I didn't think tornadoes happened HERE

[herbgeek]

Yikes, everywhere is a mess. Roads are closed in town, huge trees uprooted and landed elsewhere. Roofs gone. The small town, 2 towns over is demolished. Most of what I've seen has been on the local news, and navigation is difficult with the road closures.

Yes, we have hurricanes and snowstorms, but I've never heard of tornadoes in central Massachusetts!

Other than losing power, and some almost golf-ball sized hail, we were spared. Plants look a bit windblown, but they'll recover. Others in town were not so lucky. A local camping place was hard hit and there was one death.

I've never seen anything like this in my 50 years.

[goldensmom]

Scary things those tornadoes are. We are so used to tornado watches, warnings and sirens that we go out and look for a tornado when the siren sounds then go to the basement if we see it coming. Night before last, while driving home from a neighboring community, we drove under a tornado that touched down shortly thereafter. With all the technology and warnings nowadays, the tornadoes that have touched down near us happened without warning. This is an unusual year for bad weather.

[Tenngal]

April 27th was when we had so many nearby tornados......we think one passed only about 1.5 miles southeast of us. We had hail some of which were near tennis ball size. I knew from the sound of it hitting the roof (we crouched in the tub) that serious damage was being done to cars and the roof. My few resulting problems were nothing compared to the damage just a few miles away. Homes completely gone and people dead and injured.

[benhyr]

http://tornadohistoryproject.com

site is kind of slow, but it's an interesting way to kill a couple hours.

[Cypress]

Chiming in from West Brookfield MA. Now I know the meaning of the word FEAR. I thought I had seen it all with the December 2008 Ice Storm. The tornado's came within just a few miles of my quiet little town. I have such compassion for those who where in the path.

This was the first time in my life I went to my basement for safety. I happen to turn on the all-weather radio at 5 pm as I saw a massive black cloud coming from the South. Sure enough, the alarm was going off touch down in Brimfield. Here I thought it was just another thunder storm. The thing was the storm kept going with the tornado watch on until 11 p.m. Everyone I talk to is still wound up.

[lhamo]

Somebody I know professionally posted that one of the tornadoes touched down ACROSS THE STREET from her parents house, where they are planning to travel to today (from CO where they live now). Her parents are ok, but I can't imagine how scary that would be.

lhamo

[herbgeek]

Hey Cypress, you're a neighbor! I'm in Sturbridge, very near the East Brookfield line.

I took a drive today and saw some of the devastation. Even though I'd seen shots on TV, it was still jaw dropping. So many downed trees and stumps that used to be trees. The tree canopy is entirely gone in some areas.

[The Storyteller]

We don't have many in these here parts.

[redfox]

Welcome to the taste of climate change. We've raised the earth's temp by a degree, and the weather is responding by being off-kilter. Wait till this has quadrupled.