That's the night that the lights went out in....Starkville

[msugrad2003]

I've been meaning to post this story for a while, but just now finding time (2nd qrtr of Super Bowl) to get on SPS via my laptop. I wanted to hear your stories of where you were in Starkville and what happened to you when the tornado hit Starkville in February 2001? Before I tell you my story, I must say the end statement by the expert was that it was not a tornado, but powerful straight line winds. I call BS on that but whatever.

It was Friday afternoon. I lived in the luxurious four bedroom apartments of College Station. There were constant parties not only at our place, but at the neighboring units, floor below and across from us. The building across from us (also four bedroom apts) were some guys we knew. One of which was Anthony Craven who now does the PA at the FB and BB games. Anyway, I was done with classes early that day and came home to the apt, my roommates were still in class or traveled home for the weekend. I ate some lunch and then crashed for a power nap on the couch. I knew some weather was inbound but did not think much of it. Well, I was awakened from my nap by the guys in the building across from mine (Craven's apartment) yelling and hollering. I didn't think much of this as they were accustomed to having a good time and would always let everyone know with their verbal outbursts. So, I managed to fall back asleep. Well, their yells and cries seemed to get louder and louder and began to hear things like, "Oh Sh&%!" Out of curiosity, I got up to went outside to our third floor balcony. I see those guys beginning to run inside as lawn furniture is flying through the air at eye level (3rd floor remember). I also see debris flying over head and landing on cars in the nearby parking lot. I start thinking "this is it...this is how it ends.....this crappy apartment building is about to get leveled." I proceeded to run into our bathroom to take cover. Yeah not sure what good that would do, but only option. Well, for the sake of an already long post, I will land the plane. The weather calmed down and our building wasn't affected. All the power was out and my roommates finally made it back. We were told by College Station managers we had to leave that "our building had shifted." They told us they had no where for us to go but we had to leave. We ended up getting two rooms at the University Motel for a couple nights. Fun times!
Would love to hear your stories of this day if you were in the 'ville that glorious day.

 

[msugrad2003]

*the Reba national anthem got me to thinking about it. Clever title, right?

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

It wasn't a tornado, but a derecho... Aka straight line winds.

I lived at Cross Gates apartments and was on my way into town with some girls that lived next door. We were up near 12 and 25 (pre super center days) and the wind was rocking. I pulled I to the old Chevron on the west side and we ran inside. The wind peeled part of the roof off and blew all of the insulation and fiberglass drop ceiling everywhere... We thought the world was ending based on how bad it was in there.


Walked outside after 2-3 minutes and all was well. Did lose the roof to my apartment and had to move out. I remember all the cars parked under the overpass and they got 17d up because it was wind coming right down the highway and the overpass made it like a wind funnel.

 

[mstateglfr]

We lived in The Commons. Before the tornado hit, a tree fell and blocked the entrance, I remember some of us had to climb over it to get to the apartments.

4 apartments in one of the buildings housed a group of friends, so we had a party and brought some others over. Lots of candles and alcohol.

One girl's apartment was in the building that was torn open, so she had to move out for the rest of the semester. The siding was torn off like Barbie's Dreamhouse.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

We lived in The Commons. Before the tornado hit, a tree fell and blocked the entrance, I remember some of us had to climb over it to get to the apartments.

4 apartments in one of the buildings housed a group of friends, so we had a party and brought some others over. Lots of candles and alcohol.

One girl's apartment was in the building that was torn open, so she had to love out for the rest of the semester. The siding was torn off like Barbie's Dreamhouse.

I totally forgot about that whole thing. I lived in the commons too.

 

[OopsICroomedmypants]

I lived on Hwy 12 and saw a Shed be picked up 20ft in the air and set right back down exactly where it was. It definitely was straight line winds and hit Columbus pretty hard that day too.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

I totally forgot about that whole thing. I lived in the commons too.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

We had just cut most of the pine trees at home, about 10 acres. My wife was at home with my infant son, and it scared the hell out of her. I barely was able to get back to the house because trees were down in every yard going on the road back toward our house. A huge tree fell about 20 feet away from the home our home perpendicularly. It would've landed right in the middle of the house lengthwise, destroying it if the wind had not pushed it in the direction it fell.

 

[99jc]

I rode out that storm on top of the overpass near the airport and i can tell you my butthole still puckers when i think about it. I had 2 friends working at the football stadium were on top with a crane. they literally crapped themselves.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

I lived on Hwy 12 and saw a Shed be picked up 20ft in the air and set right back down exactly where it was. It definitely was straight line winds and hit Columbus pretty hard that day too.

