Kansas nuclear plant closest to deadly tornado in Joplin, Mo., not fully prepared for storm

Comforting.

The closest nuclear power plant to tornado-ravaged Joplin, Mo., was singled out weeks before the storm for being vulnerable to twisters.

Inspections triggered by Japan's nuclear crisis found that some emergency equipment and storage sites at the Wolf Creek nuclear plant in southeastern Kansas might not survive a tornado.
Specifically, plant operators and federal inspectors said Wolf Creek did not secure equipment and vehicles needed to fight fires, retrieve fuel for emergency generators and resupply water to keep nuclear fuel cool as it's being moved.
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Those instances, along with the situation at Wolf Creek, highlight a larger problem at the nation's 104 nuclear reactors: While reactors and safety systems are designed to withstand a worst-case earthquake, flood, or tornado, that doesn't necessarily mean all emergency equipment or the buildings that house such equipment are disaster proof.

Wolf Creek's location in Tornado Alley means that it was designed to handle the maximum tornadoes possible for the United States, with wind speeds up to 360 miles per hour and a maximum rotational speed of 290 miles per hour.

But its fire truck is parked in a sheet-metal building "not protected from seismic or severe weather events," according to the NRC inspection conducted after the Japanese disaster.

As the old saying goes:  A chain is only as strong as its weakest link..

The Tension Is As Palpable As The Humidity..

This is some serious/intense bullshit.  Branson remains, so far, "unscathed," but these tornadic systems are CHARGED with electricity, the likes of which I've never experienced.  And they are relentless.  Denning, Arkansas was hit by mile-wide tornado earlier this evening.  It's probably gone. 

I can't imagine having to deal with damage caused by these storms.  It's like a gigantic circular saw blade boring into the earth.  The destruction is so..  Thorough..  So complete.  I can't imagine what these people are feeling right now.

If you live in the four state region, the implications of this particular recurring, savage system have now become very, very real..  There is no real safe place, and suddenly, life holds no guarantees.  Also, the horror of another Joplin-style catastrophe becomes more mockingly random, as total destruction can now come clothed as a rain wrapped tornado within a storm system that's really not all that impressive.  Not that that couldn't have happened before, but it never did.  Now it has.

This is not normal weather, and these are not normal times.  Everything is changing, or is about to change.. 

This is but one manifestation of that change..

Missouri Bleeds Tonight. Joplin Will Never Be The Same..

The scope of this disaster will become more clear in the coming days.  All the local real time coverage alluded to the fact no one saw the tornado coming, as it was wrapped in rain.  It hit Sunday at 6 p.m..  No one was expecting it.  I've worked in radio, through the years, over seven years, and have seen, on radar, some monster storms.  This one was, by far, not the biggest or worst looking I've ever seen.  This tornado was all just a gigantic, unexpected disaster.  And the destruction is horrible.

Mike Bettes of the Weather Channel was visibly affected by the tornado's wake.  Bettes' team was following this storm and came upon the damage left (No audio for this video..)after it had passed.  His behavior upon arrival, looking for survivors before reporting from the scene, was exemplary.  Thank you Mike Bettes for behaving like a decent human being when confronted with crisis.  Your good hearted response was touching. 

So much more soon, I'm sure..