Tornadoes in North West Iowa

[iowafarmer]

Well had lots of excitement tonight while my parents were gone to church after i got home from work. Turned on the TV and it said torando warning for my county and the ones surounding it. I'm like when did this start. So i look out the widnow to the south past the TV and the there is a tornado spinning around im like shiet. So i quick grabbed a radio and my cell phone and headed for teh basement. Im down there for 5 minutes when i heard on the radio that it was 20 miles away. I heard reports that it was 1/2 a mile wide. Then and up stairs for 10 minutes when it looks like something is burning to the south again adn then the smoke seemed to get taller adn narrower so i go out on the porch to look. Look up and there is a funnel cloud spinning away and the clouds seem to just get sucked into them things. Then it came down and well i tired to take a picture but the camera was dead. All of a sudden that thing got black and came down and looked like it was headed strait for me so i headed down stairs again. Come back up in like 5 minutes adn there is no sight of it. Turns out that it touched down 2 miles south of me and followed the black top for a little while luckily it didn't do any damage casue town is only a 1/4 mile away. It looked the same size from 2 miles away as the one 20 miles away. Definately the scariest thing i have ever seen.

 

[Alice]

Holy mackerel...thank goodness you're ok. I lived thru something like you're describing in December 2005, but the thing decided to land on my pole barn...not my house that I was cowering in.

You used good judgment...bless your heart.

Alice

 

[cattleluvr18]

tornados are the scariest things. i think your pretty brave for going back upstairs for pics. i know last week when a tornado came through i wasnt about to go take a peek outside. its way too early in the year to be having all these storms. they are talking more severe weather for tonight and tomarrow night. in fact, i think the weather report had a tornado watch out for alot of iowa. im just barely out of it. but they arnt ruling out southeast nebraska for nasty weather anyway enough of my rambles...glad you are ok and i take it the farm is ok too. thats always the important thing is your safety.

 

[bigbull338]

that was a bad twister.thank goodness your ok.an that it didnt hitt where you was.but i sure feel for the people where it did hitt.

 

[iowafarmer]

yeah it luckily hit only ten farm places over the 30 miles that is covered. For a stretch of 12 miles they estimate that it had winds up to 160 miles an hour. It did get close to a town of 5000 but it went missed it by about 1/4 to 1/2 a mile away. The national weather survice estimated that 10 touched down in our county alone. Yep wouldn't be surprised if it happens more this year with the volitatle weather. Now its rainy and 40 degrees with snow by midnight tonight.

 

[curtis]

There was seven people killed in Arkansas today. We had several in my area but none touched down.

 

[CUZ]

Glad you're OK.

 

[Jogeephus]

Iowafarmer, tonadoes scare me. What do you do when a tornado is coming your way? Do you have a cellar or something?

 

[iowafarmer]

I was outside most of the time watching for funnel clouds or tornado that has touched down. If they get to close or there is a funnel cloud over head i go down the basement. I heard that the 1/2 mile wide one went right overtop a guy. He was working on a farm place in a skidloader adn saw it coming and he went and layed down in the ditch along the road. Went roght over him and took his hat off but otehr wise he was fine. The key is to make yourself as low and as small a target as you can. Most people get killed by debre rather than getting sucked up by the tornado. If one gets within 3 miles you head down stairs. Our stairs to the basement are right by the back door so i can get in the basement pretty fast from outside.

 

[Calman]

Tornadoes are unforgiving and they do not discriminate.
They will take away all you have,and all you have worked for,and your love ones in a matter of minutes.

Cal