Gloucester News

Severe Weather Sparks Tornado Warnings

Reporter Maddison Pierson

Severe tornadoes rampaged through the eastern part of America, taking nine lives in Texas and causing great damage. April 13th was the calm before the storm, the 14th was when it impacted Gloucester. Nothing detrimental happened, other than some fallen trees and power outages.

26 tornadoes were recorded in a short time period from Texas to Delaware.

The Dominion Energy website states that there were around 23,000 customers without power at the peak of the storm. Overnight, across the state, around 90,000 people were without power.

Through the night, the winds got up to 70 mph causing trees to fall on power lines.

In York county, Newport News, and James City County, around 360 people did not have power until Tuesday, April, 16th.

Many Gloucester residents were left with broken sleep.

In the morning all of the schools in Gloucester were put on a two hour delay. Many who ride the bus or that can drive got the message after they were awake and ready for the day.

The alarm for a tornado warning sounded four times through the night causing many people to retreat to their bathrooms for protection. “My mom woke me up at 3 in the morning to hide in the bath tub for a storm that never came,” says one GHS student.

“I was trapped in my car as the tornado passed; it felt like an hour but it had to of been only a few minutes till it went by me. The wind and rain were so strong my window cracked. Once I was able to get home I passed out,” says an anonymous source from GHS.