Weather Report

I know that some of you have been concerned about our traveling in the bizarre weather that is going on throughout the south. We are fine and we are being mindful.

We pulled into the Yogi Bear RV Park in Horn Lake, Mississippi, which is located just south of Memphis, Tennessee, about 2 PM on Tuesday, the 26th. We had great traveling weather and the weather was good but cloudy up until about 4 PM when all hell broke loose. Torrential rains began and the sky turned dark. We had been watching the news channel trying to follow where the storms were headed. About 5:00 the tornado sirens began going off, although we found out that they go off in the whole county and not just where a tornado may hit. The sound was very eerie and made everything seem ominous. The wind was not blowing a lot, but the rain made up for it. It would rain like crazy for 15 minutes and then clear up, and then start in again. I can tell you my stomach was turned upside down and I said a lot of mini prayers.

We pulled in the slides and made sure everything was buttoned down outside, and we settled in for a long evening. Around 7:00 the tornado sirens shut off and it was fairly calm outside. Then about 8:00 they came on again and it was once again pouring, but very little wind. Dick and I had discussed what we would do and decided it was probably best for us to stay put, take cover in the rear bedroom with a mattress pulled over us. The sirens finally shut off at 10:30 pm and we tucked ourselves in for the night, with our shoes, purse and car keys beside the bed. Around 3:00 am the sirens again went off and I must have gone back to sleep cause I don't remember them going off.

Right across the way from us is a large brick building that houses a mini storage facility. Each time the sirens would go off, a number of trucks from the RV park would head over to that building and park right up against it. We thought they were just setting up against the building. Come to find out the people who own the RV park also own the storage facility and they had given campers the code to get into the building for shelter. We didn't find this out until it was all over LOL.

By 8:00 am over 9" of rain had fallen. Idaho's yearly rainfall is only 11". Rivers were overflowing (nothing near us tho) and the tornadoes had left a destructive path. We have not been out to see any damage as of yet but would like to see the Mississippi River as it is over flood stage. Several roads were closed. Then we heard about the tornado that hit Tuscaloosa and just outside Birmingham, both places where we had just been.

So .... I'm seeing a pattern here. Left Florida right after a tornado hit about a mile north of us, right through Birmingham and into Tennessee - I think they're following us! As long as they keep going around us we'll be okay. Can hardly wait for Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas!

Just wanted to say thank you to all of those concerned family and friends and to say it will take a little more than bad weather to keep us down. But .... we'll be really, really glad to get home!

Hugs to you all,

Dick, Jo & Harley

P. S. Dick and Tony have been working on the Cobra for a day and a half and I can hear it running right now - YAY! Maybe tomorrow we'll get to see Memphis!

Apr 28, 2011

Show all 4 photos