4-28-2014 WTVA Tupelo Tornado Coverage

Coverage begins shortly before the station picked up the tornado on TowerCam.
Courtesy of WTVA Tupelo, MS

[@AirRaider56]

When a meteorologist tells you to go to the basement, that means NOW, shouldn't have to tell people 3-4 times

[@DrKJ4SCE]

Matt Schlicht How about the people that weren't listening/viewing the first 2 or 3 times he told them that?

[@N4TCM]

Big tough guy cause he's the METEOROLOGIST......He'll survive on his own thank you.....lol. After the building's blown away he'll still be there to tell you what's going because it's for your safety.....what a guy.....lol

[@needleswolf]

I can tell you from experience I've studied storms for twenty years and people still don't always listen to me.

[@justin20232]

Hell I would've been in the basement as soon as I got to the building. I can do my work down there and question why it took them so long to do the same.

[@sammylacks4937]

I have watched this meteorologist issuing tornado warnings and talking to his audience and I like him. He reminds me of Gary England or James Spann. That type and don't know exactly where he's located but assume it's in Mississippi. He seems to me that he knows his job and genuinely cares about his listeners as well as everyone in the path of this tornado. Great job young man.

[@crystalg534]

who else felt like they were actually watching this live?

[@OppyEats]

Crystal G i remember watching it live in my bathtub

[@benos4x4adventures49]

I was on the shitter .... I just had to poop. I missed watching it

[@Bluebelle51]

I was watching it live

[@joesmoe71]

Great job by this guy, staying cool and professional all through it

[@bubblez8034]

Matt Thank you for all that you do. We were very lucky that year. Thanks for such great coverage. We had no fatalities in Tupelo due to the coverage you provided us for that day. #bestmeterologistmississippistyle

[@tracyfrederick5606]

Y'all are blessed to have him. You get so many tornadoes .

[@ashleiibernath9082]

I find really awesome of how he handled the situation. You can tell he was scared shittless but wouldn't everyone? He kept repeating get to your safe place and I find that really good because that's kind of their way of saying this is serious. When the news says get to your safe place for a tornado, that's when you know that shit is REAL!!!

[@Crocfan20]

This is the second time I've seen a broadcast met have to take shelter due to a tornado bearing down on the station. My goodness!

[@kingdawg237]

To heck with that, I think at least two others (WBRC Birmingham and WAPT Jackson) had to do it on 4/28 alone.

[@gavinnielsen1674]

Seen the KSN sheltering? It's more of a whack.

[@Crazak53]

Matt’s great at what he does. We’re lucky to have him.

[@dustin1203]

The weather anchor came back for his water bottle before proceeding down to basement...

[@OppyEats]

Dustin D. Wenn it was his phone but yeah

[@SuperBrotherBob]

God bless them. Watching this hurts as I lived in Olive Branch, MS. for over two years. Been to Tupelo a few times. Olive Branch got hit by two tornadoes while I lived there in 2009 and 2010. Drove into a weak one on the way home from work.

[@tracyfrederick5606]

He's so young but he's great ! His market is fortunate to have him !

[@DR-mq1vn]

I live in another State. But if I ever have to move to Mississippi, then I am moving into Matt's area. He is a great weatherman!

[@AURADRCalifornia]

I was in Broadcasting. He did incredibly well. Came back to get doplar radar out on the air. Took charge. Professional for sure. well done. PEACE-OUT Auradr California

[@swmpdwlr]

This guy does a great job. but every time I see one of his videos it sounds like it's raining inside the studio. Do they work in a toolshed?

[@vr6swp]

Streaming video feeds are bad about picking up noise and / or interference. It could also be background noise from heavy rain and hail on the roof of the station, the guy says in this video they are under the hail shaft of the storm. WAAY in Huntsville also had this problem, and you can very clearly hear a local tornado siren in their videos (it's across the street from the station)..

[@gavinnielsen1674]

vr6swp I have actually heard the siren when you pointed that out.

