We may move to Omaha and I am terrified of tornados!!!

[ScaredOfTornados]

HELP!!!

We are thinking about moving to Omaha. The only problem is, I am TERRIFIED of tornados. Can anyone tell me:

1. The safest region in or around Omaha that has the LEAST amount of tornados?

2. How many tornados happen per year (approximately)?

3. Where are the nicest suburbs/counties that are family friendly/upscale?

4. Do most people purchase homes with basements (for tornado safety)?

5. I would appreciate any additional tips/information in regard to living in the Omaha area.

Thank you so much for your help.

[DTO Luv]

I wouldn't worry about tornados. Omaha doesn't usually get them. There are definantly a few bad storms a year that don't do more than knock a few trees down, but actual tornados are rare.

I think houses here have to have basements although I've seen some (like one) that didn't have one.

I'm not a suburban person so I can't help you there.

Omaha is a nice up and coming city. I'm sure you'll enjoy living here. You'll have to be a bit more specific in your likes. I could tell you a bunch of things I like to do that you may not care for. Where exactly are you moving from?

[Uffda]

HELP!!!

We are thinking about moving to Omaha. The only problem is, I am TERRIFIED of tornados. Can anyone tell me:

1. The safest region in or around Omaha that has the LEAST amount of tornados?

It doesn't really work that way as tornado are spawned from Thunderstorms and they can be anywhere.

2. How many tornados happen per year (approximately)?

I have only lived in Omaha for 4 years but there hasn't been an incident of tornado damage around Omaha in that time -- any way that i know of.

4. Do most people purchase homes with basements (for tornado safety)?

Lots of houses have basements but they aren't built specifically for tornado safety.

[MTO]

You should be more worried about floods and lightening.   Not saying to worry about more stuff but rather not to worry.  Flooding and lightening kill more people then tornado's.  Plus you have months to get it off your mind since that season is kind of far off.

[Ingersoll1978]

I wouldn't worry about tornados. Omaha doesn't usually get them. There are definantly a few bad storms a year that don't do more than knock a few trees down, but actual tornados are rare.

See this website about the devastating F4 tornado of '75 that ripped through 72nd St.
http://www.omaha5675.org/


Nebraska averages 39 tornado touchdowns a year with the heaviest activity in June (I'm a weather freak!).

To answer his tornado-related questions...

1.  There isn't any place in the immediate Omaha area that is safer than other locations.

2.  Nebraska averages 39 tornado touchdowns a year (that only includes tornados that touch the ground...not funnel clouds).

4.  I don't know anyone who doesn't have a home without a basement (unless it's a mobile home).  


If you are terrified of tornados...I would assume you would want a basement.  Also, you can look into getting a "safe room" installed in your new home that gives you the best protection against a tornado.  I would also purchase a NOAA approved Weather Radio.  They go off as soon as a warning or watch has been issues (you can set them to go off only for certain warnings or watches).  

Thinking that a tornado won't ever affect you is the worst thing you can do.  The chances are slim...but it is always a possibility during severe weather.  Being prepared and having a plan is key.

More info and tornado safety tips:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/safety.html

[MTO]

If you want you can join me and tuna at the next spotter seminars.  You can find people to chase them with.  Chasing them is a blast.  It will help you face your fears.  Ok I'm sorry that was mean, but trust me it can be a thrill ride.

[DTO Luv]

One tornado in the last hundred years isn't anything to worry about. It's not like you're going to be out in the middle of nowhere if a tornado does hit. I don't know anyone who has any sort of safe room for tornados or special radios. That's more for people in small towns that are far from help. Living in the city you'd have nothing to worry about.

If 39 tornados hit Nebraska a year that's not bad. Nebraska is a huge state. at 454 miles across that's one touchdown for every 11 miles but that's just in a straight line. The whole area of the state would be very spread across.

Plus even if a tornado touchs down it doesn't mean it's going to tear up a town or do massive amounts of damage. More than likely they won't hit anything. They don't even stay on the ground to long when they do hit.

