Tornadoes in Madison.

It's official. We had tornadoes here in Madison on Wednesday night. They were just F0 tornadoes, but "[i]n the University Research Park, sheets of siding were strewn throughout the area like discarded chewing-gum wrappers." There was a touch down near Park Street just three miles south of campus. One resident said:

she heard the sirens go off and was heading for the basement of her Berwyn Street home when the storm hit, knocking down all three pine trees in her back yard, including one that hit the roof, and left her home without electricity.

"We never made it to the basement," she said. "I just heard a big crack, which was probably the tree" hitting the house. "We're still here and we can be thankful for that."

Hmmm.... I heard the siren and didn't bother to go in the basement. I used my usual approach of hanging out near the basement door, waiting to see if there is any big change in the wind. Maybe not such a great approach. I've heard that tornadoes avoid the lakes, so if you're living on the isthmus (as I am) you are safe. Don't take my word for it. It sounds like a ridiculous idea to me, but I've heard it. Even if a tornado had the sense to avoid lakes, wouldn't that make the isthmus its preferred path?