Greensburg, Kansas EF-5 tornado: May 4, 2007
During the late afternoon hours of May 4, 2007, the atmosphere over western Oklahoma and Kansas had become an ominous mixture of high instability and strong low-level wind shear. A potent upper-level storm system was arriving in the south-central Great Plains of the United States. Though the next day, May 5, had forecasters on edge for the possibility of a major tornado outbreak, the evening of May 4 was thought to be more in question: would any storms form? and, if so, how long would they sustain themselves?
Earlier in the afternoon, an isolated supercell thunderstorm had produced a very photogenic tornado in northwestern Oklahoma, near the town of Arnett, in Ellis County. This tornado was high-based, and well-documented. Though the tornado was violent, visibly lifting whole trees high into the air as it churned viciously across mainly open rangeland, it produced little other damage. But it was, perhaps, a sign that the right combination of things were at work in the atmosphere to make May 4 a memorable day as well.
Later that evening, another supercell storm initiated over Harper County, Oklahoma. With the environment becoming even more supportive of tornadoes near dusk, the storm grew explosively over the next hour as it drifted northward into Kansas. The combination of ingredients was more than sufficient to allow this storm to become a very prolific tornado producer. Its first tornado occurred near the town of Sitka, Kansas, at around 8:30 PM. The storm produced several other tornadoes between Sitka and the town of Protection before the first large, long-tracked tornado of the evening formed northwest of the town of Coldwater. This tornado eventually devastated the small farming community of Greensburg (pop. ~1,300), leaving 95% of the structures damaged or destroyed, and was responsible for 11 deaths. At 1.7 miles wide, and with a path length of nearly 29 miles, the tornado was rated EF-5, the first such designation on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
As the Greensburg tornado occluded on the northwest side of town, a new, long-tracked tornado began to its northeast. This tornado ultimately grew even larger, reaching a width possibly as much as 2.7 miles near the town of Trousdale. Fortunately, the town was not directly impacted.
Though confirming each tornado proved to be difficult (due to terrain/lack of damage indicators, and a major tornado outbreak occurring over the same areas less than 24 hours later!) this single supercell thunderstorm known as the “Greensburg Storm” produced at least 22 tornadoes over the course of several hours on the evening of May 4, with the last tornadoes lifting near the towns of Holyrood and Ellsworth, Kansas.
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Storm chasers: David Demko, Don & Nicole Giuliano
©2007 Demko/Giuliano, All Rights Reserved
Going Down Into the World's Largest Hand Dug Well (Greensburg, KS)
Going Down Into the World's Largest Hand Dug Well. Big Well that is in Greensburg, KS. I'm taking you down into the well than back out. This is a new building that has been built over the well, since the tornado took down the other building and a lot of the town with it.
Thank-you for all your comments and viewing the video. I have other videos on my YouTube page
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Greensburg, Kansas Big Well and 5.4.7 Arts Center
Stacy Barnes/Tourism Director – City of Greensburg, Kansas: “The Big Well is a hand-dug water well that was completed in 1888 as Greensburg’s original water supply. It’s 109 feet deep and 32 feet across. And its been our long-time tourist attraction and what we’re famous for. Every small town needs their little unique tourist attraction and this has been ours for decades.”
Big Well Grand Opening May 26th
Construction continues inside the new Big Well Museum as they get ready for the grand opening on May 26th.
Returning to Greensburg, Kansas
Team members of First Response Team of America returns to Greensburg, Kansas for the first time since a EF 5 tornado hit the town in 2007.
HISTORICAL PLACES OF KANSAS STATE,U S A IN GOOGLE EARTH
HISTORICAL PLACES OF KANSAS STATE,U S A
1. AMELIA EARHART BY STAN HERD,ATCHISON 39°32'15.47N 95° 8'42.48W
2. RIVERWALK CHURCH,WICHITA 37°41'18.61N 97°20'33.87W
3. MONUMENT ROCKS,GRINNELL 38°47'39.83N 100°45'48.34W
4. JOHN BROWN STATUE,KANSAS CITY 39° 8'56.62N 94°39'33.39W
5. HISTORIC WICHITA LIMESTONE BUILDING,WICHITA 37°41'4.69N 97°20'16.24W
6. KANSAS STATE CAPITOL,TOPEKA 39° 2'53.30N 95°40'41.69W
7. OLD FORT,HAYS 38°51'43.79N 99°20'36.40W
8. FIRST HMONG CMA CHURCH,KANSAS CITY 39° 7'8.07N 94°37'37.62W
9. OLD COWTOWN MUSEUM,WICHITA 37°41'41.72N 97°21'43.76W
10. GRACE CATHEDRAL,TOPEKA 39° 3'2.84N 95°41'2.10W
11. BIG WELL MUSEUM,GREENSBURG 37°36'13.17N 99°17'39.87W
12. ST.ANTHONY CHURCH,KANSAS CITY 39° 6'44.91N 94°37'34.44W
13. ST.MARY'S CATHEDRAL,WICHITA 37°41'34.95N 97°20'7.33W
14. SMALL CHURCH,KAKSAS CITY 39° 7'0.38N 94°37'35.63W
15. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,WICHITA 37°41'40.53N 97°20'10.19W
16. ST.PETER'S CATHEDRAL,KANSAS CITY 39° 6'36.96N 94°38'42.86W
17. GIANT AD GOLDEN PALACE.COM,DIGHTON 38°28'37.03N 100°20'51.52W
