05/22/08 NOW: CO/NE/WY/KS/OK/TX

[Sam Sagnella]

KFOR issuing own advisories for NWrn OK; David Payne reporting rapid rotation/funnels.

 

[Brandon Clement]

Eric Perozo is on the Dighton cell but I'm sure he isn't alone. This one could be a long track.

Edit, Of course as soon as I say this, the crud to the south merges back with the cell after looking like it was going to go the west of the storm. Still very impressive.

 

[Scott Lincoln]

Tornado imminent on Dighton, KS storm. Rapid rotation.

I think radar confirms this. Dighton, KS, storm has good inflow and a strong mesocyclone. Appears to me as if the RFD might be increasing in strength, which could possibly tighten up the rotation and stretch it right to the ground. Although the northern storms have better wind fields, the instability to the south cannot be overlooked as it is strong enough to use the weaker helicity and create tornadoes.

 

[Scott Taylor]

Matt Grantham has live feed of tornado near Grove City, KS.

 

[Scott Lincoln]

KFOR issuing own advisories for NWrn OK; David Payne reporting rapid rotation/funnels.

What do you mean by "[they are] issuing [they're] own advisories?"

Are they treating the severe thunderstorm warnings as if they are tornado warnings?

I know that OKC stations tend to "issue" their own alerts for "strong storms" with criteria that is not uniform. I guess if their chasers see something that appears dangerous and their meteorologists feel that it is capable of producing a tornado, they can broadcast that if they want.

 

[Scott Taylor]

WOW, just saw a chaser in a black vehicle lose control and go off the road, right in front of Matt.

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

Filmed a multiple vortex tornado dancing around and then watched it wedge out shortly before running into nasty mud roads...

 

[Bryan Putnam]

Just watched a small cone tornado on the ground for approximately 10 minutes ~5 SE of Hoxie, KS.

 

[Andrew Francis]

What do you mean by "[they are] issuing [they're] own advisories?"

Are they treating the severe thunderstorm warnings as if they are tornado warnings?

I know that OKC stations tend to "issue" their own alerts for "strong storms" with criteria that is not uniform. I guess if their chasers see something that appears dangerous and their meteorologists feel that it is capable of producing a tornado, they can broadcast that if they want.

^ they don't issue their own tornado warnings... But they tell the viewers the shear and evidence of a possible tornado... Which basically is them saying the NWS hasn't yet issued a tornado warning, but take tornado precautions now.

 

[Sam Sagnella]

What do you mean by "[they are] issuing [they're] own advisories?"

Are they treating the severe thunderstorm warnings as if they are tornado warnings?

I know that OKC stations tend to "issue" their own alerts for "strong storms" with criteria that is not uniform. I guess if their chasers see something that appears dangerous and their meteorologists feel that it is capable of producing a tornado, they can broadcast that if they want.

Before the SVR was issued for Harper/Ellis Co.'s they said "we're issuing our own warning for this area" as they had spotters on it reporting severe weather; OUN put a warning out only moments later. They're advising residents of Cheyenne to be in their safe spots, but they haven't gone so far as to issue their own TOR.

OUN has TOR out though for the Roger Mills County area -- just issued.

 

[Evan Stubbart]

I'm not a virgin anymore! Will post later in reports. 2 Tor so far. One in Grove and another at mile marker 92 on I70 where I watched the Tor develop and a semi get flipped right in front of me. Driver is okay. Reason for my post is it appears there is a small storm just south of this same area that is spinning from my view point. Can anyone confirm for me on radar (just around Grainfield, KS).

 

[Sam Sagnella]

VERY strong shear on radar just SW of Cheyenne, though it's far from the nearest radar site. KFOR reporting a grass fire, but no tornado on the ground at this time.

 

[Sam Sagnella]

Tornado on the ground, fairly large, JUST SW of Cheyenne OK.

EDIT: It may have lifted, low-contrast shot on KFOR; it's hard to tell.
EDIT2: Hm, it now looks almost like a scud-bomb/column type feature.

 

[Scott Lincoln]

^ they don't issue their own tornado warnings... But they tell the viewers the shear and evidence of a possible tornado... Which basically is them saying the NWS hasn't yet issued a tornado warning, but take tornado precautions now.

Thanks for the clarification. I know other stations that do what you describe above - they do it from time to time here in the Des Moines market as well, but I bet its more frequent down in OKC.

 

[Jesse Risley]

I'm not a virgin anymore! Will post later in reports. 2 Tor so far. One in Grove and another at mile marker 92 on I70 where I watched the Tor develop and a semi get flipped right in front of me. Driver is okay. Reason for my post is it appears there is a small storm just south of this same area that is spinning from my view point. Can anyone confirm for me on radar (just around Grainfield, KS).

There appears to be some weak rotation in that area on GLD's velocity image.