WELL, it has been an interesting week. I have not yet put my tomatoes and peppers in the ground, and BOY was that a good decision.
Wednesday afternoon, severe storm rolls through. I am sitting by the front window. There is thunder, but not much rain as the front hasn't come through yet. A whistling sound gets my attention and I see some swirling rain being blown around. Lasted less than five seconds. Odd but whatever. Storm comes through, seems like a typical thunderstorm. No hail though, which is what I pray for every storm. Storm passes quickly. Get a call from a neighbor.
"did you get hit by the tornado too"?
WHAT? Her and some other next door neighbor's fences were blown over, some roof damage. I go outside and there are shingles and pieces of her fence in my yard. The electric box on my property had the cover ripped off (lock be damned). Things look fine otherwise til I look at my deck. Covered with all of the leaves and dirt, and my little patio table ripped apart and scattered on the deck. The deck is where I keep the plant babies til transplant, but I brought them inside before the storm.
I have storm chased before, staying far away as I just want the storm structure pics. Every year I get to see a funnel cloud dance from my front porch, or back deck or side yard. I have pics on my Youtube and Insta. I live on a hill with a killer vantage point, so I see a lot.
So I literally missed a tiny tornado at my house. Had to be an F-0, per damage and my obliviousness. I checked the radar at that time and there was a telltale notch of a little spin-up along the front of the line. HUH.
~
So yesterday, I get word another squall line is on its way in. I snip myself some tulips from the back yard last minute, to save them from the incoming storm. Come around to the front yard to see THAT.
If you have been watching the news, you’ll know that our city was hit hard by this storm. The eastern side of the whole state actually. Power is still out for parts of the city. Hundreds of uprooted trees, damaged buildings, ripped up fences and grain bins and barns.
But my block? Nothing. Not even a tulip was damaged, and this beast went right over my house. It went dark as night as it passed. Winds 50-60 MPH at my place. 90 MPH elsewhere in the city. Power flickered, yet never went out.
This photo represents the WEAKEST part of this storm.
I took some video of the storm as it approached our houses.
My list of things to be Grateful for is SO DAMN LONG right now!
The End