The blackened sky out there right now, driving a welcome wind through the windows, reminded me I didn’t write about yesterday’s tornado warning. Yes, warning. Not even a mere watch. Yes, in Massachusetts. If that surprises you, by all means Google Worcester tornado and look at some of the results not about the ball team. One of the only times I ever heard the emergency broadcast system used beyond a test was driving down from north of Boston and hearing a tornado watch.
But this was a warning. With our location relatively in bullseye territory. Wow.
We ended up getting everyone dressed and hanging out in the cellar for several minutes during the projected window for the area, at the risk of feeling silly. Deb grew up in an area that had been hit with a tornado and where such things were serious enough they used air raid sirens for warnings and tested regularly. I grew up aware of the Worcesteer tornado, and enough of a weather nerd to be aware they could and did happen here, if seldom, and even rarer with strength. Plus hellow, Wizard of Oz was an annual television event.
In the end nothin happened beside relatively severe thunderstorms, some hail and heavy rain, more darkness in the sky than justified. It was different, though.
I was disappointed that after going offline for the emergency, my Blackberry, from which I am posting this, was not available to look at weather, post, see e-mail, etc. It was as if the cell service shut down completely, right when I wanted it most. Thrilling.
Raining good now, so I’d better make sure no windows are letting it in…
2 replies on “If This Had Been An Actual Emergency”
Glad everything is okay. I’ve been through several, complete with the air raid sirens. When I was in Amarillo, it felt like the siren was inside my house, because it was in the alley right behind the house. Could feel that sucker in my chest.
Living in tornado country, I am perhaps overly blase about tornadoes. Last time the sirens went off, I was sleeping. Woke up, checked the weather on TV, saw that it was heading right for us but there was no actual funnel on the ground. Stayed in bed and fell back asleep. Power was out in the morning.
I was greeted: “Good morning!”
I responded: “Good morning. Is my car still there?” It was.
The time before that? They went off before bedtime, I saw they’d miss us by about 5 miles, and went to bed anyway.
Right now? Tornado warning two counties west of here. Whoopdeedo.