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HAPPY, TX (F2/F3)
Sunday
05 May 2002 |
TRAVEL |
Abilene,TX – Amarillo, TX |
Wow! What a day! We started with a difficult forecast, with a moderate risk area stretching from TX to NE, covering 5 states:(map)
Bill and Dean put us on THE storm, nationally speaking.
I had seen several tornadoes before, but this was my first killer tornado (at least in the sense that someone who was alive when I entered the town was not when I left). This was a very emotional day for me: (more TBD) |
WEATHER |
TODAY:We witnessed and filmed a strong (F2/3, probably) tornado from about a mile away. After we retreated to the south, the storm devastated Happy, TX, a town of about 600 people. Two people died, four were hospitalized, dozens received minor injuries, and many building were destroyed.
Here is the sequence of video stills I extracted from tape:
maps
text |
FORECAST:
synopsis
maps
text |
YESTERDAY’S SEVERE WEATHER NATIONWIDE:
synopsis
maps
text |
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ACCOMODATIONS |
Motel 8
Exit 72
Amarillo, TX
One person, one night, standard room
COMMENTS: BIG improvement over the Motel 8 further east along I-40. |
RESTAURANTS |
Name/Location/Phone |
Meal |
COMMENTS: |
No breakfast |
– |
No time, given our long drive |
K-Bob’s
Childress, TX |
Their famed Salad Wagon (buffet) |
Most of us did the salad bar, just like the locals.
Good eatin’ for under $10 |
Denny’s
I-40 Access Road
Amarillo, TX |
Turkey Club |
Serving size was small, the kitchen service — not our friendly waiter– was extrordinarily slow. Not too good, even by Denny’s standards! |
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