A Tornado With No Warnings

There was never a warning...no tornado sirens...not even a sever thunderstorm warning till after....

It was your typical beautiful Sunday. We knew we were in the chance for "slight-risk" weather later in the evening into the over night. My husband was working. I was home with our three Daughters and my Niece since we had planned a fun sleepover.

Photo Credit: Three Sisters and Us
Making the best of the situation with a fun photo using the huge tree down in our backyard as a photo prop.

The storms started rolling in while we were watching Frozen. Of course what little girls do not want to watch Frozen during a sleep over...right? The storms started rolling in and we didn't think too much. I noticed the storms kept gaining more power with ever clap of thunder and strike of lightning as I peaked out the window. Before the final time I got to look out our windows to see what Mother nature was giving to us, my oldest Daughter mentioned to me how the sky looked like an odd color. At that moment I got up to check it out since our front door was till open, while watching the storm and getting air in the house from the screen door since we don't have AC. 

At that moment all a sudden the winds picked up. I couldn't tell which direction they were going. As I went to close the big front door It was as if there was pressure forcing against it, yet at the same time pressure trying to pull my screen door the opposite way. At that moment I told the girls calmly but I felt like I was loud (maybe because it was loud all around us) to run quickly to the basement. Once we took cover in the basement I could hear things hitting our home. It sounded like the house was shaking, even though it may not have been. It was just a very ere sound you never want to hear again.  Since we had no tornado warnings, not even a sever thunderstorm warning because it all happened so fast. 

They are calling it a spin up. That is when the tornado starts quickly out of no where on the ground. I guess the average tornadoes give about some type of warning and formation in the sky and then comes down to the ground. Not in our case. 

We lucked out with minimal damage to our home and yard. I thank God every second. Others were not so lucky who were in the same path. Roofs were torn off, grass was ripped up as if were carpet. Sticks were thrown like spheres into our lawn and other places. It will be a memory we will never forget. A memory without a warning. Now we have little reminders why my front porch chair is dented, because it was thrown across the yard. Or why the girls umbrella is bent to their picnic table. I tell myself it could have been worse. Materials can be fixed when we all come together. What matters most is no one was killed or severely injured. Only 6-7 people had minor injuries. I'd say that's pretty darn good with no warnings. God was watching from above. I'm also beyond proud of my Daughters and Niece for being so brave and praying the whole time we were in Cover. My brave girls never cried once. 

Photo Credit: Woodtv8

Photo Credit: wzzm13
NWS pointing to where the Tornado spawned. It took them a lot of explaining to us why we had no warning.

 NWS confirmed that we had an high end EF1, that we were 1 MPH away from an EF2. It was on the ground from 10:20PM till 10:30PM. Thankfully not that long. It happened all so fast. And that is what everyone around here will tell you.

Photo Credit: wzzm13

My lesson learned it to take storms more serious and create a storm prepared kit.