It started yesterday.

There are a few phone apps I rely on year round for weather conditions that have kept me out of trouble numerous times:

Weather Underground. Several apps including Wundermap that will show alerts and detailed weather info in almost real time. The best "everything" weather source.
RadarNow. Live weather radar current to within 5 minutes with severe weather alerts. The best live radar coverage.
eWeatherHD: Radar, wind direction/speed and severe weather areas outlined so you can get a feel for what you're driving toward.

When looking at an active radar view look for a distinct hook shape on the leading edge of the strongest part of the storm which are indicative of a wall cloud that can spawn a tornado.

All of these are available for Android or iPhone. Pay the few dollars for the premium versions; the additional features, especially customization, are well worth it. If you are a vampire driver you especially need to know what's happening out there in the dark.

A tornado does sound like a freight train but if you hear that sound you are already in deep doo. If you see substantially darker clouds that seem to be moving sideways to the prevailing winds, sudden strong wind gusts from different directions, heavy rain with hail you may shortly not be in Kansas anymore, Toto.

 

Within the last hour large tornados have been spotted on the ground in northern Mississippi with Tupelo hit hard this afternoon and damage to the hospital in Louisville, MS.

 

Woke up to the tornado sirens this morning in Memphis That isn't a good feeling.....

 

We love you too Joseph.

 

I just checked out weather underground for the first time that's a great site. I accessed it through the Red Cross Tornado app. Check it out there is some useful info on it.

Edit: I see there is a seperate thread on the Red Cross app. Looks like it might not be a great app for truckers.

 

Man this year is shaping-up to be really active. Please you guys be careful...To the newer fellas.......Don't , I repeat do NOT....let a driver manager/dispatcher/truck-owner/or even a shipper-or receiver tell that you must risk your life to deliver a truck-load of anything.....PERIOD..end of sentence...

Nothing is more important to you than "you're life".....Please be careful folks......That goes for you too Yankee....errr I mean Joe!

 

A few years back, was in Kansas at a shipper loading when the sirens went off, most shippers will have a shelter somewhere good idea to ask when you arrive. Had 2 tornado's hit that day, that evening was on the road when the alert came over the CB tornado dead ahead, pulled off and parked next to a large embankment with cement retainer. It passed about 1/2 mile to the right of my truck. The embankment shielded the truck but I was on the floor anyway between the firewall and the seats, this is where an electronic shifter has its advantages.

 

1998, springtime. Loaded in Florida, going to Atlanta. Usual run I made several times a week.As I drove north on 75, I could see lightning in the far distance. Around midnight, the FM radio station started talking about bad weather. As I neared my destination on the north side of Atlanta in a small industrial park, they issued a tornado warning for an area close to where I was to deliver.I got to my usual delivery warehouse, backed in to a door, as I had done probably 100 times before. They would wake me in the morning when they opened. Radio was telling of a tornado on the ground, I figured maybe 5 miles away. As I opened my drivers door to go wet a tire before I went to bed, there were several explosions in the near distance, then I saw flashes of blue light as all the lights went out. Then came the sound. I QUICKLY shut the door, and the blue light explosions got closer. They were transformers exploding as the twister went right over the top of me. The truck shook, and I do believe if I had not been loaded, and backed down against the building, it would have turned me over. I will never forget the few seconds it took to cross over my area, and the sound it made. I quickly thought to turn all my lights on, even flashers, so rescue folks could find my truck if worse came to worse.
Then it got quite. All the yard lights were out or blown down, so I could see nothing but darkness. And debris around my truck. There was nobody within maybe a half mile. It was lonely. This was before cell phones.
FM radio station was telling folks to get out of the way. I figured the worst was over. This was around 2 am. I was very alone.
I could not sleep, radio was telling of damage being done, and possible other tornadoes to follow.
Finally, around 6 am, people starting showing up. Trees were down, everything a mess. The warehouse crew unloaded me, ( they had no power ), and used a chain to pull the trees out of my path so I could leave.Damage was all around, but my truck was OK.
This was a F2 strength storm. Not a big one, but big enough.

People, I do not want to go through that again.