Taylor Wright
EF2
Brief 4K resolution timelapse of the first few Dodge City tornadoes.
-
After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.
I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.
For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.
From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.
Sincerely, Jeff D.
2016-05-24 REPORTS: KS/CO/TX/OK
- Thread starter James Wilson
- Start date
Brief 4K resolution timelapse of the first few Dodge City tornadoes.
Jeff House
Supporter
First picture is from Ford KS, while driving in a Ford. Upper left is mid-level inflow. Left-center is inflow to the flanking line and wall cloud. Sometimes it looks like the textbook or spotter pamphlet...
Second picture is from north of Dodge City near the airport. Dark pizza slice has descended from mesocyclone 4. Lighter tube left I think is the remains of mesocyclone 3.
We approached DDC on US-400 from the southeast, avoiding the 283 mess. We picked up 283 to US-50 by the airport before departing on 50 to the east.
Started out at the rest stop junction of 283/160 with @djburnette and many others. Most headed north on 283. We went east on US-160 through Ashland and back north on KS-34 to Bucklin. Saw cycle 1 from Bucklin. While we did not know 283 would get blocked, we did like road choices out of Bucklin. Storm motion to the NNE vs right turning we went with 400 through Ford toward Dodge. Saw cycle 2 from Ford. Eventually circumnavigated DDC to the east, watching cycles 3-4, before departing on US-50. Had to wait for a storm in Kinsley, along with a tornado warning, for a bit.
Second picture is from north of Dodge City near the airport. Dark pizza slice has descended from mesocyclone 4. Lighter tube left I think is the remains of mesocyclone 3.
We approached DDC on US-400 from the southeast, avoiding the 283 mess. We picked up 283 to US-50 by the airport before departing on 50 to the east.
Started out at the rest stop junction of 283/160 with @djburnette and many others. Most headed north on 283. We went east on US-160 through Ashland and back north on KS-34 to Bucklin. Saw cycle 1 from Bucklin. While we did not know 283 would get blocked, we did like road choices out of Bucklin. Storm motion to the NNE vs right turning we went with 400 through Ford toward Dodge. Saw cycle 2 from Ford. Eventually circumnavigated DDC to the east, watching cycles 3-4, before departing on US-50. Had to wait for a storm in Kinsley, along with a tornado warning, for a bit.
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Bill Hark
EF5
Here is my edited video from this amazing day. Multiple tornadoes in the Dodge City area. I'll post a detailed report later when I get a chance.
Bill Hark
Bill Hark
Michael Snyder
EF3
Here is my Time Lapse of the May24th Tornado Fest. Including coming up on the completely destroyed house. Was so relieved when they came out shaken but not hurt.
Wesley Luginbyhl
EF4
I finally got my chase account up for this day, which is combined with May 22 and 23 as well with a ton of pictures and videos. - http://owlsp.blogspot.com/2016/06/chase-account-may-21-24-2016-ddc-ks.html
Quincy Vagell
EF4
I'm a bit late to the party for getting footage up, but it was a very wild end of May. Nothing here is all that different from what a few others have posted, but it was great to meet up with Andy and few other board members, as well as seeing some of you in the field/photographs/videos.
In chronological order first with some photos and video screengrabs between Minneola and Dodge City:
I have a bunch of videos and only got around to uploading maybe 2/3 of them. The first captures some of the early stages of the first tornado:
Below are a few longer videos showing the evolution of the initial two larger tornadoes from rooftop cameras. I was juggling five different video recording devices, so the fact that I had those pointed at the tornadoes for most of their life spans was huge. Still, I couldn't resist some handheld shots at closer range, which I will insert below the first two clips:
A few iphone clips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L9BgKwSd8o
A brief close-range video when the second tornado was kicking up dust/dirt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN2yEw_Qc1
This was the best chase day of my career and it really helped that I had Ian Livingston as a co-pilot. My previous benchmark chase day had been a toss-up between Pilger and Coleridge, but I was able to get much, much closer this time around, for a variety of reasons. Interestingly enough, 5/24 was also followed up with a career day on the 25th, much make 6/16 and 6/17 in 2014.
In chronological order first with some photos and video screengrabs between Minneola and Dodge City:
I have a bunch of videos and only got around to uploading maybe 2/3 of them. The first captures some of the early stages of the first tornado:
Below are a few longer videos showing the evolution of the initial two larger tornadoes from rooftop cameras. I was juggling five different video recording devices, so the fact that I had those pointed at the tornadoes for most of their life spans was huge. Still, I couldn't resist some handheld shots at closer range, which I will insert below the first two clips:
A few iphone clips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L9BgKwSd8o
A brief close-range video when the second tornado was kicking up dust/dirt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN2yEw_Qc1
This was the best chase day of my career and it really helped that I had Ian Livingston as a co-pilot. My previous benchmark chase day had been a toss-up between Pilger and Coleridge, but I was able to get much, much closer this time around, for a variety of reasons. Interestingly enough, 5/24 was also followed up with a career day on the 25th, much make 6/16 and 6/17 in 2014.
