I’ve wanted to see a tornado for a while now… let me clarify. I’ve wanted to see one from a far, with it being in the middle of a field not harming anything but grass, for a while now. Well wishes. I suppose this all started when I saw the movie “Twister”, years ago and I’m sure this movie gave others the same type of feeling.
Since I’ve moved to Texas, I’ve pretty much said I’ve experienced all the natural disasters I care to see, except a tornado. I’ve experienced earthquakes, ice storms, massive snow storms and a hurricane… the legendary tornado was still on my list…. Again – from a far. What better place to see one than north Texas, right? My point exactly. To be able to see a cloud come down from the sky, hold so much power, force and destruction but be gone just as quickly as it appeared, leaves something to be explored. Explored in a sense of how it happens, why it happens, and why there is such a small time frame to grab for cover if you are in it’s path. It’s a force of mother nature, something completely out of power. I find it so amazing.
Well, I’ve been here for three years now, and seeing how I live in the middle of the DFW metroplex, they haven’t typically come near me (which isn’t a bad thing). Always outside of DFW, south or north, hardly ever thru. And hearing of golf ball, baseball size hail is something I’ve only heard about, until May 24, 2011.
While at work, I received a text message saying “Tornado Warnings until 10 pm”. Now you have my attention. I’m intrigued. Mostly everyone who knows me, if there are tornado’s nearby, some are likely to get a call if they are available to go “chase”. I have never “chased” and have been considerably disappointed at the end of every tornado season. On this particular day, I get home from work around 5 pm, turn on the news and see a tornado touching down just south of Norman, Oklahoma. Very far away, I text a friend, Michael, (the first in line to chase with and since he is a fire fighter I see this as protection as well, haha), inform him, response is “too far”. Well this was no surprise…it was pretty far. I didn’t really have the intention of wanting to go up there, it was sent for basic informational purposes.
During this time, I’m on the phone with my mom, who is in Vermont. Who I don’t think as ever really been keen on the whole tornado thing. Our conversation went something like this:
Mom: “Do you have a plan if a tornado comes near you?”
Me: “Oh, they don’t come within the metroplex, we’ll be fine.” (Completely not worried about the whole ordeal.)
Mom: “No, what’s your plan if one comes near you, where are you going to go?”
Me: “I’ll jump in the bathtub with a mattress over me or go downstairs to the neighbor’s apartment. But really, I’ll be fine.” (I live on the second floor, but completely unphased.)
Soon enough, another alert comes on the TV, Saginaw, Texas. Ok, this is a little closer. Just north of the DFW metroplex. I send another informational text message, still too far and too late. By the time we would arrive, it would be long gone. There would be no point.
Next alert, touchdown in Azle, Texas, just north of Ft.Worth and west of where I live. Heading to North Richland Hills and then to Westlake. Azle is on the other side of a town called Haslet, a town where a co-worker lives who I unfortunately told a few days ago that he lives in tornado alley, which he didn’t know and wasn’t really happy about. As soon as I hear this on the TV, all that goes thru my mind is, he is going to be so mad at me. I jinx’d him. Sure enough the next morning at work, I received a jinx comment… sorry :/. At the same time, I send Sy a text. He is at work, letting him know this tornado may come his way and to keep an eye on the weather.
I continue to go about cleaning the apartment, as my parents are visiting in a couple days. The TV is on. I get a black screen with a message saying “Tornado Warning”. Well you got my attention but I don’t know where this bad boy is. About the same time, I get a call from Michael.
Michael: “Ah, are you watching the news?”
Me: “Well, it keeps coming on but it’s all west of here and headed towards Westlake.”
Michael: “It’s heading right for you – right down your street. Go look outside.”
Here I go stand outside, the wind is a whippin’. First thought is save the strawberry plant hanging from a hook. That went inside. (I’ve got my priorities in check.) I look south down the highway, it looks pretty clear. I look north up the highway, it’s darker. The wind dies. I can’t see if there is something coming or not. I walk out to the parking lot to try to look west. If I were a giant I would be able to see something, but these short legs of mine have not blessed me with being able to see thing very well – my view is easily obstructed. I walk outside and see nothing but clouds. The sky is a mix in between dark clouds and the sun setting. It’s hard to tell what is what. It crosses my mind that I really need to look into taking one of these weather spotter courses. Obviously, I’m not the only one curious about the weather, and the tornado sirens are not going off. I go back inside, the weather guy has come on the TV. The “hooks” are clearly in sight. Yes, I said “hooks”, there is more than one coming my way, one following the other.
