The day began like most days this summer: I got up after runrise, sipped a cup of coffee, then took Fritz and Hansel at 1030am to the Lehner Kill site parking area for the mile-long walk to the river. Fritz was due a good walk. And he was happy to get out. Skies were clear.
The river was back to its normal level despite the rain on Monday. The birding trail that loops off the main trail wasn't too muddy, either, so I walked with the dogs to almost the Casa de San Pedro B&B. I turned around before the sharp turn to the west. We returned the way we came.
Rain was predicted for later. Clouds slowly formed from the south as the day progressed. Sunset was colorful and a storm cloud grew off the southern horizon. I took the dogs out to the backyard for a quick pee before the storm.
I was sitting in my old IKEA chair when my phone buzzed a weather alert: "Tornado warning 7:16pm until 8pm. A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Sierra Vista, moving southwest at 5mph."
This was a warning, not a watch. In my 22 years in the area, this is the first ever tornado warning. Yes, the rain soon began, but the thunder and lightning is what scared the dogs. Gretel slinked into the bathroom. Wolfie stayed by his spot by the front door. The four others stood close to me awaiting further instruction.
I was a little apprehensive about a tornado warning. While it was already dusk, the sky didn't have the greenish-black hue I've seen before in Texas and Indiana . Winds were calm, mostly. I even walked in the backyard but then realized I should take the warning seriously. I stayed calm so as not to stress out the dogs.
Additional alerts were for a severe thunderstorm at 7:37pm through 8:15pm and then flash flooding from 8pm until 11pm.
What I witnessed was a non-stop lightning show over the Huachucas and lingering rain, although nothing severe. Bisbee got hit hard with heavy flooding in Old Bisbee
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