Watch: We hid from a 80mph twister at Chicago O'Hare airport and I'll never moan about British weather again

It’s just British to moan about the weather; it’s too warm, it’s too cold, it’s too wet or it’s too windy. Truth is - we get off lightly. This is something I learned at first hand during a trip to the city of Chicago which saw us sheltering from tornados not once, but twice. The second time we were within a breath of a confirmed 80mph twister on the runway amid a record night of tornado storms.

It all began on our last evening (July 14) when we had been for a fabulous meal and walked home a few blocks to our hotel on Michigan Avenue in the central city. We actually walked past CBS where two presenters were pointing at weather maps from their studio which is surrounded by glass and visible from the street. We probably should have paid attention.

I was back at the hotel and just getting into bed when my phone went off. Not a gentle ringtone but the screeching national alert (remember when they tested this in UK?) accompanied by a tornado warning and instructions to shelter in the basement.

Friends, I was on the 12th floor. So our WhatsApp group went mad with worry but after taking advice that any tornado was unlikely to touch down in the city or so close to Lake Michigan, we all stayed tucked up in our beds in our solid brick hotel listening to the wailing of alerts from vans driving up and down the streets , thunder, lightning and driving rain. It was quite something but eventually it went quiet and we went to sleep. Drama over, or so we thought.

The next day, after making the most of the last few hours in the sunshine, we arrived at the airport and had a smooth transition to the gate for our night flight. That’s where it all went wrong as our phones screeched again (imagine a whole gate of screeching) followed up by urgent tornado warnings via loudspeaker for O’Hare itself.

Air crews, passengers already on most planes and even the control tower was evacuated. All the shops were closed and staff and travellers urged to ‘shelter in place’. Everyone was remarkably calm and sheltered the best they could in what was essentially a glass house.

Some unlucky passengers were left stranded in further away planes on the runway, listening and praying. Dr Asima Ahmed later replied to my tweet: “I was on a plane sitting it out, that was a memorable experience.” While Britain slept in blissful ignorance of our plight, I had US replies from as far away as Indiana and Florida - dishing out tornado advice from a place of experience. Another advised: “Get away from the windows- I do believe that airport has very good storm windows but those winds can be scary to watch.’ Her advice: “You’re safe but for your nerves go drink!”

We huddled on the floor and listened to warnings while watching torrential rain batter the reinforced glass. Frantic staff urged curious travellers away from windows and then the warnings started to change with additional severe storm warnings. This sounds less bad - but was actually was code for the tornado touching ground as nearby air crew informed us. Things escalated quickly.

The tornado was literally outside on the tarmac as we sat on the floor next to some vending machines (also glass). Everybody froze - we could hear it - while it looked like vats of water were being thrown at the windows. A moaning sound, low and hard to pinpoint, increased in volume and then gradually, over a period of an hour, went away. Many hours later we were on our planes, queued with around 60 others, taking off into still high winds - nerves at breaking point but safe.

There is no question that we, and everyone at the airport, were lucky. And next time you hear me complaining about the weather here in the UK you have permission to call me out. We don’t know we are born.