I've mentioned this in a couple of podcast interviews, but if someone hasn't heard this, it might seem a little "woo-woo". I consider myself "storm sensitive". I've had dreams about tornados only to have them happen - in some cases, exactly as I've dreamt them.
May 3, 1999, was the first one that I had such clarity on, and if anyone knows anything about tornados in Oklahoma, you know that date. For those not in the know, Oklahoma experienced its largest tornado outbreak on record, with 70 confirmed. The most notable of these was the F5 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado, which devastated Oklahoma City and its suburban communities, before moving through Moore, crossing I-35, and heading up toward Tinker AFB. The tornado killed 36 people and injured 583 others; losses amounted to $1 billion, making it the first billion-dollar tornado in history.
The night before the storm, I dreamt some of the craziest details you could ever imagine. We had a playoff hockey game that night and, in my dream, we were at the game when they announced bad weather was moving in and everyone needed to go downstairs to the parking garage until the storm passed. "...then we'll come back upstairs and play some hockey!" Ben Buckland - our PA announcer - said in my dream.
My Canadian friends had never been in a tornado and several were freaked out. Daniel Larin skated over and told me, "There is a big giant tornado coming and I don't know what to do." To which I told him to go take of his skates and meet me in the parking garage. We could hang out.
I told my mother this story on the way to the game and she gave me one of those looks only a mother can give. "I hate it when you do this stuff. Your grandma used to do it all the time too." I told her all my storm chaser friends were out that afternoon, and had intercepted a tornado down by Lawton and was following it in.
Low and behold, that's almost exactly what happened, except for Daniel coming to ask me what to do.
May 8-9. 2003 was another one. I'd dreamt about the tornado crossing I-240 and taking out the Eastern Avenue sign, blowing it over the highway. On May 8th, I did a safety consultation for a business in that area. They didn't have an emergency action plan, so the owner and I talked about the best place to take shelter and what to do if severe weather was impending. While we walked through, the owner called all the employees over and verbally communicated the impromptu plan on the spot (top-notch employer for doing that, btw).
That evening, one strong supercell within an environment supportive of a strong or violent tornado approached the Oklahoma City metropolitan area shortly before 5 p.m. It spawned three tornadoes, with the final being an F4 tornado that caused significant damage in Moore, southeastern Oklahoma City, Midwest City, and Choctaw.
One of the buildings at the business where I'd spent the day suffered heavy damage, but the employees were able to take shelter, just as we'd discussed that very day. No one was injured. (Sidebar: one of my friends who was storm chasing that night, and streaming live, caught video of the tornado crossing I-240 and the Easter Avenue sign blowing across the highway.)
Last night, I had tornado dreams and was telling Jen & Jenny about it. A few minutes later, I learned about the EF1 that hit Ada, Oklahoma, where my son lives. It was nearly 11:30 in the morning before I heard from him. But his boss had already posted photos on Instagram of the damage to the coffee shop and announced they'd be closed, but everyone was okay. Volunteers came and helped with cleanup efforts. Multiple buildings in the downtown area - which is one of the oldest communities in the state (circa 1880) (Oklahoma is the 48th state in the Union and earned statehood in 1907)- and many of the buildings affected are quite old, so it's not surprising that so many of them were damaged.
I wish I could be as accurate as the National Weather Service, but then again, I hate it when I'm right. (I'm just thankful my son and his friends have listened to the lessons I've offered as an emergency manager and safety professional, and are constantly on guard for severe weather, and have a plan for when it hits.) (P.S., if you don't have a plan and need some help, reach out. I can provide resources.)
Be safe out there!
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