Very distracted today. Tornadoes have popped up all over the northern Front Range of Colorado. At least 8 tornadoes have touched down, some as big as a mile wide. The town of Windsor has been devastated.
I've been watching the news footage. The aerial views of devastated homes and damaged day care facilities brought tears to my eyes. Great. That's what I needed today.
Three people are dead so far, hundreds are reported to be in emergency rooms.
For updates on the action, tune in to 9 News or Channel 7.
It's really easy to forget that Denver is on the western edge of Tornado Alley. I was reminded of this fact when we were in Lamar. That Saturday while we waited around the town to avoid our bedbug-infested motel room, storms were raging around us and looked ominous. Just east of Lamar is the town of Holly, which was hit hard and practically flattened by a tornado.
I've been in scary tornado situations before. I was a kid then, so it seemed kind of fun and exciting. In fact, I remember that my family was trying to get me to turn the TV off so that we could flee to the town of Jefferson to hide in the basement of the courthouse building. Why wouldn't I budge from the TV? Because the "Gilligan's Island Reunion" special was on. How can I NOT watch that all-important special?!
Instead, now I understand the urgency of a parent trying to shove a kid into the safest spot possible. After watching the footage of a mother who picked up her kid after the tornado, I was a blubbery mess. The little girl had scrapes and bruises from how quickly they had to evacuate the daycare. They moved the kids to a bank across the street and locked them in the vault. That's pretty exciting for a kid.
Absolutely terrifying for a parent.
Now we're listening to interviews with people who have lost their homes, their pets, and their farms. Windsor is a fairly densely populated area. The Front Range encompasses the area from about Colorado Springs to Fort Collins, or the towns immediately east of the Rocky Mountains. The towns in the northern Front Range are shaken to the boots today.
Gotta watch more footage. Ugh. Keep Colorado in you thoughts today, folks. Dorothy and Toto need house insurance.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Tornado mayhem
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 beautiful people muttered something back:
I know!! We were at a BBQ this afternoon and somebody mentioned that tornadoes were near Greeley. When we got home around 2 I turned on the tv and could NOT believe my eyes. I kept thinking that if I hear the air sirens go off, we're heading for the basement.
I've been watching the news all afternoon, with the volume down so I don't upset my kids. The image of the daycare center upsets me. AND the parents can't pick up their children from the local schools yet, because they're in lockdown. I'd be frantic!
My family is originally from Nebraska. Green skies and tornadoes are not to be taken lightly!
What a crazy day of weather. Looking out the window now, the blowing tree limbs seem kind of ominous. I doubt our neighborhood is in a tornado path, but maybe we should strap Amos to something heavy anyway.
They have been reports on our news, I was wondering how close you were to it.
My thoughts are with you. Do yourself a favor and stop watching the news. I know it is addicting, if you need to feel safe turn on the radio. On the other hand if it helps to get the crying out...be safe either way.
Piroska (aka: moderngreenmom, gogreeneasy)
I was thinking of you, but felt a gush of relief when the news said the twisters weren't actually IN Denver.
We just had a slight brush with a twister last week. It blew our trampoline on its side against our fence. Crazy, scary stuff.
Please stay safe. Tornadoes are scary beasts of nature.
Post a Comment