Great Barrington, Massachusetts, 26 July 2012:

[12:54:57 PM] Tom Christensen: the internet says that shutters in new england were more important before widespread glass, and some houses had a waxed paper or cloth screen, which would then be protected by louvred shutters during high winds or at night
[12:55:11 PM] Tom Christensen: also, back when most of these forests were farms, winds were stronger.

[3:48:05 PM] Tom Christensen: FYI: We are officially under a tornado warning
[3:48:15 PM] Bill Siever: Oh yea?
[3:48:18 PM] marjolijn kaiser: oh snap!
[3:48:20 PM] marjolijn kaiser: again…
[3:48:29 PM] marjolijn kaiser: i have no water or candles nor a basement…
[3:48:42 PM] marjolijn kaiser: plus my house already leans over a lot…
[3:48:46 PM] marjolijn kaiser: see you in the river
[3:49:18 PM] Trevor Young: What path? Where did you hear this?
[3:49:49 PM] Tom Christensen: weather.com
[3:50:39 PM] Tom Christensen: We are in the tail end of the area, so we might get the dregs.

Stay tuned. And don’t worry – I have a big basement!