Has anyone ever seen a tornado?

[twodoor2]

With the season upon us, and a recent tornado just 20 miles away from us yesterday (Chicagland area), I was wondering if anyone had ever had seen one in person. I never have , even though I lived in the midwest my whole life. I think I once saw a funnel cloud, sirens were going and this long shaped cloud was near us, but it never touched down.

Although I'm fascinated by weather and I own several storm chasing videos, I would probably be terrified to see one in person, unless it was really far away.

[Jacob'sDad]

No, but one time we were at my sisters place and we turned on the news and they're showing that extremely heavy winds had come through our town and did quite a bit of damage. The next thing you know THERE IS OUR HOUSE on TV. The storm came right through our neighborhood and tore off some garages and roofs and hail damaged all the siding. We got lucky because most of the damage was on the other side of the street. Our house happened to face the right way. There was news trucks on our street and I was talking to a reporter and everything. The Red Cross trucks were out with food and water. We were without power for 3 days. There were several boats on trailers that were flipped over. All we needed was new shingles, siding, and window screens.
I was extremely disappointed that I wasn't home at the time:eek:. I love storms and although it would have been quite frightening, it also would have been a once in a lifetime experience (maybe).
What was most shocking is that they eventually calculated that the winds may not have exceeded 70 MPH. These new houses are just built so poorly that it takes very little to tear them up. Two years later the wind blew about 60 MPH and someone's garage collapsed.:rolleyes:

[RosemaryCinNJ]

I have never seen a tornado...lived through a few hurricanes and Nor easters...

[Mama2H]

Saw a couple when I was little from a few miles away. My dad liked to load us up in the car when he heard there was one nearby and he would drive to what he said was a "safe distance" :eek: and watch. We never saw anything HUGE and they were all out in the country. And of coarse my mom was at work when he would do this :eek:

[Aidan'sMom]

Yes, I saw one touch down in my grandparents yard as we were running into the storm cellar. I was about 12 years old and scared out of my wits. It tore up their whole yard and blew their barn about a mile down the street. Left the house standing pretty as you please without even a shutter blown off.

[bisous]

So I've lived in So. Cal almost all of my life and my answer is ALMOST. When I was about 14 I saw what is known as a waterspout that formed over the ocean from my balcony. I told my mom that I saw a tornado and of course she thought I was crazy. Sure enough, there it sat clear as a picture the dark swirly clouds and the whole nine yards. The nice thing about waterspouts is that unless they descend all the way to the ocean, they are harmless and this one caused no damage at all. :) Of course, I have LOADS of stories about earthquakes...

[BrendaK]

NO, I grew up in Kansas, though and have had my fill of close calls!!

There was a small tornado in our county Saturday night and we sure had a scare. I was at the mall when the sirens came on and all the reports were that it was a few miles west of our town. So I was on the phone with DH screaming to get the kids in the basement and get the INSULIN AND TEST STRIPS!!!! I ended up in the family lounge bathrooms with a bunch of other shoppers and at one point we were on the floor covering our heads with the mattress pads I just bought!! We were all on our cell phones and the reports were that it was moving right towards us! Very scary. It ended up not hitting the mall or the house, but it was only 2 miles away!

[OSUMom]

Nope, just struck by lightning. It can happen - stay inside! :)

[Beach bum]

When I worked at Disney, a mini one touched down at the trailor park where the employees lived. I was inside, and I remember the sky got green and really windy. I never saw the funnel cloud...and I'm glad I didn't! When my brother used to live outside Chicago, they would get warnings frequently, so there were more than a few times that we got to visit the basement there. We saw the funnel clous far off in the distance.

I've been in:
Nor' Easters
Hurricanes
Small earthquake
Near a water spout in FL Keys

And I remember being sent home from work Halloween of '91 known in these parts as "The Perfect Storm." It was weird seeing all these people in Halloween costumes rushing to buses to get out of town.

[MReinhardt]

I have seen a few. Where we live now, there has been tornado warnings out every day all week. One tornado Wednesday night was 17 miles from our home. The other tornado Friday night was 5 miles from our home. Want talk about some scared kiddos.

[momandwifeoftype1s]

I saw a tornado coming down in Plainfield, IL (sorry Marsha). I never saw it touch down because we headed to shelter.

My sister was driving from Chicago to Champaign, IL when a tornado crossed over the road she was on. She could see it coming towards her from the side, full of trees, balls of fire (from electrical lines), and other debris. She called ME on her cell phone to ask me what she should do. She was hysterical. I had to hand the phone to my husband because I couldn't understand her & I was getting too worked up myself. He told her to get out of the car and get in a ditch. She decided to gun it, and barely missed the tornado crossing the road behind her. She wondered why a whole bunch of trucks had pulled over to the side of the road miles earlier and why she was the only one driving on that stretch of the road :eek:. I'm glad she made it safety!

