She ain't from around here.
This is a conversation on the Nextdoor app for our neighborhood yesterday. Names were changed to protect the innocent (and the apparent Yankee) 
Community Storm Shelter
Nervous Nellie · 1d ago
We are new to Texas, but we are already in awe of the weather here in Abilene and its terrible potential. I'm curious to know, if enough other people here in the neighborhood thinks a community storm shelter would be a good idea? Or maybe one in each corner of the community? We are considering spending over $5000 to install one in our backyard, but we wouldn't want to be the only neighbors to survive should the unthinkable happen. Since we are a military family and will likely only live here for three years before moving on, we would be willing to donate that amount to a community shelter, if enough other people feel the same?
KK · 1d ago
Us natives are used to it and take the weather with a grain of salt . This year has been calm in comparison
DO · 1d ago
I moved here from Illinois in 2011 and KK is right - you will adjust, no need to overspend - just know a few common safety things, like ice days no travel - and I have experienced first hand the worst - my house had a lightning strike last year. Fortunately most homes have smoke alarms and damage was minimal.
Nervous Nellie · 1d ago
During this tornado season, every time a large storm has moved through here, at least one tornado has touch downed within a one hour vicinity of Abilene. Looking into Abilene's tornado history, three F-3 tornados with death tolls have ripped through town. Two F-4 tornados struck, one struck where Dyess AFB stands today. Besides Moore OK, which cities anywhere in the mid-west has a history of an F-5 touchdown until the day one actually does hit them? Abilene's tornado risk is listed everywhere as high, with an average of three tornados per year, usually F-1 or F-2. Does one really get used to crouching in closets when warnings are issued? Or are we just lucky so far? It's not gambling just once, it's gambling every time a storm system passes through Abilene. I'm sure Abilene's longest residents will recall Abilene's deadly tornados in the 1970's and 1980's.
http://www.homefacts.com/tornadoes/Texas...
HW · 1d ago
I hear your concern. We moved here 4 years ago from California and the thought of a tornado was terrifying. I looked at the website you referenced and can only find a mention of 5 deaths (during one tornado) in Clyde/Baird in 1950 and one death in 1985 in a city far away that I've never heard of. I see where one went through town in 1965 and that's pretty scary. It looks like most go around and that seems to fit with what we've been told- that it has something to do with our topography. If you want to build a storm shelter it would probably just be a nice benefit for when you go to sell, it's always nice for peace of mind. I believe the biggest threats here are wind and hail.
Honestly, the most concerning piece to me on that website was a side bar that said we have 49.5% more registered offenders than the average city.
Nervous Nellie · 1d ago
The ranchers that lived where Dyess is today when the F-4 struck in 1909 barely escaped with their lives because they had a tornado shelter. When they emerged their house, barn, fences and lots of cattle were stripped from their land. If that tornado hit Dyess today, it would not strip cattle from the land, it would strip the vast population of the base. The same can be said for Abilene, since Abilene's population is much higher today than it was 50 years ago.
http://keanradio.com/the-worst-weather-d...
Nervous Nellie · 1d ago
To be more precise, "A total of 78 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Abilene, TX." And that's just since they started recording in 1950. So that averages to over one category F-2 or higher tornado per year "in or near Abilene" since 1950. That's 78 tornados in 67 years.
http://www.usa.com/abilene-tx-natural-di...
HW · 1d ago
Wow, I didn't know about those. Whatever you decide just remember to follow HOA regulations.
Nervous Nellie · 11h ago
My offer stands for those who are interested in a storm shelter. Please feel free to private message me.
Community Storm Shelter
Nervous Nellie · 1d ago
We are new to Texas, but we are already in awe of the weather here in Abilene and its terrible potential. I'm curious to know, if enough other people here in the neighborhood thinks a community storm shelter would be a good idea? Or maybe one in each corner of the community? We are considering spending over $5000 to install one in our backyard, but we wouldn't want to be the only neighbors to survive should the unthinkable happen. Since we are a military family and will likely only live here for three years before moving on, we would be willing to donate that amount to a community shelter, if enough other people feel the same?
KK · 1d ago
Us natives are used to it and take the weather with a grain of salt . This year has been calm in comparison
DO · 1d ago
I moved here from Illinois in 2011 and KK is right - you will adjust, no need to overspend - just know a few common safety things, like ice days no travel - and I have experienced first hand the worst - my house had a lightning strike last year. Fortunately most homes have smoke alarms and damage was minimal.
Nervous Nellie · 1d ago
During this tornado season, every time a large storm has moved through here, at least one tornado has touch downed within a one hour vicinity of Abilene. Looking into Abilene's tornado history, three F-3 tornados with death tolls have ripped through town. Two F-4 tornados struck, one struck where Dyess AFB stands today. Besides Moore OK, which cities anywhere in the mid-west has a history of an F-5 touchdown until the day one actually does hit them? Abilene's tornado risk is listed everywhere as high, with an average of three tornados per year, usually F-1 or F-2. Does one really get used to crouching in closets when warnings are issued? Or are we just lucky so far? It's not gambling just once, it's gambling every time a storm system passes through Abilene. I'm sure Abilene's longest residents will recall Abilene's deadly tornados in the 1970's and 1980's.
http://www.homefacts.com/tornadoes/Texas...
HW · 1d ago
I hear your concern. We moved here 4 years ago from California and the thought of a tornado was terrifying. I looked at the website you referenced and can only find a mention of 5 deaths (during one tornado) in Clyde/Baird in 1950 and one death in 1985 in a city far away that I've never heard of. I see where one went through town in 1965 and that's pretty scary. It looks like most go around and that seems to fit with what we've been told- that it has something to do with our topography. If you want to build a storm shelter it would probably just be a nice benefit for when you go to sell, it's always nice for peace of mind. I believe the biggest threats here are wind and hail.
Honestly, the most concerning piece to me on that website was a side bar that said we have 49.5% more registered offenders than the average city.
Nervous Nellie · 1d ago
The ranchers that lived where Dyess is today when the F-4 struck in 1909 barely escaped with their lives because they had a tornado shelter. When they emerged their house, barn, fences and lots of cattle were stripped from their land. If that tornado hit Dyess today, it would not strip cattle from the land, it would strip the vast population of the base. The same can be said for Abilene, since Abilene's population is much higher today than it was 50 years ago.
http://keanradio.com/the-worst-weather-d...
Nervous Nellie · 1d ago
To be more precise, "A total of 78 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Abilene, TX." And that's just since they started recording in 1950. So that averages to over one category F-2 or higher tornado per year "in or near Abilene" since 1950. That's 78 tornados in 67 years.
http://www.usa.com/abilene-tx-natural-di...
HW · 1d ago
Wow, I didn't know about those. Whatever you decide just remember to follow HOA regulations.
Nervous Nellie · 11h ago
My offer stands for those who are interested in a storm shelter. Please feel free to private message me.
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