For the first time in the history of our living in this townhome (eight years) we’ve taken shelter from the storm in our basement. About an hour ago, a tornado warning was issued for Cook county, including the city of Chicago. The air raid siren at the fire station a few blocks from us went off and we headed into the basement, the cats easily enticed to follow us with the simple shaking of the treat container.
Earlier we could tell something was brewing. The sky and the reflected light took on a definite yellow/brown tone usually attributed to tornado weather. Mostly it was the ominous clouds swirling about overhead. Shades of dark white to gray to an ominous blue/gray color, they were traveling rapidly from the north-east, which seemed odd since I knew the storm was coming from the west. A few huge bolts of lightning close by and most ominously, clouds quickly swirling in a rolling wave from the larger formations like arms paddling along. About five minutes later, the air ride siren was sounding long and loud.
Traveling at 45 mph, it didn’t take more than twenty minutes for the worst of the storm, which included an on-the-ground tornado sighting, to reach the lake front. Once the storm was over the lake, the warning was lifted to a ‘watch’ and we were above ground again.
That’s enough excitement for now. We’ve got enough going on.
2 Things @ Once 
That same tornado threat sent me down four flights into my basement, hauling four cats (one’s visiting for the week, one’s a neighbor’s, two are mine) with me. Hauling 40 pounds of feline up and down all those stairs was the best workout I’ve had all week.
It seems like I grew up in a basement in the Chicago area! I remember those sirens well. Stay safe!