We also had a tornado here in February. It was only a few miles from our house, and took out a church and several homes. The hills look like a giant stepped on them. The trees are all flattened against the hills. Some trees were cut in half (old trees too). It was very close to our house and very scary to see green lightening and the noise was awful.

[Beach bum]

I saw a tornado coming down in Plainfield, IL (sorry Marsha). I never saw it touch down because we headed to shelter.

.

That's where we were when we saw the tornado too! My brother used to live in Plainfield near Target and Walmart.

[LizinTX]

We live in Tornado Alley, we also live in a tornado magnet (you know, a trailer in a trailer park). While I have seen lots of tornado producing clouds, and even some rotation in the sky, I have never seen one actually on the ground. And I am very thankful.

[Flutterby]

I've never seen one here, but live very close to where one hit when I was little.. my brother and I were home alone and the sky just lit up greenish.. it was very calm.. we had tornado and severe t-storm warnings.. about 15miles away a tornado took a steeple off of a church, it killed someone, right near where my mom works!:eek: I LOVE watching tornado chasings.. love seeing it on tv.. If i had the guts I would do one of those trips where you pay tornado chasers to take you on a chase.. but I think I'd chicken out and pee my pants:D I am fasinated by them and scared to death of them at the same time.. I HATE driving in any type of severe t-storm.. we don't get tornado warnings often in 'these parts' but it does happen..

[hold48398]

Thankfully - no. Been through a bunch of pretty bad hurricanes, though. Not fun. The hurricane aftermath is even worse.

Speaking of tornadoes, isnt there a "rule" as to what you should do (or which direction to drive) if you happen to spot one that looks close by or coming towards you???:confused: Might be good to know....

[Treysmom]

I've seen waterspouts in Lake Ponchatrain all of the time.

I have never really seen a tornado. I lived through lots of Hurricanes. The damage from Katrina was the worst I've ever seen.

[twodoor2]

Thankfully - no. Been through a bunch of pretty bad hurricanes, though. Not fun. The hurricane aftermath is even worse.

Speaking of tornadoes, isnt there a "rule" as to what you should do (or which direction to drive) if you happen to spot one that looks close by or coming towards you???:confused: Might be good to know....

I think if the tornado doesn't look like it's moving left or right and almost still, that means it's coming toward you.:eek:

[twodoor2]

I've never seen one here, but live very close to where one hit when I was little.. my brother and I were home alone and the sky just lit up greenish.. it was very calm.. we had tornado and severe t-storm warnings.. about 15miles away a tornado took a steeple off of a church, it killed someone, right near where my mom works!:eek: I LOVE watching tornado chasings.. love seeing it on tv.. If i had the guts I would do one of those trips where you pay tornado chasers to take you on a chase.. but I think I'd chicken out and pee my pants:D I am fasinated by them and scared to death of them at the same time.. I HATE driving in any type of severe t-storm.. we don't get tornado warnings often in 'these parts' but it does happen..

I would like to go on one of those storm chasing trips myself, but now since the cost of gasoline is about a bazillion dollars a gallon, and the storm chasers can drive hundreds of miles in one day, I calculate that you would need to be Oprah Winfrey to afford one of those trips. I hear they're very expensive, even before gas jumped in price.

[liasmommy2000]

No, but we obliviously sat eating dinner in a restaurant last year when one touched down in our town. If we had just looked out the window right behind my dad and next to Lia, we would have seen it going through town.

We knew there was a bad storm, but at first just thought it was a really bad thunder storm. Then my grandma called my mom on her cell phone as she knew where we were all eating dinner and the tv station said one had been sighted in the area. My sister and I decided to take the kids to the kids to the restroom which was in the middle of the restaurant and had no windows. Then the power went out. NONE of the servers or managers in the restaurant said anything about what was going on (it wasn't totally dark as all the tables had candles on them). My nephew flipped out and refused to go in the totally dark bathroom and by that time we heard that the worst was passed. We were done eating by that time and walked out and several huge trees were down across the street a couple hundered feet down the road. Down further that way many houses had trees down and roofs out etc. Down another street around 300 trees in the city center by the park, community center, one of the schools and city hall were ripped out along with lots of roofs, windows etc. That was maybe a half mile away.

We don't know how we missed seeing it. And we never heard the freight train sound. It was an F2 and we were clueless!

My dad saw an F5 that hit MI when he was a child. I think it was the deadliest tornado to ever hit MI. Thankfully it didn't hit his house, but they saw it in the sky a mile or so away and my grandfather told everyone to get in the car and they drove like mad in the opposite direction. Oddly enough yesterday was the 55th anniversary of that tornado and we spent a half hour in the closest yesterday due to tornado warnings in our area. They say one might have touched down about a half mile from us but it wasn't confirmed.

