6.02.2004

Texas weather!

Yesterday was as any other late spring day in Texas;hot, humid, and alot of sunshine. As I was returning from the bank at lunch I decided to leave the windows down in the car so maybe the car would be a little cooler after work. I thought to myself (there is that guy again!): "Myself, I would bet my paycheck it isn't going to rain." Was I wrong! about 6pm I looked out and dark clouds were coming in from the west and south. So I rolled up the windows and prepared to head home by 7. Fast forward to 9pm, a tornado warning scrolled across the tv screen and by 9:30 there was a confirmed tornado in the Mansfield/Arlington area (10-12 miles away) so we stepped outside, me with my camera in hand. Sure enough as we were gazing to the southwest, lightning lit up the sky and there was the funnel of a tornado! Like gawkers at a strip show we just stood there and looked for it, but the next time lightning lit up the sky, the funnel had retracted back up into the clouds, all except for a small bit. Alot of wind and rain, then the power went out. No a/c, can't open the windows because of the rain. What were we to do. Around 10:30 or so the rain calmed down, we cracked windows and went to sleep. Did not know what lights had been left on, but I sure did get a rude awakening when the whole house lit up around midnight! Sister closed windows and I turned the air conditioner back on and we all went back to sleep. Overheard Mom this morning say lightning hit some houses and at least one garage burned down. I did forget to mention there was quite a lightning show the whole evening. I watched it for awhile. Too bad there was a light rain or I would have attempted to take some photos of the lightning. I did attempt some photos when we saw the tornado but as it was my first attempt at such night shooting and I was in a hurry to shoot them, they just came out black (way underexposed). Better luck next time. Anyways, it made for an evening of excitement and interest.

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