5/22/2011

Tornado in the Heartland

In 1983, we lost a house just southeast of Topeka to a tornado. You can imagine that I watch clouds and am leery of strange looking cloud formations. If the clouds look green or have large bumps on the bottom that is a sign of hail. Hail clouds mean violence aloft and there is always the possibility of a tornado. If you see a cloud that looks like it is pushed up like a wall, there is always a possibility that a tornado will spin out of it. yesterday was one of those days. A large wall cloud was visible to the south west of here. I turned on the TV and they said there had been a tornado in Topeka and it was headed right for Dave's house. I knew his wife was home alone and I rushed up there in the car. I had to wake her up from a nap to get her to come out and get in the car. Thank god it didn't touch down there as we would have been toast. The sirens sounded right as I got out of the car and on his porch.

As the storm clouds moved north and east, it did develop a rotation and set down a funnel in a couple of places. At least we escaped any damage.

Just another day in the heartland.

MUD

3 comments:

  1. I guess I just take it for granted that Kansas has more than their share of tornado's.
    Here in Mid-Tenn, the old urban legend is if you build your house in the valleys between the mountains tornadoe's would not touch you. Not true, as a lot of folks have found out over the years. Glad everyone is safe.

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  2. MUD, I'm glad y'all didn't get hit. I've lived through two big 'uns...though never got destruction like y'all did.

    People that don't take 'em seriously are just plain stoopid.

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  3. I grew up with hurricanes. Weather everywhere.

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