1996 Oakfield tornado The 1996 Oakfield Tornado is the name of an F5 tornado which destroyed Oakfield, Wisconsin on July 18, 1996. In addition, strong thunderstorms brought heavy rains, lightning, and gusty winds to that region of Fond du Lac County. All of these elements resulted from the passage of a cold front. The violent tornado developed outside of town and moved southeastward across Wisconsin taking direct aim at Oakfield. At 7:15 pm the large tornado struck the 1012 person town, injuring 17 people but killing none. Damage estimates totaled over million as 47 of 327 homes were destroyed. Also 56 homes as well as numerous businesses and churches suffered heavy damage. A state of emergency was declared by Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson allowing National Guard soldiers to be called in to aid victims and clear debris. The tornado was strong enough to level the Friday Canning Company, while throwing up millions of empty cans and leaving them sprawled over a 50 mile (80 km) radius. Besides structural damage to buildings the tornado was very costly to farmers; Crops, livestock, and farm equipment were also gone. The original National Weather Service report from Milwaukee/Sullivan categorized the tornado to be an F3 to F4 tornado on the Fujita scale. It was later upgraded to an F5, the most severe tornado possible. It would be the only F5 tornado to hit the United States that year. The tornado width when it reached its maximum strength was about 100 yards (92m) wide …

The Birmingham Tornado was a tornadic event that occurred on April 8, 1998 striking the western part of Jefferson County, Alabama, near Birmingham, and continuing into neighboring St. Clair County. It was part of a larger outbreak that started on April 6 across the Great Plains and ended on April 9 across the Carolinas and Georgia. A total of 62 tornadoes touched down from the Middle Atlantic States to the Midwestern United States and Texas. The Birmingham Tornado was one of only two F5 tornadoes that year. The other hit in Lawrence County, Tennessee on April 16, as part of the same outbreak as the Nashville tornadoes. The tornado outbreak was responsible for at least 41 deaths including 7 in Georgia and 34 in Alabama. Tuscaloosa County tornado (F3) The worst of the outbreak started around 7:00 PM CDT when a supercell originating from Mississippi entered Pickens and Tuscaloosa Counties. It produced an F3 and traveled north of the city of Tuscaloosa. Two injuries were reported and five homes and 11 mobile homes were destroyed from this storm that traveled over 17 miles (27 km) from Holman to north of Northport. 24 homes and 13 mobile homes were also damaged Jefferson County tornado (F5) Shortly after 7:30 PM, the supercell spawned the Birmingham Tornado as a wall cloud. It touched down in extreme eastern Tuscaloosa County and then cut a 31-mile long (49 km), 3/4-mile wide swath through nine Birmingham suburbs with F3 to F5 damage including Oak Grove, Sylvan Springs, Rock …

You all should be aware of hurricane preparations, but in case you need a refresher course: We’re about to enter the hurricane season. Any minute now, you’re going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar blob out in the Atlantic Ocean and making two basic meteorological points.

There is no need to panic.
We could all be killed.
Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Florida. If you’re new to the area, you’re probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we’ll get hit by "the big one."

Based on our insurance industry experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:

STEP 1: Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days.

STEP 2: Put these supplies into your car.

STEP 3: Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Halloween.

Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in the coastal states. So, start with step one.

Everytime I see a Hurricane on radar the eye or center or the hurricane is clear with no precipitation. Why is that? If the eye of the Hurricane is directly over you is there a blue sky? Is it not raining. I understand the strongest winds of a Hurricane are in the eye.