I am sure he meant to an interior room with no windows when he said shelter - not a community shelter.

I agree.
Good post as usual.

I was at LSL last night and this storm came fast. I had run six miles earlier that afternoon and other than just gray skies got nothing. So my friend and I made a decision after checking the radar first to go see Scooter thinking it would be ok for the 90 minutes we planned on being there. It looked like there was a system to the north that could maybe at worse clip us but otherwise looked clear.

We had no indication of any warnings and headed for the square. About an hour or so later we got nailed. Four of us huddled under the gazebo overhang and got battered by the wind and rain. Drenched to the core. We had front row to the square destruction right in front of our eyes. We thought we were either witnessing a tornado or a micro burst. We were basically trapped in that position realizing we were on the wrong side of the stage taking the brunt of the storm so after a good 10 minutes or so of this quickly ran to the other side of the gazebo in the pouring rain with thunder and lightening all around us. Being on the stage would have been useless. Even Scooter hightailed it off the stage. No protection up there and everything on the stage was drenched with big puddles on the floor.

I definitely think had this been a tornado we'd be talking loss of lives here. There needs to be some warning system for us up at the squares. Unless you have the net on your phone and are tied to it you'd have no idea. We were dancing the whole time and other than seeing dark clouds heading our way (thinking rain) we had no idea and would have left had we known what was coming.

Wow...I guess you told us:bigbow:

"Four of us huddled under the gazebo overhang and got battered by the wind and rain."

There are restaurants and stores just across the street you could have ran to or even The Villages Sales Office right across the street. Standing outside in the wind and rain for what you believe could have been a tornado coming leaves one to wonder.

As for warning people at the square, doesn't sudden high wind and rain lend itself to a a warning to get the heck off the square and into a building? The Villages Sales Office was still open at 6 pm when the storm hit and is a huge and a safe building.

Easy to say now from behind your computer.... we had no idea about any tornado when it started. If you read what I read...I said we had NO IDEA. It wasn't until the wind whipped up as it did we wondered if we were in one.

When it happened at first it was fine. It started like usual. Rain only. We did what we've done in the past ran to the dry safe spot that is near us. When a passing storm comes we have a niche right there that is usually dry and safe. It quickly turned bad and we had no choice but to stay put. I've stood in that same spot tons of times and have felt quite safe. The rain stops and we resume dancing. This was different. As soon as there was a lull which took about 15-20 minutes we ran to the sales office area.

The warning would have made a bid difference had we known. By the time the storm hit it was too late. This came quickly with no warning.

I am off campus, but it appears you weathered the storm no worse for wear. Good.

I agree with Dawn Marie, THERE WAS NO WARNING! It happened and within seconds, the square was a total mess. If you weren't there, you would have no idea. Like she says, easy to preach from behind your computer. Don't say these people at the square are stupid. They did what they had to do. Remember, this wind was strong enough to toss metal objects clear across the square and impale tree trunks. Let's just be thankful that nobody was hurt instead of making like you'd have done something else.

Was anyone hurt?

Not that I saw. The emergency crews were there shortly after it happened, checking to make sure everybody was all OK and to help where they could in cleaning up. I think there were about 3 emergency vehicles there.

You can all say what you want about last night...unless you were there you have no clue what really happened!
I would be the first one to make the comments about stupid, careless, not paying attention, clueless people. I always check my back, never enter a building without looking for a different exit if need be, that is who I am and always will be.
BUT, I was there last night. My phone gives warnings, and I never received any until after this all happened. The sky was grey, not black and actually there was some breaks of blue also. We were dancing and with no thunder or lightening it started to rain very lightly. Within 45 seconds the rain went from light to heavy and then within 30 more seconds everything was flying. All the chairs, all the vendors tents, all of their products that they sell, palm fronds, whatever wasn't fastened down was flying. Remember, it took under a minute and a half before this went from normal to insane. Many elderly, many grandchildren, some people in wheelchairs, very easy for you to sit behind your computer and state the obvious as to what everyone should have done.
I'm very thankful that no one killed last night from either flying objects or just fear.

We were at Red Sauce outside. It tore an awning off the building and sent it down the road. The wind and rain came within seconds.

AMEN! That's exactly right.

Could it be possible that if the storm came up so quickly, that even if there were sirens on every corner......there would not have been time for the siren button pusher to be alerted?

absolutely!