Hello. You had requested input regarding how we prepare. We live in illinois and have recently changed the way we plan for tornadoes. If the area is under an enhanced threat of large track tornadoes, we have a shelter that we will drive to if a warning is issued. If the threat is minimal, or for short lived storms, we will take precautions at our home (that is without a basement. )
I want to talk about the clip where it showed a large group of people standing under the bridge. To those who think that is the best place to take cover during a tornado, this is a myth. Underneath an overpass is NOT the best place! In fact, it’s the worst because that narrow of an area can have higher windspeed. The best thing to do is look for a place to take shelter or drive away from the storm if it’s far enough for you to do so. Do NOT take shelter under an overpass!
Thank you for this comment! Definitely an incredibly important thing to know, and it's so shocking that so many people even today still think it's an okay place to shelter!
@@carlyannawx I remembered hearing it from somewhere so I looked it up just to be sure
@@carlyannawx you should do the Tri-State tornado
Exactly. It funnels debris, giving it hard surfaces to ricochet off, whilst at the same time accelerating the winds at the narrowest points, where the side slopes and overlying road deck converges. This becomes more pronounced as the wind direction shifts abruptly to oblique angles.
If you can, get in a storm shelter. If not put as many walls between you and the outside of the building as possible and put mattresses over you and anyone else. Do not mess around opening windows.
If you're on the road and can't do those things. The best you can do if the tornado is pretty far away is figure out storm direction and drive in the opposite direction. If it's close then a ditch is a last moment thing. Definitely not the safest at all and wouldn't recommend at all. That really is the last thing people should be doing. Do not get under a overpass or bridge as we call them in the UK.
Feel free to correct me on anything if I've got it wrong.
"If you see him in a tornado, you are about to die. The dead man has just walked in to Jarrell."
Biggest goosebumps I've ever had!
Exactly 😢chilling!
Makes me think of the grim reaper the way it stalked the town sucking all life away
But the guy who literally saw it and was able to take a picture of it didn’t die. He didn’t even just kind of die, he very lived.
@@Bravo-Too-Much I was quoting a line from an old Weather Channel documentary about this tornado.
You did a great job!
My mom bought a storm shelter a few months after Jarrell. She was so horrified by this tornado she would stop at no expense to keep us safe if anything like this ever happened.
I would of moved out of there tornados are allready scar this one looks like a demon decided to take a slow casual walk on earth
@@CrooKdLetterJThere’s very few places you’re safe from tornados in North America (much like people). The only solution I’ve found is living underground, (tapping into the natural aquifer and maximizing hydroponics).
I’m looking at a tornado shelter that stays in the garage.
@@TitaniumTurbineAlaska has only had 5 tornadoes to date. Pretty safe there.
The chances of being hit by an EF5 tornado is close to zero
There was actually one lady who survived laying in her bath tub believe it or not. Her and her daughter both ended up caught in trees, but her husband was unfortunately killed.
The LaFrance family. Billy (husband ) was killed. Debbie and daughter survived. (Jan Griffiths).
Kristen was badly injured, but glad she survived.
@@douglasgriffiths3534 There wasn’t enough room in the bathtub for Billy. Poor guy tried to hold onto it for as long as he could. At least his wife and daughter survived. RIP Billy
And the bathtub was never found I believe.
They were in the F4 track, just outside of the F5 rated area of the tornado. There was another family I think that also survived in the F4 area of it. No one survived the F5 section, except for those in the tornado shelter in the Hernandez house.
Speaking as survivor of a infamous tornado, all I can say is take warnings seriously and always be prepared. I can’t stress it enough.
Which tornado?
@@blake7871 Joplin
@@40ounce58 that was a bad one. I think I went past Joplin to get to Springfield and that tornado was the first thing I thought of. Crazy how close some of the worst storms were to me. Some less severe tornadoes are even closer within 10 miles maybe a bit more so I’m a bit scared with these flimsy new houses.
I used to live in Springfield and now KC and I used to go through Joplin pretty regularly. I now think of the nado first when I think of Joplin.
@@irishronin6156 My wife and I moved back to Michigan after that happened. We’re not going back.
This tornado has both fascinated and haunted me for years. While I hope to never encounter a tornado with 300+mph winds, there is just something even more terrifying about a tornado with 260 mph winds sitting on top of you for 2-3 minutes. Thanks for covering Jarrell!
The power displayed with this tornado is staggering.
JARRELL. JARRELL. JARRELL.
Jarrell is one of those tornado events where the traditional safety rules were not valid. You could only survive if you were below ground or out of the path. Tornadoes like that are rare, but when they do happen you'll need to be extra prepared.
Precisely. Most of your long-track violent tornadoes are traversing the ground at 30 mph or more. People who do shelter in place during those tornadoes say it is over in a minute or even seconds. Granted, that is an absolutely horrifying minute or less but at least gives people a chance to survive because the tornado is USUALLY moving quickly. But when the forward speed is basically a crawl...it just keeps chewing everything up like a giant damn lawnmower that got set on a spot in the yard for several minutes.
@@cecilhammerton8167 Exactly.
It was also the last F5 tornado in the state of Texas. Instead of it moving northeast, it moved in the opposite direction. Southwest along a stalled weather front.
What's really sad is that they probably thought they were prepared. It's unimaginable what happened that day, even if they knew what tornadoes could possibly do, who could have imagined that. It's just heartbreaking.
For sure, If you weren’t underground your chances of survival were extremely diminished
I have lived in Jarrell my whole life. I was 9 when the tornado hit and can still vividly remember the destruction of the area it hit.
What was the Igo family like?
I’m sorry for what you went through. My wife and I just recently visited the memorial. I can’t imagine what they went through; pure hell. They are with Jesus now!
Oh my gosh... I feel horrible for you the torn limbs,the destruction,the horror....
I was there too. My class was on the way back from a field trip to Austin. It was terrifying. I was in fourth grade.
My school was in Temple, TX. I still live here.
I will never forget that day ever
I follow a lot on tornados. There’s something about them . But, this one almost seemed as if it had a bone to pick. Terrible.
Agreed! A tornado with a grudge. Yikes.
It was near Waco. They had a bad one in 1953.
Going the opposite direction of what is typical of a tornado, stalling over the double creek subdivision... very strange behaviors from a tornado.
