The day began like any other. I had finally enlisted the help of my son in doing some yard work. He had hand built lattice for our porch. The goal was to have it entirely enclosed before summer so that I could enjoy the space with shade. I had imagined filling it with plants and having a more tropical feel. Such was not to be.
Within an hour or so of my beautiful sunny Oklahoma day, the skies began the transformation into the all too familiar pre-rain look. My son, perked up immediately. I imagine he thought his work day would soon be over with a legitimate excuse of inclement weather. The temperature began to drop from the wonderful 80 plus degrees. "That is too rapid for a regular thunderstorm," I thought. Living in Oklahoma as long as we have, we were well versed in the signs of tornado watching.
I gathered my gardening supplies and then turned on our Stormwatch radio. I was right. The news from the "Forewarn Team" confirmed this was a tornado watch. My son, with much glee, came inside, plopped in front of the television to watch some mindless show. As soon as he was comfortable, the weather alert broke in. My son was visibly annoyed that he still might have work to do.
I was increasingly concerned as the weatherman listed the sightings of wall clouds and formations in "tornado-speak" that were locations that I knew too well. The listings began generally -- Canadian County, west Oklahoma County. Then more specific and closer -- Piedmont, El Reno, Chickasaw.
The storm chasers were out in full force. David Payne held me in rapt attention as he described the scene along Interstate 40 and 281 Highway. We saw the wall clouds, the circular motions beginning, then the raindrops becoming larger as the sky darkened.
First one funnel formed, then another, and another -- unprecedented. I had never seen the formation so rapidly. Two of the funnels touched down, then two more. And then they did something that I had never witnessed. The funnels moved closer together forming a half-mile wedge. We could hear the sound of a train in the distance. The weatherman broke in with new location updates- May and Hefner Road, Council Road, Rockwell. The tornadoes were forming miles from my home.
"Get the dogs," was all I could force out. My son and husband, both Eagle Scouts, were already into action with preparations. Pillows and blankets were gathered. Flashlights, extra batteries, water and my luxury items -- crochet work and a book. We were ready to go underground.
The radio blared the specifics of the tornadoes. 215 mph winds had been measured. This was another F5 heading directly toward the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. More sightings of funnels forming south of my home actually frightened me. The weather sirens were deafening. My cell phone erupted with messages from family and friends across the country asking if we were okay. For the first time, I wondered if I could get cell reception in the storm shelter.
And then the rains came. Hard, pounding, huge drops fell. Wind speed picked up and I saw the work on my porch disappear. The doghouse moved a few inches, trees bent against the harshness of the wind. But the skies were lighter than before! Whatever plans Mother Nature had for my neighborhood were changed at the last minute. The downpour lightened to a thunderstorm. The weatherman announced that the tornadoes had changed direction and were moving towards Edmond. We had been spared.
