To the Editor:
I live in southwest Ocala. This past Saturday morning, on March 14, 2022, at around 8 a.m., there was a line of strong storms coming through the area. I paid close attention to the Weather Channel radar map app on my computer and mobile phone along with monitoring the outside weather conditions. There were a few random warning tones about the impending line of thunderstorms, but there were no tornado watch or warning tones issued. My subdivision was directly hit by a significant tornado. The area sustained moderate damage with all the exit roads blocked by fallen trees and debris. Several homes under construction were toppled. Several occupied homes suffered damage also.
My question is: why were there no prolonged tones issued on our mobile phones warning of the impending tornado that stretched from Dunnellon with a 200-yard width and traveled 25 miles, from the southwest across I-75 in Marion County, as reported by the local news? We have often received alert tones of the Amber Alerts, even in the middle of the night. I have several weather apps downloaded. No alerts of a tornado occurred.
I have lived in several tornado prone areas, including Oklahoma, and personally have experienced major tornadoes. I am very concerned about the lack of warning for a tornado this size and the amount of destruction that occurred. Was there no observation by a meteorologist of the obvious signs of an impending fire up of a tornado? Did it just slip through?
What happened so that there was no watch or warning placed prior to this event occurring? Why were there no watch or warning boxes on the live radar feed system? Why was there no official warning of the emergency broadcast system on TV or mobile phone alert tones to shelter?
I have lived in various states, both in the city and in the country, due to my husband’s Air Force career. There has always been some sort of early warning system or siren that is sounded as far back as I can remember. Many times, there has been the warning sound/alert from our mobile phones. Maybe it was just our area that did not receive a warning. Maybe someone could shed some light on what happened.
I am a retired Registered Nurse/Paramedic and have a history with hospital and pre-hospital disaster management training. This could have been a far worse scenario. We dodged a bullet with not having the early warning sounded.
Deborah Cox
Ocala resident
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