At about 3.45 pm I saw a rotating column of vapour /air about 15feet wide
at the point at which it touched the ground and about this diameter all the
way up to cloudbase.The column rose up and down several hundred feet every
30seconds or so over a 5 minute period with the earth end of the column
travelling an erratic path towards the Leeds Grammar school building.approx
north in direction.I was sat in my car waiting for my boy and the column
passed about 50yds away.Trees were bent over almost double (50ft) high
ones.Leaves and branches were torn off but I only saw one smaller tree
snap.You could see debris spinning within the column which was dark grey
,but not as dark as the cloud above. As the column ran into the school
buildings from the playground side, the column abruptly lifted about 100ft
above the buildings tearing off tiles from the roof as it passed over,
It then disapeared from view to the north.
My boy in the school reported the windows severely shaking but not
breaking. There was no real roaring sound just a high wind noise.
Funnily enough I did`nt switch on the engine to try and make a quick
getaway ,I subconciously thought the tornado was`nt strong enough to do real
damage to the car ,stupid really.

Wish I was there, just goes to show that some people on this group who dont
believe things happen can be made to look foolish.



"weatherboy" wrote in message
...
At about 3.45 pm I saw a rotating column of vapour /air about 15feet wide
at the point at which it touched the ground and about this diameter all
the way up to cloudbase.The column rose up and down several hundred feet
every 30seconds or so over a 5 minute period with the earth end of the
column travelling an erratic path towards the Leeds Grammar school
building.approx north in direction.I was sat in my car waiting for my boy
and the column passed about 50yds away.Trees were bent over almost double
(50ft) high ones.Leaves and branches were torn off but I only saw one
smaller tree snap.You could see debris spinning within the column which
was dark grey ,but not as dark as the cloud above. As the column ran into
the school buildings from the playground side, the column abruptly lifted
about 100ft above the buildings tearing off tiles from the roof as it
passed over,
It then disapeared from view to the north.
My boy in the school reported the windows severely shaking but not
breaking. There was no real roaring sound just a high wind noise.
Funnily enough I did`nt switch on the engine to try and make a quick
getaway ,I subconciously thought the tornado was`nt strong enough to do
real damage to the car ,stupid really.

An interesting account!

I spent Sunday following the damage track for a Torro site
investigation, and got a bit confused at the grammar school.

The track had gone more or less due north through all of E Leeds, up to
Shadwell Lane, eventually disappearing over the back of some houses
onto Alwoodley golf course.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.sr...=newsearch.srf

However, the damage in the lane at the back of the school did not line
up at all with the previous track, so I'd be very interested to know
exactly where the tornado there came from. I couldn't find any damage
on Manor Lane other than behind the school.

I have been wondering if there were actually two tornadoes - even if
this seems pretty unlikely. The damage on the A61 near the gate into
Harewood lines up with the original track, not the school.

I found damage all the way into Harrogate - the Harrogate and Leeds
tornadoes were part of the same event. We even had a report from
Wakefield, which also lines up with the track, although I've been
unable to find any continuing damage south of Leeds.

Quite an event - though clearly not quite as strong as the Birmingham
tornado last year. Probably T3 at the worst. Not that the large
number of people with damaged roofs will care too much about that!




jim beam wrote:

Wish I was there, just goes to show that some people on this group who dont
believe things happen can be made to look foolish.



"weatherboy" wrote in message
...
At about 3.45 pm I saw a rotating column of vapour /air about 15feet wide
at the point at which it touched the ground and about this diameter all
the way up to cloudbase.The column rose up and down several hundred feet
every 30seconds or so over a 5 minute period with the earth end of the
column travelling an erratic path towards the Leeds Grammar school
building.approx north in direction.I was sat in my car waiting for my boy
and the column passed about 50yds away.Trees were bent over almost double
(50ft) high ones.Leaves and branches were torn off but I only saw one
smaller tree snap.You could see debris spinning within the column which
was dark grey ,but not as dark as the cloud above. As the column ran into
the school buildings from the playground side, the column abruptly lifted
about 100ft above the buildings tearing off tiles from the roof as it
passed over,
It then disapeared from view to the north.
My boy in the school reported the windows severely shaking but not
breaking. There was no real roaring sound just a high wind noise.
Funnily enough I did`nt switch on the engine to try and make a quick
getaway ,I subconciously thought the tornado was`nt strong enough to do
real damage to the car ,stupid really.

THERE MUST HAVE BEEN 2 TORNADOS,`thats the only logical explanation ,this
smaller one only lasting maybe 5 to 10 minutes.

"Tim Prosser" wrote in message
ups.com...
An interesting account!

I spent Sunday following the damage track for a Torro site
investigation, and got a bit confused at the grammar school.

The track had gone more or less due north through all of E Leeds, up to
Shadwell Lane, eventually disappearing over the back of some houses
onto Alwoodley golf course.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.sr...=newsearch.srf

However, the damage in the lane at the back of the school did not line
up at all with the previous track, so I'd be very interested to know
exactly where the tornado there came from. I couldn't find any damage
on Manor Lane other than behind the school.

I have been wondering if there were actually two tornadoes - even if
this seems pretty unlikely. The damage on the A61 near the gate into
Harewood lines up with the original track, not the school.

I found damage all the way into Harrogate - the Harrogate and Leeds
tornadoes were part of the same event. We even had a report from
Wakefield, which also lines up with the track, although I've been
unable to find any continuing damage south of Leeds.

Quite an event - though clearly not quite as strong as the Birmingham
tornado last year. Probably T3 at the worst. Not that the large
number of people with damaged roofs will care too much about that!




jim beam wrote:

Wish I was there, just goes to show that some people on this group who
dont
believe things happen can be made to look foolish.



"weatherboy" wrote in message
...
At about 3.45 pm I saw a rotating column of vapour /air about 15feet
wide
at the point at which it touched the ground and about this diameter all
the way up to cloudbase.The column rose up and down several hundred
feet
every 30seconds or so over a 5 minute period with the earth end of the
column travelling an erratic path towards the Leeds Grammar school
building.approx north in direction.I was sat in my car waiting for my
boy
and the column passed about 50yds away.Trees were bent over almost
double
(50ft) high ones.Leaves and branches were torn off but I only saw one
smaller tree snap.You could see debris spinning within the column which
was dark grey ,but not as dark as the cloud above. As the column ran
into
the school buildings from the playground side, the column abruptly
lifted
about 100ft above the buildings tearing off tiles from the roof as it
passed over,
It then disapeared from view to the north.
My boy in the school reported the windows severely shaking but not
breaking. There was no real roaring sound just a high wind noise.
Funnily enough I did`nt switch on the engine to try and make a quick
getaway ,I subconciously thought the tornado was`nt strong enough to do
real damage to the car ,stupid really.