May 1, 2012

It's a Twister

(picture courtesy of WCIA, a local news station- this was the tornado a few minutes before I saw it)
This afternoon, Millie was napping. I was trying to rest, but only able to sleep between rumbles of thunder. I finally gave up and stumbled into the living room, noticing how gloomy it looked outside. I clicked on a weather website, and saw hail hitting the ground as the site loaded.

The weather site was full of bright red flashing notices, announcing a tornado warning. It had been sighted in a town very near to mine. I called my dad, who lives about 1/2 mile down the road and has a basement (we do not). He said he'd be on the way to pick us up. I finally heard the sirens began to wail.

I woke Millie and quickly put her shoes and jacket on, grabbed my keys, and went outside to wait for my dad. The rain and hail had stopped, and there was an eerie calm before the storm, a kind that only happens in the Midwest. The sky usually turns a otherworldly shade of green, but this time it stayed a deep, dark purple.

I noticed a few other people on my street were also outside and looking towards the direction of my backyard. I rounded the corner of our building, and my mouth opened wide. There, looming in the small space between my dad's house and mine, was a white, skinny funnel cloud spinning. Living in Illinois, a girl gets used to the strong storms and even a few rotating clouds that spin down and then back up into a wall cloud, but this was a tornado, and it was right there. It's the closest I'd ever been to one, and it felt like a scene from a movie.

As I watched, I called Sky at work, managing to squeak out, "I am staring at a tornado right now," before the phone went dead. Great, I thought, not the best thing to say before a phone call ends. My dad pulled up and by the time we got to his house, it was already over. Although the tornado did some damage just slightly to the south of us, nothing here was touched. It still made for quite an eventful afternoon.

I realized afterwards how ingrained blogging is in me, though- I kept thinking, "If only I had gotten a good picture!"

15 kind comments from you:

Dani said...

I was on campus and everyone was still walking around and looking at the sky, pretending the sirens weren't going off. Glad you had some place to go!

Katie said...

wow. Being positively terrified of tornadoes, I can't imagine how scary that would be. The midwest is a crazy place, right? I'm from Indiana, more northern, and thankfully we haven't gotten much of the severe weather recently.

Heather said...

Yikes! I'm terrified of tornadoes! I'm from Missouri and we are getting ready to move back there and my one requirement in a house is a basement lol Glad you guys are safe!!

Karen said...

We've been stationed in Oklahoma for a little over a year now and I am absolutely enthralled with tornadoes and storms in general. Glad you guys are safe!

Fran said...

Still shaking my head at you, young lady! ahaha

But I totally know what you mean about the calm before the storm, it's super creepy!

Chantal said...

Well that is just scary! I am terrified of tornados!

The New Normal said...

Yikes! I am terrified of tornadoes, I can't imagine actually seeing it behind your house! Glad that you all are OK. Gotta love the Midwest... :)

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you guys are okay and it didn't come closer to you. SO scary. Tornadoes scare the jeebus outta me!

Michelle said...

Bummer you didn't get a photo. ;) It's always unnerving to see a tornado in your backyard or anywhere relatively close to you. I'm glad you guys are okay and that your dad was able to come over and get you. I hope that's the end of your tornado sightings for the season!

Jenn said...

Wow that is scary!!! Glad y'all are ok and didn't take any damage. I always get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when I hear those sirens go off and see the greenish sky. Hoping we have a "quiet" spring!

Chelle said...

I am so glad you all are okay :)

Michelle said...

Oh my gosh!!! Frightening!!! I seriously would've dropped dead with fear right there. I am ALL too familiar with your description of a Midwestern storm. We had a tornado watch last night and I was constantly staring out the window. Glad you're safe!

Contemplating Beauty said...

Wow that is so unREAL Erika, wow wow wow!!! I ditto everyone, PTL you are SAFE.

and isn't it a hoot us bloggers with wanting and needing photos!!! So so true:o

Amanda said...

Good ole midwest.. where people stand outside rather than go inside.. I am glad that there was no damage that directly affected you.

beka said...

yikes, yikes, yikes.
i'm so glad you guys are ok!

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