That Time This Texan Spotted Storm-Spotters

With so many storms wreaking havoc across the nation this spring, I've had some of my own too-close-for-comfort Texas storm stories come to mind. The one particular day I keep recalling is when my parents, brother and I drove from Fort Worth to Austin to see my cousin throw shotput in the high school state track meet.

I was in my late teens, maybe 20. Per usual my dad was driving, my mom was in the front passenger seat, my brother and I were sitting in the back. For some reason -  instead of traveling directly south on I-35 - maybe in an effort to avoid highway traffic - we took another parallel route.

I don't know where we were exactly on the back road when the sky darkened and the wind picked up. The clouds were looking sketchy and I implored my dad to pull over so we could attempt to shelter in a church building. I remember my brother - four years younger than me - crouching onto the floor behind the passenger seat. The weather had taken an ugly turn and staying in the car felt much too vulnerable.

Get our free mobile app

We didn't stop. Looking back now - 30 years later - I can guesstimate that my dad was trying to outrun the looming tempest. Eventually we merged onto I-35 entering the north side of Austin. The clouds were ominous and stringy, reaching threateningly towards the earth. As we barreled south to the city - not fast enough, in my opinion - I noticed law enforcement officers standing next to their vehicles in the middle of each overpass, staring north.

"What are they doing?" I asked. My dad replied, "Looking for tornadoes."

I don't remember much after that. I may have momentarily fainted from fear.

If they spotted a twister, were they planning to dispatch the news on their radios? Wave down highway drivers to pull over? Whatever the case, their presence conveyed the seriousness of the situation.

We made it into Austin proper with the storm on our heels. Shortly after we settled into our seats at a restaurant for lunch, the skies opened up and the rain slammed down. The track meet was put on hold until the weather cleared the region.

This was the one-and-only time I ever recall seeing multiple officers perched on multiple overpasses scanning the skies. While I'm grateful for anytime our first responders are on alert for threats to our community, it's safe to say I'd prefer to not be on the highway when storm-spotting cops are surveying for tornadoes.