A Gas Station Surveillance Camera Captured a Direct Hit From a Tornado
[There was a video here]
A gas station in Colfax, Wisconsin took a direct hit from an EF-1 tornado last Friday, and the dramatic event was caught on video by a surveillance camera directly in the path of the twister.
The camera shows wind and rain steadily picking up through the video, and a large pickup truck makes a quick u-turn just as debris comes into the picture — a smart move that probably saved them from injury given the size of the debris that took their place shortly thereafter.
The wind and debris rapidly pick up as the tornado gets closer, and the small but powerful rotation suddenly comes into view as it quickly hits a row of townhomes before slamming into the gas pumps and a convertible right in front of the camera.
The NWS surveyed the damage in Colfax and rated the tornado an EF-1 with estimated winds between 85-90 MPH. The tornado was 100 yards wide at one point. WEAU reports everyone escaped the storm without injuries.
The video is a reminder that even a weak tornado can move cars with little effort, and that the safest place to take shelter is in a sturdy building.
This isn't the only surveillance camera to catch an intense video of a tornado this year. A church surveillance camera in Tupelo, Mississippi caught an EF-3 tornado as it did heavy damage to the church and neighboring structures back on April 28.
