I-44 Corridor from OKC to Tulsa named 7th most dangerous place to live

[Nik]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4329314.html?page=7

More than 1 million people reside along the Interstate 44 corridor that runs between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the Sooner State's two most populous metropolitan areas. Each spring, as the cool, dry air from the Rocky Mountains glides across the lower plains, and the warm, wet air of the Gulf Coast comes north to meet it, the residents of this precarious stretch, locally called Tornado Alley, settle in for twister season.

Since 1890, more than 120 tornados have struck Oklahoma City and the surrounding area, which currently has a population of approximately 700,000. On May 3, 1999, an outbreak of 70 tornados stretched across Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Several of the most destructive storms swept through Oklahoma City, destroying 1700 homes and damaging another 6500. Even with modern prediction capabilities and early-warning systems, 40 people died when an F-5 twister tore through Oklahoma City. In addition to the loss of life, this display of natural devastation caused more than $1 billion in damage. Since 1950, the longest the area has gone without a tornado is five years—from 1992 to 1998. (As if making up for lost time, in the 11 months that followed that record lull, 11 tornados hit.) For only three other periods during the last half-century has Oklahoma City gone more than two years without a tornado.

Northeast of Oklahoma City, along the same track that most tornado-producing storms travel, sits Tulsa, which has experienced its own share of devastation at the hands of Tornado Alley's storms. Between 1950 and 2006, 69 tornados spun across Tulsa County—population 590,000—though none proved as deadly as the 1999 storm that hit Oklahoma City. But because of its geography—the city lies along the banks of the Arkansas River and is built atop an extensive series of creeks and their flood plains—Tulsa is particularly vulnerable to the rain that accompanies Oklahoma's severe weather. Major floods in 1974, 1976 and 1984 caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage.

[sgrizzle]

Because of these facts I've never been that scared of hurricanes. If you have time to go to home depot before the storm hits, it's not that scary to me.

[dbacks fan]

Because of these facts I've never been that scared of hurricanes. If you have time to go to home depot before the storm hits, it's not that scary to me.

I have an aunt that over the last 40+ years has lived in Sperry, Skiatook, Pawnee, Edmond, and Tulsa, made a similar comment in the late 80's when her husband took a job teaching law enforcement at Miami/Dade College and moved to Hollywood FL. Then came Andrew, and she decided that 12 hours of 100+mph wind was enough aand was ready to move back.

[Townsend]

Mother nature finds favor with Tulsa and is trying to destroy OKC.

[Conan71]

Let's see how mad God gets about OKC landing the NBA franchise this next spring.

[carltonplace]

Interesting that the article doesn't mention the extensive flood mitigation system that Tulsa has installed since 1984. It also doesn't mention how the Arkansas river valley seems to help take the steam out of tornados that are headed in from the west.

The article seems to be saying: "if you move to Tulsa you will drown unless a tornado sweeps you away."