Last year, we had tornado watches every other week, it seemed. Weird for CT. Couple of funnel clouds here and there, too, though I don't recall any of them actually touching down. Apparently it's MA's turn, as Springfield got hit tonight. The AP has a video up of it crossing the CT river (thanks to lizziebelle for the link). Looks like if it were stronger, it could've caused a full-on waterspout. Thankfully, at least according to the text with the video, there were no injuries reported. ETA/Correction: According to today's Boston Globe, at least four people died, an untold number injured, and 19 communities were hit. Thanks to averygoodun for the heads-up.

I remember there being a waterspout, which happens when a tornado is over a body of water, off Wellfleet on the Cape a few years ago. (Erm, I was still living in MA, which would make it more than 12 years ago, actually.) I also remember a downdraft (which would apparently be more accurately termed a downburst, thought that's not what I recall the newscasters calling it at the time) in MA in the mid-90s. That's, as it was explained to me at the time, a sideways tornado. On that occasion, I remember asking a coworker who hailed from TN to come check out the sky and tell me if the bruisy-green-purple I was seeing meant what I thought it did. He said it was, indeed, twister weather, and then calmly went back to work while I spent the rest of the day freaking out. It hit about 30 miles away, and there was a fair amount of damage, but I don't recall much if anything in the way of injuries reported from that one either.

All of which is to say, yes, it's a bit surprising to actually have a tornado hit a populated area in New England, but not nearly as unprecedented as some of the younger folks seem to think. Gods, I feel old even typing that sentence! Nearly used the word "whippersnappers" and everything. And yet I can't help being a bit shocked seeing that video myself, because there is this deeply ingrained, if not entirely supported by fact, belief that we don't get stuff like that here. We get blizzards and the occasional mostly blown-out hurricane, but tornadoes are things that happen in the Midwest and not here. Except for the occasional reminder that, no, really, we get them too. Just not as often and, thanks to the lack of flat land for them to really gain steam over, not as severe. ETA: And apparently this denial is sufficient that one of Patsfan's coworkers told him last night that a hurricane had hit Springfield. *facepalm*

So, right now I'm grateful that the latest tornado warning came to nothing.

This is, what, the fifth one this summer? That's unheard of around here. Also, whilst under said warning, my fellow tutor and I observed that we work in what is essentially a giant glass box with few places one could reasonably duck for cover and that even an F0* tornado would probably reduce the whole place to shards.

So, yes, very, very grateful to have been bypassed and hoping that continues.

*Yes, I realized F1 is the smallest. Just a bit of hyperbole.