Dan Robinson
EF5
I recently finished these two composite panoramas showing the life cycles of the first two major tornadoes.
I installed a full-screen pano viewer for these here on my site:
http://stormhighway.com/blog2016/july816a.php
I installed a full-screen pano viewer for these here on my site:
http://stormhighway.com/blog2016/july816a.php
Might not be the space for this, but I've got video of three tornados on the ground at the same time at Dodge city. Did anyone take any still shots with three on the ground at the same time? I've got two, but not the three..
James Wilson
EF5
Nice pic James. I just dug through my pics again and found this one with three tornados in it. It's not as good as yours, but I'm happy because I could zoom in and see all three.
cdcollura
EF5
Good day all,
Like many others who targeted SW Kansas this day, I was on the multiple tornadoes this day as well. Although posting on this late, here is my logs for May 24, 2016...
1). May 24, 6:30 PM - Interception and observation of an extremely severe and tornadic thunderstorm from north of Mineola, Kansas to and past Dodge City in Clark and Ford Counties from along Highway 283. This thunderstorm was a violent cyclic classic supercell producing multiple tornado "families". The storm developed to the northwest of Mineola and moved to the northeast, barely missing the western portions of Dodge City. The core of the storm, containing extremely large hail (one report had 5 inch hail, larger than a compact disc) and strong winds, was not penetrated. The storm produced at least 8 tornadoes with multiple cycles, and was observed from initiation to dissipation south of Jetmore, Kansas. The tornadoes were pretty much all varieties: stove pipe, elephant trunk, multiple vortices, cones, even a truncated wedge! Even more spectacularly, there were times when there were two (twins), or even three, tornadoes on the ground simultaneously (usually one from the original mesocyclone still on going, with a new tornado on the next new cycle)! The tornadoes remained mostly over open fields, and thankfully passed west of Dodge City, damaging mostly outbuildings. The supercell storm had an impressive and striking visual appearance (like an "upside down wedding cake" and striations). One of the last tornadoes onserved was even anticyclonic (revealed with time-lapse footage)! Frequent lightning with some close hits was also encountered, with isolated 1" hail stones falling in 50 to 60 MPH inflow. Conditions causing the storms were surface heating, a low pressure trough, dryline / boundary interactions, and upper trough. A 2009 Ford Escape SUV was used to chase the storms. Documentation was digital stills and HD video. A tornado watch was in effect for the area until 12 AM CDT the next day.
Above: First tornado touches down during the afternoon / evening south of Dodge City, Kansas on May 24. This storm will be referred to as the "Dodge City Supercell", a classic and violent cyclic storm that will produce at least 8 tornadoes, some of which with multiple instances on the ground simultaneously!
Above: First tornado occludes, then begins to rope out slowly. This view is zoomed in to show the intense ground circulation and two chase vehicles in close proximity.
Above: With the near steady-state stove pipe tornado in progress, the new mesocyclone forms sympathetically east of the main one. This new area goes on to produce a multivortex tornado, along with a few smaller tornadoes, all while the stove pipe to its left is on-going!
Above: View of the main and most intense cyclic tornado of this storm. A large stove pipe quickly develops over the open country south of Dodge City (May 23).
Above: Both the old (left, with massive stove pipe tornado) and new (right, with tornado on the ground as well) mesocyclones. Twin, or even three, tornadoes (wow)!
Above: View a later showing a large truncated cone / wedge with a stove pipe (internal subvortex) in the middle of it! Note that another mesocyclone is about to form east (right) of this tornado, and will be part of the next storm "cycle".
Above: Twins again! Rope tornado from former mesocyclone still on the ground, and a large elephant trunk / stovepipe tornado on the newest mesocyclone to the right. The view is NW and the storm is north of Dodge City and south of Jetmore.
2). May 24, 10:00 PM - Penetration of a severe thunderstorm near Pratt, Kansas in Pratt County along Highway 54 / 400. This storm was a multicell severe / HP supercell storm. Very heavy rains, frequent lightning with close hits, hail up to half-dollar (1.5"), and winds gusting over 60 MPH. Conditions causing the storms were a low pressure trough, boundary interactions, and upper trough. A 2009 Ford Escape SUV was used to chase the storms. Documentation was audio. A tornado watch was in effect for the area until 12 AM CDT the next day.
Like many others who targeted SW Kansas this day, I was on the multiple tornadoes this day as well. Although posting on this late, here is my logs for May 24, 2016...
