The 'Strangely' Related Storms
Of Roswell, July 4th, 1947 and July 4th, 1997:
A 50 Year Connection?
By
Jason Leigh
In the early evening of July the 4th., 1997, I was sitting on the motel chair, gazing out of the window towards the north and to the north-northwest at the approaching storm--way out in the distance . . . The visibility here in north Texas is usually about 3 to 5 miles--tops. In Roswell, and almost throughout the state of New Mexico--the 'visibility' is over 90 miles!!!
Therefore, this storm was way-out-there, which I was watching in sheer amazement by the 'lightning strikes' themselves. There were 'vertically-horizontal' lightning strikes, which made some very odd looking 'spider-web' type of light shows. It was totally amazing!!! And I have survived just about all of the major Hurricanes and Tornadoes of the Gulf-Coast of America since the early 1950's--never seeing lightning quite as dramatic as this one. Not even in the film documentaries which I have seen on TV--could match this wonderful show of Natures own Power . . .
Time came for me to head over to the Roswell Inn to meet with a film producer, Mr. Chris Toussaint, to discuss a possible interview as well as showing him and his crew the UFO footage.
I arrived to some very tired but receptive people who pleaded with me to get to the point--and to show them the footage, because they were so tired from interviewing and talking to people about UFOs--that they were about to explode. I could see this, having been a professional in TV-News and in making Documentaries: You just get 'burned-out' from all of the stories.
Mr. Toussaint was already familiar with me and my articles on the IUFOMRC.COM site, which was why he had sent me email in the month of June, sharing our mutual desire to meet with each other in Roswell for the 50th Roswell Festival. I assured him that I would be there.
I showed them (the crew as well) my footage then we began talking about my 'story,' which related to the two separate 'sightings,' which lead to the two videotapes of the now PROVEN, UFOs.
The thunder began to roar outside in the distance. We all headed for the front door and it swung open. You have never heard grown men 'wowing' like little kids before in your life.
Mr. Toussaint instructed the photographer, Richard, to get some footage of this strange approaching storm. They knew the reports from Roswell of 50 years ago:
There was a severe storm the night of the infamous, UFO Crash. I'm sure (as I would have done the same as a Director) that he wanted this footage for his 'Special' which they were there from Hollywood to produce about, "Roswell: Then and Now," which was to be their title, I do believe.
In hurried fashion, Mr. Toussaint ran and got his personal camcorder and began recording, as did Mr. Ron Garner (another Producer who was present). This wasn't just any other sort of storm; we all knew that to be true.
After several minutes, the cold, large drops of rain began to fall--but not as heavily as I would have thought. These rain drops were cold, and huge . . .
By the time we returned into the suite to discuss the fact that the only time left for them to interview me was later that night, after 11:00 p.m., I agreed, but added that I'd like to return to my motel to change into a suit. That was around 5:30 p.m.
When we shook hands and I departed--the rain had long since stopped. The pavement outside was barely wet.
I drove on to the motel, still recovering from a sudden illness (turned out to have been a 'heat stroke'), which hit me upon arriving in Roswell (hint?), the mid-day before.
Arriving back at my room, I fell onto the bed and melted into the covers.
How could I do an important, on-camera interview, which would be seen by millions of people--when I felt like I had been hit by an 18-wheeler?
I was too nervous to eat a full dinner, so I just tried to snack a little and made some strong coffee, then returned to bed.
Suddenly, the wind gusted outside and whistled through the glass of the window. I pulled back the drapes and opened the screen, returning to bed to gaze-out of the window (as I had done earlier) at this storm, which we would have thought--had already passed.
The rain began to pound on the parking lot and the roofs. The wind howled and blew like a 'norther' straight from the 'seven-seas'.
After a few minutes of constant 'down-pour,' there was a swift change in the direction of the rain: it began to come down at a 90 degree angle, being very heavy and forced by the strong, gusty winds. It was really, something to see . . .
This was on the west side of Roswell: The only motel, or hotel room, for 100 miles (Factual Report of July 2, & 3, 1997), and we were lucky enough to have heard about it on the radio: that there just may be a few 'cancellation' rooms available, and since our reservation from last year got mixed-up from a computer-change-over which left us without a room AND air conditioning: after an arduous 600 miles from north Texas--driving ALL NIGHT LONG, we would have been faced with a wasted trip and we would have had to turn right around and drive back to Texas despite our plans and promised interviews with friends to look-up and to hopefully visit with, and to share our catchin' up on each others' lives.
The storm raged outside. The thunder roared and pound down on the ground, shaking the walls and rattling the windows. We watched it all from the window.
Then, there was a sudden 'crack' of lightning , which just a second later, knocked the power off at the motel. The air conditioner stopped. The lights went out. The TV went dead as a door nail. The room was as black as the inside of a deep cave.
Luckily, having made enough trips to include candles, matches, flashlights, ice in an ice-chest and plenty of food with three gallons of water: I felt that we may have been better-off than a lot of people, and gave thanks.
The unheard-of happened: All of the TELEPHONES WENT DEAD, AS WELL!
Having lived through (as is mentioned above) so many Hurricanes down in southern Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida alike: The telephones rarely go dead! They are on a separate electrical line provided by the phone company--given to such an event! ('Way to go Phone companies--but your rates are still, too high!).
Recall that I was awaiting an important call about the on-camera interview of later that night.
The hours passed, as we watched the storm and the lightning show, which was still, outclassing the fireworks celebration on the north side of town. But wait a minute: could the north side of Roswell be without a/c power as well as on the west side?
Why would they waste all of those expensive fireworks--in the driving rain?
I was once in a rain storm down in New Orleans where it was pouring down rain on one side of the street, but not on the other side! I know. I walked to this 'other side of the street.' I lived that story. That rain has to start and stop somewhere--doesn't it? It has only rained everywhere, once in the history of world. So, could it be possible that it was not raining in such a deluge on the north side of Roswell? Yes, indeed: that was the factual case!
There was more than 2" of rain on the ground in one hour and in the streets where we were on the west side, as the hours passed, and the rain just wouldn't let-up.
10:30 p.m. came. The phone was still dead. We were still using flashlights. 'No air conditioning. I had to make it over to the Roswell Inn for this interview. I had given my word that I would be there. They would be expecting me. You don't keep TV-people waiting. I could drive my Jeep in 4x4 through the flood waters. 'No problem.
And then (yet another), 'suddenly,' the lights came on! The air conditioner began to slowly turn and churn-out some air--to breathe. But the telephones were all still dead throughout the motel, as we discovered. (At that time--I had no 'cell-phone').
I decided to go ahead and shower then get dressed as was planned for the promised interview.
Upon exiting the shower, the rain had stopped. The wind died-down. The thunder and lightning were rumbling in the way-distance towards the south. But the streets were still flooded with rain water. Roswell does not receive more than 0.05 inches of rain for the entire month of July: let alone a 'deluge' of over 2" of rain within just a few hours . . .
Upon arriving at the interview-meeting place on time, I reflected upon how odd it was that this north side of town was dam-near dry, compared to the flood waters I had just driven through to get here on the west side of town.
We discussed the 50 years-ago-storm, compared with this one, and grown men felt the pull of a 'ghost-story' that night of July the 4th, 1997: Roswell.
Peace in numbers--Jason
(c) 1997 by Jason Leigh
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To 1947 'Roswell' Crash article and Radio Announcement!