[Lee]

Yes- way to manY! I lived in Wichita, KS half my life! The scariest one that I saw wiped out many smaller towns around the vicinity. I was at my uncles, and we watched and videotape this humongous one go all the way around the city.

Tips-don't go under the overpasses - no matter what you see on tv - the one with the little girls (that is actually the tornado we videotaped) hanging on was just pure dumb luck - it acts as a vacuum.

If you are in a car, and it isn't that close goes as fast as you can AWAY from the tornado. If it is close, get out and find a ditch and get as low to the ground as possible.

In your houses - bottom floor of course, but even in a basement- try to stay by an outside wall or under a staircase and in an enclosed spot. Bathtubs also work great.

If in a trailer, go immediately to a shelter - most parks have one. Don't try and ride it out unless you half to.

And yes, I have seen a van with a tree trunk right through it like a popsicle, I have seen wheat forced through brick, and I have seen a cow in a tree...

That is why I live in Maine now!

[BrendaK]

Yes- way to manY! I lived in Wichita, KS half my life! The scariest one that I saw wiped out many smaller towns around the vicinity. I was at my uncles, and we watched and videotape this humongous one go all the way around the city.


I remember that tornado like it was yesterday. We were watching that videotape as it aired live on TV and at one point it was WAY too close to our house! My sister and I were in the basement hiding under the coffee table and watching that on the TV!!!

I never saw those Wichita tornados because were were always under the coffee table in our basement. :eek:

[ScottB]

I've only seen 1 really big one and that was WAY back in 1967 when I was 4 years old growing up in the town of Oak Lawn which is a southwest suburb of Chicago and the town got hit with an F5 tornado. It missed our house but it sure tore the rest of the town to pieces. Seeing that tornado coming gave me nightmares for years.

[Diet Dr. Pepper]

I HAVE!!! ...well, it was more like a funnel cloud thing..but it was almost touching the ground) Back in 8th grade (I'm graduated now!!) we were having a bad storm. I was in math class, and the through the windows you could see the football stadium. Well we all heard this weird 'roaring' or 'growling' sound.. So I went to look out the window and I saw it... The really odd thing was, classes just kept going on, we didn't do the tornado drill thing....:confused:

[Erin Grace's Mom]

No, but I have been through two when I lived in Texas. I have seen funnel clouds, rotating wall clouds, garden variety cloud rotation and many other cool cloud formations (don't get me started).

I was asleep both times my area was hit by a tornado. It was so loud that we knew instinctively that it was a tornado and ran straight for a safe place. Thankfully, my abode never suffered severe damage.

After college I moved from Texas to Kansas and became a trained storm spotter/chaser. I would head out in my Honda and drive around searching for storms.:D If I saw anything I would call it in the the Nat. Weather Service. I miss the good ole' days...

I have also been in numerous hurricanes, two small earthquakes, and I walked across an erupting volcano. I am a total force of nature geek. :D

[Illinifan]

I grew up in Central Illinois and have seen my share of tornados as they cross the corn and bean fields.

If you ever find yourself near Springfield during a tornado watch/warning, stay away from a little town called Chatham. Tornados that have gone past Chatham have stopped, backed up and then smashed through town. It's the most tornado prone area in Central Illinois.

We have Chatham's sister city here near Dayton: Xenia, OH. A good chunk of it was destroyed back in 1974 and then a little over 25 years later in 2000, it got hit major league hard again. The Shawnee Indians called it "the land of the crazy winds".

Oh yeah...as every school age kid in Central Illinois knows, the only way to be safe during a tornado is to run out into the hallway, put your head against the wall and cover it with your Math book. If you don't have your Math book with you, you are screwed and you WILL DIE!!!

[Treysmom]

Oh yeah...as every school age kid in Central Illinois knows, the only way to be safe during a tornado is to run out into the hallway, put your head against the wall and cover it with your Math book. If you don't have your Math book with you, you are screwed and you WILL DIE!!!


:eek:Oh My:eek:

[CJ's Mom]

I haven't seen one.

This was just last week at Camp Atterbury, which is about 16 miles south in Indianapolis, 2.5 hours from us.

http://www.pbase.com/moonandstar/campatornado

:eek:

[twodoor2]

Oh yeah...as every school age kid in Central Illinois knows, the only way to be safe during a tornado is to run out into the hallway, put your head against the wall and cover it with your Math book. If you don't have your Math book with you, you are screwed and you WILL DIE!!!

