Viewing Colerain/Nature Signs

This past weekend I went to Ahoskie, North Carolina to visit some of my family members. Back in April, North Carolina was hit with a major storm system which resulted in 62 tornadoes within the state. The storms were considered the deadliest storms in two decades to hit the state of North Carolina. One area in which an EF3 tornado touched down, was near where my family members live. This area was Colerain, NC. The tornado claimed 12 lives in Colerain and the damage from the storm was immense in this town and in others. Below are a couple of photos I took as I passed through Colerain. Much of the damage has been cleared, but you can still see the some of the devastation:

This is what was left of a house.

Damage on another house.

Just look at the tree line.

More damage from the tornado.

I was in awe looking at the sight around Colerain. Knowing what to do in case of a tornado is very important and in my last post, I outlined a few tips from which I found online. Being aware of when a tornado is coming is important as well and if a computer, cell phone or radio are not present, some tell-tale signs to watch for are, a greenish-black color in the sky, heavy rain or hail that is followed by a fast, intense wind shift or by dead calm winds, or rotating dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base (this may be an indicator that a funnel is still inside the cloud). Also listen for a loud and continuous rumble, one which does not go away like that of thunder. Tornadoes have been said to sound like a train or jet. If it is night, look for bright, white or blue green flashes that are at ground level and are small. This is in opposition from lightning strikes or flashes, in which the small flashes may indicate that strong winds are snapping power lines and that a tornado is present.

Stay safe!