Correct on Columbus. I was actually in Milwaukee on a business trip that day. Took awhile to get back home where my wife and kids were stranded without power and roads blocked. We were without electricity for about a week and had trees down all around our house. Fortunately none hit the house but many others were not that fortunate. Lots of damage that day. I cut a mountain of fire wood from the downed trees in my yard.

 

[grinningmule]

I got caught on the overpass coming back from Columbus. It damn near lifted my old 4Runner off the ground but it did cave in my hood. My friends and I ran chainsaws all afternoon clearing trees.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

I lived in the luxurious four bedroom apartments of College Station.

a decade earlier, I slayed tons of poon in College Station. My DNA is probably still in some of those units.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I remember sitting in Flo and Eddies in the dark.

 

[mstateglfr]

a decade earlier, I slayed tons of poon in College Station. My DNA is probably still in some of those units.

 

[ckDOG]

I had just gotten out of the shower at Hathorn and walked into my room. Turned on the tv and the moment the weather guy said tornado warning the power went out and all the dorm room doors started shaking bc the wind started roaring inside the damn building.

Was supposed to go to a sorority party that night but it got cancelled. Ended up at Flo and eddies drinking lukewarm draft beer and eating sandwiches. Finished the night off at Sessums. Sucked that storm ripped up some stuff but otherwise made for some good memories.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

I had just gotten out of the shower at Hathorn and walked into my room. Turned on the tv and the moment the weather guy said tornado warning the power went out and all the dorm room doors started shaking bc the wind started roaring inside the damn building.

Was supposed to go to a sorority party that night but it got cancelled. Ended up at Flo and eddies drinking lukewarm draft beer and eating sandwiches. Finished the night off at Sessums. Sucked that storm ripped up some stuff but otherwise made for some good memories.

Jesus H Christo.... You were living in the dorms in 2001? First goat, now you... I thought you were at least 75 years old...

 

[stateguy]

Was in Carpenter Hall basement studying - mechanical engineering building - study room faces the drill field. Maybe 5-6 guys in there. Could tell it was storming bad, but nothing like what the rest of y'all saw. Lived in a dump off 25 and when I went home few hours later, plenty of roofs gone but luckily ours made it.

Maybe it was this storm but seems like there was another one few years earlier. Say this b/c I lived in Evans Hall (RIP) 98-99 year and went by Suttle Hall (RIP also, damn I'm getting old) and every car had windows blown out. Pretty wild

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Jesus H Christo.... You were living in the dorms in 2001? First goat, now you... I thought you were at least 75 years old...

It appears we are all around the same age.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I found this while looking around.

Starkville Storm Pictures - 2001

 

[$altyDawg]

I was at work and had just made it back to Allen Hall from lunch (Little Dooey) when they straight line winds came through. I was living in Long Meadow subdivision at the time and when the storm had finally blown through, I remember driving back toward my house and some of the traffic lights along hiway 12 were lying in the street. Because of all the trees down in the neighborhood, I had to park a few blocks away from my house and walk. When I got there most of my pine trees had snapped, and I had a little roof damage. My neighbors helped me get it temporarily tarped up and went back to my truck and stayed with my parents for the rest of the weekend.
It was dang sure scary; that much I remember very well.

 

[Drebin]

I was at work and had just made it back to Allen Hall from lunch (Little Dooey) when they straight line winds came through. I was living in Long Meadow subdivision at the time and when the storm had finally blown through, I remember driving back toward my house and some of the traffic lights along hiway 12 were lying in the street. Because of all the trees down in the neighborhood, I had to park a few blocks away from my house and walk. When I got there most of my pine trees had snapped, and I had a little roof damage. My neighbors helped me get it temporarily tarped up and went back to my truck and stayed with my parents for the rest of the weekend.
It was dang sure scary; that much I remember very well.

Maybe we'll get another one and it will blow away the medians on Hwy 12.

 

[615dawg]

My future wife had gone to Columbus for something. She drove back without knowing what was going on. She still says that was the worst drive of her life. Had no idea and cell coverage was dead to let her know.

We were hosting Notre Dame in baseball. They had come to Starkville for a regional the year prior and that had been delayed by tornadoes.

That class of Irish baseball players have probably sworn off Mississippi for life.

 

[dog12]

a decade earlier, I slayed tons of poon in College Station. My DNA is probably still in some of those units.