I've always referred to this tornado as the one that broke the "rules ". No wind shear no strong winds aloft. It seemed to generate its own power. This is one meteorology schools will be discussing for years
@Suk Hastings To personify it a little more, during the early stage of the tornado, it appeared to be a thin and weak tornado at first; however, when the camera zoomed in at the base, it was scouring the ground something fierce. I like to think the tornado purposefully appeared weak to lull the town into a false sense of security, but once it got close enough, it revealed its might and became a wedge. Anyways, tornadoes ain't people, but it is fun to personify things.
Initially when the first responders pulled up on the road about a quarter of a mile away from they reported no damage and it went over open field only to realize a min later they were staring at the Double Creek neighborhood but couldn't see any debris it looked like a mudfield. Everything was flatten and wiped away to the point no one knew the neighborhood was there at first.
How do you know this?
@@mimosa27 there was an old interview with a first responder who said initially they didn't think it hit any houses because not a single piece of debris over half a foot talll was left standing. The tornado disgraced everything
@@andrewmarino5441 that's quite possibly the best way to describe it... "the tornado disgraced everything."
My mom was red cross at the time
@@KelseyDunlevy That is horrifying and stunning to think about. The debris was reduced to nothing as well. I just cannot comprehend such destruction.
For me, tornado warnings are level 10 serious. Even if it’s a spin up.
As they should be! I don't understand how some people are able to go out and film lol, I would be way too scared!
I purposely bought a townhouse with a basement. I put an offer down on it a couple of weeks after the Dayton tornados occurred in Ohio. I live in Ohio but not in the Dayton area but seeing the devastation close to home really affected me.
My tornado plan is to put all my animals in their carriers when a watch is issued. They stay near me until the watch expires or is canceled. If a warning is issued I take myself and the animals into my bathroom in my basement. We shelter their until it’s over.
Congrats on the new place! Ohio is a pretty underrated tornado hotspot, so a basement must feel nice to have that sense of security. I love that your tornado plan consists of your animals:) they are so important!!
Good plan. We have a 150 square foot root cellar under our bedroom where we would go to shelter if the need arises. We do live in northern AZ, and tornadoes are extremely rare, and if there is one, it's very weak EF0-EF1) and short lived. I have a similar plan for the cats and small dogs we have----put them in carriers, and put them into the cellar during the watch, then go watch the sky. We also have a weather alert radio. (Jan Griffiths).
I did the same exact thing. Bought a townhouse but held out for a basement here in KS. Was a deal breaker.
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. My uncle lives off of Shiloh springs road in Trotwood. F3 went right past his apartment complex. Said the closest thing he could compare the sound to was the sound of the roar of a crowd at a sporting event. Deafening. Destroyed what was left of the Hara arena right across the street. He was really lucky he does not have a basement and rode it out in his bathtub. Smart move getting a place with a basement. Congrats
I live in Missouri. About an hour west of St Louis. While we aren't technically part of "Tornado Alley", we've seen an uptick in occurrences of low level tornadoes over the last 10 years.
I will not buy a house without a basement. My current rental has a basement thank God. I have kennels for my pets already set up down there and when watches are reported, I move everyone down there so we don't have to look for them in an emergency.
I remember hearing about this tornado. They said it was moving so slow and it was so strong, that it sucked the asphalt off the ground.
Asphalt and everything underneath it was sucked away up to a depth of 18 inches.
Tim Marshall has said this tornado dug foot deep trenches in the ground. Local first responders at first didn't realize Double Creek Estates no longer existed
You could see from the beginning that tornado had some massive power. Just the speed it was spinning up when it was still rope stage. Crazy.
I also noticed how violent and fast the rotation was at ground level during that tornado's infancy. I don't think it ever had a relatively gentle moment at any point in its existence.
It was a drill bit from its earliest inception.
Great job. I live in Mayfield, Kentucky. I am sure you are aware of what we just went through. Craziest thing I have seen in all my years. I got my wife and kids out of town into a neighboring county about two hours before it hit. The location we relocated to had a basement. It didn’t hit our house but I spared them the trauma of sitting there wondering if it would, so I am glad we exited when we did. It tracked 1.5 miles from our home so they would definitely have experienced the horror of it close to them had we been home. I just knew that day something wasn’t right and followed my gut feeling. I just subscribed to your channel. Have a great day.
I am so sorry, my heart really goes out to you and your family. There really aren't words for an event like that, but I am so glad you and your family are safe now. 1.5 miles is so close, my gosh. There was definitely an eerie feeling about that day. I hope you all and your community can continue to recover as quickly as possible, my thoughts are with you guys this morning
Good man. ALWAYS trust your gut when it comes to the personal safety of our loved ones and ourselves. Some people may call you "weird" or "paranoid" but that means nothing or shouldn't. The only thing that matters is the safety of our families. At the end of the day, that's all we have in this world. ✌️
I'm so glad that you listened to your gut and made a plan early! You're
correct, it would be horrific, sitting there knowing that a monster tornado is only a mile or so from your house!
You did good, sometimes it's better to just get out of it's way. I'm glad you and your family are all ok!
I live in NW Ohio and I remember the eerie feeling of having summer temperatures in the middle of December. I spent all night tracking that outbreak and I just couldn't believe what was happening south of me. Then when first light came everyone saw the extent of it all and I just broke down because so many lives were lost and so much was damaged or completely destroyed. I've been through my fair share of tornadoes but those were just a windy day compared to what your community experienced.
Wow, absolutely tragic. Had no idea how powerful this tornado was. I just recently saw that one restored video of the tornado. Agreed, that it's some of the best footage out there, the zoom lens on that camera definitely made for some incredible shots.
I obviously feel so bad for the people affected by this but I also feel bad for the animals. They can't go anywhere and are often trapped by gates.
I’ve heard entire families perished in this tornado, and people had to be identified with dental records… Heartbreaking
Some cattle were literally beheaded, skinned or disemboweled by the winds. Most cattle that survived had to be put down due to their injuries.
Sadly that is true for most tornado victims
2:29 Hey that's my VCR tape! I wish that section was in better shape but I rewound and pause that second so many time my VCR ate it and that's the best I could get it. Absolutely incredible storm and a true monster. Fantastic breakdown. I added a link to your video in my video description section. I'm sorry I didn't see this video sooner but hopefully you get some additional views with with the link. Take care.
