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aquajet

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Feb 12, 2005
2,386
11
VA
Last week as some friends and I were having an informal jam session, somebody using the computer announced that a tornado was heading towards our area. After listening to the radio and examining radar images, it was determined that the tornado would pass just north of us. So naturally, we decided that it would be a good idea to drive up the road and see it.

By this time, it was beginning to get a bit dark but there was plenty of lightning to keep the area illuminated. We pulled over on the south access road for the interstate, south of the projected path. We waited for a few minutes and during this time, the wind began picking up. Suddenly the air sirens in town began to blast so we knew the tornado had been sighted by authorities. I was able to see the funnel each time lightning illuminated the sky. It was very exciting to me as I've always had a great fascination of weather, even going as far as to study a bit of meteorology and climatology in school.

Thus far it appears that the tornado will be classified as an EF1. Fortunately the damage wasn't too great and there were no fatalities. A few people were injured however. I hope they all get well soon and aren't traumatized by the experience.

Anybody else have a story to share?
 
I've seen a tornado come pretty close to our car on the interstate coming back to Indy from Kentucky. Everyone was pulling over and running under the overpasses and into the ditches. We just stayed in our car and watched it pass by. It was amazing to see.
 
As a teen I went storm chasing with some buddies during a tornado warning. When we first saw the tornado from a distance it was one of the most exciting, thrilling experiences of our young lives. When we saw the tornado literally obliterate a farmhouse from about a mile and a half away we suspected this may have been the stupidest thing we had ever done. A minute or two later when baseball sized hail started denting the car and cracking the windshield and back window we knew this was the stupidest thing we had ever done. We found out later that a guy who had climbed up on his roof nearby to take pictures had been killed by flying debris.

You guys can do what you want, but when the tornado sirens go off I'll be headed to the safest "safe shelter" I can find.
 
Did you get any pictures?
Your town has air sirens! My town doesn't even have a real cop....
 
I've seen a tornado come pretty close to our car on the interstate coming back to Indy from Kentucky. Everyone was pulling over and running under the overpasses and into the ditches. We just stayed in our car and watched it pass by. It was amazing to see.

Hiding under an overpass is perhaps one of the worst possible places to hide from a tornado. The risk of being swept away by the tornado is very high due to the wind tunnel effect under an overpass. The best place that you mentioned would be to lay down in a ditch and hope for the best.
 
I had a funnel cloud pass over my head and touch down about a mile away. It was one of those situations where we realized it was there too late to do anything about it. So we figured we might as well watch it. It was one of those experiences that makes you feel very small. Seeing it touch down was a very frightening thing to be sure.
 
One time I was making iced tea and I spun the spoon really fast and then took it out. Thats about as close to a tornado as I've ever been. Well that I know of. I guess we had a tiny one a couple years back but I slept through it.
 
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