I can verify that these shenanigans were prevelant at College Station in the late 80s.

 

[mstateglfr]

We were hosting Notre Dame in baseball. They had come to Starkville for a regional the year prior and that had been delayed by tornadoes.

Wait, there was a tornado in the spring of 2000? I woulda been in Cresswell and dont remember that. Not saying it didnt happen...I dont remember a lot of college, hence the Van Wilder graduation timeline.



ETA- Imadummy. The tornado and game would have been in late May and after classes were finished.

 

[Faustdog]

I've been meaning to post this story for a while, but just now finding time (2nd qrtr of Super Bowl) to get on SPS via my laptop. I wanted to hear your stories of where you were in Starkville and what happened to you when the tornado hit Starkville in February 2001? Before I tell you my story, I must say the end statement by the expert was that it was not a tornado, but powerful straight line winds. I call BS on that but whatever.

It was Friday afternoon. I lived in the luxurious four bedroom apartments of College Station. There were constant parties not only at our place, but at the neighboring units, floor below and across from us. The building across from us (also four bedroom apts) were some guys we knew. One of which was Anthony Craven who now does the PA at the FB and BB games. Anyway, I was done with classes early that day and came home to the apt, my roommates were still in class or traveled home for the weekend. I ate some lunch and then crashed for a power nap on the couch. I knew some weather was inbound but did not think much of it. Well, I was awakened from my nap by the guys in the building across from mine (Craven's apartment) yelling and hollering. I didn't think much of this as they were accustomed to having a good time and would always let everyone know with their verbal outbursts. So, I managed to fall back asleep. Well, their yells and cries seemed to get louder and louder and began to hear things like, "Oh Sh&%!" Out of curiosity, I got up to went outside to our third floor balcony. I see those guys beginning to run inside as lawn furniture is flying through the air at eye level (3rd floor remember). I also see debris flying over head and landing on cars in the nearby parking lot. I start thinking "this is it...this is how it ends.....this crappy apartment building is about to get leveled." I proceeded to run into our bathroom to take cover. Yeah not sure what good that would do, but only option. Well, for the sake of an already long post, I will land the plane. The weather calmed down and our building wasn't affected. All the power was out and my roommates finally made it back. We were told by College Station managers we had to leave that "our building had shifted." They told us they had no where for us to go but we had to leave. We ended up getting two rooms at the University Motel for a couple nights. Fun times!
Would love to hear your stories of this day if you were in the 'ville that glorious day.

Funny, I was a student and living in a little house on Critz St. I have no memory of this storm whatsoever. Now I remember the one the day of the Troy game later that year.

 

[3407Dewey]

I've been meaning to post this story for a while, but just now finding time (2nd qrtr of Super Bowl) to get on SPS via my laptop. I wanted to hear your stories of where you were in Starkville and what happened to you when the tornado hit Starkville in February 2001? Before I tell you my story, I must say the end statement by the expert was that it was not a tornado, but powerful straight line winds. I call BS on that but whatever.

It was Friday afternoon. I lived in the luxurious four bedroom apartments of College Station. There were constant parties not only at our place, but at the neighboring units, floor below and across from us. The building across from us (also four bedroom apts) were some guys we knew. One of which was Anthony Craven who now does the PA at the FB and BB games. Anyway, I was done with classes early that day and came home to the apt, my roommates were still in class or traveled home for the weekend. I ate some lunch and then crashed for a power nap on the couch. I knew some weather was inbound but did not think much of it. Well, I was awakened from my nap by the guys in the building across from mine (Craven's apartment) yelling and hollering. I didn't think much of this as they were accustomed to having a good time and would always let everyone know with their verbal outbursts. So, I managed to fall back asleep. Well, their yells and cries seemed to get louder and louder and began to hear things like, "Oh Sh&%!" Out of curiosity, I got up to went outside to our third floor balcony. I see those guys beginning to run inside as lawn furniture is flying through the air at eye level (3rd floor remember). I also see debris flying over head and landing on cars in the nearby parking lot. I start thinking "this is it...this is how it ends.....this crappy apartment building is about to get leveled." I proceeded to run into our bathroom to take cover. Yeah not sure what good that would do, but only option. Well, for the sake of an already long post, I will land the plane. The weather calmed down and our building wasn't affected. All the power was out and my roommates finally made it back. We were told by College Station managers we had to leave that "our building had shifted." They told us they had no where for us to go but we had to leave. We ended up getting two rooms at the University Motel for a couple nights. Fun times!
Would love to hear your stories of this day if you were in the 'ville that glorious day.

