Just got back from Big Steve's place...took my crappy generator over there to help out the power situation. All I can say is WOW....We couldn't get within a mile of the manufacturing plant, but even from a mile away it is horrible. 150 people were working inside, but with about 2 minutes of warning they got into storm shelters and 150 walked out of the building when it was done....truely a miracle. Search and Rescue and local EMS are wading thru the mess looking for cars that may have had people in them (they were thrown into the building from the road). Andy is on the Roanoke FD's crew on-site as I type this.
4 houses were leveled, one farmstead was completely flattened...NOTHING left, yet a grandmother, 3 kids, and some house guests made it out of the basement. If that won't make you respect the warning sirens and prevenative measures I don't know what will.
about 3/4 of a mile of 69KV electric line feeding Roanoke is flat, another mile feeding Washburn is also on the ground.
The super cell started forming a tornado about 3 miles north east of my house, then tore the crap out of everything over a 3 mile stretch about 1/2 mile north of dad's house.......BAD STUFF.
Verified 4" hail fell 15 miles east of Roanoke near El Paso, where some of you stayed during PD.
Anyway, the Blunier's are all safe, and so far they have only treated 10 people for minor injuries, truely amazing.