Welllll...there was a huge storm that hit that area on that date...so that much is confirmed. AND the local newspaper (The Mitchell County Press) has a website that mentions said picture but does not show it on the site. On Yahoo, it mentions the Globe Gazette, but that website doesn't feature the picture at all. Hmmm, She may have had her camera ready to take pictures of the storm clouds then that thing just dropped down and she 'clicked" it.
I would have been too busy swearing like a sailor and pooping my pants to take a photo..and I've lived here my whole life.
Madurobob, quite often before a tornado things get VERY calm..hail, rain etc. stop. It's quite creepy.