Tornado Warning

Last night a little after midnight, the storm warning siren woke me.  Apparently it woke Cayenne, too, and disturbed her, because she went under the couch to hide.

I got online to see what kind of warning it was.  I don't know if it's the same in all states, but in my state, the siren goes off if there is both a thunderstorm warning (mean there is currently a thunderstorm) and a tornado watch (meaning conditions are right for a tornado but none has been spotted) or a tornado warning (meaning a tornado has been spotted).  If it's a tornado watch, I keep an eye on the weather alerts online.  If it's a tornado warning, I take cover.

In my apartment building, taking cover means I hang out in the laundry room on the first floor.  I've decided that's the safest part of the building.  There is no basement here, but it's on the first floor, in the middle of the building, no windows or glass.

It was a tornado warning.  One had been spotted nine miles south of where I live and was moving in my direction.

I live in the midwest and tornadoes are pretty common in my state, but they are much more common in the south part of the state than where I live.  But I do have a plan.  Normally Cayenne would go in her carrier, Isaac on his leash, and the three of us would take the stairs (because who wants to end up trapped in an elevator during a tornado?) to the first floor and hang out in the laundry room until the warning is over.

Cayenne was not cooperative last night.  She was hiding under the couch and had no intention of coming out so she could get stuffed into her carrier.

So Isaac and I went downstairs without her.  None of my upstairs neighbors joined us.  I was kind of surprised by that.  Isaac was kind of disappointed to find that we were going to the laundry room, not outside, and I'm sure he was disappointed that none of the upstairs neighbors joined us, as well.  He lay down on the floor and was soon snoozing away, face in a little puddle of drool.  I dozed in an uncomfortable plastic chair until the warning was over.  Then I took Isaac out to pee and we went back upstairs.

Do you have a plan for bad storms that includes what you'll do with your pet?  They should be in a carrier or on a leash.  A carrier is actually better because it provides some extra protection (if it is a hard-sided carrier) in the event there is flying or falling debris.