1). May 24, 6:30 PM - Interception and observation of an extremely severe and tornadic thunderstorm from north of Mineola, Kansas to and past Dodge City in Clark and Ford Counties from along Highway 283. This thunderstorm was a violent cyclic classic supercell producing multiple tornado "families". The storm developed to the northwest of Mineola and moved to the northeast, barely missing the western portions of Dodge City. The core of the storm, containing extremely large hail (one report had 5 inch hail, larger than a compact disc) and strong winds, was not penetrated. The storm produced at least 8 tornadoes with multiple cycles, and was observed from initiation to dissipation south of Jetmore, Kansas. The tornadoes were pretty much all varieties: stove pipe, elephant trunk, multiple vortices, cones, even a truncated wedge! Even more spectacularly, there were times when there were two (twins), or even three, tornadoes on the ground simultaneously (usually one from the original mesocyclone still on going, with a new tornado on the next new cycle)! The tornadoes remained mostly over open fields, and thankfully passed west of Dodge City, damaging mostly outbuildings. The supercell storm had an impressive and striking visual appearance (like an "upside down wedding cake" and striations). One of the last tornadoes onserved was even anticyclonic (revealed with time-lapse footage)! Frequent lightning with some close hits was also encountered, with isolated 1" hail stones falling in 50 to 60 MPH inflow. Conditions causing the storms were surface heating, a low pressure trough, dryline / boundary interactions, and upper trough. A 2009 Ford Escape SUV was used to chase the storms. Documentation was digital stills and HD video. A tornado watch was in effect for the area until 12 AM CDT the next day.
Above: First tornado touches down during the afternoon / evening south of Dodge City, Kansas on May 24. This storm will be referred to as the "Dodge City Supercell", a classic and violent cyclic storm that will produce at least 8 tornadoes, some of which with multiple instances on the ground simultaneously!
Above: First tornado occludes, then begins to rope out slowly. This view is zoomed in to show the intense ground circulation and two chase vehicles in close proximity.
Above: With the near steady-state stove pipe tornado in progress, the new mesocyclone forms sympathetically east of the main one. This new area goes on to produce a multivortex tornado, along with a few smaller tornadoes, all while the stove pipe to its left is on-going!
Above: View of the main and most intense cyclic tornado of this storm. A large stove pipe quickly develops over the open country south of Dodge City (May 23).
Above: Both the old (left, with massive stove pipe tornado) and new (right, with tornado on the ground as well) mesocyclones. Twin, or even three, tornadoes (wow)!
Above: View a later showing a large truncated cone / wedge with a stove pipe (internal subvortex) in the middle of it! Note that another mesocyclone is about to form east (right) of this tornado, and will be part of the next storm "cycle".
Above: Twins again! Rope tornado from former mesocyclone still on the ground, and a large elephant trunk / stovepipe tornado on the newest mesocyclone to the right. The view is NW and the storm is north of Dodge City and south of Jetmore.
2). May 24, 10:00 PM - Penetration of a severe thunderstorm near Pratt, Kansas in Pratt County along Highway 54 / 400. This storm was a multicell severe / HP supercell storm. Very heavy rains, frequent lightning with close hits, hail up to half-dollar (1.5"), and winds gusting over 60 MPH. Conditions causing the storms were a low pressure trough, boundary interactions, and upper trough. A 2009 Ford Escape SUV was used to chase the storms. Documentation was audio. A tornado watch was in effect for the area until 12 AM CDT the next day.
Michael Snyder
EF3
Since I've been editing with lightroom, photos are coming out better. Here is some more eye candy.
Michael Snyder
EF3
Couple more
Michael Snyder
EF3
jaredleighton
EF1
Well, I won't go into much detail about this day, as it seemed like just about everyone was there and has a similar story to tell. I guess the only thing about this day for me that was maybe a touch different than others was my determination to get this day right after failing pretty badly on 5/22 and 5/23. I woke up in Garden City on 5/22, then drove several hundred miles to the south, only to drive passed the Perryton tornadoes on my way back to Garden City, missing the tornado there that formed about 20 miles away from where I woke up that morning. On 5/23 my target was Woodward, but I got sucked south by the fickle CAMs and missed the evening tornadoes in my original target. Needless to say, I was determined. After waiting out initial CI in Cimmaron, I dropped south to between Minneola and Dodge, and the rest - as they say - is history.
For more detailed summary and other photos, see my full write-up.
Initial formation of the first well-formed tornado between DDC and Minneola
New meso forming/formed in the foreground, with mature tornado in the background, in a beautiful scene
North of DDC, looking south at the final (?) tornado that took out the landfill buildings. This tornado formed on the road behind me by about a mile. I caught this image when I stopped to look back.
For more detailed summary and other photos, see my full write-up.
Initial formation of the first well-formed tornado between DDC and Minneola
New meso forming/formed in the foreground, with mature tornado in the background, in a beautiful scene
North of DDC, looking south at the final (?) tornado that took out the landfill buildings. This tornado formed on the road behind me by about a mile. I caught this image when I stopped to look back.
