Tornadoes in Sumner County
Published by Ninth Stage April 7th, 2006 in Big Picture.I was in Gallatin visiting a friends grinding shop this (yesterday) afternoon. I stepped outside to take a look at the weather and I could see the underside of the clouds roiling. I was watching this for a minute or so until I heard a loud wind sound. Looking west I could see the clouds really moving and then I noticed debris flying in the air with the clouds. As it came closer I could see more of it and then I saw the familiar funnel cloud. It was an awesome, cool and frightening sight. By this time I was standing in the doorway ready to dash to what safety I might find inside. By now I could see that it was veering to the South of my location and would miss me by a couple hundred yards. Then the wind came up and visibility decreased with the rain. The better part of valor took hold and I ran to an interior room. The rain was brief but then I could hear what sounded like hail on the metal roof. Then it was over. I went outside to see what I could see. There was no hail on the ground instead what I’d heard was a rain of small debris from the tornado. Walking to the edge of the parking lot I could see that my distance estimate was off and the tornado had passed even farther south of my location. If you’ve seen enough of the television you might recognize the heavily damaged gas station in Gallatin with the tipped over big rig, I was about a half of a mile north of that.
Seeing the tornado was a very cool and an awe inspiring sight. and great for your adrenaline fix too but lives were lost and homes were destroyed so it doesn’t seem right to dwell on that. My heart goes out to those who were lost and for their loved ones, it has been a terrible day for them. My thoughts are also with those who’ve lost so much materially too.
I have a photo in my phone of the tornado but it’s not the best view that I saw, I’ll post it when I can.
It’s late and I only got my internet service back a short while ago. I wanted to get this posted for those who know where I live. We’re fine, no damage to anything of ours.
Glad to see you’re alright. I’d like to see that picture. I’ve never been close to a tornado, but I have a morbid fascination with them that being close to one would cure, real quick. I guess its a little better than our earthquakes though, since you can see it coming and get cover.
I was wondering if you were close, so I’m glad you’re “riding the storm out.” For all of the times I’ve been sent to Oklahoma, I’ve yet to see a twister and like Josh says, I’ve got the same fascination. God bless all who have suffered.
Like I said it was very cool, I’d always wanted to see a tornado live and in person. It is truly an awesome sight, a sense of power, relentless and oncoming power.
I was elated and scared at the same time sorta like you (or at least I) felt during earthquakes in CA. Unlike so many other folks, I always enjoyed earthquakes. Maybe it’s just the sense that, thank god, something is more powerful than the government.
My enjoyment has been tempered by the knowledge that people died. It’s been tempered even more so since Mary’s immediate boss, a woman we called Dolly, was killed by the tornado. The worst part is that she was killed while I was watching the tornado since she was hit south by southwest from my viewing position.
Mary is pretty broken up by it and I can’t now relive those moments without thinking of poor Dolly.