Everybody safe out there???

[Rick Myers]

Big storm rolling thru the Twin Cities! We're safe in St. Louis Park, but the nort'west 'burbs (White Bear Lake, etc) getting hit hard. Heading toward Stillwater and Wisconsin!!!

Heard of a touchdown in Brooklyn Center (not confirmed) where my office is...

TC DU'er take care!!!

[KyndCulture]

1. Our Aunt is in Brooklyn Park...

Without TV here at the moment... (I'm up in DL and working)

[KyndCulture]

4. Aunt is ok, didn't see anything but HUGE hail... major wind.

[wellstone dem]

2. OK in St. Cloud

just lots of rain and lightening.

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Not in the Twin Cities

I have been trying to check out the damage through the MNDOT traffic cameras but (suprise, suprise)all cameras in the effect areas in the north Metro are out.

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/tmc/trafficinfo/metrocams/mapindex.html

[Rick Myers]

6. The storm collapsed over the northern 'burbs...

Ch 5 says a wall of 70-80mph wind (straightline) came blasting out over N. Hennipen and Anoka counties. Local goofs now gathering info on damage.

Heard of BIG hail in Brooklyn Park and Center...

Glad all are well!!!

:kick:

[dflprincess]

5. Okay here

It hasn't even rained in Bloomington. I just heard a plane go over my apartment building so things must be calming down.

Right now I'm just bored with the local channels and their weather coverage.

[question everything]

14. I really don't understand that

If we have no power, we are not going to watch TV, obviously.

If I am driving, will not be watching TV to be warned about hydroplaning.

If I am watching regular TV, the station can keep the running tape at the bottom and a map of the area and occasionally, preferably during commercial break, give an update.

But no.... they keep repeating the same thing over and over again (how unusual for this time of year) or getting call from the "man in the street" about power loss and hail the size of a corvette, etc. - all stories that can go in the regular news slot.

Just like the squirrels in my back yard - they watch each other to see what the others do. I was watching CBS news and then whatisname from WCCO broke in with his maps. Switched to ABC, heard some news for a few minutes until whatisname number 2 broke in, and ended up with NBC news with no interference. For a while

No wonder by 10:00 pm I switch to Jon Stewart.

Oh, and at some point all of a sudden we heard the wind and rain and lightening intensified in Plymouth but, of course, nothing from whatisname on Ch. 5. Was hopping that they would let us watch the recap of Lost. At least they sent us to ch. 45 when Lost did start.

[GAspnes]

7. it was a wild drive home

From Maple Grove. Water falling in buckets, lots of cars & trucks pulled over under overpasses (a nifty surprise to see suddenly appear in front of you).

Thank goodness I have a Jeep.

[Demrock6]

18. I was one of them.

Going from Maple Grove to Elk River right in the middle of the storm. I got a little hail damage on my car.

[KitchenWitch]

8. Nothing here in Bloomington

We were way south of the path...Had a little rain, a little thunder, some good wind gusts, but no damage.

[wellstone dem]

9. channel 5 just reported one death

a man who was outside, about 45 yrs old, got hit by a branch.

[koopie57]

10. I'm in Andover

and this is the first time I have ever been scared during a storm and this is the first time my animals freaked out. We just had a new roof put on a month or so ago and I'm really glad. We might have lost a shingle or two, but at least we are dry. Our neighbors lost part of their roof, we both lost our trampolines. Theirs was scattered around the neighborhood, our stuck in our fence. We lost one tree. But I guess two blocks south all the trees are gone. I can't imagine how scared I would be had I been up there.

I will pray for hurricane victims a whole lot harder now. I was terrified I can't imagine how they deal with it.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. I drove to choir practice in it

(Linden Hills to downtown). Raining buckets, with a constant light show of lightning flashes, although no thunder. Swirling, boiling clouds to the northwest. A brief gust of wind that rocked the car as I sat at a stoplight.

During choir practice, the lights flickered a few times, and the choir librarian ran into the storage room to bring out the candles that we use on Christmas Eve. But the power stayed on, and we finished the rehearsal without incident, although sweating in the high humidity.

A downpour as I came home (I ran from the car to the door) and still got pretty soaked, and now there's distant thunder and occasional lightning and intermittent downpours.

[katinmn]

12. I was watching CNN to learn about Rita and heard there

was a tornado in Roseville and it was heading toward Minneapolis! Shortly after I heard sirens in my neighborhood around 8pm.

We've had heavy rain and thunder off and on but so far no damage I know of.

[indigo32]

13. We didn't get too much in St Paul during Choir

the drive home to Savage was wet but not too bad.

Hope everyone is well.

[MNDEM2004]

15. Lot's of damage in northern burbs.

My wife and I drove around after the storms and saw many areas without power, trees down all over the place and many homes damaged as well as flooding on many streets in Brooklyn Center area. Crystal airport was closed because of power being out. When daylight breaks the massive damage will be seen.

[myrna minx]

16. All is well in Uptown, from what I can tell.

Wow-that a storm! I hope all of our friends in the north are alright. Last night I received a phone call from a friend who was on his way to 1st Avenue and he was nearly mowed down by a flying street sign. It was pretty scary. It rained hard in Uptown, but I think we really dodged a bullet. :hug:

[fudge stripe cookays]

17. Glad you guys are all OK!

Greetings from Tornado Alley! Texas thunderstorms are quite frequently nasty like that. They are definitely NOT FUN!

Best wishes, ya'll!
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[katinmn]

19. Hey, fsc! How are YOU doing?

In a safe place?

[fudge stripe cookays]

20. Ermmm...well....

I guess we won't really know for sure until sometime early Saturday!

They're saying that by the time it gets up my way it could still be a category 1 (which is BIZARRE for Dallas!). We could still get 60-70 mph winds, and buttloads of flooding.

I got us a little bitty generator today, and some batteries, and we're stopping by Big Lots tonight to get some more water. We've got quite a bit stockpiled in the garage already.

We also need to get some beef jerky, tuna fish, ramen- stuff like that. I'm filling the master bedroom tub up tonight just in case. And we'll just keep our fingers crossed!

Thanks for asking! :hi:

FSC

[dflprincess]

22. Keep us posted!

We'll be thinking of you.

[fudge stripe cookays]

24. Thanks sweetie!

:hi:

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[katinmn]

23. You sound well prepared.

I've heard about the amount of water that could be dumped on Dallas and the strong winds. I know you're going to be glued to the news. Me too.

I sure feel bad for all those in Rita's path. And I hope Galveston is not destroyed. It's one of my favorite vacation spots. Galveston Beach was where I had my first experience swimming (not just wading) in an ocean.

My brother lives in Houston and he was one of those stuck in traffic for hours and hours. I'm going to call him here in a bit.

Take care.

[fudge stripe cookays]

25. Hope your brother is OK!

I've got my fingers crossed really tight that Galveston stays to the west of impact, and doesn't get a direct hit! Made my first visit there last summer and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Hope your brother is OK!
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[bvar22]

21. Storm skirts St Paul to the North

Pictures from the bluffs over the Missippi.

[dflprincess]

26. Bvar you take the coolest pictures

n/t