classygirl,thankx,guess where we were when all those storms struck?? Up in your neck of the woods at Hartshorn,at Big Creek.

We were in the trailer getting ready to go to breakfast.It was starting to look like something might happen,wind was really blowing in gusts,and the clouds were very fast moving.All of a sudden ,it hit.My husband said,"We waited too late,we can't go out in this now."

The trailer started rocking,and I told him,"Move away from the door! I'm getting out of here!" I took off running,ran down 2 embankments to the mess hall.I don't think I've ran that fast since I was a kid.Storms will get this old gal moving.

It was over almost as quick as it got there,thankfully,but we did hear that others weren't so fortunate,and were hit here.It was nerve wracking up there at Big Creek in a trailer,no place to go but to the shower stalls in the bath houses!!

I had already loaded the trailer, locked up the house and started the truck to pull out to head to RANCH DAYS in Mayflower when the sirens went off. I jumped out of the truck and ran back in to the house for shelter. One funnel cloud touched down about 12 miles SW of us, destroying Crossroads Country Store. And another funnel cloud touched down about 12miles NW of us cutting down a forest, crossing hwy167, then several other forests, then crossing I-530 and continuing on to do more damage all along it way before it hit Carlisle. We were lucky and didn't have any damage here at our place, but alot of folks weren't so lucky.

I certainly do hate to hear it.I guess we were lucky in that we are further north,sometimes,(not usually,but sometimes) they converge south of us here.But about a month ago senarios were taking place on that day that made the cold/warm line hit right about here,and the scene was set up for deadly long traveling tornados.We did a lot of praying around here on that day.

Arkansas has had some real weather weirdos this year to happen.Tornado Feb.5,ect ect.Strange stuff!

It was a record setting tornado that traveled 126 miles on the ground.Started around Clinton,and traveled in almost a direct NE line,through Atkins where people lost their lives,Gassville,and on to Highland,AR just south of the MO/Ark border.

7 people lost their lives in Friday's tornado outbreak here in Arkansas.This time it was in Damascus just a little bit south of CLinton again.That is in the S.central part of the state.I understand that some valuable horses were lost near there in the tornado when it struck their barn.I saw photos on Yahoo of a nice slider stall door,hanging in a tree with the water bucket still hanging from the stall door.

My husband really gets aggravated sometimes,but,whenever they forecast something like that (which has been WEEKLY here in AR since Feb.5!!!) If we've got a trailer in the yard,I have him take it back over to the shed where we keep them a few miles away. I'm glad we've got a place to park them in.That hail can do a # on white skin,A/C,ect ect.

But what is important is tornado safety.A trailer is NOT a prime place to stay in the event of a storm,tornado (most certainly not) or even straight line winds.Wind can get underneath it easily,as evidenced by overturned semi's.They advise to leave your motor home,trailer,camper,ect and lie flat in a ditch with your head covered if nothing else.Everyone should have a safety plan ready and follow it quickly.Most important in our supplies when camping or on the road is our NOAA weather radio.

The weather is just too unstable to avoid planning for it any more.

PS:  Girl,I think I may know you! Glad you were OK.Aren't you from NE Ar at one time?