9 Tornadoes Confirmed in Northern Illinois June 22, 2015
Millbrook, IL Jellystone Park
Currently 67 Cloudy High 70 Low 57 Humidity 87% Dew Point 63
We have been dodging severe storms: rain, hail, thunder storms, since leaving Arizona mid April. Well, our dodging effectiveness continues, but this time it was plenty close! The Weather Channel described the storm as a super cell, spawning the 9 tornadoes. Based on this article from the Chicago Tribune, Lindy created the map below. You can see the path, going south east, going south of the Riders. Click on the picture to make it larger.
We had our phones and tablet out, each of us following the alerts we received on our phone from WeatherCall and Weather Channel Alerts. Lindy was tracking radar on the tablet, making it larger to make a better determination of location, confirming that each on-coming wave would not be a "direct hit"..... But that didn't make us feel any better! Doesn't a warning mean to take immediate shelter? The shelter here at the campground is the bathroom Comfort Station, a cinder block construction with an "ordinary" roof. And, it was pouring down rain...! We waffled back and forth--should we go up to the bathrooms, or stay here. Remaining in our coach was our decision, and it turned out to be okay. Were we nervous? Yes. Did we learn from this experience? Yes!
More severe storms were forecast for Wednesday night, this time beginning 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM (really Thursday morning). We implemented what we had learned from the Monday experience: pulling in all but one slide (a bedroom slide), packing our to-go bag in the car with water for all 3 of us, getting out our rain coats....we were ready! Of course whenever one uses reverse psychology, being very prepared, the "severe storm" did not materialize, thankfully! We had planned to stay up, but were very tired, and this time there was not a tornado watch over our area, like we had Monday....! We went to bed around 9, and popped awake at 1, once again checking the radar map, but this time, the only alerts we received via the phone were lightening strikes...! Yea!
We were humbled looking at the devastation in Sublette, Woodhaven Lake Campground. Trailers in the trees, upside down....reading about and viewing videos of the destruction added to our learning.
We are sure many of you readers have been through tornado warnings while in your RV, probably more than once. This was our first time. We have learned much from this, and are much wiser! We will continue to pay attention to weather in our planning, and sincerely hope that we never have this experience again. If, perchance, we do, we shall be ready to implement our new learning!
Later, from Millbrook, in Northern Illinois!
Roving Riders, "successful graduates" of the school of experience...
Currently 67 Cloudy High 70 Low 57 Humidity 87% Dew Point 63
We have been dodging severe storms: rain, hail, thunder storms, since leaving Arizona mid April. Well, our dodging effectiveness continues, but this time it was plenty close! The Weather Channel described the storm as a super cell, spawning the 9 tornadoes. Based on this article from the Chicago Tribune, Lindy created the map below. You can see the path, going south east, going south of the Riders. Click on the picture to make it larger.
More severe storms were forecast for Wednesday night, this time beginning 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM (really Thursday morning). We implemented what we had learned from the Monday experience: pulling in all but one slide (a bedroom slide), packing our to-go bag in the car with water for all 3 of us, getting out our rain coats....we were ready! Of course whenever one uses reverse psychology, being very prepared, the "severe storm" did not materialize, thankfully! We had planned to stay up, but were very tired, and this time there was not a tornado watch over our area, like we had Monday....! We went to bed around 9, and popped awake at 1, once again checking the radar map, but this time, the only alerts we received via the phone were lightening strikes...! Yea!
We were humbled looking at the devastation in Sublette, Woodhaven Lake Campground. Trailers in the trees, upside down....reading about and viewing videos of the destruction added to our learning.
We are sure many of you readers have been through tornado warnings while in your RV, probably more than once. This was our first time. We have learned much from this, and are much wiser! We will continue to pay attention to weather in our planning, and sincerely hope that we never have this experience again. If, perchance, we do, we shall be ready to implement our new learning!
Later, from Millbrook, in Northern Illinois!
Roving Riders, "successful graduates" of the school of experience...
Wow, would have scared the heck out of us
ReplyDeleteYep! Was indeed an "interesting" experience! But, we have to acknowledge all those who experienced the devastation--no deaths, but lots of damage...Mother nature demands respect!
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