Tornado Warnings and Watches

I hate tornadoes... Well, I guess to that effect I don't know anyone who would say "I love tornadoes." The weather tonight is pretty sketchy for North and South Carolina. I've been watching the local weather station for the past two hours and so far our county has been under a tornado warning three times. Add that up with all of the adjacent counties and it's been non-stop warnings for several hours. The weatherman keeps telling people "move to the central part of your house, bring in your pets, get in your basement, etc." I can imagine people all over the Charlotte area lying in ditches or sitting in their closets with cats and dogs as each warning is announced.

I've often wondered about getting into a ditch as a safety measure. I've always thought about the option of getting into a ditch as a pretty asinine idea during a storm. If there's a storm, wouldn't a ditch be the first thing to fill with water? It seems like jumping into a ditch would only heighten your chances of drowning in addition to getting hit by debris from a tornado. But I digress...

I've always been a heavy sleeper and can usually sleep through the worst a storm can offer. I remember my dad and sister telling me of a time we were under a tornado warning in Alabama and the storm had gotten so bad they were preparing to take cover in a hall closet. My dad stood at my bedroom doorway and was ready to grab me if things went horribly wrong. Things eventually settled down and I never woke up. I'm not sure if it's a good thing to sleep so soundly since I could miss the emergency weather siren. Cindy, on the other hand, will wake up before I will.

They've just issued a tornado warning for a neighborhood where several of my co-workers live. My ears have been popping for about 45 minutes, telling me the barometric pressure is dropping. I married a science teacher, I would know. Growing up in the south, we all know what a "hook echo" and a "bow echo" are. The weatherman said we should expect penny to nickle size hail within the next 20 minutes. I guess I should put my car in the garage. Cindy is at a dinner with some of the ladies from our Sunday School and I've asked her to either come home or stay put. She said they had no idea things were getting so bad. She's on her way home now and should be here in about 30minutes.

Abby is snoozing and has been for the past 1 1/2 hour. If things look like they are getting bad I'll get her and bring her downstairs with me. We have a interior closet that we will get in if things decline. We will not get in a ditch. A country boy can survive. On the plus side, maybe this storm will get rid if the bird that comes every morning. Or maybe it will get struck by lightning.