This tornado in my opinion is the worst in history, and this is me speaking after the historic tornados of 2021. I cried the entire time. Something about this event is so unique and frankly sad.
I know that it's a terrible and corny cliché, but as others have said: if ever there was an "F6", then Jarrell was it.
I think one of the things that makes it so tragic, besides the many children and entire families killed, is the fact that Jarrell was an obscure little town in the middle of nowhere, only to be hit by such a huge disaster. If this storm had hit a bigger and more populated area, it might easily have been the most destructive tornado of all time.
It was also sad to hear about the many cattle killed: some were skinned; some beheaded; and some were literally disemboweled by the winds.
I think mayfield ky was pretty bad also
@@shawnmack1095 I was on the ground in mayfiled and Dawson a few days after, it was nothing close to this.
@@dieterdelange9488 In total , Jerrell Texas has been by 8 different Tornados over it's existence , so it's just not a great place to live , unless you are prepared to deal with the Tornados that sweep through Central Texas , just my 2 cents from a 64 year old Native Texan , I prefer to tough it out with the Hurricanes on the Gulf Coast .
@@brad5349I was only a year old and wasn't living anywhere close so I only have hindsight and my historical nerdiness but the truly scary thing is that Jarrell could've been way worse if it was only about half an hour to the south where downtown Austin is or to the north near Temple. It's truly horrifying to think that a bullet was dodged when the damage was this complete and devasting.
I think that Jarrell was the worst tornado in modern history, mostly because of its wind speed and slow movement forward - what is called a grinder tornado. Nice job with your videos - I have subscribed to your channel.
Also, I think what's visually the most telling about this tornado during its lifespan is that the upward motion was so violent that it looked as if it was "sizzling" as it barely moved. I've never seen that very often with many tornadoes if at all before, so yeah.
Cape values were found over 7500j/kg something most people skim past seems like. That would explain why the upward motion on it was second to none. Ps it had almost double the amount of cape EL Reno had or Moore 99.
@@chevyrider9027 Yes, I've read on how it was a relatively low shear and higher cape outbreak. I'm not that familiar with certain nuances of cape in climatological lore, but I know lifted indices of negative six or so to my foreknowledge is actually technically the highest that can be recorded with some of the returns through doppler scans. That would make consistent sense to me since it would have quite literally more explosive dynamics to feed off in its genesis with higher cape events leading to more noticeable motion with circulations. And it formed along the stalled frontal boundary in central Texas at that time and essentially when the cap did invariably break, it produced what's coined as, "zipper effect" and what it connotes is the instability being so bountiful. Another reason as to why the tornado was so deadly from what I've studied was that Jarrell can be seen essentially as a hybrid gustnado that was merged with an updraft already in place and birthed the unconventional mesocyclone. By trick of fate, even Lon Curtis has stated that it's almost as if the funnel took aim at the Double Creek estates because that's when vortex itself widened and then slowed down even more prominently and was spinning faster than a top virtually. It would probably lead to the most pronounced debris ball signature on radar to date if was as advanced as it is currently. My understanding is that the Tuscaloosa EF4 actually had the most accentuated gate-to-gate wind shear that've we ever sampled in the modern era I believe next to the recent EF4 Mayfield tornado (I still believe somewhere in its life cycle that it reached EF5 level strength especially considering the supercell traveled across four states. It wasn't necessarily continuous, but even with it being cyclical that's still anomalous) It was actually harder for the forecasters to distinguish the hook echo on the Jarrell tornado because it was asymmetrically moving in the opposite direction. You can see hail in the Buckhorn video that's one of allegedly the only two long form clips of Jarrell known to exist. Who knew at the time that they'd be filming pound-for-pound the most violently damaging tornado ever recorded over one area? Hindsight's everything, but still. Worst case scenario at the worst time for those residents unfortunately. If I'm wrong about anything, someone in the comments section or even Carly herself point out those mistakes and correct me. I'm very keen on there being no misinformation and getting things as accurate as they can be. The science is so important and should be taken very seriously. Carly even pointed out in the Hackleburg video that one fatality accidentally got counted twice and led to an inaccurate death toll for it if I remember correctly. Needless to say, aside from the numbers all those lost were irreplaceable and so sorry they were taken prematurely. My condolences to every family that's ever been affected by any natural disaster.
@@chevyrider9027 And the only other F5 tornado with similar CAPE values was entirely rain wrapped (Plainfield, IL)
@@Chrisx005xwhat a great post. Thanks.
In the early stages of its life, the Jarrell Tornado looked like a ghostly ballerina, prancing along the countryside. I find it interesting how both with the Ellie/Manitoba tornado and this one start out as ropes only to strengthen
Plus they both moved in unconventional ways.
Wow three minutes spinning in one area! That must have been the longest three minutes in the world!
I have heard meteorologists say “closets won’t cut it on this one… you’ve still got time get under ground or get out of the way” and they’re able to do this because of our enhanced technology as far as being able to see size of debris field, how high it may be being lofted, gate to gate shear, and storm spotters. I think using language like that as necessary to let people know typical precautions may not help is great. You may die trying to outrun it but you’d most likely die if you tried to ride it out, so some may take the option of running.
The ironic thing about this tornado is most of those who followed the nws recommendations died while most of those who survived went against those recommendations.
@@CaptainRudy4021 It seems to be the “luck of the draw” for violent tornados. They are truly mesmerizing to watch, but scary as heck.
A really well-made video that handles a tragic topic with sensitivity and a whole lot of compassion. Really, you did a wonderful job.
While there are tornados that are place far above what happened in Jarrell this to me is the worst of them. Almost everything about that tornado was unique. The speed, the fact the tornado hit with the rain and hail behind it etc.
I was living in the first story of a 2 story apartment building in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Austin on that day in May 1997. The winds outside were howling so much that I could have sworn that the weather was still tornadic by the time the system reached my area. The power went out for maybe 15 minutes, and I spent the evening listening to a cube-shaped "Realistic Weatheradio" that my grandmother had given me earlier that decade, as well as to KLBJ 590 AM, where regular programming had been preempted by special coverage of the weather, provided by the usual talk show hosts (mainly Bobby Mercer) scheduled for that time slot. One guy called in and claimed that his family's home was in the path of that Jarrell tornado, but that he left work, got to his home, found his family sheltering in a closet, and evacuated them just in time as the slow-moving tornado loomed.
