How's the weather?

[MikeA]

I pay attention to the sirens and flashing TV warnings! When I hear them, I grab a camera and run outside hoping to get a picture! SERIOUSLY!

[EagleLady]

Not a very wise thing to do IMO

[TimothyBFan]

I think you've said that before Mike. I think that must be a guy thing, my husband does the same thing and my father used to also. Tho I don't take the warnings always serious, I'm at least smart enough to stay inside.

[MikeA]

Not a very wise thing to do IMO

Well EL, I never did claim to be very smart. But now I got this fancy phone camera that takes MOVIES! Shucks, How'd a Tornado look as a SCREEN SAVER?

That big ole Wall Cloud hanging down and a funnel on the ground with car doors and roofing and cows and firetrucks flying around the outside of it with great big ole sparks flying from downed power lines and tennis ball sized hail and rain!

I've seen it...well maybe not the cows and firetrucks. But the hood off a '38 roadster was found 10 miles northeast of where the car it came off of was parked. We know it was his hood because it was painted baby blue. Not too many baby blue '38 roadsters running around! That was the tornado that hit Andover in '91. I didn't get pictures of that one. But I did get one that hit Wichita a few months later.

Wow. What a party!

[sodascouts]

I'm a chicken. Tornado warning = me in bathroom clutching valuables with a pillow at the ready to duck under should glass and objects start flying.

However, I've only had to do that twice!

I think I take it a lot more seriously than the locals. After I had been in the bathroom a while, I heard knocking. I thought it was people coming down from the higher stories to take shelter on the bottom stories. I opened the bathroom door, slammed it in poor Milton's face as he charged at it, then answered the door....

And it was donation-soliciting Purdue students!!!

I said, "Guys, do you know there is a freaking tornado warning??"

"Uh, we can't quit until 9:00."

"Well, whoever sent you is not gonna get all of these donations IF YOU'RE DEAD!"

So, one of the guys pulled out his cell phone and said, "I've been tracking the weather on this and it doesn't look so bad." Apparently he was accessing weather.com through his cell phone's internet package. I said, "Hmm, aren't those little yellow circles supposed to be tornados?"

"Yeah, but, that's like, 20 miles away..."

Oh man. I just shook my head. "Good luck."

Off they went on their merry way!

[MikeA]

There have been a couple of times I've clutched my valuables too <LOL>. Had to change pants a couple of times as well. But as long as I can see either the wall cloud or the funnel, and it's a "safe distance" away, I'll watch. My basement isn't that far from any point in my yard. I don't go chasing them, though some guys I know do chase them.

One of my astronomy buddies got on a storm chasing kick a while back. Bought him a van and loaded it with all sorts of high tech equipment...radar, ham radio, video equipment, I don't know what all. He'd head for whatever part of Kansas or Oklahoma "promising" storms were developing. I haven't heard from him in years <LOL> .....he might have actually caught one!

We don't get a lot of excitement in Kansas so Tornados are a highlight.

I hope you know I'm joking. No one has more respect for the damage they can do than I. Verna was the coordinator of all the volunteer effort after the 91 tornado and then worked for months interviewing all the the families that had relatives killed by the storm. I was in the trailer park helping with rescue efforts immediately following the storm. 3/4 of the Mobile Homes were destroyed in that park and 13 people were killed.

Yes, I'll watch them and I'll even take pictures of them, but only when it is relatively safe to do so and hope that anyone who lives in tornado alley places caution above curiosity.

[AmarilloByMorning]

And it was donation-soliciting Purdue students!!!

Never underestimate the determination of soliciters - they will not be denied!

Really grateful I live next to a lake at the moment. Glad you guys are okay!

[MikeA]

Here's one of a storm that passed by to our South and Southeast. No Tornadoes, but lots of rain and lightning. Spectacular. I do admit to being somewhat a addict when it comes to storms (and rainbows too!) This phone camera is going to be WILD to have <LOL>




It was not possible for me to get to some point in the car where power lines and restaurants were not framed and it was gone by the time I got home (1/2 mile away!)

[Brooke]

Great pics Mike. I took one of a rainbow last night, too, after a quick little downpour.

[AmarilloByMorning]

Awww, there's even a slight second rainbow. That's fantastic! Thanks for posting.

I second your affinity for storms, actually... long as I don't happen to be on my bike twenty miles from home at the time...