18. SEDGWICK COUNTY ZOO,WICHITA 37°43'4.15N 97°24'45.79W
19. MANHATTAN 39°11'33.13N 96°33'46.07W
20. FORT SCOTT 37°50'37.20N 94°42'16.01W
21. WORLD'S LARGEST BALL OF TWINE,CAWKER CITY 39°30'33.77N 98°26'1.75W
22. CASTLE ROCK,QUINTER 38°51'40.36N 100°10'11.79W
23. GIANT EASEL,GOODLAND 39°20'16.93N 101°42'17.46W
Bush tours parts of Kansas devastated by tornado
1. Aerial shot of United States presidential helicopter
2. Aerial shot of tornado devastation
3. Wide of debris and devastated area
4. US President George W. Bush walking among debris
5. Wide of wreckage of farming vehicles
6. Wide of tractor with mountain of debris in foreground
7. Wide of debris-strewn area
8. Bush (in blue jacket with FEMA written on back) hugging woman
9. Travelling shot of destroyed neighbourhood, trees blown down and houses destroyed
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) George W. Bush, US President:
I am struck by the strength of the character of the people who live here in the plains. People who refuse to be, refuse to have their spirit affected by this storm. As a matter of fact, who are willing to do what it takes to rebuild in a better way. America is blessed to have such people.
11. Wide of wreckage of houses with soft toy in foreground
12. Various of damaged cars, flattened houses
13. Bush speaking to residents
14. Zoom out from US flag hanging from forklift
STORYLINE:
US President George W. Bush got his first look on Wednesday at what is left of a Kansas farming town of 1,600 people after last week's powerful tornado.
Starting a day's tour of the wreckage, Bush hovered in a helicopter over Greensburg in southwest Kansas.
He saw the flattened ruins from Friday night's storm that killed at least 11 people.
It was the most punishing tornado to hit the United States in years.
On a short ride into town, Bush got a firsthand view of the damage and the recovery from city officials.
The president then took to the city's streets on foot to comfort a community now little more than a snarled mess of mud, wood, glass and wires.
Bush said he was struck by the strength of the character of the people who live here in the plains and that America was blessed to have such people.
Roaring at up to 205 mph (330 kph) and spanning 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometres), the twister destroyed an estimated 95 percent of the town, with almost every building gone, including churches, the city hall and the hospital.
The White House has sought a much more aggressive and engaged reaction to disasters since Hurricane Katrina, when a bungled response became a turning point in Bush's presidency.
Bush stopped at a tractor dealership, where the building was gutted and the ploughs were mangled. It had been a major employer in town.
Greensburg has been known for its friendly charm, right down to the old-fashioned soda fountain at the drug store.
The town's proud claim to fame is the Big Well, considered the largest in the world to be dug by hand. Now the fountain is gone, the well buried in debris.
Despite the tragedy, emergency officials know the death toll could have been much worse. An emergency warning about 20 minutes before the tornado hit helped people scramble to safety.
This is the third time in three months that Bush has played the role of national healer.
He comforted survivors of tornadoes that ripped through Alabama and Georgia in March, and offered words of hope at Virginia Tech after a gunman killed 32 people and himself in April.
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National 9/11 Flag Greensburg 60
A one minute PSA for the National 9/11 Flag coming back to Greensburg Kansas on May 28th 2011
EF5 tornado in Greensburg, Kansas - May 4, 2007
A massive wedge tornado strikes Greensburg, Kansas on the night of May 4, 2007. Lightning flashes illuminate the tornado and several satellite tornadoes in the darkness. Natural gas escapes from a ruptured main with a loud hiss. Cattle walk along the road, escaping through damaged fencing. The tornado was rated EF5, destroyed the majority of the town of Greensburg and resulted in the death of 12 people. See more photos and a description of this chase at: Copyright Dan Robinson.
Greensburg Tourism - Experience the Story
Greensburg Kansas has a story that no other community can tell. Blown off the map in 2007, making the decision to rebuild and entire community and to do so in a sustainable way. Come experience the story in Greensburg.
Visit greensburgks.org to learn more.
Greensburg, Kansas | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:00:54 1 History
00:01:03 1.1 Early history
00:01:19 1.2 19th century
00:01:41 1.3 21st century
00:04:00 2 Geography
00:04:35 2.1 Climate
00:05:01 3 Demographics
00:05:10 3.1 2010 census
00:07:22 3.2 2000 census
00:10:12 4 Education
00:10:43 5 Attractions
00:12:40 6 Transportation
00:13:09 7 Television
00:14:04 8 Notable people
00:14:31 9 Gallery
00:14:40 10 See also
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- Socrates
SUMMARY
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Greensburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Kiowa County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 777, and before the tornado, in 2000 the population was 1,544.