A couple of months ago (March 2022) we had a tornado outbreak in and around Austin, but most of those tornadoes ranged from EF-0 to a low EF-3 strength. For tornadoes like that, the standard safety precautions (shelter in an interior room away from windows) are sufficient, but the NWS was talking that day about the potential for PDS (particularly dangerous situation) level storms, the kinds that can spawn EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes. In such situations I think the best plan is to shelter either underground (basement or storm cellar), or in a specially constructed surface level safe room (like the kind FamilySafe and Jarrell Storm Shelters manufacture). Also, I've read that dome-shaped structures made of concrete and rebar (like monolithic domes) have withstood direct encounters with EF-5 tornadoes while sustaining only exterior damage, but windows and doors would still be vulnerable points of such buildings.
During that March 2022 outbreak I decided, after a tornado watch was issued but while the weather was still calm, to drive to a nearby massive medical center, park my vehicle in the parking garage (2nd story of a building that was 5 or 6 stories high), enter an adjacent hospital and proceed down the stairs to the bottom level, which was 2 stories underground. I sat in a waiting area for several hours and had my insurance card out to appear like I was reviewing medical coverages and other health care options, but nobody paid me any attention and I certainly wasn't bothering anybody. I used the hospital's wi-fi to access social media on my phone and chatted with friends and family who were in the area, including one who was a mile away from the tornado that knocked down the tall light post at the intersection of I-35 and SH 45.
The danger passed, my area didn't even get any storms (just overcast skies and some wind), and I happily paid the $5 parking fee as I vacated the premises 3 or 4 hours after arrival. I felt a lot safer there than I would have in my normal dwelling or at work. That's my plan for future incidents involving the possibility of PDS events, unless and until I move someday to a residence that has sufficient tornado-resistant shelter installed.
There was a concrete dome home hit by the 99 Chickasha F-5 which was damaged beyond repair and the people who were in it were all killed. Even above ground FEMA-compliant shelters can't be relied on at F-5/EF-5 level, and even being underground might not be enough. The 2011 Hackleburg tornado ripped the concrete roof off of an underground shelter and flung it 50 yards away; luckily the shelter had been unoccupied. Any shelter is better than none but anything short of an underground bunker may not be enough- there's no guarantees in life when one of these rarities comes calling to your location.
@@P_RO_ My previous reply doesn't appear to have posted, so I'll try again but without the Monolithic Dome Institute link.
That dome affected by the Chickasha outbreak (in 2011, not as you said in 1999) wasn't built by Monolithic Dome standards (it used steel fiber in vertical patterns instead of rebar running both vertically and horizontally, and its airform had been removed), and the family inside survived but was injured because the people stood by some of its many windows to watch the storm instead of retreating to an interior windowless room:
'One of those homes - a thin shell concrete dome - constructed in 1981 by an independent builder took a direct hit.
When the tornado alert sounded, the owners, Jane and George Cox, both in their 80s, were in their dome home, feeling perfectly safe. According to Debbie Leonard, their daughter, they felt so safe they remained near the windows hoping to watch the tornado.
Debbie said, "My parents were inside and they were injured because they didn’t take cover. I was taking it (the tornado alert) very seriously. They kept saying, ‘These houses are tornado-proof.’ And I kept telling them the windows were not tornado-proof.
“If they had been in their closet, they would not have been injured,” Debbie added. “But they kept looking out the windows. When they saw it coming, they started toward the back of the house, and that’s when it hit. They were knocked down and bombarded with all sorts of stuff. They’re lucky to be alive.”
The debris that came flying through the window included a 300-gallon diesel tank and a full roll of barbed wire fencing, and the dome was hit by cars and all kinds of heavy debris.
Debbie said, “My parents had to go to the hospital and get stitches. Mom’s ankle and foot were seriously hurt but should heal without surgery. It was bad. I mean, they wouldn’t be alive if they had been in a regular house.”'
As a weather enthusiast it is so easy to get lost in the wonderment that is Mother Nature and all of her fury. She is mighty, unforgiving and kills without prejudice. I love watching storms, I get excited when they come rumbling in. It is also so easy to forget the pure devastation they can afflict though however, and this serves as a stark reminder of the damage that can be done. There have been more powerful tornadoes (May 20th 2013 Moore, OK), bigger tornadoes (May 31st El Reno, OK) , however none have left devastation like we have seen here. That slow moving factor truly made it a giant grinder and there just was nothing left! I'll still get excited when storms roll in, I am still just as fascinated... but I also want to help in maybe giving someone 30 seconds or a few minutes longer to prepare in the event of imminent danger from a tornado or any weather related phenomenon! If my actions can save even just 1 life, it is worth it!
Actually the winds for Jarrell tornado winds were never recorded. They gave a estimate based on damage of 261- 318 mph which was a F 5 tornado back in 1997. I agree that there have been many larger tornadoes than Jarrell. The 2013 Moore tornado wasn't as strong as the Jarrell based on damage. The Jarrell tornado has ever produced the most extreme damage ever recorded.
Jarrell was the strongest tornado ever recorded at the time I believe before Moore broke the record in 1999.
Actually Jarrell most likely is the strongest tornado in US history. The winds were never recorded for Jarrell. Moore is the strongest tornado that was recorded. Im guessing winds in jarrell may have been in the 350 mph .
@@greatriffishere the winds of the Jarrell tornado were recorded by radar at 260 to 300mph. What made it so destructive was its slow movement. Most tornadoes move at 40-60mph. This one averaged less than 15mph. It sat over double creek, by some accounts, for up to 10 minutes. Nothing can withstand 260mph winds for that long.
@@CaptainRudy4021 The winds were not recorded. That's just an estimate. I estimate closer to the 350 mph range. It was indeed slow moving as you stated.
@@greatriffishere it's honestly hard to say. The slow moving nature of this tornado is one of the reasons why the ef scale was developed. No one could agree on if the winds caused all that damage or its slow speed.
