Pat Sees Her First Tornado

Time: 17:52 CDT. The tornado is beginning to rope. Another chaser for the station, Lance Ferguson, was closer to it on the south and has excellent video. My normal chase partner, Matt Harding, was out on his own and reported a stovepipe tornado a few minutes later from 71st South and 183rd west (several miles to our northeast).

…Meanwhile, our 6-year old, Cristi, was among the group taking shelter in our church basement, after I had texted several people at the church who were getting ready for the childrens’ program. At the time it was on the ground, the path of the storm was looking like it would cross where our church is, south of Kellogg and Broadway.

Thanks to a few people for making yesterday possible: Marc and Alice LaVoie, who watched Cristi for the afternoon, and Nolan Banks, who filled in for Matt and got Pat and me from place to place.

…and I’ll still get to see Cristi sing! (As will Mom, who will be home from Fort Worth Wednesday morning). The kids’ program was called off shortly after her group sang, because the gust front and monsoon rain took out 2 of the 3 phases of power at the church. The generator didn’t kick in, and folks spent quite a chunk of time bailing water out of the sanctuary, where it was leaking in the North doors.

Here are a couple of closer damage shots from the home — these were taken from our digital camera, instead of by the BlackBerry. (Gonna have to help Pat learn to hold the camera steady.)