In the evening of May 4, 2007, Greensburg was devastated by an EF5 tornado that traveled rapidly through the area, leveling at least 95 percent of the city and killing eleven people between the ages of 46 and 84.Greensburg today stands as a model green town, often described as the greenest in America. The hospital, city hall, and school have all been built to the highest certification level issued by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Greensburg is also home to the world's largest hand-dug well.
BigMeteorite
The meteorite museum in Greensburg Kansas before it was destroyed. The meteors obviously came from White Sands Missile base, a hundred miles south of Roswell.
Was Greensburg destroyed because of emails I sent to meteor experts? Or emails I sent to Wright Patterson about the 8-17-70 Green Flash that I witnessed as a boy in Ohio?
Going Down The Largest Hand Dug Well
It is located somewhere in Kansas. Somewhere by Dodge. Make sure you turn up your volume. You can here me painting. Sorry I stopped to let my mom take a picture of me. ???? Enjoy
Top 10 Most Famous Stairways In The World
10. Canyon Staircase: The Canyon Staircase in Ecuador is located near the famous Paílón del Diablo waterfall on the Pastaza River. It is a fairly large waterfall, and one of the major tourist destinations of Ecuador.
9. The Spanish Steps: The Spanish Steps are located in Roma, Italy. They are a monumental set of 135 stairs that lead to the Trinità dei Monti in Piazza Trinità dei Monti, climbing a steep slope, with the Piazza di Spagna at the base. It was built in 1723-1725 to form a link between the church and the Bourbon Spanish Embassy.
8. Potemkin Stairs: The Potemkin Stairs, located in Odesa, Ukraine, is the the symbol of Odessa, and acts as the entrance to the city from the sea. Originally known as the Boulevard steps, the Giant Staircase and the Richelieu steps, it had 200 stairs, but 8 were lost under sand during the extension of the port.
7. Montagne De Bueren: The Montagne de Bueren in Liège, Belgium, is not a real mountain. It is a stairway of 374 steps. It leads to the famous but largely destroyed Citadel from the Hors-Château. It was built in 1881 to help the soldiers climb down from the top of the hill to the centre of the city safely.
6. Santorini Donkey Stairway: The Santorini Stairway in Greece is one of the most famous stairways in the world. It was built in 1715 as a rough stairway into the side of the mountain, by the inhabitants of the island to hike to the top. It was improved later and used to carry cargo and passengers on donkey back mainly.
5. Sigiriya Lion’s Rock: The Lion Rock, located in Sri Lanka, is a gigantic column of rock of about 200 m. Once upon a time, it had the Sky for the king built atop this rock, which was later used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century, which is now in its ruins. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
4. Bahai’í Gardens Stairs: The Baha’í gardens in Haifa, Israel, is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, and is a UNECO World Heritage site. They are spread along a remarkable staircase of 19 terraces and 1700 stairs.
3. Schlossberg Stairs: The Schlossberg clock tower is the main attraction of Graz, Austria, visible from all parts of the city, and from the top of it, Graz and its surroundings areas. To get that that view, tourists have to climb up the Schlossberg Stairs at the far end of Schlossbergplatz.
2. Tiger Cave Temple: The Tiger Cave Temple is a famous Buddhist temple in Krabi, Thailand, and is a sacred Buddhist site. The temple has two short stairways that merge to form a strenuous set of stairs leading to the top where there is a glorious Buddha statue.
1. Chand Baori: Chand Baori is one of the deepest and largest step wells in India, located in Rajasthan. It was constructed to store water for a long time, since there is scarcity of water in Rajasthan. There are 16 storeys that extend to 100 ft, and 3500 steps that are beautifully patterned to lead down to the cool water.
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Big Well 125th Birthday
The Big Well celebrates 125 years with a birthday party during Memorial Weekend 2013.
Colorado 2016 CO 86 East Castle Rock to Elizabeth
Leaving the in-laws and heading east on CO 86, stopping at the store for some munchies for the long drive we have today.
Eastern U.S. braces for Deadly Tornadoes that killed 3 in Midwest
The spring-like storm system that spawned tornadoes in the Midwest that destroyed more than 100 homes and killed three people is rumbling eastward, putting about 95 million people in its path, forecasters said Wednesday.
Forecasters with the Storm Prediction Center said the storm system appeared headed toward the mid-Atlantic states and southern New England. They say the storms are more typical of late March and April -- but they’re springing up in regions that have seen unusually warm weather for this time of year.
“The atmosphere doesn’t care what the calendar says,” said meteorologist Patrick Marsh at the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.
Areas ranging from New York to Atlanta could be affected as the storms move east.
Marsh said the strong storm system moved from the Mountain West and collided on Tuesday with warm and humid air in the central U.S., which has enjoyed an unusually warm winter. Temperatures were well into the 70s in many places that were hit.
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A Tornado Hits The Weather Channel
We're taking you inside the weather like you've never seen it before. Jim Cantore battles the elements as a storm hits The Weather Channel.
Kiowa County
Belvidere, Haviland, Greensburg and Mullinville make up Kiowa County Kansas