Elmira Tornado

On Thursday afternoon last week, Diane and I were in Corning. I had a meeting on top of Spencer Hill and Diane was at the Corning Library. About 3:30PM the storm blew through Corning, wild and woolly. It was just gaining momentum. Minutes later the tornado formed fully just west of Elmira and the funnel carved a path following the Chemung River. Golden Glow and West Elmira felt it first, then the north city. It turned south and rampaged through the Eastside, right over our house. 

It crossed the river and laid waste to Maple Avenue, Brand Park, Janowski Gardens, and countless trees and houses. Miraculously, no one was killed. The winds seemed to do the most damage to the trees, and the trees wrecked and crushed the houses. Roofs were torn off. 

Few people who live in upstate New York have any experience with this kind of dangerous weather. The warnings were barely recognized and ignored by many. Like I said, it's a miracle no one lost their life. 

Here are some snap shots that we made Friday morning and Saturday while driving between home and the gardens.

Our house was saved by the big school across the street.

This shed roof at I.D. Booth butts up to our roof.

More of the shed attached to our house.

Around the corner from us. The Peter Biggs Soap Works, built in 1850.

Tootsie's house, corner of William & Second.

Up the block, corner of Fifth and Lake.

On our way to Janowski Gardens we passed Brand Park.

Looking down Esty Street.

The Brand House.

The Christmas House structural damage.

The Burnham's house. An 80 year old oak tree crushed their roof.

Diane with the oak. 

Snapped off halfway up.

Across the street from Janowski Gardens.

Diane and Bob consider the task. (Actually, they're probably talking about the weather.)

One inch of rain in fifteen minutes. The winds took half the trees in the woods.

So that we don't end this blog post completely depressed, while Diane and her dad talked, I walked through Bob's zinnia patch and took these pictures. Enjoy.

This one sports a bumblebee.