I lived in 'Tornado Alley' for about six months once and six months was too long.  The second I got there I saw storm shelters, sirens, and all sorts of things that only reminded me that major catastrophic disaster hits every once in a while.  So... my family and I said we'll take our chances on the west side of the United States.  You know.  The place where tornados are NOT supposed to hit.

This afternoon, just before 2 o'clock, a tornado touched down just south of Port Orchard which is really close to Seattle and this baby did some damage.  Trees were uprooted, buildings were torn apart and luckily nobody was injured.

Catastrophic damage hit a nice, typical, middle of America neighborhood where most houses had roofs that were torn off or trees crashing through them.  Power lines are down, gas leaks are being checked on, and total chaos is taking place in this small area of Washington.

According to KTVB, this area has pretty much been shut down and deemed too dangerous by authorities.  Roads are closed and people are evacuating as the damage is being assessed and eventually the rebuilding will start taking place.

Heavy rain, hail, and wind hit just before the tornado landed.  Estimated wind speed, path length and width, and time on the ground are all currently being investigated.  We won't know the exact strength or category of the tornado until investigators finish.

The Red Cross has mobilized an evacuation center for those needing a place to stay.  Along with the Red Cross, there are a number of emergency units that have been deployed in helping out in many different ways.

Another storm is predicted to hit this same area tomorrow but tornados are hard to predict so for now, it's batten down the hatches, hold on, pray, and hope for the best.  Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in this area.

If you don't think this was a big one... check out the tweet below with some video footage.


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