[Omaha Cowboy]

The other thing about tornados is that unlike hurricanes, they are isolated not widespread..The storm damage is more sharpshooter than shotgun spray..

Omaha has not had a major tornado since May 6th, 1975 (which another poster already mentioned)..

Omaha is located along the notorious 'Tornado Allley'..Here is an interesting web site to check out:

http://www.tornadochaser.net/tornalley.html

Much like hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, avalanches and blizzards in the mountain states, mudslides flooding and earthquakes in California along the Pacific coast, the threat of tornados in the midwest is real and just something we grow to understand and live with..But we certainly don't live in fear in the spring and summer..

No place you live in this world is free from the potential of a severe mother nature weather event..

Keep that in mind when choosing a new region of this world to live in..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

[the1wags]

Agreed, I'd much rather deal with tornados than earthquakes. You might not know when a tornado is going to drop, but with the stormy weather, you at least have some advanced warning so you can be prepared that it is a (remote) possibility. With an earthquake, its not like there are crazy looking clouds in the sky before the ground starts doing the funky chicken.  :lol:

[MTO]

Heck I was in SoCal many times and would have loved to been in a SMALL damage less earthquake just to experience it.   I've seen tornadoes but want to feel the earth shake now that would be amazing.  Still scared of "the big one" though.

[ScaredOfTornados]

Thank you (everyone) for the tornado information and links. I will do some more reading and go from there.
Omaha seems like a great city, if I could only get past the tornados/lightning/weather. I was born and raised in Southern CA and have gone through many earthquakes, but tornados seem a TON scarier. Lastly, can anyone give me some tips on the best family-type neighborhoods in Omaha? Thanks...

[MTO]

Do you prefer a proximity to anything?  Do you have any preferences at all to what you want.  I can think of good neighborhoods for that almost every where.

My aunt who was born and raised in Mexico was in Nebraska for a late summer thunderstorm.  One of those that was just a huge light show and she absolutely freaked out.  Something fun for us sent here into the ER, no joke.

[adam186]

I sent you a PM, SCAREDOFTORNADOS.  I hope I can help you out.

[MTO]

let me guess?

http://npdodgecondo.com/

[adam186]

Nope, anywhere.  Not just condos, but anywhere in Nebraska.   I just want to help him out if he has any questions or anything.

[MTO]

Just j/king with ya Vanzee..  I know you will be great help for em'

[ScaredOfTornados]

MTO:

I am looking for a nice neighborhood (on the upscale side) with good private schools, churches, shopping, etc. I definitely would prefer the suburbs, to the city. Any ideas?

Thanks for your input,
SOT

[Omaha Cowboy]

Thank you (everyone) for the tornado information and links. I will do some more reading and go from there.
Omaha seems like a great city, if I could only get past the tornados/lightning/weather. I was born and raised in Southern CA and have gone through many earthquakes, but tornados seem a TON scarier. Lastly, can anyone give me some tips on the best family-type neighborhoods in Omaha? Thanks...

You are far more likely to receive damage from an earthquake in California than a Tornado in Omaha..

FYI..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

[Golden Eagle]

As the OU grad on the board, I'll field this...

Tornadoes actually fuel themselves from sucking up anything and everything that they can. A tornado will actually get stronger, the more it sucks up. This is why they are more prevailant in the boondocks, than they are in the middle of a concrete and mortar city. In fact, downtowns are almost always safe from tornadoes.

Though, Fort Worth is the only downtown to ever have been hit by a tornado. Most tornadoes are actually relatively small, though the F5 that hit my OKC suburb a few years ago was actually a halfmile wide, and parts of Moore are just now recovering (though we've finally regained the 5,000 displaced citizens, and then some).

