Shane Adams
Bridget and I initially decided to play the 35W corridor between FWD and the Red River, anticipating training cells along a SW/NE line. We almost went through with that plan. However, leaving work from Southlake with the intention of heading north towards Sayre to intercept a lone cell out ahead of the more linear stuff, I began to have a change of heart. As the moment of truth drew close and we approached 35W from 170, I couldn't shake the feeling that ignoring the new cell to the SW of FWD would be a mistake. Bridget agreed, and because the stuff NW was rocketing away and already ahead, it made sense to head south and get in front of the storm to our SW. We went down 35W to 820, then went east and south all the way to the 287 exchange in Kennedale, where we turned back north and retraced our steps, flanking this very benign-looking cell. It never went severe, but somehow produced a tornado that we spent 10 minutes looking at but didn't know what it was, because the storm looked so pitiful, we assumed it was a non-rotating wall cloud and scud. When it didn't go away, I finally decided to take out my vidcam and shoot.....getting the last few minutes of what was a spectacular tornado during its mature stage.....when we just thought the sky was playing tricks on us. I even said "I wish that was an RFD cut and a big cone funnel."
It was.
It was.
