The devastating tornado that touched down Monday in communities just north of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, has generated a lot of discussion about the timing of the event.
The tornado touched down north of Oshkosh in Appleton around noon CDT and tore a wide path of destruction through the city and the towns of Menasha and Neenah.
Just 24 hours earlier the area was filled with people leaving EAA AirVenture, the annual fly-in aviation convention held at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH). People who attended the show were quick to take to social media to mark themselves safe.
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The storm cells that spawned the tornado brought hurricane force winds, heavy rain, and hailstones the size of baseballs. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were no reports of fatalities or serious injuries.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the twister is estimated to have been an EF-3 with winds from 135-165 mph. Video and photographs from the area show large trees ripped out of the ground, downed power lines, crushed cars, and streets where homes and businesses have been reduced to piles of rubble.
Among the more chilling videos making the rounds on social media is a panoramic view of the AirVenture grounds, now devoid of aircraft, with a large dark shelf cloud looming over it while a tornado warning siren wails in the background. Several people have commented on how fortunate it was that the storm did not hit during AirVenture, as many pilots park their airplanes in Appleton during the weeklong aviation celebration.
Officials from Appleton International Airport (KATW) noted that people were moved into the basement for shelter, but the airport did not sustain significant damage, although flights were delayed briefly.
To protect yourself from a tornado the NWS advises to move into an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building, putting as many walls between you and the outside as possible, and stay away from windows. Outdoors it gets a little more challenging, especially if you are driving or in a mobile home. Avoid sheltering under highway overpasses as they create a venturi effect that speeds up the winds.
The NWS advises not to try to outrun a tornado if driving but to find the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.
If a tornado touches down at an airshow, there will be plenty of flying debris, as severe weather and airplanes and temporary structures, like festival tents, are a bad combination. This was demonstrated in Lakeland, Florida, in 2011 when a tornado struck during the Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo. The twister carried away exhibitor tents and some aircraft, leaving them in piles on the ground. There were some injuries but miraculously no deaths.
AirVenture Emergency Plans
According to Dick Knapinski, director of communications for the EAA, emergency planning is part of the preparation for the annual event that often brings upward of 700,000 to Oshkosh and surrounding communities.
“Big storm planning is a major part of the prep each year,” said Knapinski, noting that a few years ago the Wednesday night airshow was canceled and the grounds evacuated because of an impending storm out of an abundance of caution.
“We’ve worked with the National Weather Service to earn the ‘storm ready’ designation. I think we’re one of only a half-dozen events in the state that has that.”
Knapinski added that NWS staffers are on the ground 24/7 during AirVenture week, and EAA officials meet with them twice a day on a normal day and more often depending on the situation.
According to Knapinski, the EAA Aviation Museum is a designated shelter, and the EAA also has shelter arrangements with local schools and other buildings in the community in the event large numbers of people need to be relocated for an extended period. School buses are on standby for transportation.
“Our insurance and risk people are involved in the planning as well, so there’s a procedure for the aftermath, too,” he said. “There is a lot of ‘if A and B happen, here’s what we do.’ And if one thing is out of the mix, what’s our next option?.”
