During one spring I worked for Severe Storms Labs in Oklahoma. We had a little Jamesway tent and Rawin Site (weather balloon) site in Piedmont, Oklahoma. The main radar, the newest of its generation, was in Norman.
One night we had storms all over the state. Norman gave us a warning on the net radio that there was a TS (Thunderstorm) with a hook echo (possible tornado) over El Reno, a few miles to our west. The Rawin site radioed that they could see a funnel cloud when the lightning permitted. It was dark, because the clouds were so thick that no light was present.
The chief then asked for us, I replied that we were listening. He then said "You guys better watch out, that thing's headed right for you." My knees started shaking right away. We called the guy with the siren then went across the field to the school's storm shelter.
All the residents were out watching for the approaching boomer. We were all squinting into the driving rain and trying to make out features during the lightning strikes. Meanwhile the shelter beneath us was full of animals yapping and meowing; the pets were all in the shelter and all the humans were watching out for the tornado.
It passed just north of us.....a tornado at night is like an event from another world. You hear the sounds while the wind whips up and the rain accents the forces of nature around you. It was something I'll never forget.
Apr. 20 to May 5th is the most time when most tornadoes occur in Oklahoma. I love it here and would never leave.