If you do move out to Omaha, say... west of the loop, you may consider familliarizing yourself with your tornado safety precautions, which will almost always ensure your safety, even if the tornado goes right over your head. Be safe, stay away from windows, protect your skin from blowing debris. Also, the bathrooms of homes, seeing as they are litterally rooted to the ground via the pipes, are always the safest room in a house, unless a house features a small underground shelter underneath the garage, or as my home has (though I am moving to downtown OKC in a year or so, once my fave development is finished), a master closet that is actually designed to stand up to 300+ mph winds. This almost never happens. Most tornadoes have around 100 mph, and this is usually an F1 or an F2.

Heck, 60 mph prevailing winds aren't considered anything out of the norm where I live.

Hope this helps.

[Ingersoll1978]

Fort Worth is the only downtown to ever have been hit by a tornado.

Nashville, Salt Lake City, Fort Worth, and Miami have experienced downtown tornadoes in the past 10 years.

From CNN:

MYTH: TORNADOES AVOID DOWNTOWN AREAS

FACT: Tornadoes don't avoid anything, just like they aren't attracted by mobile homes or deflected by rivers. Tornadoes have hit downtowns of major cities such as St. Louis, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Fort Worth and Waco, Texas. If you think skyscrapers and large buildings might break up or deter a tornado, think again. A twister's circulating winds are many times longer, wider and stronger than any high-rise.

[ladyred]

Scared,
After living for many years in a mobile home without ever being hit by a tornado I can appreciate your fears. However, there is plenty of warning for those of us who are frightened. Tornados don't just appear out of no where there are always clouds and time for us to check with the weather station to see if there is a possibility of one hitting.
I simply go to the basement and take a good book when I am worried. My other half likes to stand on the front porch and watch the weather. When i first moved in here I took my book and went to the basement. He asked me what the heck I was doing. I told him... I now Have a BASEMENT I am going to use the stupid thing. I will be downstairs reading if you need anything.  :)

He thinks I am nuts!! Thats Okay.. I think he is nuts for sitting on the porch waiting for a storm to come and get him.

How often do I have to do this? Maybe once or twice a year.... not often. It seems like a small price to pay to live in such a great place. Besides tornados and bad blizzards are about the only bad weather things we Omahan's have to face and there is warning for both.

Hope this makes you feel better.

Patty

[zedmib]

Tornadoes do happen. But as discussed above, most do minimal damage on open land.
In Omaha's history there have been three major tornadoes in the metro area.
Easter Sunday, 1913. Major damage from 50th and Center to Carter Lake, IA. Over 100 dead. There was no warning system at the time.
May 6, 1975. An F4 tornado, website previously listed, 3 dead, $500+ million in damage in 1975 dollars.
1988 (don't remember the date) Council Bluffs. Tree damage all over the metro, some structures damaged. No deaths that I recall.
We now have advanced early warning technology. Most tornado warnings are issued for Dopplar radar detected rotation which don't produce a tornado. The two warnings in Douglas county this year were :
A weak touchdown in Sarpy county that caused some wind damage in south Omaha.
Wind damage in Southwest Omaha. I don't think a touchdown was confirmed.
We tolerate the extreme weather here like you tolerate earthquakes. I'll take tornadoes!
If you are really fearful and can afford to build new the closest construction in home tornado defense can be found here:
  http://www.monolithic.com/

[DTO Luv]

Now can anyone point him to some suburban neighborhoods?

[scraper]

Coming from the West Coast, you might be surprised that you don't need to send your kids to private schools for them to get a great education.  The Omaha metro has some of the best public schools in the nation.  

As to location, my wife is from LA, and we live in northwest Omaha, and she loves it.  We are 5 minutes from Village Pointe, 10 minutes from Westroads and Oakview, and have multiple grocery stores, gas stations, churches and Target/Wal-Mart stores within a mile.  

If you are looking $300,000+, I would suggest Huntington Park and Stone Creek in northwest Omaha, or Mission Hills, Pacific Springs or the neighborhoods around Lake Zorinsky to the southwest.  If you are looking for like $400,000+, I would suggest Linden Park, Shadow Ridge, and Barrington Park.  There is also Sarpy County, but I don't know much about the neighborhoods down there.

Overall, you will be amazed at how many neighborhoods are in the suburbs at this price range.  I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.  

