Twist and Shout

A bit over an hour ago, a tornado warning was issued for my county.

Such a warning is rare. We don't live in tornado alley - far from it. But we have been in a strange weather pattern for the last week or so. This is the second tornado warning I can remember here. The last one was about five years ago and the suspect cell was about 1/2 mile from us. I was in one tornado warning when we lived in the south - that whole day is a story from another time.

My husband called me to let me know the warning had been issued. I'd just dropped C at sailing and didn't have the radio on. My husband is supposed to be sailing tonight, too, but I bet they are calling it off. A water spout was spotted about an hour away, and the line was headed straight for us. The news estimated it would reach us in 40 minutes.

After a frantic half hour of getting some things to the basement while following the storm on the news station, the storm weakened enough for the warning to be canceled. Meanwhile a neighbor whose son was also at sailing offered to go get them. Yes, please. And thank you. I'd already called down to the maritime school to verify that the kids were indeed off the water.

Last text message I sent to my husband was "Tornado warning canceled. Phew. Just flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings now. Bring wine."

The thunderstorm cell is right over my town right now. I can hear the crackle of lightening intermingled with booms of thunder around my house. The rain is torrential. Hail possible.

There will be trees down. I hope we keep power. I think it's safe to assume the boys' summer league baseball games are canceled.

Even as I write this, the storm is easing. The sky is even lightening a little.