A 100 mph wind could do that much damage if it was concentrated in one area long enough. I don't think the wind speed was anywhere near 300 mph. I'd be surprised if it hit 200 honestly.
Just came across this video today and great job! I am so fascinated with tornados. Our first encounter with one was back in 2001, on May 4th, our youngest son's 6th birthday. We had just moved to Texas that year from the west coast. We lived in Grand Prairie, and the tornado came close enough to our apartment complex that I heard the distinct "train" sound that everyone talks about. I'll never forget it. We were fine, our apartment complex didn't get hit. Our son had nightmares for years after. He's 26 yrs old now and still is very cautious when a storm is predicted
Underground is the only way to go. I grew up in Oklahoma and Texas and was a storm chaser for 2 years in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and I moved away because it is just not worth the worry and anxiety every storm season. Don't get me wrong I love a good storm but don't love being in harms way in spring and fall. If I ever moved back that way I would only live where I had an underground shelter
I study weather events as a hobby, especially tornadoes. I've watched more documentaries and first-person videos of tornadoes than I can count. I remember watching the tornadoes in 2011 like in Joplin and Tuscaloosa unfold on the news. But nothing puts a knot in my stomach quite like the Jarrell tornado. All tornado damage pictures are haunting, but seeing what this one did just makes my blood run cold. Absolutely terrifying.
I remember seeing this tornado being reported when I was 15 back in 1997. this tornado is responsible for creating within me a fascination for tornados. Hurricane Andrew has the same effect on me back in 1991. that fascination has never gone away
I was going to say, "OMG why haven't I heard of this channel before?!" and then I realized you've only been here a few months! So happy you're here. Keep up the great work 👍 👏
This was utterly fantastic, and one of the best Jarrell tornado videos I've seen. You don't skip out on the science, and you present it in a way that's easy for a layman to understand. I'll look forward to checking out your videos since and look forward to many more.
Carly, I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the great work. The part where you tear up when you mention the victims shows great empathy and humanity. I live 35 miles from Jarrell in Killeen. A tornado just hit near my home yesterday and knocked down a tree in my yard that fell through the power line. It was very scary and I thought I was a goner.
I drove through a week after. I had never seen anything like it. It literally sucked up the asphalt on the road and I also saw were the concrete house foundations were sucked out of the ground standing up like walls.... just unbelievable.
Thanks for the great synopsis. This was a really unusual tornado in the setup, movement and the slow speed in which it passed over the area. Great work about a very interesting storm.
This is the best tornado channel. You can tell she really has compassion for the victims and not just obsessing over the aesthetics of the tornado.
This Tornado shredded human and animal alike as a blender does. Some of the cattle that weren’t completely shredded had their lungs sucked out that is amazing power.
one of the most disturbing tornadoes for sure. Gosh
... Lungs sucked out? I've read plenty about this tornado but have not come across this info
If you watch the documentary that is about an hour long one of the meteorologist explains that occurrence briefly.
@@mimosa27 A lot of the official reports are no longer easily accessible but could once be found online, and the inverted lungs were noted in "upwards of 20" and "Over two dozen" cases if I'm remembering correctly. There were also some cattle found with their stomachs hanging out of their mouths too. The de-haired cattle "smelled burnt" from wind-driven debris grinding against them. I'm guessing that those reports still exist in digital archives, but you'd probably have to go in person to whichever office or agency they were affiliated with to see them now.
Wow! I had never seen that particular radar loop before, that is REALLY cool!
The content on this channel is some of the best I've seen in all my years of watching and chasing and researching tornadoes!
Loved your Andover 1991 video. I live about 10 miles southeast of Andover and it went a few miles north of me and hit my moms work. I was 10 years old and freaked out. I live in the same place and went threw it again last Friday. I'm interested in tornados and Jarrell has always been the most fascinating to me. New subscriber
I remember that tornado, but had no idea of the dead man walking. That is so scary to me. Last year and this year were the first time I ever heard tornado sirens, and it was honestly scary! I heard cows were stripped, one had it's lungs in it's mouths and some of the people found, had no hair on their bodies. I remember being told that blades of grass were sticking out of tree trunks.
This is the storm I wanted to do a video on if I do something like this.
16:03 the comparison you did is my favorite part! This has to be the storm that produced the worst damage I've seen in any video. It's insane!
Awesome work, as usual! (This is like my third comment on your videos, I'll stop now. 😆)
I lived south of Jerrell in Round Rock Tx. That day was scary. After the storm passed we (me and my mom) got in the car to go up to get office. When we got to I35 we saw 20 state trooper cars hauling ass north. We found out later about the destruction. My Dad had a friend who lived there and was at work when the storm hit, when he got home he found a human head in his front yard. I am still nervous about tornadoes in central Texas.
This was great! I am a weather buff myself and have followed the Jerrell for years. It was so eerie.
I lived close to this area when this tornado hit and I still remember how terrified my parents were when this happened and we went to church with a family that lived just down the road from where this tornado and they always said they were lucky to be alive. Thank you for covering this, seeing this video was a really holy crap I remember this happening moment for me.
I lived in Michigan at the time of this tornado and only found out about it recently. Now I'm living only about 2 hours away. I have a friend who lived in Austin in 1997 and remembers that storm. He describes it as "apocalyptic" in how it looked and felt. It's tragic what happened to those families. To answer Carly, as I live in a mobile home park, my plan is to drive to a parking garage about 5-10 minutes from here if I have enough warning. Otherwise, I can drive to the highway and just be mobile. I'm not allowed to build anything permanent here. I just have to dodge bad weather until I can afford my own land.
That little segment of the Dead Man Walking documentary you used at the beginning of this video haunted my childhood nightmares. I used to live in fear of the “deadman” and I didn’t even really understand the utter hell this thing unleashed on Jarrell. Even today those words give me chills and a sinking feeling of dread. If I were religious I would be absolutely convinced that this was the work of a malicious deity, it’s goddamn insane.
