Tornado-like sounds heard by the locals
The news service reports: “On Wednesday evening (09.03.2011) we (the news channel WcTv. TV - translator's note) received many calls from residents who heard a strange sound, as if from a freight train. Residents feared it was a tornado. But this is not the case. Perhaps it was about a phenomenon called "duct" and in this regard, the National Meteorological Service of Tallahassee (Tallahassee is the capital of Florida, - translator's note) made a statement."
Tallahassee News: We got a lot of calls on Wednesday night, mostly from people in the area from Woodville to Crawfordville
(Crawfordville) about rumbling sounds like a freight train. Residents feared it was a tornado. But this is not the case. By that time, the leading edge of the thunderstorm was well formed in the south, and although thunderclaps were still heard, however, the storm had already ended.
Naturally, the residents experienced some fear, suspecting that a tornado funnel was forming."
The gist of the statement by the aforementioned Tallahassee National Weather Service is as follows:
“The phenomenon under discussion was caused by thunder from distant lightning strikes. There was a rise in sound from stable air layers above the sound source. Such a phenomenon is called "duct", as a result of which sound can travel very long distances. This sound was mistaken for a tornado. However, we - the national meteorological service - consider it necessary to clarify: there were no tornadoes and they did not even
were predicted by us."
Comments:
All this was written on the WCTV website as of the time of translation, i.e. 04.04.2011. However, on April 3, the content of the information was somewhat different. The translation of the following material is made from a previously prudently preserved original source. So:
1) First, the number of calls and concerns of local residents were reported. The same as at the top of the article, at the very beginning after the heading "Tornado-like sounds …"
2) An eyewitness comment: “What is this noise ??? We were sure it was a tornado. But unlike an ordinary tornado, this sound did not change its position and we heard it for about more than 20 minutes. It was so loud that both the house and the base of the house shook slightly.
I called 911. They said that they didn’t know what it was, but that there were already many messages from other people about this noise. According to them, they sent a patrol to figure out what was going on …
There was a flash of light that appeared from the same place from which the noise was heard, after the flash, the noise disappeared. I thought it was a temporary break, I still thought it was possible, a tornado. But that didn't matter anymore. In cases of a threat of a tornado, we even send children to the bath and lay a mattress under them, just in case.
I also called the News Service. They said it was not a tornado. And that the police told them to tell the callers that it was a roaring plane, or rather the noise of its engine at the airport. I have lived 6 km from the airport for the last 20 years, and I have never heard a plane engine roar like that. To claim such a thing is madness to say the least.
When the noise finally stopped, we drove to the airport and stopped at a gas station near the airport. The gas station workers reported that they had not heard anything.
And in the 11 o'clock news on the same night, the meteorological news head commented on the calls of people about the noise in this way: they say, don't worry, it was not a tornado, and even definitely not an airplane, but just … THUNDER !!!
If there is anyone who has ever heard the Thunder rumble like the ones I have heard, please let me know. It's so strange for me that each time the version about the noise changed. Are we really that stupid, or do we not know what might look like thunder ??? (the eyewitness shows sarcasm - translator's note).
Anyway, I don't know what it was. If you have any guesses, please share."
At the time of translation on 04/04/11, this comment was not.
3) Slightly below, after the above comment, there was the following information. I will quote them in quotes. I quote in full. “Last night I was surprised to see that the Tallahassee National Weather Service confirmed that the sound recorded by the radar was the result of 'military training' and not rain. This is the area on Monday and last night (ie Tuesday) and 'caught' the discussed noise. See the second paragraph.
FXUS62 KTAE 090203
AFDTAE (perhaps we are talking about service data - translator's note)
Discussed forecast for the area whose residents heard the noise
9:03 am, Tuesday 8 March 2011
… strong storms are possible on Wednesday …
Update…
Forecast for tonight: increase in cloud cover and decrease in temperature ranging from 50 degrees in the east of the region to 60 degrees in the west. Showers may reach the western border regions late tonight, however, most of the significant rain may
continue until Wednesday inclusive.
Although the radar detects sounds from the forecast area … perhaps this echo is the result of military training, and not a rainstorm, because there is currently a slight cloud cover over the area (where the strange noise was heard)."
Translation: Anna Krasnova
