This Tornado Didn't Miss. My Hometown Wrecked.

Here is my first thread from just over a week ago about a tornado passing by our house.

First of all I just want to say how lucky I feel. No one was hurt and my house was not damaged. A lot of trees came down in my yard and damaged my fence. Kids trampoline got crumpled like a tin can. But we were lucky.

Some houses were completely destroyed. Luckily no one was killed. This is super rare for us and now we've had 2 in the last 2 weeks. The first one didn't do any damage. This one was different.

About 1:30 am my wife started shaking me to wake up. Our phones were blaring alarms. It sounded like a freight train was over our house. Things were hitting the roof. So we got up and were trying to look outside through the back door.

Trees were bending sideways and the rain was like a fire hose. Lightning gave us brief glimpses of the carnage. I saw a blue spark across the road and then the power went out. This went on for about 30 minutes before it died down and I could go outside with a flash light to check the damage.

A few trees were just sheared off at the top.

I've been trying to upload a few photos but they're too big. After I edit them I will get a few up.

Here is a local news link with a good video of damage

Glad to hear that you and your family came out of that okay.
Living in tornado alley for 17 years I know how bad it could have been.

Sorry to hear about other people miss fortune. Do you gave to pay higher house insurance living in the danger zone. Glad your ok tho.

a reply to: FauxMulder

Glad to hear that your family is unscathed...everything else can be fixed/replaced in due time.

Mother nature can really wreak some havoc! I am glad that no one got hurt. That is scary stuff!

a reply to: LookingForABetterLife

Living in tornado alley for 17 years I know how bad it could have been.

People like you who live in tornado alley must worry every time you hear a thunderstorm is heading your way. You invest so much into your home and in an instant it could be destroyed. It must be stressful when you hear tornado reports and sirens.

I think areas not prone to tornados in the past are starting to see more warnings and devastating storms due to climate changes. I know up north, our winters have become much warmer with much less snow than when I was growing up.

Stay Safe!

a reply to: FauxMulder
That must have been fun. I'm glad you and yours made it out okay.

Thanks everyone. They're now saying it was an EF-2 with over 125mph winds

originally posted by: Cloudbuster
Sorry to hear about other people miss fortune. Do you gave to pay higher house insurance living in the danger zone. Glad your ok tho.

No. This isn't supposed to be a danger zone! We almost never have tornadoes!

DP

a reply to: WeRpeons

Nah, I've lived out in tornado alley all my life, over 40 years now.

You keep your eye on the skies for sure during storm season, but even with all those years, I've only really been in the basement and worried a couple times. Never actually had one score a hit. Had friends and relatives get close to getting nailed a couple times too, but everyone always pitches in to help with cleanup, so it goes fast.

Actually haven't been as many storms out and about the last few years as there were when I was in high school, but these things go in cycles.

originally posted by: FauxMulder
Thanks everyone. They're now saying it was an EF-2 with over 125mph winds

Glad to hear you all made it out all right.

Overnight storms like that are the scary ones because if you don't have a weather radio, you can sleep right through your own destruction.

a reply to: FauxMulder

Not fun!! had something similar a few years back in a place we used to live. Glad none of yours were hurt.

Seriously scary stuff. We had insulation in our yard, and some smaller tree bits, but heard it bounce over. Sounds like yours was far closer.

They said that area has never seen a tornado in over 50 years. wow. That is insane. Glad you guys are okay. We had an insane storm here yesterday. Nothing I have ever seen. I shut all the power off until it passed. Lighting was so close, winds were totally insane and extremely dark out, the rain was so hard you couldn't even see.

Perhaps people in tornado alley should build underground houses.

a reply to: FauxMulder

Congratulations on your good fortune FauxMulder!

I am glad your property and family, not to mention your good self, survived in good enough order that you can post about it!

Has this event made you think about methods of making your home somewhat more able to deal with the danger presented by tornadoes? Have you thought about trying to make a safe room of some sort, hardened against this specific threat?

a reply to: TrueBrit

Thanks man.

The thing is this is pretty rare for our area. When we do get them they are usually way too weak to do anything.

From the National Weather Service.

There have been 11 confirmed tornadoes in Queen Anne’s County since the modern record began in 1950. Almost all of them were rated “weak”.

As far as a room I don't think we really need that. If I lived in tornado ally I'd definitely be doing something like that. We go with the ol' suggestion of get to a windowless interior room, such as a bathroom, closet or inner hallway. My house is made of brick and is only 1 story so it can withstand slightly higher winds than a regular wooden constructed or 2 story house that has more surface area for wind to press against, so that's a plus, although admittedly probably not enough if we ever had a direct hit.

I think this one caught the NWS off guard. We got the alerts at the same time it was happening. Some people that were hit the hardest said it was already past them when they got the alerts.

Some pics



Tops of trees sheered off




Top off a tree inside of another tree




Hawk was hanging out in this destroyed tree for a long time. Maybe there was a nest there before the storm.


Not my photo but here is one of the unlucky ones.
90 year old man lived here. He crawled out of the wreckage.

a reply to: FauxMulder

Scary.
So glad that you and your family are safe and wishing positive thoughts for your neighbors who must rebuild. Thankful for no lives lost and only minor injuries.
Just saw your photos above of the power of nature. Incredible. The hawk is confused for his lost home perhaps?

Sorry to see all of this. It's too close for my comfort. My parents are in Easton. We were just talking about funnel clouds and near-misses the other day. Be well.