Major Storm Damage at USO

[flynnibus]

What a "small world": no pun intended!
I guess we got maybe 3-4 inches, but mostly on grass and trees. Now it's kinda misty w/ rain/snow mix.

Yeah, too warm here. The roads never were anything but wet.. and maybe 2+" around.. but lots of open grass in areas under trees, etc. The weathermen have gotten every storm wrong this winter when it comes to precipitation for us.

 

[bethymouse]

Yeah, too warm here. The roads never were anything but wet.. and maybe 2+" around.. but lots of open grass in areas under trees, etc. The weathermen have gotten every storm wrong this winter when it comes to precipitation for us.

Yes they have!

 

[RedDad]

Anyone know how solid Disney is? How bad does a tornado have to be to damage the big buildings? (That sort of thing.)

I think Disney''s buildings are build to withstand a Cat3/4 hurricane which is in the 145mph ballpark.

Actually, most of WDW's buildings will have been designed to around 110 MPH winds or less. The latest codes, which just became a part of FL's building code in 2012 have bumped it up to between 126-144 MPH, depending on the type of building.

Also, those design wind speeds are a bit misleading, as they are based on a 3-second gust of wind - not sustained winds. With that said, most non-residential buildings perform pretty well in even very high winds - it's the flying debris that causes serious damage.

 

[coolbeans14]

Yeah, too warm here. The roads never were anything but wet.. and maybe 2+" around.. but lots of open grass in areas under trees, etc. The weathermen have gotten every storm wrong this winter when it comes to precipitation for us.

Jeez I wish the uk got that lucky at the moment. My Scottish family are literally snowed in, sheep are all dying in the snow, and when the snow does melt, those lucky welsh will probably end up in floods again. This is why Brits like Florida.

 

[Master Yoda]

Actually, most of WDW's buildings will have been designed to around 110 MPH winds or less. The latest codes, which just became a part of FL's building code in 2012 have bumped it up to between 126-144 MPH, depending on the type of building.

Also, those design wind speeds are a bit misleading, as they are based on a 3-second gust of wind - not sustained winds. With that said, most non-residential buildings perform pretty well in even very high winds - it's the flying debris that causes serious damage.

As you stated, the numbers are a bit misleading. The older codes used in the late 90's were based of a sustained wind speed vs a 3 second gust. The uplift numbers currently generated under the new code are actually a good bit lower than what was generated even just a few years ago. A 30' common truss at 130 mph exposure B under the current FBC 2010 produces a 167# uplift. Under FBC 2007 used just 3 years ago it would have produced a 423# uplift. Go all the way back to the late 90's and you would be looking at around 600#.

This is the current wind speed map.

This is the previous one from just a few years ago.

 

[RedDad]

As you stated, the numbers are a bit misleading. The older codes used in the late 90's were based of a sustained wind speed vs a 3 second gust. The uplift numbers currently generated under the new code are actually a good bit lower than what was generated even just a few years ago. A 30' common truss at 130 mph exposure B under the current FBC 2010 produces a 167# uplift. Under FBC 2007 used just 3 years ago it would have produced a 423# uplift. Go all the way back to the late 90's and you would be looking at around 600#.

Yes, I've noticed that the new "higher" wind speeds don't necessarily result in higher pressures for most regular buildings. ASCE 7-98 was the first code I worked under (we're still in 05 here in GA), so I don't have experience with the way older codes worked. It sounds like the wind speeds keep getting higher, while the actual pressures are dropping. I suppose it makes the general public feel better to know we are designing to "higher" speeds!

 

[Master Yoda]

Yes, I've noticed that the new "higher" wind speeds don't necessarily result in higher pressures for most regular buildings. ASCE 7-98 was the first code I worked under (we're still in 05 here in GA), so I don't have experience with the way older codes worked. It sounds like the wind speeds keep getting higher, while the actual pressures are dropping. I suppose it makes the general public feel better to know we are designing to "higher" speeds!

