Mike Smith is not happy about inaccurate weather coverage, specifically of Monday’s Moore, Okla., tornado:

I was bombarded by people, including some associated with large media companies, today telling me:

• Moore had little warning
• Moore had eight minutes warning
• Moore had 16 minutes warning

All of those are incorrect. Depending on part of town, Moore had 36 minutes or more of warning!

Smith’s evidence is the text of the National Weather Service tornado warning, which in its way sounds as apocalyptic as the hurricane warning when Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans …

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
301 PM CDT MON MAY 20 2013THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORMAN HAS ISSUED A* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
NORTHWESTERN MCCLAIN COUNTY IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA…
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA COUNTY IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA…
NORTHERN CLEVELAND COUNTY IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA…* UNTIL 345 PM CDT* AT 259 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS AND STORM SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO NEAR NEWCASTLE. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS TORNADO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THIS IS A TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR MOORE AND SOUTH OKLAHOMA CITY.

IN ADDITION TO A TORNADO…LARGE DESTRUCTIVE HAIL UP TO TENNIS BALL SIZE IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
MIDWEST CITY…MOORE…NEWCASTLE…STANLEY DRAPER LAKE…TINKER AIR FORCE BASE AND VALLEY BROOK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. IF YOU CANNOT GET UNDERGROUND GO TO A STORM SHELTER OR AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A STURDY BUILDING NOW.

TAKE COVER NOW IN A STORM SHELTER OR AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A STURDY BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM DOORS AND WINDOWS.

… along with this map:

The first damage in west Moore was at 3:16pm. From 2:40 to 3:16 is 36 minutes. That is triple the national average (12 minutes) for tornado warnings. In east Moore, it was more than 40 minutes! …

A tornado watch was issued for Moore more than two hours before the tornado struck.

When the tornado warning was issued outdoor sirens sounded, local TV and radio stations ceased regular programming and started continuous coverage. NOAA weather radios alarmed. Smartphone apps activated. Two TV stations’ helicopters were showing the tornado – live – approaching Moore.

In other words, just how much warning do you want?!  At some point, this becomes an issue of personal responsibility. It is your obligation to be weather-wise.  Meteorologists cannot lead you by the hand into shelter.