For the first time this Year, Severe Thunderstorms are going to threaten the Southeast. My Mother during the War was a Weather Spotter. She had been trained to read weather maps and be able to watch cloud formations as a clue as to what was coming. Being born and raised in Mobile Alabama, she had a helthy fear of storms and passed that on to me.
I have spent my share of time in a bathtub covered with a blanket and pillow. Once, there was a Tornado touchdown in Maryville, Tennessee about 2 miles from where we lived. i looked out the window and saw the funnel cloud. It did not approach our home but did damage a local Ford Dealership.
Anyway, the system that is approaching is a large cold front, coming out of the southern plains. Today the temps will be in the low 80's, about 10 degrees above normal. That heat is going to collide with the cold front and here we go. There is a myth that Tornados do not form over Mountains, such as Signal Mountain. This is False. I have seen damage during my time with the Lone Oak Vol. Fire Dept. of Twisting damage to large Oak Trees here on the mountain. It resembled taking several sheets of paper and twisted them between your two hands. The trunks and roots were wound around and round.
I have a rather large Communications System downstairs, Shortwave Monitors, Scanners, CB and 2 Meter. I will have to disconnect my exterior antennas to prevent Lightning from entering the equipment. My Homeowners does not covers the radios.
My 9-1-1 Training, SkyWarn Training and VFD Training is valuable during these events. I also received training in Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) which was a program after 9-11 that the Govt tried get volunteers to participate in to assist their communitys somewhat like a VFD. I tried to promote it but the Volunteers had one of two goals, either to be a kind of Police Officer, Person of Authority or Just a Follower...It did not go well. It was difficult trying to keep them from having too many chiefs and not enough Indians..
Well, Got to go, Need to check my flashlights and when Deanna gets here, charge the cell phone..
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