TORNADO !!!

[bobm]

About an hour ago, it started to pour rain with lots and lots of hail, the wind picked up for about `15 minutes. Then a mile from our house on the SE side of town ... TORNADO ... several blocks of trees uprooted, trees that are 1 ft. in diameter snapped in half, fences flying, roof shingles flying. Houses shaking as roof shingles being torn off. One house torn in half. Lasted just about a minute and it was gone. Chain saws humming all over the neighborhood where the trees are down. No tornado warnings were issued. TV news crews just arrived and started to do a special report with a reporter interviewing the local residents.

 

[Nyboy]

Wow are you ok ?

 

[Smart Red]

Sheesh! I'm glad you and yours were out of danger. We've had lots of blowing here as well, but no storms are expected until Saturday.

Those systems can certainly let go with a lot of energy. Awe inspiring strength or frightening strength depending upon your circumstances.

 

[digitS']

I don't think I'll click the LIKE button ...

Bob is downwind of here. I just told DW that it was raining in Portland but nowhere in a line from here to there. ... Portland weather usually shows up here after being rung out somewhere along the 400 mile route. I sure hope a tornado is NOT getting any further ...

The neighbors are out today trying to figure out what to do with their damaged roof while waiting for the roofers. The tarp the crew put up 3 weeks ago, blew off yesterday! It was wrapped around their chimney until they could drag it off. Just the rain is a problem for quite a few people around here.

Steve

 

[bobm]

Hey , our little town make the national news last night. but sad over the circumstances. So, seeing the report, My sister in Los Angeles called to see if we were allright and our house was still standing. All is well here as we were not effected. Weather Service declared this event as a catagory 1 Tornado ! 36 homes dammaged , 2 business stores were declared uninhabitable and were closed. Many fences in the area were no longer standing. Some Trees up to a foot in diameter were snapped in half while about a 100 trees were uprooted along a 2 mile path. Anyone ( as in MANY ) within about a 30 mile radius with a chain saw showed up to cut up the downed trees and pile up the cut wood along the sidewalks. One steel street light was bent at a 90* angle 3 feet up from the ground.

 

[digitS']

On the Today Show, Al Roker spoke of your community there in Clark County.

There were pictures.

I think I can identify the location of your backyard trampoline, Bob. It's wedged between 2 of your neighbors' houses, a couple miles away!

Steve

 

[bobm]

On the Today Show, Al Roker spoke of your community there in Clark County.

There were pictures.

I think I can identify the location of your backyard trampoline, Bob. It's wedged between 2 of your neighbors' houses, a couple miles away!

Steve

Nope ... A: The tornado hit on the oposite side of the town. B: We have never owned a trampoline.

 

[so lucky]

A category EF 1 is scary and can be deadly. Glad you are OK, Bob. Just imagine what people in Oklahoma deal with when they get their EF 4 and 5 tornados. I just looked up the rating scale and a list of the EF 5s that have happened since the 1700's. How scary.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Wow! That is highly unusual!

My DD and family left Little Rock two nights ago and are moving back to Vancouver WA. (driving) They have grown used to tornado sirens, but I don't think that they have them in VC!

 

[bobm]

There are sirons in the area , but a tornado such is this in our area ... the heavy rains with hail and little winds whent over our house in NW area of town ( population 17,750 ) and a few minutes later the tornado formed (popped up like "Jack in the box" hey I'm here ) and hit the SE area with no advance warning. According to the weather service, our PNW area MAY get this type of minor tornado MAYBE one or up to two per year ?