I was a GA for 4-H at the time. When the storm hit, I was en route to GTA airport in a MSU 15 passenger van to pick up a 4-H club flying in from Montana. I was driving east on 82 and noticed in the rearview mirror it looked pretty dark in the west. A couple minutes later I looked again and it was like a black curtain was being pulled over the sky. It looked so scary, I pulled over on the highway because I had never seen a sky look like that. When the winds hit, I had the van in park and holding the brakes down and it was still scooting me forward. The back of the van started picking up, and I thought for sure it was going to flip me over. If the winds had been from the side, it definitely would have rolled that van. Scared the crap out of me, but the whole thing lasted just a couple of minutes.

 

[Mjoelner]

I was working for a small aircraft company making composite propellers in a metal building across from McKee Park in what is now the Boy's and Girl's Club. Everyone but me and one other guy were still at lunch. We two ate at work. The other guy was taking the rest of his lunch break by laying down on some padding in the shop. I heard it start raining and looked out the door on the NE corner of the building. I was looking south toward Eddie B's (you older guys may remember that place) and watching the sheets of rain move from west to east when all of a sudden they went horizontal. I yelled to the guy to get his *** up because we were about to have a tornado. He ran to the door and wanted to see so I opened it again and we saw a couple of trees go down in McKee Park and the dumpster just outside the door start lifting straight up about a foot off of the ground then drop back down over and over. About that time the lights went out and the two roll-up garage doors on the north end of the building started bouncing like they were going to break the locks. There was a louvred ventilation fan in the peak of the south wall of the building and it was spinning like it was running wide open. The light that let in allowed us to run to a table with in the back of the shop with a 2" steel top and framework made from 1/4" steel angle. We hid under the table until it was over. I was scared that the siding was going to be ripped off of the building. I was in the Raspet Flight Lab when a tornado hit a few years earlier and ripped several sheets off of the SE corner of the building and I saw first hand what happens. It's like a grenade goes off in the building. To quote Tater Salad "It's not THAT the wind is blowin. It's WHAT the wind is blowin." After what we went through, I was genuinely concerned that there were going to be dead people all over highway 12.
After it was over, I helped 4 people clean up their yards and helped one guy clean up and guard his business. I was without power for a week and never had any of those I helped offer to help me in my yard or offer to come over and take a hot shower or wash clothes. Its times like that when you find out who your friends are.

 

[Boom Boom]

Wait, there was a tornado in the spring of 2000? I woulda been in Cresswell and dont remember that. Not saying it didnt happen...I dont remember a lot of college, hence the Van Wilder graduation timeline.



ETA- Imadummy. The tornado and game would have been in late May and after classes were finished.

I am mixing up a couple storms in my timeline too. I think there was a late 90s tornado that came thru late evening on a weekend. I remember being at a keg party near the cemetery. The straight line storm happened on an afternoon. Weekday I think. I remember it tore the roof off the Communications majors building.

 

[Braves Dawg]

Not storm related but, I woke up one night at College Station to water spraying the side of the apartment. Someone had shot the water tank on the corner.

 

[MS-halfstep]

I too was in Hathorn on the 5th floor. I had laid down for a nap with the window open and was awaken to mist hitting my face. Rain was blowing in through the sniper racks and the screen. I shut the window and walked down the hallway to the balcony and watched the wind whip through. It was about that time that I saw the roof of McComas get lifted completely off then put back down. Decided I probably shouldn’t be on the top floor and went down to the bottom of the stairwell to ride it out. All the cars parked on Magruder St had their windows blown out, but the cars parked behind the dorms were fine. Which is where mine thankfully was.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

It appears we are all around the same age.

"all" may not be accurate...

 

[maroonmuncie]

It was my freshman year, and I was eating lunch in the Union getting ready to head over to DNF for the opening weekend of baseball season. I remember seeing an umbrella and chair from the old patio at the union blowing across the Drill Field, and then we were all told to move to the basement. There were a ton of high school kids there, and I distinctly remember some kids firing up a black & mild while we were all packed in the basement. Once it was over, I went back to my truck, which was parked in front of the State Fountain. The car next to me had a huge limb from one of the trees on top of it, the car had a bunch of damage.

