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Worcester Weather Watcher: Tornado Warning Came 4 Minutes After It Hit

WORCESTER (CBS) – Three years ago, Michael Roescher unfortunately became well-versed in dealing with tornadoes.

The June 2011 tornado that tore through central Massachusetts leveled his Monson home. Days later, he found all seven of his cats alive in the rubble.

Roescher now lives in the Worcester neighborhood that sustained tornado damage on Sunday.  He got a warning about the tornado, but it was about four minutes after the worst of the storm had passed.

Roescher, a National Weather Service spotter, is calling for a better and more timely local warning system that would notify residents of possible tornadoes.

He was at home Sunday night when the severe weather struck.

His weather camera mounted on the roof of his house captured video of the tornado.

"All of the sudden, two out of the three cats in the living room bolted for the kitchen, which was reminiscent of Monson," Roescher told WBZ-TV.

Around four minutes after the tornado passed, he received a radio warning.

"My hopes are that with watching these things, sometime down the road we can improve notification locally. Not giving the warning four minutes past," Roescher said.

Watch Roescher's tornado video here:

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