2025-05-18 REPORTS: TX/OK/KS/CO

[Dan Robinson]

Updated my initial post with the full chase log describing the last-minute east-west shuffle as the tornado made some crazy-last second turns before it impacted Grinnell (per the damage survey). It turns out I was directly in the path of where it entered town just before scurrying out of the way to the east with maybe 60 seconds to spare. It started to occlude left, then hooked back to the right.

 

[John Farley]

I have now done a full report on my less-than-stellar chase day. Includes discussion of failures by the models/forecasts and by me, with a couple of diagrams, and a better version of the picture I posted earlier of my consolation prize, the LP supercell near Freedom, OK.

https://www.johnefarley.com/chase51825.htm

 

[Andy Wehrle]

It wasn't until I saw the DAT that I realized the nocturnal KS beast was actively producing an EF3 while I was on it north of US 54/400 between Cullison and Pratt shortly before 11 PM. The inflow was howling but the reflectivity signature looked messy from the merger and the velocity, while there was definite rotation, wasn't clear-cut "intense tornado in progress" like it had been back west of Haviland and again from Iuka to Plevna. Glad I didn't try to get any closer than I did.

Made yet another GoPro timelapse, this one set to music and zoomed in on the tornado.

 

[Andy Wehrle]

Remade the above timelapse to add the other timelapse sequences; the second tornado north of Arnett with the wild corkscrew rope-out, structure of the gradually weakening storm southwest of Freedom, and anvil crawlers with slo-mo replays from the nocturnal KS beast from northeast of Cullison as it was producing the EF3 that later went north of Iuka.

I then got back on 54/400 eastbound toward Pratt, the lightning didn't illuminate under the base much during the time I was recording. This is the best frame I found that gives some hint as to what was going on:

 

[Tony Laubach]

Recently uploaded an edit of the I-70 Grinnell EF-3 tornado intercept collaborating with my longtime chase partner, Ed Grubb who shot a longer clip as he was more sheltered from the debris on the passenger side unlike me who was being blasted by the surrounding corn fields.

This also includes the brief 9-1-1 call I made prior to us getting out to assist the semi driver. Neither of us shot any video until more formal crews arrived on scene, then we proceeded to get a few shots of the area before we moved on.

 

[Jeff Smith]

Who all in the conga line saw this feature north of Mooreland about 7:30? I pulled off Hwy 50 onto a gravel road to watch the cell for a bit and saw this lowering. I could not obviously confirm but it looked like a large wall cloud. It only lasted a few minutes though. I missed Arnett due to leaving too late, but oh that LP was beautiful!

 

[Andy Wehrle]

Realized I never posted any of my DSLR photos from May 18th at Arnett here:

 

[cdcollura]

This was a fantastic day on the Oklahoma target!

Summary:

May 18 was a highly successful chase day in west-central Oklahoma, playing the southwest side of a moderate-risk zone as per the SPC. The tornado probabilities were 15%, with hail 45%, and wind 15% - With significant (hatched) tornado and hail probabilities. There were three possible targets for this day: One up in NW Kansas / SW Nebraska, one in NW to west-central Oklahoma, and another down in NW Texas. The Oklahoma target was preferred. I left Enid around lunch time and after attending church there, via Highway 412 west, choosing a refined target area near and to the southwest of Woodward, Oklahoma. It became apparent that convective initiation was imminent while in Woodward during mid afternoon, with a warm front to the NE and dryline approaching from the west out of Texas. The SPC issued MCD 860, and subsequent tornado watch box 287, valid until 10 PM CDT for my target area.

A convective shower was noted to the southwest near Canadian, Texas, and began moving towards Higgins just after 4 PM. I headed west and southwest out of Woodward, via SR 15, reaching the now developing supercell storm southwest of Shattuck, Oklahoma and west of Highway 283. The storm split with the right side consolidating and moving slightly east of the mean motion vector. This storm rapidly strengthened over Ellis County, then became tornadic, and passed near Arnett and eventually near Sharon. Up to 5 tornadoes were observed with this storm, especially near Arnett, with giant - And destructive hail - Causing damage to the vehicle windshield on Highway 60. I continued east on Highway 60 to near Vici, then north towards Sharon along SR 34. The chase was wrapped up before disk near Mooreland along Highway 412. I headed east from there to I-35, then south to Highway 64 east, then Highway 177 to Stillwater, where I spent the night.