In between watching the weather on TV, responding to text messages from Michael and a co-worker down the road (thinking he would be able to see it before I do – it’s going to hit him first) and walking outside checking it all out, I’m trying to figure out what’s going on. My new neighbor is slightly freaking out, wondering what she’s suppose to do and of all people she is asking me who for one – I kind of want to see it and two – I’m from Vermont… we don’t have these, I’m not the one you should be asking for advice here. I walk back inside and I start to hear these small “pings” on the roof. “What the heck, that can’t be hail.” … wrong. I look out the window. Within a few minutes these small pea sized hail turned to dime, quarter, golf ball and egg size. Granted, I had moved my vehicle under a tree to try to avoid some damage, she was still getting hit. I couldn’t watch. The pinging on the windows sounded like someone was throwing rocks at the glass which they might as well have been. The deck, the ground, covered with golf balls. This went on for about 5-10 minutes. Don’t step outside, you’re gonna get killed.
I send Sy a text message back saying “Just kidding, it’s not near you. It’s right here.” I had company.
At this point I’ll admit. I’m starting to get nervous. Mostly due to the hail and the nervous neighbor. I’m fumbling for my camera, not knowing how to work the video for my new camera. The sirens are going off. I’m by myself in my apartment. I had already told the neighbors downstairs that if it gets bad, I’m coming to them so I hope they answer the door. The hail begins to subside. The wind starts to slow down. I’ve heard stories, “the calm before the storm”. I’m getting my stuff together. I get a call from Sy’s step-mom in Kentucky, “Sweetie, are you in your safe place?” “I’m ok, I’m in our apartment.”, “Sweetie, you need to get in your safe place.”, “I’m going downstairs to the neighbors in a second.”, “No Sweetie, you need to go now.”. I’m stubborn, but I was honestly on my way.
I grab my purse, checkbook, picture of my grandfather, a hoodie, raincoat, keys and both cameras. Lock the door, walk down the stairs to their apartment, “I’m staying with you guys, hope you don’t mind me inviting myself in!”.
At this point, everything is covered with “golf balls”. The clouds are circling above. It’s something to see all those clouds moving around, intermingling. Sure my curiosity gets the best of me but I wasn’t being an idiot when looking at the clouds. I was ready to run for cover at any second. We see the clouds circling around in a couple different spots, some clouds lighter than others. The wind has calmed down, the rain has reduced to a drizzle. I walk over between two buildings to try to get a better view. This was my view.
In total there were four funnel clouds, not touching down, just moving about in the sky. Well, that’s a sight see. My videos are not so great considering I have never seen this before, I was trying to see it for my own eyes.
In the end, everything pretty much slowed down. We were told we may have another storm coming but obviously the worst was behind us. The damage we received were mostly dents to vehicles and lots of fallen leaves. It could’ve been a lot worse.
Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky as we were on May 24, 2011. Living in such a populated place, a lot of people could have been hurt. Tornado’s don’t show up to be friendly. A few days earlier, the folks in Joplin, MO weren’t as lucky, as some other folks throughout each tornado season. Last night, at least one tornado touched down in Massachusetts. It doesn’t matter where you live anymore. To see a list of people looking for friends and family due to these dangerous forces of mother nature is just heart wrenching. You never know when it could be you.
If possible, please try to reach out and assist those in need. There are a ton of local organizations in areas that work with providing assistance or I would suggest reaching out to the Red Cross for any donations / volunteer work you may provide.
Yes, that one in MA…was in Springfield (right next to Chicopee where I grew up). I actually watched tons of people’s videos and photos online that I knew of the tornado going right across the highway, whipping right across from where I used to drive to work every single day…we never thought in a million years a tornado would ever hit us up there…but then it did. I have lots of friends/family who live up there and were in it, watching it, but none who were hurt or their houses were damaged. One of my good friend’s school that she teaches at was destroyed, another friends of mine hometown of Monson was hit REALLY bad…and my favorite restaurant has no roof. And just two nights ago, there was another tornado IN Chicopee…my hometown. I don’t know if it actually touched down, I’ve heard mixed reports but my parents were driving in it. Another friend of mine was working at a car wash and the roof collapsed on them (everyone is ok). The only damage to my parents house was their gutter flew off, their tent in the backyard is destroyed and they have a few trees uprooted. I am thankful for that. I can’t even think about it w/o getting a chill. It’s such a scary thing and I can’t imagine having to see that. The photos of the aftermath from the one in Springfield really freaked me out. Please just enjoy the movie Twister and don’t go seeking one!!! It’s too damn scary!