Any one who knows me personally knows that I am not an outdoorsy person. I prefer to blog about nature and its fury from the safety of my desk. So it was no surprise that all weekend I hid from all this whacky weather we had in the Valley.
I was surprised to turn on the news last night and see that in two days we've received six inches of snow in the mountains, 2 inches of rain, and a funnel cloud sighting just outside of Clovis. Yes, a funnel cloud! I was immediately reminded of the film, "The Day After Tomorrow" where tornadoes terrorize the City of Los Angeles. Tornadoes are not common to California, so it really shocked me to hear that such things had actually happened.
Meteorologist Steve Johnson took these funnel cloud photos Sunday morning around 8:20 AM. It was about 10 miles northeast of Clovis.
Of course, the Red Crosser in me immediately began brainstorming. I have taught many about what preparedness is, and how us Valley folk can be prepared to respond to fires, earthquakes, heat, and floods. But never have I once mentioned Tornado Preparedness. I know it's a long shot to think that a tornado will occur, but as we've noticed worldwide, stranger things have happened, and being prepared is key to survival.
Luckily for the both of us, the American Red Cross has just the place for us to go to learn how we can Be Red Cross Ready for tornadoes with a Tornado Safety Checklist.
If you would like to donate to those who are in need after the devastating Spring Storms that have affected the Southern Regions of the United States, or to learn how your donation dollars are hard at work check out the 2011 Spring Storms Update.
My friend, meteorologist Steve Johnson took these funnel cloud photos Sunday morning around 8:20 AM. It was about 10 miles northeast of Clovis.
