Thanks, Mary. That's not too far off, the only difference being that the corkscrew effect takes place in the upper atmosphere, then rights itself, as opposed to starting on the ground. The more I looked into this subject, the more I saw an association with wind sheer.

I lived in KY for four years (felt like 40). One night my ex and I were at a movie in Danville, and the lights went out. We were all ordered to go home and seek shelter. We did have a basement, but it was still pretty scary. We camped out with our baby under the stairs until the warning sirens stopped. That took most of the night.

A few town south of us got pretty ripped up, but Danville was spared.

An irony. In 1979, we left California to get away from earthquakes. I was petrified of them. A little 3.0 would have my heart in my throat. So we moved to KY, because I got a job teaching at Centre College. On our first night in town, sometime in late June, 1980, a 5.3 earthquake struck on the IL. border.

I also learned during those four years that the my fear of earthquakes were just a fear of being out of control, and there is danger everywhere. I am home again, but in N. not S. California. I am sure the big one is going to someday occur on the San Andreas within 2 degrees of San Bernadino. Nothing could make me go back there.

Cathryn