Stadium survives hurricane during storm

Tornado hits Spokane, Washington, USA, scaring the baseball field and causing minor damage to the area | KREM-TV / PLAYBACK

A strong storm cell crossed the Spokane region of the US state of Washington in the west of the country on Friday night, causing heavy rain, wind, lightning and two tornadoes, confirmed by the United States National Weather Service. ).

Hurricanes made landfall at about 7:00 p.m. and 7:25 p.m. in the Spokane area. According to National Weather Service damage analysis teams, the first tornado formed three miles northeast of Airway Heights at about 7:03 p.m., causing damage to trees and power lines in the area.

The second tornado made landfall in the Spokane Valley, between Freya and the Dishman Hills Recreation Area, at about 7:20 p.m., affecting a trailer park. Several trees were uprooted and two trailers were overturned by the wind. Videos and photos circulated on social media showed vortex winds and damage in the affected area. The Spokane Valley Fire Department said it evacuated two people from each trailer and no one was hurt.

Spectators recorded the Hurricane in formation outside Avista Stadium. The funnel cloud arose during a baseball game in Spokane Valley, the home of the Spokane Indian team. “The lights came on and I noticed the spinning in the clouds. You could feel the direction of the wind changing as it went by. It was a very surreal moment.”

Hurricanes are not uncommon in Spokane, unlike other areas of the United States. On average, Washington state experiences one or two tornadoes annually, according to the local office of the National Weather Service. Washington has a very humid and rainy climate, with cold winters, and hot and cold air masses favoring the phenomenon in the center and south of the country not uncommon.

The tornado recorded in Spokane County was the first since August 9, 2016. Since 1950, only 13 tornadoes have been reported, most of which have been recorded as EF0, the weakest on the Fujita scale with winds around 100 km/h.

The National Weather Service issued a weather warning for severe storms in the weather-affected area, but spectators at the stadium complained that no warning was issued to the public. It is common in the United States to alert the audio and screen service in stadiums when a storm is approaching and this poses a danger to the public.