We're having torrential rain here in OKC.

[KatyaR]

It's been raining since well before daylight, and the entire city is flooding. The news is saying we're approaching what happened in Nashville a while back. It's so bad the roads to the airport are closed--the flights are still going, but no one can get to the terminal.

I'm sitting here waiting to hear whether I need to go to work or not. We closed until 10 am, but the area where I work is flooding badly, which is unusual, and the rain hasn't let up at all. We're talking 4-7 inches of rain, and it's still coming down in buckets.

I feel badly for those people who haven't gotten their homes or cars repairs from the hailstorm we had a few weeks ago. What a mess!!!

[mkultra]

1. Its raining moderatley in Tulsa right now.

Feel free to keep that crap.

[babylonsister]

2. I just heard the weather report on msnbc, and it's not

looking good, OKC talked about specifically. I bet you get a rain day; stay dry if possible.

[TNDemo]

3. Let's hope not.

We got 16" in 36 hours and my neighborhood is still recovering. Hopefully you won't get that much.

[lillypaddle]

4. Thoughts are with you

I'm from OKC - still have friends and family there. The weather is nuts everywhere. Good thing we don't have to worry about global warming on top of everything else, eh?

Take care, stay safe & dry. Keep us posted.

[gateley]

5. Whoa - stay safe! nt

[ensho]

6. make sure you are on high enough ground, plus some

wishing you well

[dgibby]

7. CNN is covering this now.

They're telling everyone to stay off the roads, and are showing an occupied car in the flood waters. Passenger is using something to bail the water out of the car. Rescue crews can't reach the car because of the flood.

[KatyaR]

12. The best story of the morning was some people getting to a woman

who was stuck in her car in floodwaters. They tried to get her out of the car, but she refused because her husband was on the way to help her. SHE WOULDN'T GET OUT OF THE CAR! So they had to leave her, and I will bet you her husband can't get to her either.

Why are people so stupid????? :grr: It's a miracle the species has lasted as long as it has....

[truth2power]

8. The implications of all this are terribly distressing...I'm reading a new book

by Bill McKibben, "Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet". (Yes, there are 2 a's in Eaarth)

Consider this: "So far, humans, by burning fossil fuel, have raised the temperature of the planet nearly a degree Celsius (more than a degree and a half Fahrenheit)."
<snip>
"In fact, total global rainfall is now increasing 1.5 percent a decade. Larger storms over land now create more lightning; every degree Celsius brings about 6 percent more lightning, according to the climate scientist Amanda Staudt." (p. 3)

> > > >

We're experiencing the same thing here in Cincinnati and the general tri-state area. Same as last summer. Rain, floods etc. It's a game to try to rush out and mow the lawn between periods of rainfall and when the grass is just dry enough not to stall the mower.

I realize this is a minor problem compared to the deaths from flash floods etc. but it's my way of saying this is NOT normal.

When I was a child, many years ago, my dad and I would go out walking in thunderstorms. I wouldn't think of doing that now. Surely the meteorologists know about the increase in lightning. Why don't they speak out?

[Angry Dragon]

10. I read a story once of a biker

getting hit by lightning as he watch the storm from about 50 miles away.

The lightning traveled that far from the actual storm.

[truth2power]

13. You're correct about lightning traveling far from the storm...

One of our county parks has a small waterpark play area for kids. A staff person once explained to me that the entire water system is controlled by computer with some sort of Doppler radar, and if there's a thunderstorm miles away (I forget how far), the entire system automatically shuts down because, as you said, the sky may be entirely clear overhead but lightning can still strike from a distant storm.

I think it's great that getting everyone out of the water doesn't depend on someone's best guess. :scared:

[Jim__]

9. I wish I could say enjoy your day off.

But I realize that in that kind of weather, you really can't enjoy yourself. Stay safe.

[KatyaR]

11. Well, it's been really scary, but the rain has stopped--for now.

We're still supposed to get more this afternoon. The roads all over the county are in horrible shape, and some areas are being evacuated. People are stranded in their homes and cars, and I'm afraid since the rain's stopped, people will get out on the streets and we'll have even more problems. The City is calling for more boats, as they don't have near the amount needed to rescue people from their cars. In some areas, cars are almost totally submerged by floodwaters.

We did close the office today, many others have done the same. According to the TV, we've had right at 10 inches of rain this morning. I'm sure that's close to a record, especially for this time of year.