Has it really been that long?  It's hard to believe that the major tornado that touched down in the Capital Region, Mechanicville to be exact, happened 20 years ago today.  The pictures of the devastation bring back some chilling memories and also give a little perspective on just how powerful this storm was.

A rare F3 tornado hit the Mechanicville area on May 31, 1998. It was a Sunday afternoon and the storm caused $71 million in damage. Sixty-eight people were hurt and thankfully no one was killed.  Ask anyone who lived in or near Mechanicville back then and they'll tell you just how frightened they were. Most remember it vividly.  Many people hiding in their basements or their bathtubs during the tornado came out later to witness the sheer devastation to their property, homes, cars, and neighborhoods.

WNYT Newschannel 13 has the incredible photos as well as a storm report from that day.

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