Storm chasing details:

May 18, 6:00 PM - Interception and direct penetration of an extremely severe and tornadic thunderstorm from just southeast of Higgins, Texas, and northeastward past Arnett, Oklahoma, mainly along and near Highway 60 from Libscomb (TX) to Ellis County (OK). The storm was a powerful cyclic (LP / classic) supercell storm. The storm produced at least 5 tornadoes, all of which were observed, including a significant one at close-range barely missing Arnett. Tree damage was noted with this storm, as well as some ground scouring. Giant hail was encountered with this storm, with stones up to 3 inches, damaging the vehicle windshield with the tornado in progress west of Arnett. 60+ MPH RFD winds were also encountered, along with moderate rain and frequent lightning. The storm eventually evolved to LP mode from near Arnett to west of Sharon, and subsequently weakened via down-scaling near dusk. Conditions causing the storms were surface heating, a dryline, a warm front, low pressure trough, and strong upper trough. Documentation was digital stills, audio, and HD / 4k video. A 2022 Jeep Renegade was used to chase the storm. A tornado watch was also valid for the area until 10 PM CDT.

Video link:

Gallery:



Above: Leaving Woodward, Oklahoma and heading south and southwest, a small storm fires between Canadian and Higgins, Texas. Anvil blow-off streams overhead. The view is to the southwest.



Above: One of the first tornadoes from this storm. A thin rope with dust swirl below it. This was near the TX / OK border by late afternoon. The view is to the west.



Above: Incredible view of a tornado at maximum intensity southwest of (and barely missing Arnett). Praying the town would be spared, the tornado rapidly lifted and no damage was caused in Arnett. The view is to the southeast.



Above: Hail up to 3" smashes the windshield. Giant hail was being pulled around the mesocyclone from the northeast to southwest on the NW side of the storm.



Above: Fifth and final cone tornado plants just northeast of Arnett. The view is to the north during the early evening.



Above: View of weakening LP supercell storm west of Sharon with incredible storm structure and "barber pole" updraft.

 

[Mikey Williams]

Oh May 18 haha. The day after my High-School graduation and one year since two of my highest risk chases, 5/19/24 and 5/25/24, I went into this day with high confidence and hopes, ready to show everyone what I got. Like many out chasing this day, I got screwed by the last-minute target area swap. Dad and I left KC around 10-11 am to stage out of Wichita. Went west and had lunch in Kingman, then dropped south to Medicine Lodge where we and everyone and their bloodline was waiting at Casey's in hopes of clearing. By 5 pm it was obvious that that was not going to happen, so I decided to drop the Kansas target and the cell blowing up to our west (which would become the Kinsley PDS wedge producer), in favor of the supercells initiating in Oklahoma, thinking the Kansas stuff would die from stable air (LOL).

After crossing the border into Oklahoma, I was happy to see sunlight again and emerged from the haze with a view of the incredible anvil of the Arnett cell shortly before the tornado. About an hour or so later we stopped way out ahead of the cell by Waynoka and set up the tripod. I did not sweat missing the Arnett tornado, as I thought the cell would be a fierce long-tracker through the evening, but I started getting more and more antsy when the cell just would not keep its act together (did not know it was an LP at the time). A new cell blew up behind it and I hoped that constructive merger would take place, but that did not occur. We then went northwest to the town of Freedom, OK where the new cell would drop big hail to our west and put on an incredible LP barber pole show.

After trying to keep with it, it became apparent that the day in Oklahoma was over. So we begin the drive back to KC, but decided to detour to Pratt on 281 after seeing the new initiation on the KS/OK border headed towards Greensburg. Because we choose highway 281 instead of 183, we arrived out ahead of the supercell's FFD, while chasers on 183 encountered downed blocking powerlines in the damage path of the huge wedge near Greensburg. Arriving into Pratt, the lightning frequency was just insane, but the low mist blocked all visibility of the bolts, a huge disappointment as I was hoping for epic anvil crawlers. Due to time restrictions, we had to start working our way away from the storm and left Pratt about 5-10 minutes before the sirens would have gone off (NOT FUN). Heading northeast on 61, I became very concerned about the amount of people passing us heading the other way directly into the cycling supercell with a violent EF3+ wedge. My gut told me another massive tornado could form after the merger near Haviland, so I put a tweet out trying to notify Pratt county authorities to keep people from driving into their demise. Fortunately the tornado would not follow the road, but it would parallel it CLOSELY for miles, unfortunately causing intense damage in the town of Plevna, but thankfully causing no fatalities in town or in any vehicles on the highways. Having to drive away from this beast knowing what it was doing hurt to no end, but I couldn't stay upset as I had a local 10% hatched to cover the next day.