Saturday, June 27, 2009

THAT WAS SOME STORM ALRIGHT!


Yesterday I discovered just how big that storm (in previous post) really was! Here, from the local radio station's website:

Tornado in Leamington Fri Jun 26th, 2009
Environment Canada says not only did yesterday's storm spawn funnel clouds in Leamington, but in fact it produced a tornado.The weather authority says investigators will be in the town today surveying damage done to a barn on Mersea Road C near Point Pelee.At this point Warning Preparedness meteorologist Geoff Coulson says they believe the twister was an F1, which means winds of between 140 and 160 kilometers (73-112 mph) an hour.Coulson warns this is the prime time of the year for tornado activity and advises people to be on the look out particularly looking towards the southwestern horizon during storms for possible funnels.

This morning I drove out Mersea Road C to see this barn; it's only a couple of minutes drive (gulp!) from my place. If this is the right barn, then it must have been pretty rickety to begin with, the wood looked quite old and weathered, almost as if I'd leaned on it hard I could have done some damage of my own. But even so, there's a whole lot less barn now! I almost wasn't sure I had the right place 'til I drove a bit past it and turned around, where I could see a lot of wreckage strewn behind the house and other nearby structures. And a lovely large willow tree just down the road had some huge branches ripped away.



On my own property, the downed branches are all removed, but there's more to be done. I noticed that the flagpole - which you've seen in some of my lake shots - is now doing a little leaning, too, plus there's a crack (hairline, for now) in the concrete it's embedded in. I think it's going to have to come down, and soon, before the next storm arrives. I kind of wish it had been a big tree branch instead - you know, something easy to take care of. I don't think there's going to be a full page devoted just to "flagpole removal" in the Yellow Pages!

It's rather unsettling to think of a tornado so close by, especially since I live in a "media vacuum." When I get the town's weekly newspaper next Wednesday, I'll learn a bit more, but as for advance warnings, there's no siren in Leamington. The town does have a fledgling TV station, but it's only available on cable, and my semi-rural road doesn't have cable TV access (and likely won't get it). Most of the homes and older cottages already have a satellite dish installed, so it's not a priority for a cable company to go to the expense of setting up for service. I get most of my Doppler weather from the Detroit TV station, but that doesn't really extend much beyond Windsor. I guess I just keep my eyes and ears open. There's no basement here, so I don't suppose there's much to be done except sit in the bathtub with the four cats and hope we don't end up in Oz!!

P.S. Something is going on with my server and/or computer, so it may be a while before I'm able to make my rounds to see you all, but I'll keep trying!

13 comments:

Geraldine said...

I saw this story on the news. It actually made it all the way to BC! (the story, not the storm)LOL

Hope the clouds have passed and you enjoy a sunny and serene weekend Deborah.

Hugs, G

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Too close for comfort, Deb.. We've had some damaging tornado-like winds around here also which are too close for comfort. Luckily, our area does have a siren. We only have a half basement --which can only be gotten to by going outside. I think we would just go to the only inside room in our house, a large closet....

Glad you are okay. Hope your server problems will be over soon.
Hugs,
Betsy

Cloudia said...

Great front line report.
Yes, nature is powerful (cliche` alert)
Love the discription of your part of the world.
I think Michael Jackson fans have slowed down google with their quieries!!
And when will our scheduled posts resume auto posting?! Grrrr.
Out here in Hawaiian Standard Time I'm 6 hours behind New York and thus very late to the party.
Double grrrrrr.
But swing by to catch up, eh?
Aloha!

Comfort Spiral

Sylvia K said...

Definitely too close for comfort! Wow! I can do without that kind of excitement! Glad you were spared any major damage -- I could even handle a flagpole. Having grown up in Texas, I do know about tornados -- not fun! Have a great weekend - now that the storm has passed!

Dianne said...

we had quite a storm last night!

many people are saying they're having computer issues - I think we're all being monitored ;)

Rose said...

Wow, sounds like you had a close call! I am glad it didn't come any closer....every time it storms here the wind seems to blow so hard and I am always so thankful that we had the big trees on the south side of us taken down. The one was really starting to rot down the middle and every time it stormed big limbs came down. Of course, the rest of the time I miss it.

bobbie said...

Wow! Close one!
So far, we have escaped storms. Dianne wrote today about a bad one that left her without electricity for many hours. She's in north Jersey, and I'm in south. actually, I have heard of really hard rain and flooded streets not too far from here. But nothing like you experienced.
Good luck with the flag pole problem.

Quiet Paths said...

I wondered after that photo you posted of the wind-shaken tree. Things were shakin' from a twister. Hoo whee. Now you be careful what funnels you get mixed up with, Dee.

Great Grandma Lin said...

exciting...glad you weren't in the tornado path...

SandyCarlson said...

I am glad you survived those storms. They sound like ours--and they are very uncharacteristic for this area. Strange and forbidding weather, to be sure.

magiceye said...

take care

Annie Jeffries said...

A miss is as good as a mile but this feels like a good brush. Wishing you calmer weather for the rest of the season.

Beth P. said...

oz ain't so bad...dang monkeys, though...

Glad to know you're ok--those spring/early summer storms are so ferocious!

Thanks--