Ive only recently fell into a tornado hole. Learning as much as i can about the history because well, its fascinating. Sad, shocking, but fascinating. Plenty of tornadoes have caused more damage on a larger scale, effecting more people, but Jarrell seems to be in a league of its own. I have NEVER seen houses so cleanly swept away, down to their foundations, like what Jarrell did. Theres nothing, no lumber, no debris, just nothing. Like those houses were never even there. The photos of trees shaved down flush to the soil, foundations 100% bare, & asphalt ripped off the roads, are photos i will never forget. The trees weren’t just snapped, they were shaven. The force needed to shave a forest down to the soil is hard to quantify. That is unimaginable to me here in Michigan. Truly some of the most shocking footage i have ever seen.
I love your videos! You and ur cat are so cute! We need more community storm shelters! The tornado that destroyed Mayfield was 5 miles from my home. We had nowhere to go except a closet. Hardly anyone has a basement out here, and there are a few trailer communities. Not everyone can afford a storm shelter. It's so sad to see people that don't have anywhere safe to go.
This is the first time a tornado video has caused me to cry. Thank you for this memorial
I've been close to 4 tornados in my life, three within 2-4 miles, and one a bit further off during 2011 outbreak (Alabama), I was scared of them as a kid, but that flipped after 2011 and I became fascinated with them.
On my walk yesterday I was confronted with ef1 tornado damage that happened two weeks prior. Crews working to clear trees still. Those sights really put into perspective these huge destructive tornadoes you talk about. Even one giant tree uprooted does something to one’s nerves. I can’t even begin to imagine what the people involved in these whoppers feel. I am beginning to realize the service all you weather people give to all of us. God bless every single one of you.
I live in tornado alley so I am very familiar with them. Thankfully I have never been in one but was close enough to see them on a few occasions. I’m curious about the rebuild in Jarrel, how many (if any) included underground shelters in their new home? I know the Hernandez family had one which saved them and a neighbor family so I hope that would have influenced the ones that rebuilt to include a safe area.
I still remember that day and visit the area from time to time. Horrid day from a freak of nature
Nice work. As a met degree I must say that you captured all aspects with good technicality without too much jargon to confuse the crowd.
Fun Fact: The first reports on this tornado were saying winds reached 400mph due to the damage it caused. We now know it got over 300mph.
But she said that the winds were 261mph
@@mimosa27 I heard it was something like 308mph. I've also heard there's no official wind speeds for this tornado.
So honestly I don't know what the wind speeds were for this tornado.
@@mimosa27 Above 261 is what they always say without a wind speed reading for the most violent tornados. They said the same about Smithville. Well let me tell you, both tornados were way over 300mph.
@@ClassicHarleyQuinn see my previous comment
The Lil Wayne lighter click before dropping straight heat as well was a really nice touch 😘👌 your content is the best I’ve encountered from a weather content creator and honestly one of the best content creators I’ve ever seen in a very long time, bar none; keep up the great work Carly 💯
I really like your channel. I found you from watching Ryan Hall Y'all after the Mayfield tornado, and subbed right away. I like your calm, inciteful, pertinent information and your compassion with retelling these horrific events. I'm also a tornado fanatic, I definitely do not like what they do, but they are fascinating non the less. My house has only been directly hit with an F1, but it was still nerve racking. I only hope that these poor victims passed instantly...Thanks for the great job you're doing!
That’s pretty scary. I live in an area surrounded by mountains. They disrupt a lot of weather patterns, like jets and winds and stuff. (Sorry if my terminology is off. I’m not much of a meteorologist) All supercell spawning conditions get diverted away from us so we don’t have anything like this. Closest tornado to my area was an f1 in the 70s. I’m sure it was a fluke since we’ve never had one close since. I have no idea what would happen if that happened in our area since no one knows what to do. We don’t have sirens, shelters, etc. Its just scary to think about that’s all.
I'd like to commend you on going into the detail you did to what this kind of tornado could do to a human. You're the only channel I've seen so far (though I don't watch too many) that has actually gone into that kind of detail, and I think people need to hear it sometimes. Too many people think that they could survive something like this. Sure most tornados don't stay over one location for more than something like 30 seconds, but those 30 seconds of violent, potentially 200mph winds can easily kill you if you are even a little bit exposed. People don't understand how much debris is flying around, and how quickly it's flying around. It just blows my mind how the movement of air can happen at such an wild speed.
Perhaps future building codes should include some kind of storm shelter for regions that can experience EF3 or stronger tornadoes. This kind of thing shouldn't be left up to residents.
Excellent content Carly! I look forward to seeing more from you :D
Thank you for your analysis of this extraordinary event. The NWS guidance on sheltering dos and don'ts is *normally* effective for preventing tornado deaths. But - this tornado was one of the rare exceptions that defied conventional wisdom for above-ground survivability due to its sheer force and unusually prolonged continuous exertion of those forces. This was an incredibly rare tornado that virtually required either sheltering underground or a timely evacuation to be survivable. RIP to all the victims. 😔😢
Jarrell is my hometown. I remember this day well...scariest day of my life.
Did you know any of the victims when they were alive? 😢
Been serving the public as an emergency operations coordinator for 20 years as of spring 2021. Certified at all levels if incident command, SAR, triage and morgue. I was one of the first command in the lower 9th ward in New Orleans August 2005 and with only 3 years experience at the time it was so unreal and I definitely learned a lot of things there. Thankfully I have not yet had to work a disaster in my hometown and hopefully never will. Every scene I've put my boots on the ground I've been thankful that the victims were not my family, friends or neighbors. It's hard enough to stay composed when the victims are total strangers because many of them come back to visit when you close your eyes. I'm a very compassionate person who can't let some of them go I suppose but I live to do the work that most people are not capable of doing. Thank you for your videos though you do great work. Stay safe everyone and have a blessed day
Just discovered your channel...Most of my day off involved appreciating your passionate love of tornadoes and obviously am hooked. You tell the stories in a way that draws me in and paints an accurate picture, while those lost still get the respect that they deserve. Thank You!
i didn't know CAPE went that high. That is some crazy instability
It can get higher, like Plainfield
that one always gave me chills, great video
As a resident of Alberta Canada in Edmonton i cannot imagine having to constantly having to deal with these horrific weather events. We had a monster in Aug of 1989 a F/4 ( i think) with great loss of life and i am so thankful that was the last event to hit Edmonton.
