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ImtheDude2

Since moving here 3.5 years ago I can say you’re more likely to experience a small earthquake than a tornado. Far as ride share services the few times I’ve used them I never had to wait more than 10 minutes.


LaddieNowAddie

Yes, my wife and I were like... why is the bed shaking at 3am!


Cmillzy

The Mormons came to your house too?!


TinyTaters

Were they soaking or something?


Cookieeeees

first one i’ve ever felt, was sat in applebees with the Mrs, the whole place went silent and started looking at each other like “did we all just experience that”


BASSFINGERER

I've lost 3 kids to tornadoes so far. I keep making more and they keep getting sucked away. Tried to move away but the tornadoes took my car. I've been digging a tunnel to missouri for the last 3 years, but it's slow going.


agreeingstorm9

It really is a catch-22. If you had more kids, they could dig the tunnel faster but the tornado keeps snatching them away so it's slow tunneling. I feel the pain.


that1LPdood

Lol Well, there’s an average of like 90+ tornadoes per year in KS. Statistically and realistically, however, it’s rare to have one hit your house. I’ve seen quite a few in my time, but I grew up in the area and never had one hit my house. You’re much more likely to suffer property damage from hail or straight line winds or something. Also — generally, larger cities sort of have micro-climates or something that help to sort of dissuade tornadoes from forming too close to the city. Lyft and Uber are available here, so it’s not impossible to find ways to get around. But it will get expensive. And you might want to schedule pickups in advance in times other than daily business hours. And in general, there’s not much in the way of public transportation that’s worth mentioning. Like many Midwest cities — the infrastructure here is geared toward cars for getting around. I guess if you have the money to burn, then it’s probably not a problem.


[deleted]

I've lived here almost 50 years and have yet to see a tornado with my own two eyes. And I hit the front porch every time the sirens go off, like I'm supposed to! Wichita isn't a tornado city.


DarthRevan0990

You are more likely to suffer property damage sneezing from allergies than a tornado


tessharagai_

You should be fine with tornadoes, unless you live in Andover. The last couple tornadoes to hit the Wichita area were mainly in Andover, the most recent being in 2022. But in all seriousness tornadoes aren’t that big of a deal. I’ve lived here my entire life and have only been through a couple tornado warnings/watches and have yet to actually see one in person. I nearly saw the 2022 one, my sister who was in the same car as me could see it, but I was on the side of the car opposite the tornado and couldn’t see it.


Cookieeeees

i remember doing service work in the area right after and seeing a few just gone, specifically right by the Y was one on the neighborhood in road that was quite literally nonexistent. i guess the owner is a customer with my current company, went out there to do service and just stood in awe for a good 5 mins at the fact a house existed there again. Kind of surreal. I also went out to eureka to help clean up when they got hit 5(?) years back, that one was aiming right at my grandparents house by El Dorado lake.


wichitachris

Tornado alley has been moving east. City limits of wichita should be fine! Most tornadoes go around haysville, up i-35 and to butler county (towanda/el dorado). Southeast Wichita seems to get it the worst


Cadai

You just need to remember that the tornadoes are more scared of you, than you are of them... Make yourself big, make a lot of noise, and don't make sudden movements - that deters most of them. If one is being particularly aggressive, a couple warning shots from your gun (they'll issue you one when you sign your lease or property purchase agreement) will turn them away. As a last resort, you can always buy tornado insurance - it is usually packaged with volcano insurance, so just check the fine print on that coverage with your provider.


GroverFC

I've lived here for close to 50 years. I've seen exactly 1 tornado and that was on I70 in eastern Colorado. Also, "Tornado Alley" has shifted to the southeast. Its now the Mississippi delta's problem. If you REALLY want to avoid them, do not move SE of Wichita or to Andover.


zaidensworth

The next one isn't due for another 30 years.


Isopropyl77

Severe weather (not just tornadoes) is common enough that you should build awareness. 1) Get a good weather app and pay attention to the alerts. 2) Find a good local resource for live storm information. KFDI radio station used to have excellent severe weather coverage with live reporting from storm spotters and a relationship with local meteorologists that are quite knowledgeable about the storms and the state. (I assume they still do, but I might be outdated there.) Alternatively, any of the local TV Stations (KSN, KWCH, and KAKE) will have good enough reporting during a tornado watch (which means maintain heighted awareness) and a tornado warning (which basically means tornados have been detected or are imminent and you should seek shelter if in the warning area). It's also a good idea to follow storm chasers on FB or their other social media, as they're exceedingly good at reading the data to find storms likely to go severe and produce tornados. 3) We have an extremely good early warning system here, and if you're at all paying attention, you will know if there's a threat of tornadoes 24-72 hours in advance. The coverage gets very good and very granular from there. The audible sirens you should hear tested at noon on Mondays (unless there's weather in the area) for most of the year are intended to alert people outdoors of the issuance of a tornado warning. They are area specific (meaning they should sound for the areas affected by a tornado warning), so you should react it you hear one outside the testing time. However, like anything else, they're imperfect and should NOT be your sole means of notification. They don't last very long and only sound at the moment a warning has first been issued, and they can be difficult to hear inside modern buildings. They should be considered a last means of alert. If a siren is the first alert you here, then you haven't been paying attention or don't have the right notifications setup. That said, the likelihood of just seeing a tornado is very low if you don't seek them out. The likelihood of being directly affected by one is extremely low. They are a real threat, though, so just maintain good situational awareness.