I got back to Cresswell, and there was no power. My roommate had been in the shower when the power went out. We were on the 4th floor, so he went down to the balcony to see what was happening, and he watched the roof blow off McComas and watched all the rocks blow off the roof and absolutely destroy all the cars parked on the street in front of the building. No one's cell phones worked, and everyone ended up in our room calling friends and family, because we had the only corded landline phone on our floor. Good times.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

"all" may not be accurate...

View attachment 527525

Yeah. I was out of college then, but I was living in Starkville. I was working in West Point when it came through, but it caused much damage down where I lived on Old West Point Road.

 

[HailStout]

Not storm related but, I woke up one night at College Station to water spraying the side of the apartment. Someone had shot the water tank on the corner.

Was that in the later half of the 1990’s?

 

[benatmsu]

I've been meaning to post this story for a while, but just now finding time (2nd qrtr of Super Bowl) to get on SPS via my laptop. I wanted to hear your stories of where you were in Starkville and what happened to you when the tornado hit Starkville in February 2001? Before I tell you my story, I must say the end statement by the expert was that it was not a tornado, but powerful straight line winds. I call BS on that but whatever.

It was Friday afternoon. I lived in the luxurious four bedroom apartments of College Station. There were constant parties not only at our place, but at the neighboring units, floor below and across from us. The building across from us (also four bedroom apts) were some guys we knew. One of which was Anthony Craven who now does the PA at the FB and BB games. Anyway, I was done with classes early that day and came home to the apt, my roommates were still in class or traveled home for the weekend. I ate some lunch and then crashed for a power nap on the couch. I knew some weather was inbound but did not think much of it. Well, I was awakened from my nap by the guys in the building across from mine (Craven's apartment) yelling and hollering. I didn't think much of this as they were accustomed to having a good time and would always let everyone know with their verbal outbursts. So, I managed to fall back asleep. Well, their yells and cries seemed to get louder and louder and began to hear things like, "Oh Sh&%!" Out of curiosity, I got up to went outside to our third floor balcony. I see those guys beginning to run inside as lawn furniture is flying through the air at eye level (3rd floor remember). I also see debris flying over head and landing on cars in the nearby parking lot. I start thinking "this is it...this is how it ends.....this crappy apartment building is about to get leveled." I proceeded to run into our bathroom to take cover. Yeah not sure what good that would do, but only option. Well, for the sake of an already long post, I will land the plane. The weather calmed down and our building wasn't affected. All the power was out and my roommates finally made it back. We were told by College Station managers we had to leave that "our building had shifted." They told us they had no where for us to go but we had to leave. We ended up getting two rooms at the University Motel for a couple nights. Fun times!
Would love to hear your stories of this day if you were in the 'ville that glorious day.

That's back in the day, when baseball offered section AA to students. If you wanted student chairbacks, you had to get in line early. It was opening day and I was in line for chairbacks, when (if I remember correctly) Bobby Tomlinson ran out from nowhere and yelled at evreybody to get inside. So they took us all down in the clubhouse until the line passed. It was dark down there, but the only thing I remember was there was an oil painting of Ron Polk down there that someone with a wet jacket leaned up against... wasn't me... And that I chatted with Enrico Jones for about 15 minutes. Kind of a unique experience though.

 

[615dawg]

Wait, there was a tornado in the spring of 2000? I woulda been in Cresswell and dont remember that. Not saying it didnt happen...I dont remember a lot of college, hence the Van Wilder graduation timeline.



ETA- Imadummy. The tornado and game would have been in late May and after classes were finished.

Yep. They came in for the 2000 regional. That was your classic tornado delay, but it was new to those kids. We hosted them to open the season in the National Bank of Commerce classic in 2001, and it was the straight line winds on Friday. I talked to my wife about it last night and she remembered.

She had messed up her shoulder and had an appointment at Columbus Ortho and was driving back. She had no idea what to do and drove right through it. She had a '99 Explorer which nearly tipped over if she slowed down so she went faster. It's a miracle she made it through it.

I was held up in the Hump waiting on first pitch in the ND game.

 

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

I was in 10th grade at Starkville Academy. The school took pretty much a direct hit. The metal roof on the middle school building was completely ripped off and totaled my car in the parking lot. Tons of damage to vehicles in general. The hallway that I was in had doors blown open on both ends. Wind was whipping through there. It was pretty scary honestly, but I still consider it one of the best days of high school.

My parents neighborhood was one of the worst in town. Our house wasn't damaged but several neighbors were. I think our road had over 100 pine trees down.