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Siniola Fisher
GEOG 1700-008
Kent Simons
Term Paper
A Night to Remember
The city of Joplin, Missouri suffered many loses in life, homes and communities on that
Sunday evening on May 22, 2011. Reporting the why’s, what, when, where and why along with
news sources, I will gather data and facts to help answer and try to understand the earth’s most
deadly storm. According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) states
“326 tornadoes occurred during the month of May 2011. There were 178 fatalities in May (158
of those in the Joplin EF-5 tornado alone).” This fact alone tells you how much this city has been
through on this night.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/04/28/us/tornado-deaths.html?ref=us
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I want to take a look at the map of Joplin, Missouri, looking over the area of what was hit
during the EF-5 tornadoes. an F5 storm's gusts rage from 261 to 318 miles (420 to 511
kilometers) an hour. This map below gives you a visual on this path. The direct effects of this
storm were homes, banks, stores and what I think was hard it was the hospital. Many businesses
have been destroyed by the tornado, major business like Lowes, Wal-Mart and Home Depot. The
indirect effects is human cost, with these major business it was immediate. How these
individuals are going to go back to work after this?
The people of this community were devastated on the effects and the aftermath, even
during this storm. A story of a Nurse calling for help shortly after the hospital was hit called out
“I’ve got patients dying up there!” The doctors had no choice but to tell them they are on their
own. This is after the backup generator failed. At least 116 people were killed and more injured,
said to be Monday (day after). 25 to 30 percent of the city was damaged; every window in the
town hospital was blown out. Sirens gave residents about 20 minutes warning, this caused the
deadliest Missouri tornado on record, closing in on 20th deadliest U.S. tornado; right now
deadliest since 1953 Worcester, Mass., tornado (killed 94).
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The National Weather Service radar at 5:45 p.m. Sunday May 22, 2011, the weather
service was calling this a rare “multivortex” twister. “Multivortex tornadoes contain two or more
small and intense subvortices that orbit the center of the larger tornado circulation. Multivortex
tornadoes have been seen in massive storms.” I would call this a violent storm(s) all in one area
this description explains how it became such a big storm and how it spread out for so long and
wide.
Geographical area and extent of what was affected, this patch of area you can only
imagine this storm, the fact says it was six miles long and half of mile wide through the center of
Joplin. According NWS Central Region Service Assessment Joplin, Missouri, Tornado – May
22, 2011 (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/assessments/pdfs/Joplin_tornado.pdf) In which this map
was on, shows this path The EF-4/EF-5 damage path was roughly 6 miles long from near
Schifferdecker Avenue along the western portions of Joplin to near Interstate 44 east of Joplin,
and generally ½ to ¾ of a mile wide along the path (Figure 1)
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Figure 1: Storm Track and Intensities for May 22, 2011, Joplin Tornado
Why? To take a look at how tornados work before, during and after we can understand
the energy sources and natural processes that contributed to this disaster. Darkening of the sky,
often greenish sky, large hail, large dark, low-lying cloud, load roar and rain are you’re before
effects. Due to tornados happening at any time of day or night, they are most common during
evening hours. They may strike quickly, with little or no warning, it may appear nearly
transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
Human activities played a factor in the effects and damages of this natural event; it states that 87
percent of the homes in Joplin do not have basements. Basements are used to help keep cover on
any tornados; this could have prevented some deaths. Buildings and people are not to blame they
just made this storm a disaster when it destroyed all this in its path. Attached is just one of many
pictures, this show the before and after picture.
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My report of this event has taught me more about tornados in general, the stories, photos
and charts and maps shown to be a devastating time for them.
Forecast/Predictions – The event that took place in Joplin shows that they were a
common area for tornados, but given everything I know about tornados and was taught in this
class this is what I know about predictions. A very strong jet stream, which provides the necessary
vertical wind shear an increase of wind speed with height. This wind shear is what starts the funnel
rotating. A substantial amount of water vapor, especially in the lower troposphere, when this
moisture condenses, it releases most of the energy that drives the storm acting rather like a steam
engine. It is more likely to have warm, dry air at middle altitudes. Here are some key terms to
understand, tornado watch means it is possible, be alert. Tornado warning means, it has been
spotted and to take shelter immediately.
The risk of the events that will take place on any tornados will be devastating; the path of
any tornado can destroy much in its path within minutes. Reviewing what happened and how
many minutes/seconds the community had warning, was like hearing the siren, grabbing your
belongings and BOOM! It hits your home. This is what it felt like for most residences in Joplin
that Sunday evening in May, 2011. The response and recovery can be fixed for any future hits in
this city. Looking back at how many residences don’t have basement in their homes to take
cover, they can build safe places to replace this issue.
The other types of hazards caused power outages, falling and blowing objects due to
wind. Fire also can carry a major factor with gas not being turned off here are a few more;
flooding, mass wasting and it could cause hurricanes. Why this storm went from disaster to
catastrophe was the amount of people, building in the way or that was built in that area. Thirty to
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fifty years this would have been a different story, because our nation evolves and build. The
preparedness and mitigation were measured in many ways; one way is moving the sick from the
hospitals to other hospitals around the states. I would start by finding and building shelters to
help with those who lost everything to the storm. This storm has taken many from them but not
all, by the community help along with federal help, this community can start the recovery
process. What more could have been taken place is making sure that everyone can hear the siren;
it has to be tested and replaced if needed.
Benefits of the natural service functions contribute to health of forests; it would clear old
growth and build new ones. Another one is tourism, with tornado chasing folks they would have
loved to see this storm.
In conclusion all that was done by the devastating tornado in Joplin, Missouri has the
U.S. in shock. Like myself, I have come across many interesting facts and is sadden that this
could be the case. The concepts learned in this class were an eye opener on how we can be
prepared for what is common in our community.
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Work cited
Sulzberger, A.G, and Brian Stelter. "A Rush to Protect Patients, Then Bloody Chaos." New York
Times. 23 2011: n. page. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/24/us/24tornado.html?pagewanted=all>.
The Deadliest Years. 2011. The New York TimesWeb. 27 Nov 2012.
<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/04/28/us/tornado-deaths.html?ref=us>.
Tornado's Toll. 2011. The New York TimesWeb. 27 Nov 2012.
<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/05/23/us/joplin-tornado.html?ref=us>.
. "Joplin tornado facts and developments." . St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 25 2011. Web. 27 Nov
2012. <http://www.stltoday.com/news/state-and-regional/missouri/joplin-tornado-factsand-developments/article_776bf44a-fdad-5ea5-bb9b-ec5fcef8e095.html>.
US Department of Commerce. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . NWS Central
Region Service Assessment Joplin, Missouri, Tornado – May 22, 2011. Kansas City, MO:
, 2011. Print. <http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/assessments/pdfs/Joplin_tornado.pdf>.