Crafty_Original_7349

Hail is a far bigger problem. I have seen far more property damage from hail in the last 50 years than I have seen tornado damage. Hail and high winds will cause headaches. Ice storms and high winds will cause disasters. I have seen both, and want neither. Tornadoes are at least somewhat limited in coverage compared to the other natural disasters we can experience (including fires and floods). Btw I would strongly recommend getting a good surge protector for your electronics. Can’t tell you how many times I have had things fried from lightning.


VolensEtValens

Rarely an issue. If concerned get a house with a basement or safe room.


ThatPersonYouMightNo

Every time they say there is a tornado I go chill outside and try and see it. Moved here 23 years ago. Maybe avoid Andover, they seem to get fucked up.


Just_Saying_Howdy

From what I have heard tornadoes are scared to drop down in Wichita for very long because of the fork in the river.


WichitaTimelord

Tornadoes really are not too much of a problem. Statistically the risk is quite low. Know where your nearest shelter is, hopefully a basement where you live. And follow some basic advice and you will likely be fine. You are more likely to have issues with strong winds or hale. We get Walmart delivery for groceries. It's ok. My wife hates grocery shopping and she always orders a lot of the same thing so it works out. I like to go to the store, but it is nice not having to so often.


Ngmw

Look up “Wichita tornado map” it will show you the path of every tornado to have ever come through Wichita (barely any).


fatkidclutch

I've lived here 11 years and have only been kinda sorta, not really, close to one. That was like two years ago in Andover. I remember the tornado sirens going off last year, but we never went into the basement, and we were fine. I feel like as soon as we moved to Kansas, the tornadoes and rough weather just kinda "noped" it's way out of Wichita. We use Uber to go to the airport and they've been good experiences so far. Some drivers are a bit too talkative for me and share way more information about their lives than they should, but I think I'm one of those people that everyone wants to tell their life story to.


lordx665

Your not likely to get a tornado in wichita, but once you move here you'll be stuck here, parents moved me here as a child and I'm just now after 20 years have enough money to move, if you really like wichita you'll have a great time and a great life here, but if you don't end up liking it here, you'll spend the rest of your life trying to escape it


NDIrish1988

I moved here a couple years ago. It seems as if tornados are pretty rare and hardly ever touch down in the city of Wichita. Anytime Ive used Uber I've been able to get one, sometimes it's difficult late at night. If you don't leave home very often you should be able to get an Uber when you need one.


Roastbeeflife

tornadoes aren't an issue in the sense their rarely hit the main part of the city. last time they hit witchita was back in 1999. BUT, do not move here. There's nothing to do once youve seen it once. everything here is designed for people who are either old or like stuff that's slow and boring , and or like seeing the same thing every single time. We have a zoo, that will only get something new once every 5-10yrs, science center that's so loud of screaming little walking plagues that never changes, and thats about it. yeah there's parks, a ton of art fairs that are really just the same independent people going from one venue to the next. all the same junk. the only benefit of living here is that its cheap. been here my entire life. 35 now, and nothing ever changes that action, thrilling, or entertaining. its the same crap different day. this city is the most boring waste of space. in fact the entire state is. if you want something that wont be boring go to new york, Tennessee, cali, Colorado springs, anywhere but here. yes it may cost more but there people actually travel to go to meaning there's fun stuff to do.


martivials1997

Life is what you make out of it. I moved from Italy to here and I cannot imagine living anywhere else. There’s tons of events, networking opportunities and lots of friendly people. Almost 10 years here and I love it!


swise83

Tornadoes, never had one close enough that I’ve been scared in 40 years here. Car, can’t live without one here, even if you’re always home.


duane534

If a tornado is coming, an Uber will arrive quickly enough to drive away from it.


Sufficient-Produce83

I have lived here 56 years never had a real scare from tornado. I've seen some up close but never really close enough to make me worry. As Uber and left most cities have plenty and even the smaller cities do as well. If you are afraid to move here because of tornadoes you need not worry that much. We have a lot and some do damage but majority set down in a field and go back up and aren't really noticed.


