Tornado Warning, Los Angeles/Orange Counties NOW

Just across the wire:

Los Angeles and Orange Counties are under Tornado Warning. Warning means it's happening NOW. Move to interior parts of the building if one is seen, heard, or felt.

O.K. this storm system is not as wet as had been anticipated (although it's quite wet), but it's spawning some serious mudslides, flooding, thunderstorms, and now TORNADOS.

Stay Safe!!!!!

Best-
Michele

Michele - you Stay Safe too!!!!! I'll be thinking of ya today while you continue to deal with these massive storms.

Originally Posted by valanhb

Michele - you Stay Safe too!!!!! I'll be thinking of ya today while you continue to deal with these massive storms.

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Thanks, Heidi. At least three people have died overnight.

Here's the current weather radar and storm track: http://www.wunderground.com/radar/ra...00&centery=240


Norman, OK has sent out an urgent alert...
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"urgent - immediate broadcast requested Severe Thunderstorm Watch number 25 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 740 am PST Mon Feb 21 2005

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of Southwestern California coastal waters

Effective this Monday morning and afternoon from 740 am until 300 PM PST.

Hail to 1 inch in diameter... thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph... and dangerous lightning are possible in these areas.

The Severe Thunderstorm Watch area is approximately along and 40 statute miles east and west of a line from 40 miles north northwest of Los Angeles California to 10 miles south southeast of San Diego California.

Remember... a Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes.

Discussion... favorable shear for rotating low topped thunderstorms
will persist over coastal areas inland to mountains thru much of
afternoon. Primary threat will be waterspouts/brief tornadoes and
damaging downburst winds as storms move inland.

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The Warning expired about 5 minutes ago, but this watch is in effect - with possible Warnings reissued - until this afternoon.

We just don't get this sort of weather here. On average, we get maybe 2 tornados a year. We had 4 on Saturday...they say the vortex the warning was issued for did not touch down, but it's very early in the day...with the heaviest thunderstorms still to come.

I wouldn't go into the office if I could help it - I am the head honcho while everyone is out at a convention, so I haven't got a choice...but I may call it early, depending on the weather.

Hey, I'm used to earthquakes - not this weird stuff.

Best-
Michele

Stay safe! And get shelter immediately when needed! I'll say a prayer for you! I used to live in Oklahoma, a.k.a. Tornado Alley, so I know how you feel through your first tornado warning! One time, we watched a funnel form over our head at our house!!! It was slowly coming down, but before it did come down, it went back up, and all was fine.

You guys please be safe!

We had one touch down in Vista and Fallbrook and then up near the San Diego county and Riverside county border on Sunday.

Nasty weather. Please make sure you're all safe. I hope it passes over soon.

Stay away from windows. I hope you don't live on a hill, or at the bottom of one. Our news showed mudslides in Orange County this evening - no thanks!
Stay safe, Michele.

Holy smokes! Who would have thought tornados in LA County and surrounding areas!

Originally Posted by hissy

Holy smokes! Who would have thought tornados in LA County and surrounding areas!

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For real! Now if you were talking about Oklahoma, or Miss/Ala/Georgia, it wouldn't sound so wierd!

Originally Posted by valanhb

Michele - you Stay Safe too!!!!! I'll be thinking of ya today while you continue to deal with these massive storms.

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I know, I come from tornado country and when I read that I nearly flipped. Plus that area is really hilly, which is rather unusual for tornados.

As far as I know, there were none which touched down, although at least 3 were spotted. The last warning expired at 3:07 pm this afternoon. As of now, all the roads out of the San Fernando Valley are closed due to mudslides; trees have toppled into buildings, and homes have slid away.

Fortunately, I live well onto the flat part of my area, although it's significantly flooded. Driving to work I saw Ventura Blvd flooded to the point where the water was inside the storefronts. I also noticed many trees and fences down, but not much else. Keep in mind I work all of 3.5 miles from where I live...

I called my father, and he's well, which aside from me and my kitties is really all I can care for...so it's all right so far. Lots of lightening and thunder on the way home, and I got caught in a gully washer leaving the store. Rained so hard it was like someone was pouring a bucket over my head.

It's gonna be horrible for the next few days...the ground is so badly saturated roads are sinking, homes are sinking, and trees are falling over. If we get much more rain, we are in deep mud...(well, we are already, but you know what I mean.).

Best-
Michele

Awww stay safe!!!

Does anyone know whats going on in San Pedro?? I have family out there and they havent been online/or called lately to say whats going on.

To all of you affected by the bad weather in California - I hope you're all doing ok. I've just been watching reports from LA and the surrounding areas regarding the mudslides and hope that you're all safe and free from damage to your homes. Hope it all passes over soon.

Wow, I didn't know you could have them at LA! I wonder why the US has such stormy weather types. Here you could never have a tornado or a hurricane. Never heard of either hapenning in Europe either.

we saw a tornado last year in summer time.
My bf freaked beacuse its really unusual for europe to have one.
we were stuck in the flood because my car wouldnt keep going. i had a 1984 Ford Fiesta.
It was such a hot day and we had just gone to the pools, then at 4:30 we decided to go home and on the way home it got so cloudy and dark.. it was really scary.
It looked like the day after tomorrow :S

what are orange countries?

I hope youre all fine and staying safe!

Originally Posted by RoyalEnchntrss

Does anyone know whats going on in San Pedro?? I have family out there and they havent been online/or called lately to say whats going on.

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San Pedro, as well as everywhere else in SoCA, seems to be soaking wet. I wouldn't worry too much about them, however, because so much infrastructure is down at the moment. We lost internet and phones at the office yesterday, and I have no doubt that there are many places still without power and utilities.

The 101 fwy is closed in Hollywood, as well as local road closures all over the city. Pacific Coast highway is closed in part, as well as all the roads over the Santa Monica hill range. There will be very few people coming to work today...me? I gotta go regardless. LOLOL....

We are in for possibly the worst day so far - not in terms of rain necessarily, but because we have a cut-off low sitting right off the coast, spinning. It is supposed to spawn severe thunderstorms, with winds possible to 70 MPH. Flash Flood Warnings are still in effect, and will remain so until the cutoff low moves onshore sometime this afternoon/evening.

It's somewhat clear right now, so I got the food out and onto the porch for the local strays. Before I even got the door shut, my one very shy one was out and circling. I know she got herself a bellyfull...thank God. But in the next hour or so we're due for a good thundercell to pass over, so I'll have to bring it in then.

Hang on, this system is almost over...we'll get through.

And BTW, we've made it from 7th to 4th wettest winter on record...in two days. Normal rainfall amounts in February is a grand total of 2 inches. We've had nearly 10 in February so far. Grand total is 32.something, when normal rainfall for the winter is somewhere in the 19 inch range. Sigh...

Best-
Michele

Originally Posted by Anne

Wow, I didn't know you could have them at LA! I wonder why the US has such stormy weather types. Here you could never have a tornado or a hurricane. Never heard of either hapenning in Europe either.

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We get hurricanes in Germany, usually in December, and there have been tornadoes this year, as fwan mentioned.
Fwan, every state in the U.S., with the exception of Louisiana, is divided into counties, and Orange County is one in California, near Los Angeles. Louisiana has "parishes", reflecting its French past. A county would be the equivalent of a German "Landkreis".