[@Lillyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy]

They have a metal roof at the station for some odd reason. Still do to this day. You can hear it on air every time it rains.

[@bondoly66]

The station is an old school.

[@DurellSmith]

he did a great job!

[@NVRAMboi]

Like a boss.

[@gedisdiop]

If you live in a mobile home, which is the most unsafe structure to live in, in the event of a tornado, I would say get in our car, and drive fast as all get out to get out the tornado's path.

[@billygnw90]

Good idea! I live in a mobile home.Every time they are calling for it,I want to be out of here.I don't blame you a bit.I love this weather man.Best ones ever on WTVA.Give seen it on live,didn't get to finish watching it because of the interruption because we have sattelitte.Louisville is hit the hardest in Mississippi that day.I've been through a few tornadoes.No fun.

[@billygnw90]

Yeah, I bet.I have been through some before,just here in Winston County.That day it hit Tupelo,we watched it on live.Didn't get to finish watching it bout time that tornado got to the street,it went to that interuption.The part that it skipped.That day our city got hit Louisville which it was hit the hardest here in Mississippi that day,my friend just got in Louisville and got really bad.His truck, it sucked some of that paint off his truck.It moved it into the gas pump.He WS too close.His girlfriend called to help evacuate people from the hospital which it was close.He got close and didn't make it there in time.He said cars flying across the road.He said that sucker went right across the drive at the hospital.It tour it up.Not a joke.

[@memorex398]

is that the generator I hear trying to come on line or the tornado at 5:35?

[@michaelkks]

This is why you dont run a TV weather center off of just internet!!!

[@johnalang]

Why did the reporter return to the studio at the end? The tornado is still in the area!

[@OppyEats]

John Lang because Matt Laubhan is a man that genuinely cares

[@CristalGayl]

He is really really attractive!!!!

[@bradywood459]

He's married to a news anchor, and also has a little girl... So good luck with that

[@addisonbook8812]

It's amazing now that there more careful bout issuing warning like these because they want to be thoroughly sure if they can't see it or not evident on radar yet they say tornadoes possible with a severe thunderstorm warning

[@jonlyons1676]

Love how at 5:36 he's got the thing up for what to do during a tornado warning ... Lol turn up the volume on the tv lol I think most of us are smart enough to do that lol

[@benos4x4adventures49]

My list is: Beers Johnny walker Neighbor's cat Snacks Cash DVDs and tv Xbox Pc And maybe the wife

[@barbarahenry9231]

Is this Kansas?

[@EnigmaticTornado]

Tupelo, Mississippi

[@jonlyons1676]

Abby Moore I wasn't being rude I'm sorry if it seemed like. That but I give him props for doing what he does

[@morgangrey4020]

+Jon Lyons read the thread on this ...know you meant no harm,but a lot of kids might be at home by themselves thats why he explains things to make it simple ...but does look like he's 17 years old..lol...but a good weatherman nonetheless.

[@darylstreet5749]

This guy did a good job

[@jacobnichols6853]

7 to 8 mouths i saw that tornado on wtva channel living in Northwest Alabama 3 year earlier the worst torando outbreak in history April 27 2011 one of does torandos almost hit my house when I saw that tatal fear run though me thinking it was the day before 3 year anniversary scar to death

[@DrKJ4SCE]

Jacob Nichols Just curious, what county in Northwest, Alabama do you live in, @Jacob Nichols?

[@ramiromelendez6274]

Ramiro Melendez 😪😪😪😪😪😪😪😖

[@crimsonangel8027]

Why does he remind me of Doogie Houser?

[@mazingerzeta9155]

It is in the times of despair that true leaders keep their cool. Hats off to this guy, who did the right thing at the right time. He was the leader needed for the occasion! He didn't care he was not the boss, he was the man in charge...if we only had someone like him in the whitehouse instead of Obama....

[@F4FireAndSecurity]

Yes

[@icedbirth8821]

Lol always gotta make things political

[@stevarino1989]

at the beginning why does it sound like it's raining?