Yes, it HAS to be a math book.:p If it's English or History, forget about it.:eek:

[TracieandJim]

Being a Texan I expected to see one by now but it me going to Cayman and I saw 3 water spouts out in the ocean while having a nice drink at the bar.

Me: Um.. those are water spouts? (way off in the distance)
Bartender: Yep
Me: Are they going to come this way?
Bartender: Nope
Me: ..sigh of relief

[momandwifeoftype1s]

Since I'm from the Midwest (books over the head in the hall method), I find it very odd that in the Southeast (at least where we live) - you get a call to come pick up your child from school when there is a tornado warning. A car is the last place I want to be if there is a tornado coming! Several times, I've been driving to school to pick up my kids while I'm peering up at the sky to see if there is a tornado over my head. Yikes! :eek:

[LizinTX]

Tonight, we heard the tornado sirens going off, I looked outside saw some rotation in the sky. I grabbed the kids and ran to the shelter with everyone else in the park. We no sooner got to the bottom when the people up top started screaming that it hit.

God is so good. It missed our park, and landed in a pasture going away from us. We had tons of debris everywhere though; even an electric line snapped.

The only really bad thing, was when we got down there, we realized we had a glucometer but no snacks for lows. Luckily we didn't need any, so this was a learning experience. I just need to always make sure I am prepared.

[Mama2H]

Oh wow Liz! I am so glad you are all ok.

[twodoor2]

Tonight, we heard the tornado sirens going off, I looked outside saw some rotation in the sky. I grabbed the kids and ran to the shelter with everyone else in the park. We no sooner got to the bottom when the people up top started screaming that it hit.

God is so good. It missed our park, and landed in a pasture going away from us. We had tons of debris everywhere though; even an electric line snapped.

The only really bad thing, was when we got down there, we realized we had a glucometer but no snacks for lows. Luckily we didn't need any, so this was a learning experience. I just need to always make sure I am prepared.

:eek::eek: So glad you're okay. I know that people hate snow, but this time of year is so dangerous as far as weather is concerned.

[Jensmami]

Tonight, we heard the tornado sirens going off, I looked outside saw some rotation in the sky. I grabbed the kids and ran to the shelter with everyone else in the park. We no sooner got to the bottom when the people up top started screaming that it hit.

God is so good. It missed our park, and landed in a pasture going away from us. We had tons of debris everywhere though; even an electric line snapped.

The only really bad thing, was when we got down there, we realized we had a glucometer but no snacks for lows. Luckily we didn't need any, so this was a learning experience. I just need to always make sure I am prepared.

That is so scary, I'm glad you are ok:)

[Flutterby]

Tonight, we heard the tornado sirens going off, I looked outside saw some rotation in the sky. I grabbed the kids and ran to the shelter with everyone else in the park. We no sooner got to the bottom when the people up top started screaming that it hit.

God is so good. It missed our park, and landed in a pasture going away from us. We had tons of debris everywhere though; even an electric line snapped.

The only really bad thing, was when we got down there, we realized we had a glucometer but no snacks for lows. Luckily we didn't need any, so this was a learning experience. I just need to always make sure I am prepared.

that scary.. we don't have tornado shelters around here.. I'm always wondering what I'd do it a tornado hit.. we live on the second floor, and no easy way to get down to the lowest level.. guess we'd be in the bath tub:rolleyes:

so GLAD all is OK..

[etringali]

I haven't seen a tornado, but a lady looking out her window got an amazing pic of one..... Time to see if I can link it....

[Mrs. Russman]

My dad got some awesome pics of one that hit Stillwater,Ok in the 70's I of course was in the bathtub with a matress over me.
Another one was when I was in 2nd grade, took the roof off the school building. It was at night so I was in the basement of the courthouse along with most everyone else in town.
In high school, we had two large pine trees side by side in our front yard. Late one night I heard the roaring and got up to look out my window. During a flash of lightening I could see the trees, next flash, one was gone. about that time Mom knocked on my door and said time to go to the storm cave. (a reinforced room in our basement) I said "too late, it just took out one of the trees in the front yard" We went to the basement anyway....
I was also in Fort Worth when a tornado did a lot of damage in 2000.
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2000/wtorn328.htm

Another time in the late 90's we were tent camping when one came through the area. We had planned out who would grab which kids and we would head for the nearest low lying area, an empty streambed a few hundred feet away.
Fortunately it didn't come near the camp ground.

[ADHDiabetic Mom]

Some small tornados went through my sister-in-law's neighborhood about a couple of months ago and did quite a bit of damage. No homes lost, thankfully. They are about 10 minutes away from us, so we did not actually see it, but I can't say I'm sorry about it.

The scary thing about it was that the residents later said that the storm was so loud that no one could hear the sirens, so they didn't know how bad it was about to get.