large tornadoes in SW MB last night

They were giving warnings for our area last night. They lasted well into the early morning. One tornado was on the ground for 2-3 hours. It was heading our direction. Thankfully it petered out before getting here. There is talk that it is right up there as one of the largest in Canada.

We were heading west out of Brandon and decided to turn back and wait the tornado warnings out. The sky was filled with lightning and the clouds were certainly ominous.

One farm is reportedly gone. No injuries reported as of right now. Our property is fine.

We need to head out that way for something today. Maybe we will get to see how close it got. It sounds like it was easily within half hour drive.

We are certainly tired.

Some coverage from last night and this morning:

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Thank goodness everything is ok for you!

I heard that a chicken barn with 200 chickens was destroyed...no sign of the birds. I am sure the coyotes will be having an easy feast this morning.

That's unfortunate, for the farmer and for the chickens. Sometimes fate is just too cruel.  At least the coyotes will be happy, some good luck for them for a change!

From what I understand, they have finished figuring out its strength. They have classified it as a higher end EF2.

If you look on the eBrandon link (p2), there is a very interesting and angry picture added taken just after it hit the one farmyard. Quite something and I would imagine quite surreal.

Today is the 28th anniversary of "Black Friday" the tornado that ripped through Edmonton on Friday July 31st, 1987. I was young but very vividly remember that day and the events that transpired and I personally experienced during that storm was not very far from the path and saw lots of the destruction and aftermath... something that I will never forget.

Weather can be a powerful force and its power and fury when unleashed truly is something else, to be caught in weather like that is surreal.