Unsolved Mysterious Roof Damage

The Commotion Lasted about 15-Seconds

AZFamily.com – Lisa Sikorski was working in her upstairs office last Friday afternoon when she first heard and felt what sounded like a truck barreling toward her house.

“It got really, really strong,” Sikorski said. She said even her one dog, who typically isn’t bothered by storms, came running. The commotion lasted about 15 seconds and then was over.

“I had the sensation the house was moving forward. I knew it wasn’t, but it felt like I was on a mudslide or something,” said Sikorski.

Sikorski assumed it was blasting nearby. She also assumed her neighbors heard it, but they didn’t. A neighbor did, however, notice her roof tiles were in shambles that afternoon. She and her husband said it looked like something hit the roof, possibly debris from a plane or a meteorite. There were two separate spots on the roof with displaced tiles.

A roofer came out to survey the damage in person. He didn’t find any foreign object but believes it may have been some sort of weather event.

“It’s just a downward wind that comes in and it lifts the tiles,” Bowland said.

Bowland said he didn’t see any holes in the roof or points of impact. “The tile is all over, but the batten is in place and the underlayment is still tacked down,” he said.

We asked Arizona’s Family meteorologist Royal Norman what he thought, and he said if it was a weather event, it would likely be a dust devil. Sikorski and her husband plan to get a couple more opinions just to be sure it wasn’t something else.

What happened?

Microburst

Arizona has a unique climate and environment, making it prone to the occurrence of microbursts. A microburst is a localized and intense weather phenomenon. A microburst causes a sudden and powerful downdraft of air. It typically occurs during thunderstorms, sometimes after monsoon season (as is the case here), and can result in strong winds exceeding 100 miles per hour.

Drone

Drones are becoming very popular. Now that anyone can buy one and use it, it is important to learn how to use one before flying it. It is possible a technical malfunction caused faulty sensors or communication systems to fail? These issues disrupt the drone’s stability and navigation. Strong winds or heavy rain can cause the drone to steer off course. There are also operator errors, such as improper handling or insufficient training.

Airplane Part

Probably not likely as there were no airplane parts around the home. However, while such incidents are rare, it is important to acknowledge it is possible. Statistical data reveals that the occurrence of airplane parts striking homes is infrequent, with documented cases being isolated and sporadic. Stringent safety measures implemented by aviation authorities significantly mitigate the likelihood of airplane parts falling on a home.

Alien Invasion

We are going to entertain the hypothetical scenario of an extraterrestrial targeting a single residential dwelling to abduct the occupants. A reconnaissance and surveillance mission was going on and it went wrong. The aliens were probably doing a covert entry through the roof. Instead of being discreet they were noisy and clutzy. When the homeowner came outside to inspect the roof… it was too late… the aliens zipped back off into space.