I saw the beginning of a F/0 in Saskatchewan, out of a crystal clear beautiful blue day and i happened to look up to the south west and like a drop of ink in water a black squiggle quickly manifested into a weak tornado. I will never ever forget the long 30second thunder rumble that ended the event.
Great stuff Carly !!
Great video, I love your work...I think it's very important to telltale gruesome details no matter how disturbing they are that way people get a realistic idea of what these things are really like and might take more precautions because of it
Tremendous job young lady!
This is an excellent review by how weather developments happen quickly under extreme measures through instrument gathering , With this seasons weather casting tornado activity across local regions I found a new respect for your content , just excellent gathering and production . Rip to those who lost their lives , in memory research marchs forward to save lives, never forgetting .
I moved to New Braunfels, TX after being a lifelong resident of Houston. The first Saturday we lived here, it was a sunny day and we heard a tornado siren. It was eerie. They test them here every Saturday. That first test made us realize we now live in an area where this may one day happen to us. We are also 90 miles rom Jarrell. Super creepy!
I think for the EF5s you need to be below ground to guarantee you will survive or get out of the way. Just like the December 10, 2021 outbreak with the Mayfield tornado you really needed to be below ground for that tornado. I know it was given an EF4 rating but I don’t care what rating it was since so many people died from that tornado.
It makes me wonder how in the hell people survived the one in Greensburg, Kansas. The whole town was destroyed but most people above ground survived.
This tornado is undoubtedly the most horrifying and scary tornado to occur in the modern meteorology study
This tornado was basically death incarnate. Literally the only way you could’ve survived is to not be in its path. At its peak and due to the fact it was so slow moving, everything in its path was literally disintegrated, Probably one of the most tragic tornadoes I’ve ever seen
Is it known why the tornado had such slow forward speed.
Just taking a guess, but the dry line had stalled out and it was moving SW along the dryline instead of the usual NE track. Maybe it had something to do with the lift created by the two fronts crashing together that created the lift that wasn't naturally in the air that she mentioned?
A lot of times the dry line and jet stream are moving and they push these cells along too. That didn't happen here at all.
Thank you Carly for making the research effort into this storm before discussing it. Your analysis and empathy do more justice to the memory of this event than most other TH-cam videos and documentaries.
I was there that day as a kid. It was terrifying. It’s very interesting to read some of these other comments and watch the video and see how others’ experiences are different from my own.
There are still signs of this tornado visible today. There are the cast iron tub standing in a yard (full of flowers last I saw), the twisted mangled remains of a combine in a field and there is the absence of the thick forest of trees that bordered the subdivision.
You clearly have a passion for tornadoes. I think many of your subscribers would be interested in knowing how and why you got into this. Would you create a post to tell us?
26:21 This is my family’s tornado/severe weather plan.
1.) if there’s a chance for severe storms keep an eye on them.
2.) if it looks like they will hit us, get everything inside.
3.) keep monitoring weather.
4.) if tornado warning gets issued, prepare to shelter.
5.) if shit is about to hit the fan, we grab phones, shoes, cushions, blankets and everyone in the house and bring them to the most central part of the basement (aka the small living room area in the basement). The phones are to call for help, the shoes are for if we need to walk through debris and the cushions and blankets are to offer an extra layer between us and the tornado.
6.) wait it out there and use items if needed
There were areas in Cayce, Kentucky and Bremen, Kentucky that looked eerily desolated just like what the Jarrell 1997 and Bridge Creek-Moore 1999 tornadoes did. Of course it is referred to as the Mayfield tornado and should have been rated EF5.
I live in the caribbean this video now show me how powerful a tornado can be and dangerous it is to have one sit on top of a community for 2 to 3 minutes that's horrifying with winds that's strong it is so sad to see the people lost there lives in this tornado i hope the people in Texas will never see a tornado like that again.
13:00 at the foot of the tornado where it meets the ground, to the right of the funnel, you can see visible inflow. Is that what tornado watchers call the "ghost train"?
In a personal insight through hardships and getting through such times is being able to calm your thoughts , this preparing yourself for a good sleeping pattern , I’m a success and follower of ASMR , it helped through some of the hardest times of my life . Thank you for adding this detail in your content at the beginning ,it works and is a healthy added sleep conduit instead of drugs.
humans are just not meant to be exposed to 300 mph winds
Nope. We’re not !
If you're wondering who the extra views are it's probably me because of my ADHD I'm always doing something in the background and I love your videos please keep making them I have got to have something to feed my brain and I love blaze ❤️
I like the way you narrate your videos and the way you follow up with how the people are coping with the devastation, so sad to always hear the loss of life, you can always rebuild but you can never ever replace loss of life
First off, I'm so incredibly heartbroken for the families lost in Jarrel. It's like they just didn't have a chance with the tornado literally stalling over the subdivision. I live in the Northeast and the tornadoes here aren't nearly as deadly but have increased over the years in frequency.
I'm in Connecticut and I've actually been through one tornado. A tornado went through Wolcott, Connecticut I believe in 1996 or 97 and I think it was only an f2 but it did a lot of damage, ripped roofs off houses and basically went right over the house we were living in and took out the huge tree in the front yard and all the trees in the surrounding area. I had my 2-year-old son at the time and it was actually a very traumatic event. I woke up in the morning and it was eerily quiet. It was about 6:30 in the morning and when I went into the living room and looked out the window I just saw a gray wall coming towards the house and I instinctively put the window up because it looked like rain to me and before I could get the window up just branches and leaves and debris came into the living room and I was able to get the window up. I ran into my son's room, grabbed him and unfortunately we rented so we were on the second and third floors and I just hunkered down in the bathroom with him and he was screaming cuz it was so loud. It does sound like a freight train. After that whenever we got a tornado warning I was always terrified and I'm the first one in the basement lol .. over the years tornadoes have become a bit more frequent in Connecticut. And I think we've actually had an F4 that came down in Windsor locks some years ago. We actually had several tornadoes sweep across the state about five years ago. Certain areas of the state were hit pretty hard and a lot of damage was done.
As someone who has driven out of the path of 4 tornadoes and been in one i would recommond driving away....if you can see them or track them. If its dark, you cant get live radar, and/or its rain wrapped, youll have to ride that bad boy out. Tornados only go 60-70mph maximum, ya they dont follow roads and they can grow but often you know its coming atleast 5-10 miles out with warnings. Even longer if you are like me and worry about being in another, just by keeping updated on the weather during storms. My parents and mother in law both have basements (20 miles north and 10 miles south) and thats where we usually head for.
