April 28, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. Tornado Watch.

The whole Jackson area was under a tornado watch. The emergency service notifies you on your cell phone, telling you to seek shelter, and the sirens wail, reminding you of danger. It is all very unnerving. But it is necessary. On the local television station, the weather man was on the screen continuously, telling you the track of the storm and urging people what to be doing. Everyone in a mobile home was to immediately leave and seek shelter in a secure building. Anyone in an automobile was to leave their vehicle and seek shelter. Everyone was to make a secure area of the house complete with pillows and mattresses to stay during the storm. We were told to be sure to wear shoes. It was exciting as we watched as we ate our dinner. We watched on TV while the storm hit Vicksburg and kept coming east toward Jackson. The whole area was full of tornadoes. New storms kept breaking out. Our safe spot was ready and all the outside furniture secured. Our section of Jackson received only rain, wind and hail but tornadoes set down in several places, one with four fatalities. After the rain, Ken and I drove home to our condo. The streets were deserted. Several yards were pools of water as were many streets but we made it home without difficulty, having survived our first tornado watch in Jackson.