Pretty much. I started back in 1995 and the code was an SBCCI code (I forget the number), but it could change by the county. Florida went to a unified code in 2000 (give or take). Back the it was not uncommon to see uplift load past 1000# on a common truss.

 

[tahqa]

yeah, neither is this area.. but in recent years we've gotten more of them. I mean you hear of clouds.. and microbursts.. but never a bonified twister on the ground doing severe damage when I was growing up. And then we get something like this..

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/lwx/Historic_Events/apr28-2002/laplata.htm

F3 tornado right through a town.. it's crazy when you can see the 'finger of god' in the satellite images from the damage..

Oh... yeah... the La Plata tornado. I lived about 5 miles from that when it happened. One of my friends was living right in the path of it. Not a good time...

 

[JenniferS]

Oh, my gosh. Snow days are the best thing. They send mass emails now, but when I was a kid, the only way to find out was to watch the news. The schools would always tell you what channel(s) they reported to, so you turned on that channel.

And you'd sit and watch. And they'd read them off. "Lincoln City Schools, Roosevelt City Schools, Jefferson Township..." They read a lot of them, so it took a while. You'd hear a system next to yours listed and get excited! "If they called off Progress City, maybe we'll get called off, too!" And then you'd hear your school's name!!!!!!!

We'd literally jump for joy! Woo-Hoo! I don't have to go to school! My brother actually spilled his cereal bowl one morning, jumping up when they announced our school.

It was the best feeling in the world.

My high school, unfortunately, was located in a city of people who prided themselves on the city's ability to keep the roads clear (which they really did!) and in four years of high school, not one snow day. One time, the TV people even said, "If you can hear this broadcast, your school is closed, unless you live in Craptown. They're the only one remaining open." Everyone was talking about that. Even the teachers were complaining that day. It took up an entire two-page spread in the yearbook, the fact that we were the only ones who had to go to school that day.

But snow days are like the greatest thing in life for a kid. Not that it makes living in snowy places worth it...

Aaah - the memories. You just took me back 30+ years.
They seem to call them a lot more often now.
In our school system, if the buses are canceled, ALL schools are closed board-wide. A little overkill, if you ask me.

 

[AGDLillyBelle]

Jefferson County here! Schools closed today!SNOW DAY! In late March! Who'd a thunk it?

I'm in Grant. We're on spring break, but it would have been a snow day! It's been a mess since about five yesterday.

 

[HauntedPirate]

A friend of mine was at MK yesterday with his family, and they were told to go into the nearest bathrooms. His wife (a Project Manager) made the comment on Facebook, "Disney doesn't have a business continuity plan! They were horribly unprepared!!!! Very scary for a "family" friendly place! Extremely disappointed. The most helpful staff were the bathroom attendants!"

 

[bsiev1977]

A friend of mine was at MK yesterday with his family, and they were told to go into the nearest bathrooms. His wife (a Project Manager) made the comment on Facebook, "Disney doesn't have a business continuity plan! They were horribly unprepared!!!! Very scary for a "family" friendly place! Extremely disappointed. The most helpful staff were the bathroom attendants!"

What bothered Ms. Project Manager about having to go into a bathroom? That Disney didn't have a luxurious storm shelter ready for everyone? Might not have been comfortable, but if the bathroom is the safest structure, it's the safest structure.

Seems like a plan was in place, even if the lady didn't like it.

On a related note, I actually didn't realize that Disney has bathroom attendants. Did she mean regular janitorial staff? When I hear "bathroom attendant", I think of the guy in the strip club with the collection of cologne and mints.

 

[Tom]

What bothered Ms. Project Manager about having to go into a bathroom? That Disney didn't have a luxurious storm shelter ready for everyone? Might not have been comfortable, but if the bathroom is the safest structure, it's the safest structure.

Seems like a plan was in place, even if the lady didn't like it.

