Was much too close to a tornado today

Those of you not in the southern Indiana area may want to count your selves lucky today.

This was from my drive home tonight:





This was taken about 10 miles from my home, but the damage to the area came much closer to home causing so much destruction in my town that in some areas you can't even tell what was there. The bad thing is my town wasn't the worst damaged by this thing. The nearby town of Henryville was the hardest hit.

5 dead as 'enormous outbreak' of tornadoes tears through U.S. - CNN.com

Lucky my home was spared and my family was not hurt, even though this beast touched down within miles of my home.

My photos don't do this thing justice. Local reports are thinking it may have been an F4 or 5.

So glad James that your family is OK and very sad for those who lost loved ones and thier homes.

I have an extra weather NOAA radio I can send you- they can be a lifesaver- they come on automatically when funnel clouds are first spotted and reported. If you already have one just give it away.

I know it could have been worse -last night the weather people on TV were sayning that today could bring more of the same..

Len

Thanks Len. I've never been so happy to see my home then I was tonight. I had no idea if it was even still here or not until I got here.

Here is a video of the same funnel cloud just moments earlier then my photos were taken. This was a few miles down the road where it appears to have just crossed the road I was driving on. (This one was not taken by me)

I've only seen one other tornado in my life and it was much further away and much much smaller!

HOLY SH*T. Man I cant even imagine being in your shoes. I always wanted to see a twister, but you never think of the possibility people can die, or lose everything. I'm happy you, and your family were safe. Insane photo.

Dang, glad you're okay man...

...but I will admit, as a photographer, I am at least a little bit jealous...

Trevor

happy your safe man there were a ton of tornadoes around here luckily all of them not very close to me....every school in the area got out early .

Trevor said:

Dang, glad you're okay man...

...but I will admit, as a photographer, I am at least a little bit jealous...

Trevor

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These were just quick phone snaps while I was pulled off to the side of the road to let emergency responders pass and to decide what direction that thing was tracking so I didn't drive right into it's path.

I wouldn't have had enough sense to work a real camera at a moment like that, even if I had one with me. :shhh:

So glad your ok.

I'm an avid storm fan, and plan doing a chase tour in my lifetime.
While the Discovery channel dramatizes things like this, sometimes people forget the there are real lives being destroyed while the cameras are rolling. That was a close call indeed, that thing is a monster.


EDIT, just on the news as I was typing..and it looks like the twister you snapped.

ped said:

EDIT, just on the news as I was typing..and it looks like the twister you snapped.

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Wow, that's unreal. Not only is that the same twister, it's from the same vantage point AND I'm in that video! (sorta)

If they showed the entire footage from that video, it's of a person driving down the road I had pulled over on to take the shot. Shortly after the scene you captured, the driver goes by several cars pulled over to the side of the road. There is a quick flash of a black mustang (my wife's car) and then a slightly longer flash on a silver Hynduai SUV. I'm in the SUV taking the very photos I posted.

That video made all the local news sites and was being played most of the night on tv. I had no idea it had gone international.

If you guys want to see the whole video, I think I grabbed it last night and can repost it at YouTube.

Yes been on the news loads here (UK) ,, I went back to edit spelling errors in the post and I heard the newsman say "part of the American mid west..." I knew instantly what he was going to say so I grabbed my camera, I took the photo and thought...no...it cant be... I scrolled up to your post and saw almost identical photos in you OP , madness haha.

jcranmer said:

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This photo was taken across the street from the video embedded above. This is the Borden Tri County Water company and the video was shot from just outside the rightmost of the two white metal buildings.



Some additional news as well. This has been officially rated as an EF4 tornado.

Some specs on my county alone. Clark county had the most damage, but I do not have the details yet. The death toll is still rising but I believe the last count it is up to 39

WASHINGTON COUNTY, IN UPDATE: As of Saturday night, all roadways were cleared of debris in the county and power companies were working to restore power to the area.
101 homes, 34 mobile homes, 33 garages, 33 barns and 1 business were damaged.
43 homes, 24 mobile homes, 31 garages, 3 barns, 7 businesses and 2 churches were destroyed

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This thing traveled 52 miles and was 150 yards wide. It left a wide track of destruction in its wake.

Here is where I want to ask for you help. There are MANY families in need around here. Local churches are organizing donation centers for food and other supplies that are going to be needed in the short term. These people are working directly with the local and national Red Cross as well as the Army National Guard. While I know most of you won't be able to donate food items locally, the Red Cross is accepting $$$ donations to be used in the affected areas. If you can spare even a little bit, I want to urge you to contact the Red Cross and donate. Many here live in areas of the country affected by tornadoes and this could have happened to any one of us.

Click below for details on how you can help.
Red Cross Launches Huge Tornado Relief Response

For the record I've donated both bottled water and cash donations to two different churches today. One church for each of the counties affected. They appear to be doing very well with many people turning out, but the need is going to be great and will continue to be for some time.