Tornado in the Rockies!!!

[Mare]

Late Tuesday afternoon my dog started going nuts, barking and running from room to room. Not like her at all. Then, all of the sudden, I heard what sounded like a freight train coming and it was on top of us in seconds. I was sure all the windows were going to blow out, and I was afraid we might lose the first floor. I was in the basement, so I took the dog and went into the bathroom, the one room with no windows and heavy framing. It was all over in just a minute or two, but wow, what damage it did. Our two houses are only about one mile apart as the crow flys, and they both got hit. We were lucky though compared to so many others.

 

Our neighbors boat landed in our front side yard. It had to fly over a Globe willow tree and an 8'x8' kennel of wood. The deck furniture is smashed to smithereens, but fortunately it flew off the deck and not through the french doors or bay windows. Cavey's beloved new gas grill was found in the front yard, and we lost some shingles. At the rental house we lost our fence and just a few shingles that we know about so far. The 4"x4" posts snapped like toothpicks at the base and went down.

 

Our neighbor next door lost three beautiful mature trees, his deck and fencing on both sides of his house. Another neighbor on the circle lost his deck, deck roof, all of his windows blew out and he wound up in the hospital with numerous cuts. One of our big heavy trash cans was found across the street, and the other flew over the house across from us and into the lake. Trees were down everywhere........everyone who once had a white vinyl fence no longer does, and many boats, patio furniture, trash cans, etc. are still missing. Some houses on the street where our rental is lost all of their shingles and some actual roof.

 

It's unbelieveable that living in a valley surrounded by tall mountains, we had a tornado. We had one in 1999 in the city that did a lot of damage and killed one person. Sheesh, I thought all we had to worry about were earthquakes. Anyway, our neighborhood has been declared a disaster area, so we don't have to pay deductibles on insurance claims. Funny too, how my dog sensed it. She is deaf, so she didn't just hear it before me.

 

This was an exercise for a much more serious disaster. It was heartwarming to see how the neighbors came together and helped each other. Anyway, that's about the most excitement I've had for awhile.

[SueC]

Wow - I am so glad that you had the knowledge to know where to shelter etc. I hope your insurance pays for the repairs, but if it is like over here, what it actually pays for wont compensate for all of it, how can money replace mature trees etc

 

glad you are ok

[Jewlzm]

Holy Cow! I didnt think tornados cared for the mountains.

Glad you and your family are safe Mare!!

 

Welcome back its been awhile.

[Mt_Rider]

Hi Mare,

Glad you and your stuff are basically alright. (except that new grill) We had a couple tornadoes a ways from here in the Rockies one afternoon this summer. Not big and managed to miss anything but trees.

 

It IS unusual but not unheard of. Good dog - sounding the alarm.

 

 

MtRider

[pauline]

Mare glad that none of you were injured it was"a lovely night" for the wind and rain through the whole area heard you guys were without power most of the night there we were out for about 6.5 hrs and had itemsfrom neighbors out in the front yard but nowhere near as much damage as was done up there.

[Becca_Anne]

I'm so glad you are o.k. I am sorry you had damage but it sounds like things could have been a lot worse! It isn't often tornadoes happen near the Mts but it can happen! When I was about 9 Denver had a big tornado.

 

In Iowa we had them all the time- 2 people were killed 15 miles from our town about 5 yrs ago. They are really scary!

[Snowmom]

,

 

I'm so glad you were not hurt and that there was not to much damage done. So glad you are all safe. It could have been so much worse.

 

Don't be a stranger,

 

As for your dog, yes, they sure do know when things are about to happen.

 

It had to be about 6 years ago there was a tornado in Oct. and it was about 10 miles from us. But, both Queen and Prince were acting strange. The wind was blowing hard, but I, didn't really think much of it. It was then that I learned that dogs do sence things about danger, much before we do. No, I didn't go to the basement, as it was Oct., and who had ever heard of a tornado in Oct. There was barns down, and much more damage done that day too.

[cookiejar]

Good grief Mare,

 

Glad to know your okay! Thank heavens.

[PoGo]

Mare, I'm so glad that you and Caveman are ok.

[dogmom4]

(((Mare))). I'm glad you guys are ok.

Stacy

[Aint2nuts]

wow, scary!