Toronado?

[oregontocal]

I'm not sure what's been on the news as our power has been out since this afternoon. But apparently we had a tornado here in Blythe, CA. Makes sense - very heavy rain, blown sideways by the strong winds, thunder, lightning, the whole thing. This little RV was just rocking back and forth. Power is out all over town, everyone here in the park using their generators. I checked on my Echo and Kelly and they're okay. At least they were in town when the thing hit even though all the power went out in the stores. Their tents and things are okay. Now I discovered the water has been shut off so apparently that also has something to do with that as well.

Hope we've seen the last of this weather, but there's supposedly supposed to be more tonight. Just wanted to let you know we're okay here. Wet, in the dark, and shaken up a little, but okay.

[BarbaraRose]

So glad to hear you guys are all OK out there. Tornadoes are very scary since they can come up quick without warning. We had one here last summer just a mile down the road from me, luckily just a little one but did lots of damage anyways. Tornadoes in California are very rare. They have really been slammed with nasty storms lately. The only good thing I can think of that will come out of it is that the spring wildflowers will be absolutely beautiful this year with all the rain. Too bad it had to come all at once tho.

Glad Echo and Kelly were in town where they had more protection from the storm.

Those storms are all headed this way and we are in for an ice, rain and snow storm in the next four days. We already had some freezing rain today.

Barbie

[dcricket]

We are still getting hammered here in Escondido off and on. Hurricane happened in Long Beach today as well. Snowball posted they lost thier awning today and it busted out their rear window and they don't know what add'l damage it may have caused. Said one of the vendors at Q had lost everything. We are showing as red in the doppler radar for tonight. Have had thunderstorms, cold brutal winds, hail, and rain rain rain. Unfortunately it's not over so please be careful out there. I for one can say I've had enough of this stuff. So glad my hubby pretty much told me no to trying to make the drive to Q Weds night.
Keeping everyone in the wake of these non stop storms in my prayers. Hang in there.

[Getupngo]

Oh, how scary is THAT? Poor Echo & Kelly headed south lookin' to bask in the nice weather.
Glad their camp didn't end up in the river (I've seen that on whitewater trips ... gear inside
and all ... rolling across camp and into the river...).

I'm thinking about the tents set up in Quartzsite for the RV show. How are things going
down there, ladies? Southern Utah has incredibly wild weather flowing up from your
neighborhood.

BTW, we have HIGH winds in Salt Lake today ... but hey, I'm snuggled in my little S&B,
sipping coffee and watching Bandit. Life is good.

[oregontocal]

I got this off the internet this morning:

BLYTHE, Calif. – A California Department of Transportation spokeswoman says a tornado near the Arizona state line has toppled big-rigs and downed high-voltage power poles atop a car with a person inside.

Agency spokeswoman Terri Kasinga says the condition of the motorist is not known because the transmission lines along State Route 78 remained electrified Thursday night and couldn't be approached.

The incident occurred 10 miles south of Blythe in the remote desert of southeastern California.

Kasinga says the tornado also toppled three big-rigs and trees on Interstate 10 and more power poles on U.S. 95 before moving into Arizona. Interstate 10 has reopened but the other highways remain blocked.

It's a little after 5 AM here and the power and water are still off. Didn't hear any rain last night, though, and the wind seems to have died down. The forecast calls for windy with showers today, so maybe things might have a chance to get back to normal. Echo and Kelly, I promise, it's usually nice and sunny here. In fact, I almost got a sunburn at the Bluegrass Festival last weekend.

[Liz]

Thanks for checking in, Chris...we were worried about you & Echo & Kelly, etc. No fun time for anyone out there right now. Hope they can restore power & water soon.

[Nasoosie]

Yes, thanks very much for the reports of the weather and you all. It is VERY scary out there, as are parts of FL. Tornadoes are just plain scary, no matter which part of the country you are in.

Stay in touch as often as you can----all of you!

[Bethers]

Glad you're ok. Tornados are scary and come up fast and do lots of damage! And in areas like where you are where you don't really see many of them, you aren't expecting or prepared for them. Lost a friend in a tornado years ago - have seen the worst they do - but I've lived in tornado country most of my life. Kind of glad to not for awhile - but the way the weather keeps changing - guess no place is safe.

[oregontocal]

I fully expected to see a tornado while living in Oklahoma and Kansas- especially Tornado Alley. Nope. Needed to come back to good old Southern California, where, in my thirty or so years of living here, I'd never experienced one.

And now we have water and power again. Yaay!

[Echo]

Well we have power at least!!! Not sure about water? Heard a couple of the neighbors talking and one of them said that the well pumps were still down. Neither one of us have checked the water faucet so I'm not sure. If you have water in your rig from the campground supply that's great!!

Sun is SHINING for now! And it feels great.

[oregontocal]

Well we have power at least!!! Not sure about water? Heard a couple of the neighbors talking and one of them said that the well pumps were still down. Neither one of us have checked the water faucet so I'm not sure. If you have water in your rig from the campground supply that's great!!

Sun is SHINING for now! And it feels great.

You might check the faucet again.

[avalen]

well, there was a slew of tornados that hit Arizona, cause I was on the puter with Barbz
and the national weather alert went off and said TORNADO WARNING FOR PHOENIX, including SCOTTSDALE, told Barb, gotta go, Tornado!!! So here I am Barbz, I'm ok, and
the tornado touched down north of me off Tatum and the 101. But we were dressed and
ready to run to the laundry room in case it got close to us. Then another one touched
down in Fountain Hills, all around the same time as you girls in Blythe, 9:30ish. We
definately have lots of flooding around town, a few awnings gone in the park but my
fifth wheel barely rocked and I have no leaks. I dealt with tornados all the time in
Colorado, almost a daily thing, but a tornado in Phoenix,???? your kidding right???
but yes, it happened. The biggest stresser was the fact that I had tried to get
my insurance paid yesterday (on the rv) and after two conversations with my insurance
man and when I called him back he was out to lunch, dang it, so knowing I didn't have
any insurance if something did happen was a stresser. So today I finally get a hold of
him and the ins is paid for another year. I feel much better now.
The rising flood waters in one of the washes washed away a little boy they can't find.
The family got rescued, among other folks that got rescued on the flooded roadways
and unfortunatley they will all be charged with the "stupid motorist" law and it will
cost them a couple thousand bucks.
Also, the classic car show and Barret Jackson was here in town and the tent for the
classic cars ripped apart and lots of those classic cars got ruined, luckily only a few
minor injuries to people inside the tents.
We're still suppose to get some rain but nothing heavy and a little tomorrow but for
the most part it looks like it will start drying out tomorrow afternoon. Although I know
from past experience that the pools of water will sit for a long time before it evaporates.
Ok, I'm done, I think I'm exhausted just talking about it, but I do love a good storm, its
just exilerating!

[VickieP]

Update Ava? did they find the little boy? I hope he was okay.

[snowball]

I hadn't heard about the little boy till just now so mentioned it to dh and he said that they were trying to get him to the hospital as the little boy was sick
hope that they don't hit them with the stupid motorist thing. rough all over today in Q it wasn't bad suppose to be better tomorrow got to say greet each day with a we will see how the day transpires
glad everyone is ok where ever you are
sheila

[avalen]

sadly, they did not find the little boy, they called off the search yesterday afternoon.
I think he was 8, the whole community is grieving, its so sad.