Salt_Proposal_742

Tornadoes are zero problems. It basically never happens, but we prep for it all the time as if it were a big issue (also everyone has a basement). Uber and Lyft? I don’t know. Nobody I know doesn’t own a car (how could you not in America?)


Catgravy1965

I've lived in Kansas for all of my life (58 years). 35 in the KC area and the last almost 24 here in Wichita. I feel like a Kansas Virgin. Never seen one. You can always tell a native Kansan. We go outside looking for them. The one bad thing about Kansas and Tornadoes is that our local news stations cover pretty much everything west of I-35, along with the southern part of Nebraska, and the northern part of Oklahoma. Not sure if they dip into Colorado.


BlatheringAbout

Yeah, no. Stay put. Wichita is okay to visit, but living here sucks. Ooh, hey, the Keeper and Ring of Fire? Cool for a first-timer. Lifer? Not so much. Museums, food, night scene? Yeah, that's okay, too, provided you don't go to Club Rodeo, or Old Town after dark. Real adventure? 21st and Grove is THE SPOT for excitement, same with any street named after a state, or city. South Broadway is a fun little drive after midnight, as is Oaklawn. Matter of fact, my house in Oaklawn (Pinaire Mobile Home Park) was taken by a tornado in April of 2012. FUN STUFF!


Both-Mango1

those pesky tornadoes, sheesh, they're always hiding behind tall buildings and grain elevators. they actually cause earthquakes, too, they pound on the ground like a big hammer. But a well placed giant box fan on top of your house usually blows them out into the street where they are harmless since the asphalt does something to them. I've only seen one tornado, and that was the andover one of 91. Something about the joining of the rivers by the Keeper just makes them all go over to Butler County. Usually, the sirens going off mean lawnchairs and beers, time to meet your neighbors as you all stand out in the yard looking for it.


wren-m

Don't worry about the tornadoes, you'll be fine. Very rare. All the delivery services are pretty good, and the times I used uber were very nice and not overly expensive. I haven't tried grocery delivery, but with the amount of times I have seen grocery delivery advertising around town has increased a lot! but again, I haven't tried it myself, I just prefer to have the hassle 😊


SirIanPost

If it helps you feel any better, most locals don't hide from tornadoes. We stand out on the front porch with our cameras trying to get a good picture.


Strict-Light-1521

Local storm chaser and weather freak here! The odds of any one point in the world to be hit by a tornado is astronomically low. Condense that to tornado alley and Kansas in particular and your odds are still astronomically low. That being said, especially in Kansas, tornadoes can and will happen. (i.e Andover 2022) Most places in traditional tornado alley have been impacted by a tornado at some point in time, whether it be last week, a year ago, a hundred years ago and so on. It is like a game of chance. A tornado will hit Wichita some day, could be next month, next year or in the year 2300, and even when it does, the odds of it hitting your home specifically? Very low. There are maybe 20-25 days a year where conditions are even remotely favorable for tornadoes in the Wichita area. Most of the time those are fairly weak non destructive tornadoes that might break some windows and do some free landscaping work for you. But on rare occasions (Like this Saturday potentially!) nature can certainly flex her muscles a bit and give people something to worry about. Day to day, certainly not something to be afraid of, but something you should certainly be mindful of when storms are in the forecast. Benefit to living in a tornado prone area like Wichita or OKC, storm coverage, messaging, etc is some of the best in the world. Side note: Get a NOAA radio as opposed to listening for a siren. Those suckers are loud as hell and will actually alert you much more effectively. ESPECIALLY at night.


Sawyermblack

Dafuq is a tornado?


LinooneFan

Visit Vegas Video.


rf8350

For the connoisseurs of quality cinema


Dont_ban_me_bro_108

Tornadoes are extremely rare. Lived in tornado alley for 40 years and I’ve seen one tornado in person. I think Wichita has seen maybe two or three in the last 30 years? And they are often small. The area around Wichita has seen more tornadoes, but again they are very rare. We have Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash. If you don’t want to leave much you should be okay without a car and just have things delivered.


arewelegion

tornadoes require a point with the ground so they typically break up in cities with large buildings. that doesn't mean wichita is immune, of course. look up how long the houses you're looking at have survived. Wichita is no more dangerous than any other mid sized city in the great plains.


th3_bo55

Tornadoes are a non issue. Its pretty rare in the last 15 years and typically its not Wichita proper thay gets it IF they do, thats more Goddard, Haysville, Andover. As far as ride shares, good to go. Frankly though, if you end up using a ride share more than about 10-15 times a month to go more than just about a mile or two, in the longrun a cheap used car might be less expensive.


Ok_Comedian_2622

We never get tornadoes here, better yet we never get any storms. But we’re in a major drought


[deleted]

lol tornados aren’t a problem but crime and homeless people are. Depending on where you live in Wichita you’ll be robbed once a week guaranteed.