Sunday afternoon’s thunderstorm came up fast and furious in Limestone County, downing trees and limbs and cutting power to thousands but sparing lives.

The oddest part of it all — little to no rain fell, according to multiple observers.

The storm, which roared into Limestone between 5 and 5:30 p.m. from Tennessee, downed fewer than 20 trees and left at least 3,000 without power, officials said.

In Athens, Mayor Ronnie Marks said he was headed to Limestone Drug on The Square about the time the thunderstorm struck.

“I happened to make a run to the pharmacy from the west side of town at that time, and I could see stuff in the air. I made a turn by Limestone Drug and my car was not rattling, but the wind was so strong, I didn’t think the top of the oak at the courthouse was going to stay up. It was a weird and eerie feeling.”

Marks said he was told wind blew the arm off the railroad crossing gate on Washington Street and a window at High Cotton Arts on Washington Street was blown out. The arm has since been repaired, said Holly Hollman, grant coordinator and communications specialist for the city. At Terranova’s restaurant on Jefferson Street downtown, the wind blew down and damaged some wooden decorations, she said. Two trees fell on Coleman Avenue and another fell on a power line on Jackson Avenue, she said.

In total, the high winds and downed trees and limbs left about 3,000 Athens Utilities customers without power, she said. Power was fully restored by 2 a.m., she said.

Countywide

The storm was brewing in Tennessee by mid-afternoon, and a severe thunderstorm watch was issued for Limestone Countians about 3:45 p.m., said Rita White, director of the Limestone County Emergency Management Agency. After the storm rolled out of Tennessee and into Alabama, a severe thunderstorm warning was issued about 4:30 p.m., she said. Damage reports — mainly downed trees and limbs, and power outages — started coming in between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m., she said.

“We had scattered outages and scattered trees down,” White said, noting the storm damage occurred “all over” the county rather than in one location. The EMA received slightly more damage reports from the central, north and eastern sectors of the county than elsewhere, she said.

Limestone County commissioners thanked local volunteer firefighters for their help in clearing debris from the storm. District 1 Commissioner Daryl Sammet said most of the damage in his district was from downed trees, and though nobody was injured, there were some close calls.

District 2 Commissioner Steve Turner and District 4 Commissioner Ben Harrison also reported downed trees in their respective districts.

“I can’t say enough about the East Limestone Volunteer Fire Department for helping us out,” Turner said.

Commission Chairman Collin Daly said their presence and willingness to help “proves what kind of community we have.”