[TimberWolf]

What an experience!!!!
I lived thru the year of hurricanes with no problem, not a mark on my home and this morning I was just 5 minutes behind total devastation on interstate 4. This tornado just picked up one rig and dropped it on another like they were toys the rig on the bottom just crushed to nothing. It blew three more rigs over on their side and included two 4 wheelers as well with not one death on the highway today we were the lucky ones. When I left the brewery this morning with my Orlando load I took just a few extra seconds to look over my trailer I can't help to think what if... The drive down 95 on to I-4 was not to bad just a lot of rain and a fantastic light show, but all of a sudden the wind came out of nowhere and the rain was blowing sideways and poof the highway was shut down right in front of us it was an amazingly humble experience one that I care not to see again.. what should have been a 2 1/2 hour drive took me 7 hours this has been an exhausting morning.....

Mama told me there would be days like this..

It Is What It Is


Timberwolf

[Useless]

Glad to hear that you are alright, T/W!!!

I've caught a few glimpses of the story on the news between phone calls.

Have you heard anythinf about how it was rated on The Fujita Scale??......Haven't been able to follow the story close enough!!

Take care, stay safe!!

[mapleleaf_1]

Better being 5 minutes behind it than 5 in front of it. I've never seen a tornado, just the aftermath of one. Don't care if I never see one. Drive safe everyone.

[BanditsCousin]

My dad said way back in the day he was driving through Kansas. To left a big nasty tornado, to the right, a big nasty tornado, and in the rear view mirros- a big nasty tornado. He said theres only one thing to do- hammer down!

Me, in ANY inclement weather, will pull off on a exit ramp because I have a phobia of really bad weather. That way, if I see a funnel cloud, I can b-line it under the over pass and assume the "position" (ie: place head between ass, then kiss it goodbye )

I heard conflicting stories that an overpass is a BAD place to get out and crawl up into the "wedge". Any thoughts?

Edit- I don't pull over for storms, just when the weatherband says theres tornadoes in the area or if other drivers on the CB are telling me to duck and cover 8)

[Useless]

Originally Posted by BanditsCousin

My dad said way back in the day he was driving through Kansas. To left a big nasty tornado, to the right, a big nasty tornado, and in the rear view mirros- a big nasty tornado. He said theres only one thing to do- hammer down!

Me, in ANY inclement weather, will pull off on a exit ramp because I have a phobia of really bad weather. That way, if I see a funnel cloud, I can b-line it under the over pass and assume the "position" (ie: place head between ass, then kiss it goodbye )

I heard conflicting stories that an overpass is a BAD place to get out and crawl up into the "wedge". Any thoughts?

I've heard that too, and it makes sense to me; don't know if just being under an underpass would keep me from being "sucked out, although I do see how that could happen.

I do think that crawling up into "wedge" might help to protect me from all of the flying debris, which can obviously be very deadly.

Edit- I don't pull over for storms, just when the weatherband says theres tornadoes in the area or if other drivers on the CB are telling me to duck and cover 8)

I have pulled over for storms before. There was one time that I was going through Phoenix, Az. that I didn't, but I really should have; .pink lightning!!....made it through okay, but it was simply through The Grace of a God who watches over children and fools, and God know's that I was no child!!

[Twilight Flyer]

I've seen quite a few, been in two. The worst was in '73 in Ohio. Same storm system that destroyed half of Xenia, OH. Saw one very up close. :shock:

Repeat after me. Underpasses are bad. A tornado will not skip an underpass. If it's in the way, it'll hit it. If it doesn't bring it down on your head, you'll get torn to pieces from the flying debris.

If you're in a truck or a car and a tornado is bearing down on you, stop, get out, and go lie in a ditch or the lowest place possible. The tornado will jump ditches and low grounds, keeping you out of the wind. In addition, you are also out of the debris zone and when that piece of straw gets driven through a nearby wooden fence post, you'll be glad you were laying low.

[Useless]

Thanks for the advice, T/F!!

You obviously know much more about this than I do!! I've only been in one tornado, and that was while I was in the first grade, attending a Catholic School in Bossier City, La., back in 1964.

There was no Fujita Scale back then, but I think that it would have been classified as a solid F-2. It hit the It was in the afternoon, at about 2:00pm.I remember it being as dark as night, and I remember my teacher, Sister Mercedes, telling us to get under our desks. She was tending to us, and then heavy hail knocked out our transom windows. I also remember the loud "freight train" noise!!

A few of the Nuns who taught there received minor cuts from broken glass, but thankfully, no one at our school was seriously injured.

[BanditsCousin]

Thanks for the tip, flyer! I am always open to a different point of view. I remem seeing the video of Real TV (or similar) where the poeple got out of their cars and the tornado passed over (with a LOT of wind) and they were ok. The ditch theory would be my close 2nd choice otherwise, and I've heard it works great.

BTW- anyone ever see the movie "Gummo"? Its based on the same tornado that ripped through Xenia.

[Twilight Flyer]

During the one in '73, I was standing at our apartment porch door, completely mesmerized as one passed behind our building less than a quarter mile away. When you see a 60' house trailer a hundred feet in the air, you gain a healthy respect for them. This was the same storm system that dropped a tornado right on top of my great aunt's house, while they were under the kitchen table. The twister took the house and everything in it, except for the table. It never moved. Talk about God watching over someone.

Since then, I've been fascinated by them and actually chased a couple, though nothing like Doctor Who. You want tornado stories, he can hook you up. As far as tornados go, if they're out and about, I'm usually out and about looking for them. Call it a weakness...or stupidity. My wife calls it the latter.

The one that went through Iowa City last summer, I got to watch. It was at night, but it was strobe lightning, so it was just about like it was day. A few miles away from us, but a pretty spectacular show. One of the gals I work with was right in the middle of it, huddled in a hallway as it was blowing out windows and flipping cars in the street. I think she said her grill ended up in the back seat of her neighbors car.

Anyway, as much as they fascinate me, I'm glad I'm at the northen end of tornado alley. We seem to get more of them, but they are usually (not always) the smaller varieties...F3 and under. The big ones are further south.

[yoopr]

Originally Posted by Twilight Flyer

During the one in '73, I was standing at our apartment porch door, completely mesmerized as one passed behind our building less than a quarter mile away. When you see a 60' house trailer a hundred feet in the air, you gain a healthy respect for them. This was the same storm system that dropped a tornado right on top of my great aunt's house, while they were under the kitchen table. The twister took the house and everything in it, except for the table. It never moved. Talk about God watching over someone.

Since then, I've been fascinated by them and actually chased a couple, though nothing like Doctor Who. You want tornado stories, he can hook you up. As far as tornados go, if they're out and about, I'm usually out and about looking for them. Call it a weakness...or stupidity. My wife calls it the latter.

The one that went through Iowa City last summer, I got to watch. It was at night, but it was strobe lightning, so it was just about like it was day. A few miles away from us, but a pretty spectacular show. One of the gals I work with was right in the middle of it, huddled in a hallway as it was blowing out windows and flipping cars in the street. I think she said her grill ended up in the back seat of her neighbors car.

Anyway, as much as they fascinate me, I'm glad I'm at the northen end of tornado alley. We seem to get more of them, but they are usually (not always) the smaller varieties...F3 and under. The big ones are further south.

As warm as it is by you right now you might have one coming down on you :P