Morning of May 3 1999 most of us did not think that much would come of the Moderate Risk.
The 85 outbreak was similar in many ways. There was clear air most of the day, even though it was Hot and Humid.
Very unusual for eastern systems, where it is always hazy. Around here, we seldom see any real storm structure because of the Haze.
Most times the sky just gets dark, and then the thunder and rain comes.
I remember this event mostly because I was just starting to learn about weather, and it was one of the very first times I could see an entire anvil down to the base. I told my girlfriend that a storm was coming, she did not believe me because "the sky isn't dark enough". We were under blue sky at that time.
I made a believer out of her. Less than 10 minutes later, nickel-size hail made us run for cover.
I remember I held a cup out in the open to collect hail, and then I got a Coke and poured over it.
It wasn't until later I heard about the tornadoes north of where we were. And a few days later I saw the miles-long caravans of Amish in horses and buggies taking food and supplies north to help out. (Amish storm chasers ??)
The fact that the skies were clear for most of the day contributed to people, including forecasters, disregarding the watch.
This made it all that much worse when the radar, in about 25 minutes, went from clear sky to dozens of supercells scattered over hundred of miles.
Like... BOOM !!
On one of the few VHS videos that survives, you can hear 2 people talking, it went something like...
"is that a tornado ??"
"Yeah, ...I think so, but we don't get them here"
(I was about a half mile wedge, and they could only see the back edge of it surrounded by blue sky)
"look at all that paper flying around"
"yeah, what a mess"
Later, analysis showed that the "paper" was sections of roofs and walls, and roof tin from barns, etc.
It was an F5, and they were so casual, because "we never get tornadoes around here" and they never
heard a warning. We don't have tornado sirens around here, and if we did they'd just think it was a fire alarm...
-T
