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What was the worst storm you have ever experienced?

Asked at Massachusetts Street on May 3, 2008

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Photo of Brock Snyder

“There was one a couple of years ago in Topeka that knocked a highway patrol tower into an apartment complex. There where limbs and trees everywhere, so it was really hard to get around. I saw one tree that fell on someone’s truck.”

Photo of Deepa Sampat

“Probably when I was a freshman here. My dorm got hit by the microburst, and the bleachers at the soccer field nearby were all twisted up and it damaged the roof on our cafeteria.”

Photo of Bobby Bass

“Thursday’s, for me. I’m a California guy and the weather there never changes. The ground just shakes. Scared doesn’t cover it; I was terrified.”

Photo of Megan Blevins

“When I was 6 or 7, I was on my way to Manhattan and we got caught in a big one. Once we stopped the car to run inside, my dad had to carry my sister and I because the winds were too strong for us to walk on our own.”

Comments

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 5 years ago

Whoops.Started too early I guess...Tres de Mayo.

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peachesncream 5 years ago

the one of 65 or 66 that hit topeka , it also hit my house , killed my neighbor man and left me and my brother a life time of night mares and pure panic when it storms

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RETICENT_IRREVERENT 5 years ago

I have tried to forget it, but it never will be less than a fog in my memory. I believe it was in the early 90's, maybe somewhere betwixt "The Perfect Storm" in '91, and "The Storm Of The Century" in '93. Even though I can not pinpoint its exact time, it will always remain etched in time.I still not sure what I did, what I said, how I responded, how I reacted. I do know it was the largest, longest storm I have experienced. It started out slow with gusts, then raged on mercilessly with no abandon. There were periods where it was relatively calm as if I was in the eye of a hurricame, but the respite was shortlived and gave me a false sense of security. It was turbulence as I had never seen. And it came to pass, a storm such as I wish never again to weather.But I have learned from that storm. Do not become too wrapped up in work, it can become an evil mistress, taking from you all you should cherish and adore. There are far more important things in life.Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd,Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd.

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ms_canada 5 years ago

I guess the worst that I can think of was the tornado of July 30, 1981. A whole mobile home park nearly totalled and 28 people died. My son in law's work place just literally blew away from all around him. He was a large vehicle mechanic and hugging a very large truck saved him from blowing away with the building. His friend in the office was killed when the coke dispenser landed on top of him.

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jonas 5 years ago

There was this one, back in the 5o's I think. Terrible! Lightning hit the clocktower, and it never has worked since. And some poor sap's tires must have caught on fire, cuz there were flamin tracks leading away from the clocktower, too.

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mistygreen 5 years ago

June 8, 1966 - Topeka, KS

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Godot 5 years ago

June 8, 1966, Topeka.

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skinnee11 5 years ago

Topeka, Nov 16th, 1988. This tornado very late in the year destroyed part of Topeka West HS's roof, demolished several houses within two blocks of the house I grew up in, uprooted trees that were easily 100+ years old and ripped up pavement. The blackest sky I've ever seen. The loudest wind I've ever heard. Quite possibly the single experience that has made me love tornadoes. When the sirens go off, I go outside. Dumb, I know. I just can't help myself.

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TheEleventhStephanie 5 years ago

le, what are you, about 10 years old?

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Kathy Getto 5 years ago

June 8, 1966 - TopekaJune 8, 1975 - Emporia

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George_Braziller 5 years ago

I'd say a tree crashing into my house during the "microburst" and having half a sheet of sheetrock smack me in the head.

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1wetwilly 5 years ago

It was a dark and stormy night, suddenly from out of nowhere, ominous on the horizon with the sound of fear, the look of terror, the smell of death, inflicting pain and suffering on the untold masses....(dumb a** boss just walked in, gotta go)

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toe 5 years ago

The storm to raise my property taxes.

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buffalo_star 5 years ago

Lawrence 1981 at Godfather's Pizza with my family then drove south on Louisiana street only to run right into the twister as it passed the wetlands. Heart in my throat scared!

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KsTwister 5 years ago

The one that took the Oskaloosa brick Courthouse in the city square, the three that touched down in Topeka and the one through west Lawrence a few years ago. This was just a few, hence the name.

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ms_canada 5 years ago

Speaking of Mexican food as we were on Wed. Someone mentioned that delish dish from Spain by name of Javier Bardem. Watched "Love In The Time Of Cholera" last night and loved it. Javier Bardem was magnificent. This movie is a true presentation of the wonderful book by Colombian Gabriel Garcia Marquez. A truly inspired author. His book One Hundred Years Of Solitude is a classic. If you can find this movie, I highly recommend it. I want to watch it again tonight. I don't often feel like that. Mind you, there are some fairly erotic scenes to be aware of. don't watch it with the kids.

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RETICENT_IRREVERENT 5 years ago

¡¡¡Woo Hoo!!!¡¡¡ Tres de Cinco!!!Thanks for the reminder ms_c. â'°

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hornhunter 5 years ago

Well in must have been this 100,000 year or so thing, gobal warming thing.NOT!

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jonas 5 years ago

"..I love it when I rattle the cages of the small minded!"That rattling is your undersized brain hitting the inside of your skull.

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sdinges 5 years ago

Back in the 90s, I was living in Ottawa Ontario and we had a ruthless ice storm. Schools were shut down for a couple of weeks (it's pretty uncommon for Ottawa schools to close for even a day due to Winter weather), people lost power for weeks in some areas. I remember trying to walk down the street and it was like walking on a ice-rink, except tree branches laden with ice kept crashing to the ground. I never regretted leaving my home so much in my entire life! I think they ended up making a movie about it - it hit Northern U.S., Quebec and our part of Ontario.

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chemegirlie 5 years ago

Nice jonas!Although I have lived in Kansas all my life, I have never seen a tornado or even a funnel cloud in person. Thursday's storm was about the worst I have seen.

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Jaminrawk 5 years ago

Storm Davis. Worst move by the Royals until they signed Juan Gonzales.

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JJE007 5 years ago

Hurricane Betsy. I slept through it.

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BuddhaDude 5 years ago

Jun 2000 - Minot AFB, ND. The tornado missed the building I was taking cover in by two blocks. You could feel the feel the brick walls bow. And these walls ran down the center of the building.

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gogoplata 5 years ago

Save the Clock Tower!

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Buggie7 5 years ago

In the 80's I did not want to move to the east coast due to hurricanes. My brother says come on we never have hurricanes in the area I live and you will love it here. So I move. Three days after getting there I am asking my brother "ummm why are they putting tape on the windows all down the neighborhood?" Since I had never seen that before and he says "ummmm Hurricane?" I was so mad at him arghhhhh. quite the storm that Hugo was.I was also in Gibsons when the tornado hit the trailer park and kmart in the early 80's. SKEERY

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