No tractors seen....but

Big tornado damage in Dickinson County (Abilene) yesterday evening. Mostly rural damage; homes, outbuildings, etc. About 75 miles NE of me. On national news.

any flying cows?

Hey Dave - that tornado started almost right over my house. The storm spotters were sitting in my driveway explaining what was taking place while they were watching it. It was probably 1/2 mile to the North, but it looked like it was just above us. It would come down a ways and then kind of break apart, all the time spinning like crazy. The storm watchers were from Texas, two white vans full of stuff, although they hit the road after just a few minutes to keep up with it. It was quite a sight though.

The last tornado that was that close is the large one 3 or so years ago that started just past my house, and then went about 6 miles to the NE, right towards the town of Bennington, KS, and then turned around and came back to within a mile of my house. Weather man who had worked for over 20 years said he had never heard of one making a circle and going back in the direction it came from. This was over a 6 or so square mile radius. That time it was raining so hard, and the wind blowing so hard, that even though it was daylight, you couldn't see over about 20 yards in any direction. The power was out but we had the radio on. The weather man kept saying the tornado was heading right for us (by the miles from towns and such), but we couldn't see anything. About a mile away it finally went back up.

You can't imagine the total devastation unless you have seen it. It went right through a friends feedlot. I'm telling you there were dead cattle everywhere. Worst part was all the ones that had been through it but weren't dead. Lot's of broken legs, cows with boards sticking out of them. Gives you somewhat of an idea of what a warzone must be like. People shooting wounded cattle in every direction. The guy also had a machinery shed with a very nice newer semi and grain trailer, and two 9650 JD combines. Combines had been rolled down the hill. Trailer looked like a pretzel, and the tractor itself survived fairly well.

Although, I know in your area, you've more than likely been through them as well. Looks like another round today. Bob

Don't laugh I've seen the aftermath of a tornado hitting a dairy farm. cows in trees and one in the second story of the farm house still alive. they had to shoot it though, no way to get it back down.

Didn't see any dead livestock but we had an EF4 about 7 miles from us a few years ago that eventually hit Wadena MN. A guy about 14 miles east of me who's a friend of my wife's uncle always had a yard full of junk. It cleaned out his yard but did only a little damage to his house and there was junk all around his house. The devastation was astounding.

In Wadena it destroyed the high school. Then the insurance company tried to say well in rebuilding you can reuse to 10 feet of wall here and that 10 feet of wall there. After it hit the news the insurance company just went ahead and called it a total loss. Very few people hurt and only 2 killed IIRC. http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/storm-chasers/videos/dominator-tiv-showdown/

Some good footage of the high school and other damage.

Rick

I got hit by an EF4 on my birthday in 2011. It durn sure laid waste to my 69 acres. Big pines snapped off about half way up and the hardwoods (big oaks) got blown up by the root balls. Pray I never have another. The red head and I were home. Sure puts a shaking on a house. We had a friend just down the road that had built a brand new house the year prior and it literally move the house on the foundation. Insurance paid to tear it down and build a new one. Red Head had a broken leg and I got to get a nice titanium plate in my neck. Worst thing is it happened just after dark. Nothing like laying on the floor and looking at the dark heavens where the roof use to be. 238 people died in Alabama that day (killed 7 on my road). 340 died across all the states over three days. Those things are just of the devil. I watch those storm chasers on the weather channel and think they are just nuts. Those evil things can suddenly change directions slightly. I think some of those fellows have been killed if I recall? :shock: