I was trying to put together a post with pictures of all my amaryllis blooms that are cheering up the place, when several e-mails came in from the National Weather Service. They went something like this:
4:25 PM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING...WINDS WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE TO 30 TO 40 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS OVER 60 MPH. THESE WINDS...WHEN COMBINED WITH ALREADY SATURATED SOILS MAY DOWN TREES AND POWERLINES.
Yep, the ground is saturated, all right. This tree (not ours) came down a month ago when we had a lot of rain and high winds.4:51 PM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING...LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SPOTTERS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD IN FORT WAYNE... A TORNADO COULD OCCUR AT ANYTIME. TAKE COVER NOW!
HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW! IF YOU WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.
I guess that means I shouldn't be outside taking pictures like this. 4:58 PM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH... SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS!
But it doesn't look like there's a storm outside this window...5:04...5:18...5:29 Three more Tornado Warning updates, stressing that this is a very dangerous situation:
...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO WITH HOME DAMAGE NEAR NEY AND ALSO A FUNNEL CLOUD 2 MILES SOUTH OF MARK CENTER. THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE CIRCULATIONS! THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION! THESE SEVERE STORMS ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH.
And then, just six minutes later...
5:35 PM ...THE TORNADO WARNING IS CANCELLED...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD WEAKENED OR MOVED OUT AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY.
Whew!
While we didn't have any damage, there were several homes destroyed or damaged just west of Fort Wayne, and some damage about half an hour north of us, so the warnings needed to be taken seriously and we were fortunate that they didn't go directly over us...this time. That's the thing about storms - they aren't entirely predictable as to where and how they'll strike. Better safe than sorry, I say, as far as the warnings go.
There's a field somewhere under that lake.We're watching the water rise and are hoping that morning will bring lower levels, even though the rivers aren't supposed to peak until Monday afternoon.
Ahhhh...spring.
"Bejeweled"
18 comments:
That would be scary. Glad it wasn't any worse than it was. I hope there isn't any flooding.
Sounds just a bit tense. Glad that you escaped unscathed. Great photos--especially the dark, almost funnel-like cloud that you definitely shouldn't have been outside to photograph.
--Kate
Catherine ~ Weather like this is typical of spring. We'll have quite a bit more of it over the next couple of months. It really wasn't that scary this time, because we could see that it was going north of us, but you just never know and you have to take the warnings seriously.
The flooding...well...we are having that for sure. Hopefully nothing too serious though. Been there, done that, and don't want to do it again!
Kate ~ I love that photo, too! I'm always intrigued by the clouds and sky, especially during storms. And I used to be terrified of storms. Not sure when that changed, but I was well into adulthood!
I can't imagine the tension you must feel when these warnings are issued.
Is spring the most active time for Tornadoes?
We didn't get warnings like that in Indianapolis, as far as I know, but a big gully-washer moved through just about the time I was running into the grocery store. By the time I came out, 15 minutes later, it was already starting to clear up and the rest of the day was sunny.
With the weather radar today, it does make it easier to see if you are in the direct path of the storm or if it just to the north like yours. We do indeed have to take warnings seriously this time of year!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
We got the rains and high winds thru the night, but I don't think there were any watches or warnings. I could be wrong tho, we slept through most of it. I'm glad y'all were safe Ms. Kylee. I think it one of the scariest things to have severe weather at night.
Hi Kylee, glad this turned out to be a dud. Nothing intererupts picture taking like a tornado. Yikes!
-Heather
Spring brings a lot of good stuff but it also brings the unpredictable weather. I bet we'll be having some of that this week around here. Temps have been in the 70's and will drop to the 40's this week. A recipe for bad weather if I ever saw one!
I live a few counties south of you and it was scary! I haven't been out to assess damage, if any, yet, but when I took the dogs out in the early a.m. I was shocked at how cold it was! This weekend was a taste of warmth, anyway. It's coming!
A very interesting account of your weather day! Yes, it seems each season brings with it its own dangers. I'm glad you're safe!
Glad everything turned out OK and that you are safe. It did get pretty bumpy around here too. As I tell my out-of-state friends: "Spring in Ohio - not for wimps." ;-)
In the UK we have a saying that March comes in like a lion...and goes out like a lamb...guess you are still in the lion phase of the month.
Rob ~ Yes, spring is a typical time to experience tornadoes, because of the changing of the seasons and the extreme weather systems butting heads. First snow, then very warm days.
Carol ~ We're supposed to have sun later today, then more rain. I just got a message from the NWS stating that a major flood is in the making. :-(
TC ~ I agree! At night is the worst, because you just can't see a thing. I used to be terrified of night storms, and while they aren't my favorites now, I'm not as freaked over them as I used to be. I enjoy them during the day, as long as they don't cause damage.
Heather~ LOL! True that! I would actually like to get a photo of a tornado...with my 20x zoom, of course!
Dave ~ Yep...there's sure to be more of this. The extremes collide.
JulenaJo ~ I hope you didn't have any damage! Spring is always interesting here, isn't it?
Nancy ~ This is what lets me know that it's spring for real! :-)
Kris ~ That's true! We pretty much take it in stride, but I imagine it can be quite frightening to those not used to it.
A wildlife gardener ~ We say the same thing here. It actually came in like a lamb! But the lion wasn't far behind.
Hopefully nothing will happen, we
are suppose to get a flash flood
tonight and it's bad enough that we
had 2 days of straight rain already.
Glad your safe.
Yikes, I get scared just reading about tornados! I wouldn't be out taking photos, that's for sure. Tornados are my greatest fear.
Hello from Northeast Ohio. Love your dramatic and wild weather documentary. Congratulations on coming up with a most adventurous combination of advisory and image!
So glad to hear you didn't have any damage Kylee. We had much the same going on here. No real damage to our property.
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