M and I didn’t really have much planned for the weekend. Â We had planned to run some errands on Saturday and pick up a few more things we will need for the wedding and our trip. Â First we headed to the mall but didn’t really find what we were looking for. Â As we were getting ready to leave the lights in Macy’s flickered a few times. Â When we got outside the sky was cloudy but it didn’t really look bad. Â We then headed over to Old Navy. Â The wind picked up, A LOT, but still no rain.
A few minutes later we decided to run to North Hills and hit REI. Â By the time we parked in the underground garage at Target the rain was coming down. Â We decided to run in Target grab a few things and wait for the rain to pass before heading up to REI. Â We walked around for a little while grabbed the stuff we needed. Â I finally told M we might want to check out before the power went out.
After check out I grabbed some popcorn and a drink and we walked back to the car. Â By this point the sky was black and the rain was pouring down. Â We put our bags in the car and walked back to Target. Â About this time the power went out. Â We ended up standing in front of Target (note this Target is in an underground parking garage) watching the rain eating popcorn. Â Popcorn was a great idea considering we had no idea what was about to go on.
We stood with a large group of people from Target outside for probably a good half hour. Â The store employees made everyone leave the store when they lost power. Â M and I started to check the weather and FB on our phones. Â This is when we realized a tornado had just hit downtown Raleigh. Â Crazy huh! Â Once the rain died down to a drizzle we headed back to the car to go home.
As we left North Hills all the street lights were out and there was debris everywhere. Â We ended up over by the mall only to discover Glenwood had flooded in places so we took the back roads. Â As we drove we noticed more and more insulation around. Â We have no idea where it all came from.
When we got home we turned on the TV and learned just how bad the day had been. Â There had been multiple tornadoes around the area leaving destruction in it’s path. Â A Lowe’s hardware store had been hit and was wrecked. Â Multiple houses and neighborhoods destroyed. Â Thankfully our house and neighborhood were fine. Â But there are still people without power and some without homes.
It’s weird because as M and I were driving home, clueless to the happenings of the day, we were talking about the last time either of us had taken a weather warning seriously enough to sit in a closet or bathroom. Â I guess we will both pay a little more attention next time the weather guys forecast “severe” weather.