Feb Storm Pics

These are some photos as the storms were rolling in Sunday afternoon. The tornado hit Hattiesburg about 1.5 hours later.

Storms are STILL rolling in out of the Gulf. Just had hail at 10:24 PM CST - only pea-sized but it was loud enough. Got a blurry photo of a few that were left on the porch by the time I got a light and camera out there:

Hattiesburg Tornado

[2/11/13 Update: more details here.]

2/10/13  When the storms came through today we had our share of sirens and warnings, but nary a tornado. Just some garden-variety thunderstorms and a few periods of heavy rain. Ginger was very disappointed. He had stationed himself on the porch with his book about tornadoes, a pad of paper and pencil (for taking notes and making sketches) and his camera. I took a few snapshots of clouds but I was cynical enough to know that we weren't going to see the faintest wisp of tornado. Once the main portion passed by I got on with the business of cooking dinner.

We got a phone call sometime a little later from a parishioner who was a bit shaken after having seen a tornado in Hattiesburg while driving on a highway. He said it was "huge". We all started checking on folks who live in that area. The tally so far: one family without power and everyone accounted for. A few minutes ago we got word from that parishioner that the Red Cross office in Hattiesburg (where he works) was destroyed along with one of their emergency response vehicles and two other vehicles. Rather unfortunate. I saw a few photos of the tornado on the news and it certainly would leave you shaken up if you came upon it unawares while driving. It caused "some significant damage" on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi but details aren't available yet.*  Injuries have been reported but no deaths (that I'm aware of).

So, just to let everyone know, we're ok and we think all the Hattiesburg members are ok as well.

[Update: more details available here.]

(Just found this video:) Note: Hardy Street, where the video ends, is right across from the SMU campus.

"We could have a lot of dark blue over here..."

This 9 year old weather anchor is just precious. He does a very good job! I think the station's weatherman is fantastic with him.