Good story and I like Illya continued curiosity regarding it. I've never been in a tornado, but once and only once I did experience the sky looking like that and the storm frightened my mother terribly. I had to stand, holding her in the middle of the living room while she was shaking and crying in fear.

I didn't find out until later that a tornado could have formed. It was a really violent atmospheric experience, even without a funnel forming.