Also, I have lived in Nebraska and South Dakota for 30 years and have never seen or been near a tornado.  Just research them and educate yourself some more and your fears will fade.  My wife lived through the Northridge earthquake - a tornado warning is much less traumatic.  At least you have some warnings that a tornado may be coming so you can prepare and take shelter.

[Golden Eagle]

Fort Worth is the only downtown to ever have been hit by a tornado.

Nashville, Salt Lake City, Fort Worth, and Miami have experienced downtown tornadoes in the past 10 years.

From CNN:

MYTH: TORNADOES AVOID DOWNTOWN AREAS

FACT: Tornadoes don't avoid anything, just like they aren't attracted by mobile homes or deflected by rivers. Tornadoes have hit downtowns of major cities such as St. Louis, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Fort Worth and Waco, Texas. If you think skyscrapers and large buildings might break up or deter a tornado, think again. A twister's circulating winds are many times longer, wider and stronger than any high-rise.

Actually, tornadoes are attracted to trailor parks. You didn't know that?

Miami's twister problem is with cyclones, which spawn directly from water. A tornado will exilerate over natural turf, versus urban turf. I did not say it's impossible for a tornado to wreak havoc on an urban area. And if you've ever been to Little Rock, Waco, and Fort Worth, there actually are large, undeveloped areas adjacent to their downtown areas.

[whatsallthefuss]

I don't know why it's so hard for people to figure out that tornadoes rarely hit urban areas, simply because urban areas comprise a tiny part of the terrain.  There's nothing more to it.

As for mobile homes, they're light weight and blow over easily.  'nuff said.

[MTO]

Well..........
Tornadoes just hit what ever the heck they want.  True urban areas consist of a very small percentage so statistically cities are not hit as much.  But that is about it.  Tornadoes can hit hills, rivers, lakes, downtowns, forests, and cornfields all the same.

[whatsallthefuss]

Reminds me of the Fedex commercial where the guy's boss says the same thing he did, only he added some hand gestures.

ahem, YES, good point, I think this myth is BUSTED.

[MTO]

Although I didnt need the hand gestures.  Thats how cool I am.

This new poster is weird.

[guy4omaha]

I have lived here all of my life (44 years) and I have never seen a tornado other than on TV or in a photo.

Having said that, they have always scared the begeezus out of me since I was a kid. I have at least three tornado nightmares a year. So many nightmares over the years, that I now say in my dreams, "Ah cool it. Don't be afraid, you're just dreaming again."

But the fear is really pretty silly. There are plenty of safety measures you can take that will protect you as has been mentioned several times above. And the odds are very slim. I could possibly be hit by or see a tornado next spring. But there is a much better chance that I will go another 44 years without seeing one.

Regarding the areas of the city the are more prone to tornadoes, I have an unverified theory that I adhere to. I think western Sarpy County and Southwest Douglas County are more prone to tornadoes.

I base this on two things. The first is very unscientific: It has always seemed to me that when there are reports of tornado sightings in the Omaha area, the Gretna area for example, is mentioned much more often. I haven't quantified it. But if I did take a count of historical sightings, I would expect a pattern to emerge with a concentration in that part of the metro.

The second reason I adhere to my theory has a little more basis in science. I used to work in the agriculture industry which is very dependent upon weather pattern for a whole myriad of reasons. One is for crop insurance. The crop insurance industry assigned weather volatility (storm frequency and severity) ratings to geographical areas. The data shows that there are some areas that have a greater frequency of severe storms than others. Over the years, I worked in areas that covered several counties and knew where these higher storm rated areas were. Over a several year period, these areas did receive more storms that included more hail, more washouts from heavy rains. Because tornadoes are so much more of a rare event I couldn't say these areas received more tornadoes. To have any chance at all, I think I would have had to have more geography and more years to compare. But the trend of more thunderstorms is verifiable. And if there are more thunderstorms, I would conclude there is a greater chance of tornadoes.

