Growing Up with Tornadoes in Oklahoma: Storm Chasing, Safety, and Surprising Reactions

Three years ago I was standing in line at a local coffee shop in the Alberta Arts District of Portland, Oregon, during a rare May heatwave for the state. Daytime highs were in the lower 90s, which for Oklahoma is nothing, but for Portland, it was a scorcher for late spring.

I was visiting Portland for a friend's 30th birthday weekend, and our first stop that morning was the coffee shop across the street from our AirBnb. When it's my turn to order, I made small talk with the barista and told her I was from out of town. She apologized for me visiting while it was so hot, but I told her it was nothing compared to the heat in Oklahoma.

The mention of Oklahoma made her immediately perk up, and she gave me a wide-eyed look when she asked, "Have you ever seen a tornado?"

Outsiders associate Oklahoma with tornadoes.

I laughed a little and told her I had seen in a tornado, but I answered in a way like it was a strange question to ask. At my answer, another barista chimed in and was shocked that I was standing before them, telling them about a ravenous funnel I saw fall from the sky. I was on the trip with several girls from Oklahoma, and I had forgotten that where we were visiting wasn't familiar with tornadoes.

I continued to tell the baristas that I had seen multiple tornadoes and that I used to storm chase with my dad. They asked if our storm chasing was anything like "Twister," and I said kind of, but we weren't doing it for science, it was for safety. Growing up, my dad was on the Tillman County Emergency Management board and was a storm spotter for the county.

READ MORE: A Powerful Tornado Near Hollister, Oklahoma, Left Meteorologists Speechless

I told the baristas that he attended special storm spotter training with the National Weather Service, and I liked to go with him to patrol the county during severe weather events because I was just as fascinated as he was. The baristas were even more enthralled when I told them the storm spotter training was open to the public, and that just about anyone could be a storm spotter.

Tornadoes don't scare Oklahoma residents.

By this time, I noticed the line was stacking up. And I could see my friends who ordered before me where perplexed as to why my ordering was taking so long, but these two baristas were too invested in my tornado tales, like they were watching a scary movie but couldn't look away.

I told them I had more stories of tornadoes, but we didn't have the time. They thanked me for sharing, and hoped that I would have a safe trip back to Oklahoma, without disruption from a tornado. After all, it was May, which would have been possible.

READ MORE: Ever Heard of the 'Dead Man Walking' Tornado?

Even though this interaction was in 2023, I think of it every now and then when someone asks me if I've seen a tornado. I've learned over the years that there are even Oklahomans who have lived in the state all their lives who have never seen one out in the wild. But almost every Oklahoma resident has seen a tornado on TV during live storm coverage. And it's almost guaranteed that each generation will never forget the images of towns ravaged by tornadoes.

However, whether a longtime Oklahoman has seen tornado right in front of their eyes or just on a screen, they still aren't scared to live in Oklahoma. From an early age we're taught what to do if tornadoes are possible or if one is on the ground. It's as if all Oklahomans are born into the eye of the storm, and that stillness prepares us for when the storm continues passing through.