Less than 30 mins. and oh the devastation at my home!

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

I am just in shock with what just happened here.

The storm that just blew through here has just wreaked havoc on our yard. It was raining and dropping hail so fast that I commented to my DH how it looked like sheets of snow!

When we went out side I was just in shock!! Lightning hit our only tree and severed half of it! The tree will need to be brought down. I just thank God it didn't hit the side by our home and come crashing through our roof. I know that would have been WAY worse but I am so upset about the tree. It's just unbelievable!

Our dog's 6x8 kennel was lifted off the ground and blown over into the neighbor's yard. Thank God our dog was NOT hurt!! He's in the house and safe but oh my if he had been in it!! Our yard is an acre and we have a ten foot high line of Leyland Cypresses and a chainlink fence between us and the wind was so powerful it just lifted the dog's kennel up and over both of those barriers and landed in their yard. We are just so thankful it didn't crash into their swimming pool. His dog house was all the way in the back of the fenced in yard. We had a chair embedded into one of the trunks of one of the Leyland Cypress. I wish I had a digital camera so I could just show you. I am just in disbelief!!

We're getting ready to sell our home and I could just cry that we lost our only fully grown beautiful tree. We're supposed to be getting another wave of thunderstorms through here.

 

[Virgo10]

I'm so sorry to hear about your terrible weather. Sounds like straight line winds or a tornado! Thank goodness you're all safe!!

 

[YourMajesty]

I'm sorry to hear about the storm and the damage to your home. Hope you stay safe through the next one.

 

[LoveWDW]

Be safe.

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

Thank you all. And I can't even get out there to clean it up because of the next wave coming through! We were able to get the dog's kennel out of the neighbor's yard though.

I walked around to look at the tree when we went to get the dog kennel and DH was yelling to get away from that tree!!! I don't know what I was thinking but I've never seen anything like it. Truthfully, I've never seen a lightning strike.

Again, thank you all.

 

[Princess Mindy]

wow! I'm so glad that you are all safe and indoors. My dad's house got hit by a tornado last year when he was inside. The house was completely destroyed but miraculously he survived. Just be safe and keep an ear out for storm sirens. I send my good wishes your way.

 

[dmslush]

Just stay inside until everything has passed you by!!! Don't be out in it! It does sound like possibly a tornado. Be safe!

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

I am so, so sorry all of this happened to you. Please know I am thinking of you and sending ALOT of pixie dust your way. Being from the Midwest, I am very aware of the devastation a storm can bring. (((hugs)))

 

[HaleyB]

Oh dear! Stay safe.

 

[CJRN]

Oh, so sorry. Stay safe.

 

[bubie2.5]

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

Just wanted to say thank you to all the well wishes. The storm knocked out our current a couple of times and it took out our cable for a long time. Luckily, what had happened earlier was the worst for our home. Right down the road from us the lightning caught someone's house on fire.

Now for the cleanup.

 

[KarenC]

We have a 95-foot tall Cottonwood tree in our backyard. We have a love/hate relationship with that tree. It provides wonderful shade on the south side of our house. The sticky stuff and the cotton it spews are awful, though.

Last year, during the drought, a storm came through. Lightning struck the tree and severely damaged about half of it. I was sure it was a goner. When our arborist came he said the damaged part had to go ($2500 for that) but he thought what remained might live. It would have been $6000 to take the whole tree down. We watered it regularly to help it survive and this year it looks pretty healthy. There's a huge scar on one side, which faces away from the house. I planted a climbing hydrangea which will eventually cover the scar.

We'd lost an American Elm to Dutch Elm Disease a few years before, so I know what it's like to mourn a large tree. I hope the rest of your cleanup goes well.

 

[nuke]

Thank goodness the damage was just in the yard! Stay safe!

 

[L107ANGEL]

That must have been so scary!! I hope you have a better day!

 

[Rajah]

Yikes! We had something similar (but no lightning) hit our home last month and we're still doing the cleanup, too.

stay safe!

 

[ADisneygirl]

How upsetting that must be for you. Weather can be very scary indeed. I am glad you are safe and remember, things can be replaced or fixed.