This is a story I wrote about a fictional account of a tornado striking Burleson, Texas (where I live). All names, with the exception of mine, have been changed. I pray this never happens in my lifetime...or ever!...in Burleson. (In Jesus' Name, Amen.)

______________________________________________________

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...UPDATED 3:00 PM.....

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THAT PART OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...NORTH OF A LAMPASAS...TO WACO...TO ATHENS LINE...FOR THE REMAINDER OF NORTH TEXAS, THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.....

A WARM LAYER OF AIR IN THE MIDLEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE HAS ACTED AS A "CAP" TO SUPPRESS THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. THIS "CAP" IS SHOWING SIGNS OF WEAKENING...A DRY LINE IS EXPECTED TO BREAK THE CAP BY LATE AFTERNOON.....

THE DRY LINE IS APPROACHING WESTERN SECTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS AT MIDAFTERNOON...THUNDERSTORMS ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP IN ADVANCE OF THE DRY LINE...THEY ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN ARIAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY AND WILL QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE...LIFTED INDICIES AND SUFFICIENT TURNING OF THE WINDS WITH HEIGHT WILL ALLOW SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP SUPERCELL TENDENCIES....

VERY LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS...DANGEROUS AND FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...FLOODING RAIN...AND TORNADOES...SOME STRONG...ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE EVENING...ESPECIALLY IN THE MODERATE RISK AREA WHERE INSTABILITIES ARE GREATEST.....

STORM SPOTTERS WEST OF INTERSTATE 35 CAN EXPECT TO BE ACTIVATED AT ANY TIME...SPOTTERS EAST OF INTERSTATE 35 CAN EXPECT TO BE ACTIVATED BY 6:00 PM.....

THIS IS A DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION...RESIDENTS OF NORTH TEXAS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE WEATHER AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.....

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

TORNADO WATCH...THE SEVERE STORM FORECAST CENTER IN NORMAN OKLAHOMA HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING TORNADO WATCH...EFFECTIVE FROM 3:30 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME UNTIL 10:00 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME...FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...IN THE FORT WORTH LISTENING AREA...BOSQUE--COLLIN--COMMANCHE--CORYELL--DALLAS--DENTON--EASTLAND--ELLIS--ERATH--HAMILTON--HILL--HOOD--HUNT--JOHNSON--KAUFMAN--LIMESTONE--MCLENNON--MILLS--NAVARRO--PALO PINTO--PARKER--ROCKWALL--SOMERVELL--STEVENS--TARRANT--WISE--AND YOUNG.....

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Brad, we have a developing weather story out there...severe thunderstorms are rapidly developing to the areas south of Fort Worth. Tom's in the WeatherCenter with the latest...how's it looking out there, Tom?

Right you are...severe thunderstorms have developed very rapidly over the past 20 to 30 minutes. The most intense storms seem to be over northern Hill and southern Johnson counties...according to our Doppler radar, these storms are showing a strong rotation at all levels...I wouldn't be surprised if the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for these storms...the storms are moving north at 20 miles an hour. Residents of Cleburne, Joshua and Burleson need to be thinking of taking shelter--there you go, the National Weather Service Office in Fort Worth has just issued a tornado WARNING for Johnson County.

TORNADO WARNING...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...JOHNSON COUNTY...UNTIL 5:00 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME.....AT 3:58 PM...TRAINED STORM SPOTTERS REPORTED A DEVELOPING TORNADO 10 MILES SOUTH OF BURLESON...MOVING NORTH...AT 20 MILES AN HOUR...RESIDENTS OF BURLESON...SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE...UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED...GO TO THE LOWEST LEVELS OF YOUR HOME...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.....

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Brad, we're live in Burleson, at what used to be a Golden Corral Restaurant. It took a hit--as did this whole area of Highway 174--from a large tornado that struck this small community about an hour ago...there were a lot of customers inside the restaurant at the time the tornado hit, but quick action from restaurant employees saved their lives...they all took refuge inside this cooler less than five minutes before the storm hit...as you can see, the cooler is the only thing left standing! Here's an employee...can we talk to you? What is your name?

Karla.

You live here in Burleson?

Yes, I do. Across the street--

What did you see and hear? What happened? Are you okay?

I'm a cashier here. I noticed the skies were gettin' ugly and all. I have a weather radio and it was set on alert standby, and it went off--

Then what?

Well, I turned the weather on, heard them issue tornado watches, and then they issued tornado warnings for Johnson County...heard a tornado was on the ground about 10 miles south of Burleson, headin' this way...I told the boss, he made an announcement for the guests and employees to get into the cooler...we all got inside...not five minutes later, the power goes out...we all hear this loud...roaring...noise...everything was shakin'...everybody was cryin' and prayin'...seemed like we were in there forever, but it wasn't that long...long enough for me!

Are you okay? Anyone hurt?

Scared...I don't think anyone's hurt, as far as I can tell...my twin sister is scared to death, I'm gonna go check on her.

Before you go, where is your boss?

Hey, Vincent! Vincent!! They wanna talk to ya!

Hello...Vincent?

Yes, Vincent Patterson.

You're the manager here?

Yes.

Are you okay?

Yes...

What did you see?

Karla was on the Line; her radio sounded. I went to see what was going on, she told me that they said a tornado was headed directly this way. I noticed the skies getting blacker and blacker...it was looking bad. Heavy rain...hail...BIG hail!...the winds--! Made an announcement for all customers and employees to get into the cooler as fast as they could...right after we all got in there, it hit.

Anyone hurt?

There's some bumps and bruises, everyone's scared, but nothing serious.

Now what?

Well, we won't be serving buffets for a while, that's for sure...what a mess. We were fixing to remodel...guess we'll have to start over. Nobody was badly hurt or killed...that's the main thing. Buildings can be replaced, people can't...guess we got our work cut out for us...gonna be a lot of cleaning up to do!

So...do you credit...your cashier...with saving lives?

Yes. We're always making fun of her, because she's terrified of storms. When it gets bad, we all tease her...any mention of bad weather, she's carrying her weather radio. We all laugh at her.

And now?

Not any more!!

Okay, Brad, that's the latest here...we'll continue to monitor the situation in Burleson and update you on the 6:00 and 10:00 PM news broadcasts. Good news here...even though this Golden Corral sustained heavy damage, no one was seriously hurt or killed. A weather radio saves lives, and this was proven here today...back to you in the studio.

Paul, before you go, are there any reports...any other reports of damage in Burleson? Any serious injuries or fatalities as a result of the tornado?

Brad, details are sketchy, they're still coming in, but emergency officials are saying that this section of Highway 174 seems to have sustained the most damage. Despite this, there are no major injuries or deaths being reported at this time. Residents of Burleson have seemed to have dodged the bullet...we will stay here and keep you posted. We do want to say that the American Red Cross and Salvation Army has set up emergency shelters. If your home has been damaged, if your power's out, or you just want a safe place to stay, you can go to the following locations.....

(END)