[@muzikmind77]

It was

[@stevarino1989]

Well I asked because they were inside the studio but now I'm thinking the rain was so loud that you could hear it pounding the roof and windows? Sometimes I can hear the rain hitting the roof when I'm working in our large building.

[@gcuber]

Stephen R Their studios are in Saltillo, north of the Barnes Crossing Mall in Tupelo. The tornado crossed just southeast of the mall over US 45 and US 78, only 2 miles away from the studios. They were in the intense rain and hail part of that storm with the tornado missing them.

[@DrKJ4SCE]

Colt Boyd lol Good one!

[@DrKJ4SCE]

gcuber Exactly! I was just about to say that myself, gcuber Gcuber GCubersoldat .... Especially the hail falling I'm sure is what REALLY made it so loud!

[@darylstreet5749]

The tornado came at 11:28

[@terrellgott1150]

This was an EF3-EF4 tornado do.

[@williamwashington6143]

Matt is the best!

[@kevinchristian3093]

i was in the tornado but it didnt come by my house

[@MrHorseRacer]

nice catch.

[@CrownCrystal]

Did it hit the station?

[@gavinnielsen1674]

No, but they took shelter incase they were gonna be hit, but as the tornado got closer, they were knocked off air multiple times.

[@billygnw90]

No.It didn't hit the station.That was close doe.Power never did nocked out at the TV station.There in good shape.We have that station.Thats channel 9,27,and 45.9 is NBC and 45 is ABC is WTVA2 and 27 is Fox is WLOV but 27 does there news and stuff from WTVA.27 is in West Point. 9 and 45 is WTVA and 27 is WLOV which it doesn't make sense to me.

[@barbarahenry9231]

Nasty tornado

[@barbarahenry9231]

He’s good

[@firstlastname5146]

He still is on top of his job!!!! Thanks Matt !

[@WesHuntermusicman]

Poor Vanelli's & Saint Luke Methodist Church...what a $hame I am KC and I approve this message

[@SuperZoeyanne]

OMG!

[@WesHuntermusicman]

+Faye Solod yup

[@spookylad1367]

I love vanellis they actually rebilt it

[@bondoly66]

JOHN. JOHN....................JOHN.

[@yorkshire_tea_innit8097]

Meteorologists have a very different job here in England.

[@spinlok3943]

Literally Hitler We have a dangerous formation of fish and chip grease take shelter now!

[@haydenclay9428]

You shouldn't disable the comments. If they are disabled, then no one would comment on them.

[@plateshutoverlock]

Indya Moore has to wear a closed blouse collar

[@mikegallant811]

Oh shit😱

[@samwolcott989]

He acts pissed

[@joshgalka9414]

Wow! :0

[@tracybelle2362]

Opie Taylor hiding from a tornado.

[@Crazak53]

I can’t unsee it now.

[@N4TCM]

He's probably works at Burger King now.

[@DrKJ4SCE]

Why didn't this idiot continue to broadcast audio tornado info using his wireless microphone??? You can tell he doesn't have very much experience in covering weather warnings of this nature... You could hear fear in the sound of his voice long before he even realized that the tornado might be heading straight toward the broadcast studios...

[@bradywood459]

This is my local news. He was doing the news for almost 6 hours straight... He is very experienced in what he's doing...

[@DrKJ4SCE]

There are countless meteorologist that stay on the air for countless hours and keep their composure.....

[@DrKJ4SCE]

I have!!! I'm a 20 year veteran of the broadcasting industry! I continued passing weather info, while remaining calm, when a tornado blew large trees down on the back of the broadcast studios!!! This guy just had one headed toward him and then didn't hit his station! I was actually hit and still stayed calm and passed weather info out over the air!!! This guy is obviously green!!!!!

[@trayplayz_roblox1230]

He's not an idiot, he did a good job.

[@DrKJ4SCE]

Not in my professional opinion, he didn't BuckSocial