STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

MINI-TORNADO

April 7, 2005
Today, I awoke at 5:30 AM. While I was out walking the ‘doggies’, I received a Pre-Plan instructing me to take my empty trailer and drive to our Terminal in Memphis, TN. Just after I left the Terminal in Decatur, GA to drive to Memphis, my QualCom beeped 3 times. I stopped just outside the gate to read the messages. When the QualCom goes off 3 times in succession, it’s probably a good idea to see what they want. Such was the case this time as well. They had cancelled my “deadhead” trip and gave me 2 Pre-Plans. The 1st picked up in Forest Park, GA and delivered in Ocala, FL (13 miles empty and 354 miles loaded). The 2nd Plan picks up in Palatka, FL tomorrow and delivers in Ardmore, OK (59 miles empty and 1099 miles loaded) A.S.A. P. After getting directions, I proceeded to the 1st Shipper. After the ‘drop & hook’, I left Forest Park at 9:45 AM. I drove to Lake Park, GA where I ate lunch. I left there at 2:30 PM and drove to Ocala. I drove directly to the Consignee. While I was checking in with Security, the guard said that I had just missed the TORNADO. It had touched down about an hour before, about a mile from there, near the Airport. He also said that a Swift truck had been over-turned by the Tornado the intersection of US-40 and SW 60th Ave. We have a Terminal in the area, so after I was unloaded, I went there. The Terminal was not in the Path of the Tornado, and the damage there was slight. The previously mentioned Truck had just arrived via Wrecker. Besides the unfortunate Swift Driver (who was, I heard later, taken to the Hospital for observation), the only damage at the Terminal was 1 small tree up-rooted, a couple of signs blown over on the fuel island, and some trash blown out of a Dumpster. This was a result of a Tornado associated Micro-Burst, not the actual Tornado “funnel”.


It was evidently a small Tornado because there was not too much damage. There were a few trees down, power lines down, etc. Just the expected Tornado related damage. (I wonder if there was a Cyclone that followed the exact path at the identical wind velocity if everything would be put back into place??) The Path of the Tornado from what I could determine was only about 300 yards long, due East on US-40 from SW 60th Ave, mainly on the South side of the Highway. I saw it when I left the Terminal. It was after dark, so I didn’t bother with any more pictures. They wouldn’t have been BLOGworthy.