I did some amature chasing in my 20s, in north central indiana mostly, its pretty open here and in the country every mile you have a north/south- east/west road. Tornadoes always head some version of east here, so once i know its going east, north east, NNE, south east, or SSE, i know which way i need to go to stay in front then slide out the way. Even at a mile or 2 away a tornado moving with a perfect angle cant catch you if you are moving twice its ground speed.
Next fall we are adding an underground storm shelter with a steel safe room under the concreate steps going down into the storm shelter. Been saving up since the EF3 in 2016. Would have been done last year if not for a indirect hit, apr 1st 2023. Lost a shed and my central air unit.
Moved to kokomo indiana in 2003 and its been a disaster movie ever since. (UFO, earthquakes, flood, and a hand full of tornadoes. the UFO thing made the history channel, all i saw or heard was what sounded like the largest sonic boom/pressure wave ive ever felt.)
Imagine how much worse it would have been had the tornado hit 1 1/2 miles further east. This would have put it right in the center of Jarrell.
Hi Carly - thanks very much for your effort to make this documentary. I live in London, England, but remember having a deep fascination with tornados and violent weather ever since I was a young kid. Only very occasionally I remember gazing in wide-eyed wonder at pictures of twisting snake-like tornadoes sprawled across the page of a glossy newspaper magazine. This was of course, many years before the internet - and as a youngster, my intense curiosity was starved for many years by a complete lack of any further information.
In the UK, we get a relatively large number of tornadic events per square mile - but they are all weak events - and my understanding is that they are not formed from the typical supercell > mesocyclone updraft / downdraft models that are prevalent in the Northern US. We simply don't have the climate or the topology required to develop these kinds of systems. I have tried to research on the internet what are the alternative mechanisms that cause UK tornadic events - but I can't seem to get good explanations. :( Perhaps a channel like yours might one day throw some light on this?
Otherwise the weather you get in your country is extreme compared to the rest of the world, and the Jarrell story is an extreme example of the extreme. The story of the families involved - particularly the Igo's - I find profoundly moving. Their family picture is especially haunting. I don't know why them more than the others. If I ever visit Texas, I will make a point to visit the Jarrell Memorial Park. I have a desire to pay them my quiet respects.
Damage that occurred to the residents and the farm animals wasn't done by wind alone but debris and soil blown by the very high volicity winds. It would have been a violent death as lumber snd any type of debris flying would have pummeled those killed continuously.
The cows were said to have looked like pin cushions with wheat straw penatrating them. The only shelter that could offer a high level of safety from a tornado like this one is underground with the entrance able to be securely latched close. Many that shelter in interior rooms like closets and bathrooms have survived and if the only available shelter certainly use it.
I'm doing my final essay for AP Literature on this tornado and your video helped me so much!! This tornado is one of the most horrific ones I've heard of, and it's genuinely so tragic. It's why I wanted to write about it so bad.
I was living in Houston when the outbreak happened. When the news crews sent back video evidence of 18 inches of topsoil gone and a inch or two of asphalt from the road scoured from the ground made all of our jaws drop. It was because of this tornado that the Storm Prediction Center and the NWS started to create the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
I was 3 when Jarrell hit. I will never forget the fear my dad had when the 2000 Ft Worth F3 blew down our fence and took part of our roof. Growing up we always chased storms, and to this day I am very much an advocate of my kids not being afraid of storms. January of this year my town was hit by an EF3 South East of Houston. I was watching the weather all morning as we had several Tornado warnings pop up SW of us and we were under a hatched risk area by the NWS. Hearing Ryan Hall shout out my neighborhood on the track of the tornado sent a shiver down my spine. My wife and our 2 youngest were in the school pick up line for our oldest. COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS to the weather other than "Its just raining". It hit me first in the town over taking down several buildings across the street before entering our city limits. I was able to call my wife before and tell her to leave the school pick up line. She did, and drove away from the school which took a direct hit. Several vehicles were damaged in the pick up line by trees falling. Somehow some way, we had 0 injuries thankfully. (YES an MCI was declared but that was due to an assisted living facility getting hit and the city needed SETRAC to provide EMS for transportation to surrounding care facilities.)
This was the Houston areas first ever "Tornado Emergency". It carved a path 24 miles long and had peak intensity of EF3 140+ mph winds and .75 mile wide. It derailed a train and tore down High line power structures.
I loved your video Carly! I was working in downtown Austin at the time. Rumors started coming in about tornado damage north of Austin, but no one had any idea how bad it was until we all saw it on the news hours later. Many of us went outside our building to watch the storm coming in. While the Jarrell supercell took a more southwest turn, we were well east of the storm as it moved south. Nevertheless, the clouds looked weird, the wind was intense, and we could see small random debris falling from the sky. At the time, we thought it was just stuff getting blown around from all the wind, but because of how high up some of the debris was, I had a feeling something else was going on. The next day, items were found as far as 60 miles or more south of Austin - personal items belonging to the families in Jarrell. It’s heartbreaking. Interestingly, Austin isn’t a hot spot for tornados. They occur, but they are always small, weak, and very short lived, like a minute or less. The larger ones usually occur much farther north or east. Jarrell is only about an hour north of Austin, so that was a wake up call. Of course last year we had a small outbreak around the area, with the EF2s that hit Round Rock and Elgin. The last F5 within about a 150 mile radius of central Texas before that was 1953 in Waco. I’ve read that a few researchers believe the Jarrell tornado was easily over 300 mph inside due to the items left that they analyzed. Hard to imagine. Anyway, keep up the great work Carly. 👍🙂
I lived 10 miles away from Jarrell at the time. It was a day I’ll never forget
Hello. You had requested input regarding how we prepare. We live in illinois and have recently changed the way we plan for tornadoes. If the area is under an enhanced threat of large track tornadoes, we have a shelter that we will drive to if a warning is issued. If the threat is minimal, or for short lived storms, we will take precautions at our home (that is without a basement. )
My Mom's cousin Billy H. 'Buddy' LaFrance died in Double Creek. His wife and daughter survived.