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| For those of you who may have heard about the tornado that Bay and I went through, here is the whole story.� For the rest of you, Bay and I were caught in a tornado on May 5th while driving between Amarillo and Lubbock.� Enjoy the reading. | |||||||||||||||||||
| I picked up Bay in Amarillo from his mom.� I was listening to CD's on the way up, so little to my knowledge, there was a huge super cell storm heading right for Canyon and Amarillo.� Charlene told me about the storms, so I started listening to the radio. I decided to wait out the storm, so Bay and I stopped to eat.� That storm had some tornadoes associated with it, but as it passed over us, it was just heavy rain and large hail.� So we leave.� Right after I leave Amarillo city limits, the weatherman came on and said that super cell after super cell was forming along the dry line, and another storm was heading for Canyon (15 miles south of Amarillo).� The sky in front of me was dark blue, and then it started raining hard again.� I couldn?t even see, so I pulled over with about 15 other cars underneath an overpass.� The hail was large and hitting hard.� The report I heard, said the hail was as large as 3 and a half inches, about the size of a teacup.� It finally subsided, so we headed south again down I-27.� The rain turned to sprinkles, and I thought we were out of it even though it was still very dark outside, and only like 6:30 or so.� Well, suddenly this red van speeds past me, with all this funky stuff hanging out of it, and a camera mounted inside.� It was one of the Amarillo TV station?s storm chasers.� The rain picked back up, and it started hailing again.� | |||||||||||||||||||
| On I-27, there is a service road that runs the length of the highway.� On some of these, they go underneath the overpass, and on others, they just go around the overpass.� I couldn't see well, so I pulled onto the service road.� It would be safer there than actually on the highway, because cars and trucks were still flying down the highway, and I wanted to be off of it.� Well, the one I pulled off on went around the overpass, so I wasn't protected.� I got back on the highway, going about 20 because I couldn?t see anything.� The next one I exited on was the same way, so I had to get back on the highway again.� By now, the weatherman was saying that another super cell was just southeast of Happy, the next town that I would get to.� Then, it stopped raining completely.� It was still dark, but I thought that I had missed the storm.� | |||||||||||||||||||
| I pass Happy, and then notice that red storm chaser van pulled over, with their camera out and pointed to the southeast.� I look over that way thinking they are nuts and have missed it, when I see a v-shaped cloud hanging down from the other clouds.� I pulled over at the next overpass (didn't get on the service road this time), and try to see what was happening.� Everyone was starting to pull over at this time.� Bay asked what was wrong, and I told him I thought there might be a tornado.� We got out, and climbed to the top of the over pass.� Remember, that it wasn't even sprinkling.� I looked towards the southeast, and the v-shaped cloud was still visible.� All the other lower clouds were rushing towards it very fast.� All of the sudden, I felt the wind hitting my back, and heading towards the storm.� Its very windy here anyways, hitting 30 mph on most days, but this wind was so fast, plus it was heading the opposite way of the storm.� Then, the v lowered and hit the ground.� Its not cotton time yet, so the tornado was just in an empty field, and as it lowered, dirt flung up around the base.� It was probably around a half mile away at this time.� Bay and I watched it for a little bit, because it still wasn't even raining.� You could see the rain wrapping around the tornado, and we started to fill sprinkles. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Coming from Tulsa, I had always heard to get out of your car in a tornado.� For those of you that don't know, I am in the Focus that Debby and Tono had.� There was no way I was getting back in it.� The other people that were in there cars (mostly SUV's) were yelling at me to get back in the car.� Instead, Bay and I headed underneath the overpass.� We sat on a little ledge under there.....quite comfortable actually if you ever need a place to hide from a tornado.� Bay was sitting on my lap, and the wind started really picking up.� We weren't really feeling anything though where we were.� Bay and I were just talking, keeping each other from freaking out.� Anyway, it starts to get windier, and rain started whipping up under the overpass, and nailing my legs.� It was like it was being wrapped around and pulled out the other side of the overpass.� Then the hail came.� Bay was starting to get scared as the hail beat against my legs.� He asked if we were going to get sucked up....heartbreaking I know.� | |||||||||||||||||||
| I looked down at the cars, and everyone was looking up at us.� The water being sucked around the cars looked like an upside down waterfall.� It hit the back of the cars and flowed over the tops of them like a river.� Luckily, the Focus didn't just disappear at that point....it would have been a 90-mile walk to Lubbock.� There was a semi-truck right behind my car, so I guess that helped.� Also, cars were still going down the highway, probably thinking that we were all just pulled over because of the heavy rain. | |||||||||||||||||||
| The wind started roaring, and I told Bay to sing a song.� He started singing something, but I told him we should sing, "Jesus Loves Me".� He didn't agree, and went back to his song.� I don't even remember what it was.� At this time, the tornado was either over us, or very close.� It doesn't sound like a train like everyone says.� It sounds like thunder that just doesn't stop.� Bay was getting tired of sitting down, and asked if he could stand up.� I told him no, and to hold on to my arm as hard as he could.� Luckily, he minds pretty well, and he held on tight.� That arm was also wrapped around him, with my hands gripping onto the waist of his jeans.� My other arm reached up and braced against the top of the overpass.� I also flexed my legs to wedge myself into the corner of the overpass.� | |||||||||||||||||||
| Finally, it started to get quiet, and a few cars started to leave.� I waited until the hail stopped, and then we got back into the car.� About a quarter mile down the road, the tornado had crossed I-27.� An eighteen-wheeler was wrapped around the center of an overpass.� There were several cars overturned, and a lot of miscellaneous debris in the road. �Once I got through the debris, I started going about 90 mph.� I wanted to get back to Lubbock quick, because more storms were still forming.� In fact, when I got to Tulia (the next town), the weatherman said that another wall cloud had formed east of Happy again, and there was a storm heading for Tulia.� Bay wanted to stay at the gas station and play games, but after hearing that, we sped back to Lubbock.� I looked behind us, and the storm that we had been in looked like a huge mushroom cloud. | |||||||||||||||||||
| After about 30 minutes of driving, it started getting dark in front of me again.� I changed the station to try to get a Lubbock station, and finally found one.� The news it gave me:� "There is a severe thunderstorm heading for Hale county.� This storm has produced golf ball sized hail and is a rotating mezocyclone, able to produce a tornado at anytime.� If you are in the path of this storm, please take cover now."� I looked at the next mile marker sign, and it said "Plainview-9 miles."� For those of you that don"t know, Plainview is in the center of Hale County.� So I'm thinking...I can't even tell you what I was thinking.� Children might be reading this.� This storm was moving at 40 mph though, and by the time I got to Plainview, it was already to my west. | |||||||||||||||||||
| That's the story folks.� The tornado was an F3 and at this time there are two known dead, and several missing.� The area that it hit was a rural area, and mostly trailer homes.� I'll bet there will be more that were killed, but it will take awhile search the whole area.� I've heard that it got up to a half mile wide.� It you would like to see a video, go to www.kcbd.com.� They have pics and a video of the storm that you can watch.� I believe that guy was about 6 miles away, but it still looks impressive.� That's my story.� I didn't get interviewed by any TV stations, so I had to tell my story to you all.� Talk to you later. | |||||||||||||||||||
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