Into the Jaws of Death

Now that there is your basic F5 tornado. That's the strongest they get. Well, actually the Fujita Scale allows for an F6 but describes that as an "inconceivable tornado".

Winds in an F5 range from 261 to 318 miles per hour and do incredible damage besides turning everyday objects like Volkswagen vans into unguided missles.

The tornado season reaches its peak between March and May.

Tornado activity in the United States is most intense in, though not confined to, a band running from North Texas through Oklahoma and into Arkansas as can be seen on the map below.


So why am I telling you all this ? What is the point ?

The point is that it is May, the peak of the freaking tornado season and my wife and I are about to drive along a route that parallels the area of peak activity described above. No. I tell a lie. Our route runs through the heart of the area of peak activity, as if the the designers of U.S. 40 intended to thrill the late Spring traveller with the possibility of nature's unbridled fury. Oh, yeah, and we'll be in a Volkswagen camper van.

So Adam will be posting until I return and my next post may be from Mexico or Canada or God knows where.

If you are the kind of morbidly curious person who becomes interested in the outcomes for those who choose to tempt fate you can follow along on the National Weather Service storm warning site. We should be in The Zone Tuesday or Wednesday. Wish us luck and

Stay Naked
jd