Our Memorial weekend a few weeks ago was spent in Kansas. A time for reflection on memories about and with family was the intent, but unpredictable Kansas weather provided us reasons for concern.

 

The weekend started with driving to Wichita with my niece Mikel and her newlywed husband Josh. It was five hours of wonderful conversation with young adults, aspiring professionals, and untainted attitudes towards the real world of work…but that might be another story. In Wichita we picked up my wife at the airport (coming in on the last leg of a business trip), and then continued three more of driving with new life to the conversation with Deb now in the car.

The last 3 hours of our drive was met with little regard to weather. The sky was overcast, colorful, and of interesting cloud formations – really nothing that unusual for Kansas. We arrived in our childhood hometown in the early evening. As we typically do, we split up – me going to Dad’s, Deb going to one of her parents. After a brief stop at Deb’s dad’s farm, the other three dropped me off in town at Dad’s, said their hellos and howdy-doodies to him, and they quickly departed for an evening with my mother-in-law. 

 

Dad and I no more than sat down and started a brief conversation in the living room easy chairs when the tornado warning sirens sounded. We both looked at each other and headed to the basement. The interesting thing about our upstairs exodus was I grabbed my camera and business briefcase, leaving my weekend luggage by the front door.  Apparently I thought if we were in for a rough night: National Geographic might be calling to buy pictures of devastation (Ha), work could be conducted while waiting for the Red Cross relief, and with everyone else’s clothes expected to be strewn about in the aftermath I could surely find some article of clothing that would fit me. For the next 3 hours, Dad and I sat in the basement easy chairs, conversed about how bad this was going to be, listened to weather reports, and occasionally ventured upstairs to take a daring gander at the sky.

The TV/radio news was a constant, uninterrupted broadcast of severe weather in the area. It was a grim forecast for a small community west of town about 15 miles. An estimated EF3 tornado was bearing down on them, with another following close behind tracking a similar course as the first. Fortunately the tornados came to the south side of town and changed direction to skirt up the west side. Only a few out buildings were damaged, a semi-tractor was blown off the highway, and electricity was knocked out to the entire town. The storm blew on through and Dad and I decided to call it a night.

The next two day’s weather entertained us with similar weather events although the severe activity was not so close to home. Regardless, weather sirens and updates were constant reminders that this weekend’s planned activities were going to be truly Memorial, weather included. All in all, 13 confirmed tornados were reported in a 75 mile radius of Dad’s house that weekend.  For my fellow weather knuckleheads, check out http://www.chaseday.com/ for pictorial documentation of the weekend festivities – it was exciting to say the least.

Out of this weekend’s events comes a few pondering questions and comments:

1.    When a tornado siren starts blaring, why does that seem to cause people to leave the safety of shelter and look skyward for trouble in their front yard?

2.    Basements are a good thing to have…for more reasons than just tornados

3.    People from England truly get freaked out with Kansas severe weather (in town was a traveling companion with Deb’s great aunt and uncle that had firsthand experience, the likes rarely, if ever seen across The Pond).

4.    Always have a ready camera for bad weather…and a camcorder for family reunion conversations about said weather.

5.    It’s OK to worry about loved ones in harm’s way, but realize you can’t always wish away Mother Nature’s fury. It’s her way of “balancing”…“things”. What’s gonna happen is just gonna happen.

6.    Weather spotting and tornado chasing would make for an exciting second career (but perhaps a shorter life).

7.    Kansas geography has not changed in 26 years, but I now know of places I never knew existed thanks to the weather guys on TV for four consecutive days.

8.    Don’t bother with securing patio furniture during a tornado. The community rummage sale at the end of the day will offer a chance to pick up a slightly damaged one at a greatly discounted price.

9.    Why are power outages reported on TV? The folks inconvenienced already know all about that, but are unable to “appreciate” the concerned report because their power is out.

10. Who will give the “duck and cover” warning or report the bad news if the TV/Radio station is wiped out?

11. If power is knocked out, will warning sirens turn “green” and still operate using 250 mph wind power?

12.  If the good Lord calls your number, what better way to answer Him than in the company of family and sitting in an easy chair?

We are headed back to Kansas this weekend for golf. The forecast is 80° highs and calm winds…subject to change at any time and without much notice. I make note we will have lightning rods in our hands, out-of-doors, for about 4½ hours as we traverse the links. Lets hope the forecast also includes not a cloud one in the sky.

tm