Wow.
Finally got power back about 30 minutes ago. We had a storm rip through here around 5:00 a.m. like I have never been in. No tornado, just straight line winds exceeding 80 mph (one gust up to 100, reportedly). We live in the upper midwest; this storm is the worst I've ever been in. The house is a solid old two-story, but I could (for the first time ever) feel it shaking in the wind.
Our prayers were answered--no one was injured by the storm anywhere that we've heard of. Nothing damaged the house or car. But big trees are uprooted all over the place; the next community over has been described as if a bomb had been dropped on it (I haven't been out of town yet). All radio stations were disabled by the storm, so there was no news until after 7:00 a.m.
I have never been in a hurricane, but I think I now know what you in the south go through!