The finger of God.

Having lived in Oklahoma for all but 5 years of my life you get jaded about the weather.  Geographically, we are in the middle of the country here where all the ingreditents come together and create bad weather.  Last February you read my descriptions of the record 26 inch snow that fell on us.  Sure it was white, it was cold, and it was a pain to get around in, but by and large it won't kill you...at least in a violent manner.

Last week, we had a run-in with Mother Nature.  Twice.  On May 22nd, Joplin was in the cross hairs of a massive, mile wide tornado that effectively wiped out the entire town.  The entire southern third of the city was obliterated right around the dinner hour.  It was massive. Commentators who traveled to Joplin in time since have told stories of sod being ripped from the ground as well as asphalt.  People who have lived in Joplin all their life have gone to their neighborhoods and haven't been able to recognize anything.

Two days later the entire state of Oklahoma was placed under a "high-risk" for severe weather, with the strong possibility of dangerous long track tornadoes.  Mother Nature did not disappoint.  In central Oklahoma a tornado cut a swath from El Reno, just west of the Oklahoma City Metro to Stillwater, a distance of some 75 miles in all.  When they got to this side of the state...the northeast side...the storms were somewhat less intense, but they did do damage in Haskell and Wagoner, just to the southeast and east of Tulsa.

This has been a wild weather year that's for sure.  It started with the blizzard in February and it continues with the storms of the past few weeks.  When I was a kid growing up here you were taught a healthy respect for the weather in Oklahoma, but for the most part you are told not to let it dominate your life.  You are taught the meaning of tornado watches and warnings and it's drilled into your head what to do if a tornado approaches...if you can't get underground go to the lowest floor in the central part of the house, hit the deck and cover your head.  Then again, that was back in the day when it seems storms were less...mean.

When I see these storms happen around us I can only wonder when it will be Tulsa's turn.  It last happened in 1974, shortly after my family and I moved here from Pennsylvania and in that situation 3 confirmed tornadoes hit with the closest taking out the area around 21st and Garnett.  A year later in December 1975 one hit about a mile northeast of that area.  I could not imagine coming into my neighborhood and NOT knowing where I was, like the people in Joplin last week.  It would be beyond horrific. 

It's only a matter of time, if you play the percentages, and that scares the hell out of me.