On a related note, I actually didn't realize that Disney has bathroom attendants. Did she mean regular janitorial staff? When I hear "bathroom attendant", I think of the guy in the strip club with the collection of cologne and mints.

LOL....I concur with everything you said. Had to have been a custodian, or roaming CM who happened to duck into the bathroom too. And there are only so many safe places to stash 40,000+ guests. Sounds like a perfecly fine plan to me.

 

[coachwnh]

Everything looks fine down to carrebian beach.

As a side note, you tourists specifically from Tech Texas and Mississippi cannot drive for crap.

Lots of leaf damage as I'm heading down to the Waldorf Astoria.

Nothing significant on the south end of property

I know its a serious thread, but this made me laugh!!!!

 

[bethymouse]

I'm in Grant. We're on spring break, but it would have been a snow day! It's been a mess since about five yesterday.

Our Spring Break is next week. It's been nasty since 5:30 pm yesterday for us! A memorable Palm Sunday/Holy Week storm!
Once again- "small world" isn't it?

 

[flynnibus]

Aaah - the memories. You just took me back 30+ years.
They seem to call them a lot more often now.
In our school system, if the buses are canceled, ALL schools are closed board-wide. A little overkill, if you ask me.

We have the same issue to a degree.. schools are open or closed county wide. But the county is not uniform in accessibility or elevation. So what can be very very difficult out west.. may be a pittance in the east. But the county opens or closes as a whole. Leads to many people going 'why why why'

 

[disney fan 13]

Nice amount of pics from Uni on OU.

http://www.orlandounited.com/forums/showthread.php?5998-Universal-Orlando-Resort-Misc-Refurbs/page85

 

[disneygirl1024]

I'm in Grant. We're on spring break, but it would have been a snow day! It's been a mess since about five yesterday.

Nice to see a fellow WDWmagic friend so close to me. Campbell County KY reporting here. We didn't get hardly anything here. But if anyone wants our snow, I can send some. Im sick of seeing it. Im ready for spring already.

 

[StageFrenzy]

Actually, most of WDW's buildings will have been designed to around 110 MPH winds or less. The latest codes, which just became a part of FL's building code in 2012 have bumped it up to between 126-144 MPH, depending on the type of building.

Also, those design wind speeds are a bit misleading, as they are based on a 3-second gust of wind - not sustained winds. With that said, most non-residential buildings perform pretty well in even very high winds - it's the flying debris that causes serious damage.

Ron White: "It's not that the wind is blowing, it's what the wind is blowing."

 

[sweetpee_1993]

What bothered Ms. Project Manager about having to go into a bathroom? That Disney didn't have a luxurious storm shelter ready for everyone? Might not have been comfortable, but if the bathroom is the safest structure, it's the safest structure.

Seems like a plan was in place, even if the lady didn't like it.

On a related note, I actually didn't realize that Disney has bathroom attendants. Did she mean regular janitorial staff? When I hear "bathroom attendant", I think of the guy in the strip club with the collection of cologne and mints.

Believe it or not, back in the day there was a CM assigned to each bathroom. That CM was there sweeping up, wiping every drop of water off the counter after each person washed their hands, toilet paper was always stocked, and you were always greeted coming & going with a smile. My mother used to say you could eat in the Disney bathrooms they were so clean.

LOL....I concur with everything you said. Had to have been a custodian, or roaming CM who happened to duck into the bathroom too. And there are only so many safe places to stash 40,000+ guests. Sounds like a perfecly fine plan to me.

And, sadly, this is what we get these days. A custodial CM who happens to look in on the restrooms every now & then. It's nooooothing like it was when there was a CM assigned to each restroom full time.



As far as the context of the conversation, a restroom regardless of the cleanliness, beats the alternative when shelter from severe wind & lightning is needed at a moment's notice. Definitely need to put things in perspective. One can take a shower and wash their clothes. Not such an easy fix if you're dead or maimed, right?