There are many more statistical examples than crop insurance as well. For those of you who think that such a theory is hogwash I don't expect to convince you otherwise. But my gut tells me there is something to this. Thus, this guy who is "scared of tornadoes" has chosen to not live in the southwestern part of the metro. (So I am probably tempting Mother Nature to hit the northwest part of town.)

My two cents worth.

[almighty_tuna]

If you look at tornado touchdown data in Nebraska for the past 50 years, there are definitely areas which seem to have more than others.  Why?  I couldn't tell you, I'm not a climatologist.  Just for kicks, here's a photo of a storm I encountered this summer in Cherry County.  Great story goes with it, but I'll save that for a forum meet over some beer.  :;):

[ScaredOfTornados]

WOW!!! Everyone on this forum is GREAT. There are clearly a lot of wonderful people in Omaha!!!

I do feel more comfortable about tornados. Those dome homes look interesting too. Thanks. I also appreciate all of the input on great neighborhoods. I would definitely start looking in those areas mentioned. I also liked the semi-scientific theories on storms and I will stick to the less stormy regions (just to be safe).

I would still like some info on private Christian schools. I'm sure the schools in Omaha are great, but I'm difinitely looking for a good Christian high school. Any suggestions?

Thank you ALL for your help,
ScaredOfTornados (I'm a gal by the way)

[OmahaJaysCU]

There are several Catholic High Schools in Omaha

All Male:
Creighton Prep
Mount Michael

All Female:
Duchesne Academy
Marian High School
Mercy High School

Co-ed
Skutt Catholic High School
Roncali High School
Gross High School

[Brad]

Christian... Protistant or Catholic?

[ScaredOfTornados]

Thank you for names of the Catholic High Schools...

I am actually looking for a Christian (Protestant) High School. In Southern California, there are numerous Christian schools like: Calvary Chapel Christian Schools or Valley Christian Schools, etc. I've done web searches and only come up with a couple of tiny Christian Schools in the Omaha area. It seems like there is a very large Catholic population and a somewhat small Christian population in Omaha. I could be wrong...

Regardless, I truly couldn't be more impressed with how helpful and nice everyone has been on this forum. I cannot thank you enough for all of your input. This would be a huge move for us and thanks to you, I have a great feeling about the people in Omaha.

[OmahaJaysCU]

Sorry I misread that.  I was reading a little too fast!  I'm not sure if there are any Christian high schools in Omaha.  I will say you don't have to be catholic to go to any of those schools, and at Creighton Prep, I know a good portion of the student body are not.  Other than that, I can't help you.

[Coyote]

Brownell Talbot HS (Episcopal) Midtown http://www.brownell.edu
Concordia Jr/Sr HS (Lutheran) 156th & Fort http://www.wolsa.org
Bellevue Christian Academy http://www.bellevuechristian.com

There used to be a Christian Academy near 10th and Martha but I think it closed a couple years ago.

[ModestMouse]

recommend brownell.

[Dark Eyes]

Having been through a 5.5 California earthquake, I would much rather deal with Midwestern storms.

Earthquakes happen with zero warning.  Even if you had a safe place to go to, you don't have time to get there.   A severe weather outbreak in the midwest is usually predictable.  

If you are concerned with being safe in severe weather, then buy a house with a basement that is 100% below grade.  Avoid buying a home with a walkout basement.

[nativeomahan]

Thank you for names of the Catholic High Schools...

I am actually looking for a Christian (Protestant) High School. In Southern California, there are numerous Christian schools like: Calvary Chapel Christian Schools or Valley Christian Schools, etc. I've done web searches and only come up with a couple of tiny Christian Schools in the Omaha area. It seems like there is a very large Catholic population and a somewhat small Christian population in Omaha. I could be wrong...

Regardless, I truly couldn't be more impressed with how helpful and nice everyone has been on this forum. I cannot thank you enough for all of your input. This would be a huge move for us and thanks to you, I have a great feeling about the people in Omaha.

Last time I checked Catholics considered themselves to be Christian.  They believe in Jesus as Christ.