Well, the weather did get worse. Just as we started to leave downtown we saw a HUGE cloud coming down to a triangular tip and a few people taking pictures with their phones. We drove South only to get caught in traffic on the highway when the storm struck. It turned really dark outside and the pouring rain blew in sideways due to the wind, which was also shaking our truck pretty forcefully. It looked like it was about to be a very bad situation to be in. We turned on the radio and heard the announcer saying there was a tornado and that people needed to take shelter. So with quick thinking, but mostly panic, I weaved through the traffic to take the next exit and we went to an elementary school where we took shelter for a bit. There was a guy there who was really worried about his wife (who had been driving North) and he kept trying to call her. I'm not sure it he got in touch with her while we were there but I hope she was ok.
The storm passed pretty quickly and I think the tornado was a little north of where we were, but we certainly didn't know that at the time. The tornado continued to the Northeast where it tore up some houses and I think it actually killed one person. We were pretty worried for a while that it might have hit our house, and it came close, but went a little further to the East. Here are a couple of pictures from the papers:
Now I've been in my fair share of tornadic situations. During most of those we simply went to the storm cellar (in Canadian) or I guess we would get in our guest bathroom in our current house. But that was the first time I had been on the road when one was close. It was pretty scary. A lot of things were flying through the air, mostly paper probably, but it was hard to tell. Anyway, I should have checked the weather more accurately before Johanna and I left my office. We probably could have just waited it out there. Instead we were almost sucked up to OZ.
-George
2 comments:
George and Johanna! Were you scared to death?? Nice job on weaving through traffic, George, to get to an exit. (All those years of watching TV paid off!) Also, quick thinking in finding a shelter. I hear they don't have tornadoes in California. I had an uncle who hated the KS tornadoes so much that he moved to CA. Then ended up in an earthquake, and when he tried to come back, his heart had weakened to the point that his doctors told him he wouldn't survive the trip back over the mountains. You two keep your ruby slippers handy. Stay safe!
Love you-
Mom
Yikes! Driving in a tornado is about the scariest thing I've ever done. You'll have none of that in California. Earthquakes aren't nearly as bad as tornados. I've only ever felt one, and have slept through a half-dozen or so.
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