Just sending out some concern for other members here because of the storms and tornados out in the middle of the country and hope everyone and their family’s are doing well!
Larry
Larry
To all the brown leafers in the middle USA hope you’re OK!
- Thread starter Njguy1977
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Many thanks. Unfortunately, still going on very strong just south and east of me. Folks in Sulphur, OK got hit really hard.
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Thankfully things are quiet today. Unfortunately, most of the historic buildings of downtown Sulphur were destroyed. Sadly, there were 2 fatalities in the town of Holdenville NE of Sulphur.
Somebody sent me this one a couple days ago. An incredible video. And it flipped a double tractor trailer like a child’s toy.
Believe it or not, the number two spot in the United States for tornado activity used to be of all places, just outside Lancaster, PA. Tornado alley out there with all the open farmland.
Now here’s a story to tell the grandkids: When Mrs. C and I once spent an overnight up in the Poconos about 35 years ago, one flew down the road, just outside the B&B we were staying at … just as we were about to pull out on the roadway. I think the place was called the Sterling Inn. Long gone now, but not from this.
For whatever reason, I just paused at the exit of the parking lot, as it suddenly got very dark and very windy. And then a lawn chair flew past down the road, about 15 feet in the air, looking like it was doing over 60. And then it just roared by, no more than 75 feet from the hood of our vehicle. It was all over in under 5 seconds.
But across the street, there were gigantic trees just off the roadway, with trunks wider than our dining room table, that were snapped down like toothpicks, along with every electrical pole on the road. Live wires down everywhere.
Had I not paused that moment or two … God held us back that day for more works.
The B&B amazingly survived it relatively unscathed, as it was full of people for breakfast. But that was the end of that little getaway.
Believe it or not, the number two spot in the United States for tornado activity used to be of all places, just outside Lancaster, PA. Tornado alley out there with all the open farmland.
Now here’s a story to tell the grandkids: When Mrs. C and I once spent an overnight up in the Poconos about 35 years ago, one flew down the road, just outside the B&B we were staying at … just as we were about to pull out on the roadway. I think the place was called the Sterling Inn. Long gone now, but not from this.
For whatever reason, I just paused at the exit of the parking lot, as it suddenly got very dark and very windy. And then a lawn chair flew past down the road, about 15 feet in the air, looking like it was doing over 60. And then it just roared by, no more than 75 feet from the hood of our vehicle. It was all over in under 5 seconds.
But across the street, there were gigantic trees just off the roadway, with trunks wider than our dining room table, that were snapped down like toothpicks, along with every electrical pole on the road. Live wires down everywhere.
Had I not paused that moment or two … God held us back that day for more works.
The B&B amazingly survived it relatively unscathed, as it was full of people for breakfast. But that was the end of that little getaway.
Yea, tornados do really strange things. I did long term recovery work in Greensburg, KS after an EF5 tornado destroyed the town in May of 2007. I remember being amazed at the utter destruction but also the weirdness; the roof and outside walls of a house completely blown away and inside walls remaining with pictures still hanging perfectly straight. More than a few examples of stuff like that. I grew up in Kansas and developed a relaxed relationship with tornados, you know, when the sirens go off, grab the camara or phone and head outside to get some pics. But after Greensburg, I'm a lot quicker to head for the basement to hunker down until the threat passes. They are crazy powerful and unpredictable. My thoughts are with all those impacted by these storms.
I’ve heard this before. I grew up in York, PA. Interestingly enough, even though I was one county west of Lancaster I never saw a tornado near either county.
Now that I’ve been in central OK for 5 yrs, I still have yet to see one here too. Hoping I will sometime in my life…….from a distance away of course
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Back in 2002, was at a friends house in Marlboro NJ, was staring out the back sliding door and hail stones started to fall the size of ping pong balls, sky got dark and rain poured down with the hail. I told my friend to get away from the glass door, no sooner did I say that I watched 60 to 80 year old oak trees bend in the shape of a “U” and snap like a twig in his back yard. Not knowing what’s going on, I looked out front and noticed a tree next to my car. Thought it was just a bad thunder storm so I run out in the middle of it to move my car away from the tree nearby. After 15 min of this it was over….found out 30 min after it was over it was an EF-1 tornado that touched down right over his house. Needless to say I’m quite lucky to be here and don’t want to experience a tornado up close and personal again in my life time.
Starting this post was to give thoughts and prayers to all affected and that we ALL do care about the well being of others which I know everyone feels the same.
Larry
Starting this post was to give thoughts and prayers to all affected and that we ALL do care about the well being of others which I know everyone feels the same.
Larry
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I’ve heard this before. I grew up in York, PA. Interestingly enough, even though I was one county west of Lancaster I never saw a tornado near either county.
Now that I’ve been in central OK for 5 yrs, I still have yet to see one here too. Hoping I will sometime in my life…….from a distance away of course
Not to hijack this thread, but whenever I had to go out to York on business, I always made sure to bring home a big box of Maple Donuts back for Mrs. C.
Oh my. The Sterling Inn still stands. It is now a historical preservation site.
Pretty run down now, just a shadow. But it was once a very charming old place to stay.
I’m glad it survived that tornado. Now you can see where it happened.
www.easternpapreservation.org
Pretty run down now, just a shadow. But it was once a very charming old place to stay.
I’m glad it survived that tornado. Now you can see where it happened.
Sterling Inn | epps
Had some Maple Donuts when I recently went back home for my father's passing. I totally forgot how rich they are.
Stay safe my Cigar Friends.
"[Severe weather and] Tornadoes are so unpredictable that you never know what's going to happen. From the distance they are an amazing piece of nature. Up close they are deadly". Jessica Madden, "Chasing the Storm"
Seems like today is a day of days.....or at least the forecasters are making out to be that way. At any rate, many alerts and watches have been issued. Central OK is maxed out on the tornado index. Those in the central US, please stay weather aware today into this evening. It could get quite bumpy!
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- #13
I hope your dong alright out there, I can’t imagine getting woken up in the middle of the night to gather everyone to go to a storm shelter and only having a few minutes to do it. Every year when I hear about this weather pattern our country gets I think about how difficult it is to keep track of it all and always being on guard and looking up all the time. I guess in time you kinda just get accustomed to it. Stay safe out there!
Larry
Thanks for checking up on us. Personally we’re doing fine. It was a late night for me just monitoring the radar and listening to the forecasters talk things through. In the end, thankfully our area was spared. Sadly, a small town northeast of us got hit hard. Unfortunately, preliminary reports indicate one fatality and widespread destruction.
