**Most recent Update - added video to the website of the night tornado and here are also some more notes about the event**
I have now reviewed my dashcam footage from 4-21 and 4-25. In my opinion it pretty much proves the
night tornado I believed I saw that night in Missouri. Note that SPC never added this one to the
log; however I did submit a tornado report to NWS in Springfield via their website - so not sure
what's up with that.
Here's the situation. I was following the storms which had been dropping tornadoes earlier in south
eastern KS and it got dark on me. I decided to cautiously follow the storms into Missouri at night
to see what I could see even though I knew MO's reputation for hills and trees. Before I crossed
over into MO I witnessed a couple of different wallclouds and lowerings on the KS side that went
east into the darkness. Soon after that there were tornado warnings for the area near Jasper, MO. I
contined east and the NWS radio said the tornado should be near Miller at 9:40. There was also a new
tornado warning issued for the area south of Miller and perhaps nearer Mount Vernon. About 9:52 I
was about halfway between Avilla and Miller on hwy 96 and I saw a turquois green power transformer
flash and began seeing a large lowering and what appeared to be a fairly large tornado on the ground
to my southeast as I was headed in pursuit east. Originally I thought it was 5 to 7 miles away, but
after reviewing the pictures and video and seeing the trees in the foreground distance it appears it
is probably less than 2 miles.
Given power transformer flash, an obvious lowering to ground, and same location as the tornado
warning I think this pretty much verifies it.
Here's a link to the video. This is only Window Media format slightly over 1 mb because the mpeg
file is 77 mb and the avi file is up to 600mb!! So there is some quality loss. In the initial scene
where I say 'This is it!' or something to that effect if you look closely to the left side of the
tornado you may be able to see some of the greenish hue of the power transformer flash. This
doesn't seem to show up well on video though. It was very distinct and obvious by eye and that's
why I reacted the way I did. I can kind of see it a bit on the avi version. After that though not
sure if it carries much to the wmv version. Also the wmv is set for display at 320x240 so full
screen probably isn't the best idea.
http://www.tornadoxtreme.com/2005_Chases/A...April21st05.wmv
Note: I may also post a brief video of some of the wallclouds associated with Monday's MayPearl
storm.
**End Most recent Update**
[Broken External Image]:
http://www.tornadoxtreme.com/2005_Chases/April_21st_05/IMG_01792_ninbig.jpg
This is a short post because I'm still out in the field in Springfield, MO. I'll update later. I've been having bad trouble with asthma and allergies keeping me from being out on the road last few days and therefore in position for Thursday. I tried to make it to the triple point but I left too late, and was a bit further north than I hoped, and I had to keep stopping to try and breathe as it felt like I was driving with a plastic bag over my head at times. When I realized I couldn't make the ongoing storms and tornado warnings up toward KS and my lower level cu was disappearing north of OKC near the KS border I knew I had to get east. Cells began to develop in se KS and ne OK as I meandered along stopping to breathe occasionally. I finally realized I could possibly catch the storms before dark so I started speeding up.
I took hwy 160 to hit 69 north near Crestline right before sunset. Stuff was ongoing mostly to my north and northeast and I couldn't make out a lot because of moisture, failing light, and dark storm clouds. The area behind me began to build and a couple of tornado warnings were issued north of me related to the Cherokee area. I tried to get in and make out detail but couldn't. The cores were getting larger to my west and southwest and the NWS radio was discussing new tornado warnings related to these if the storm strengthened. I bailed west on 160 between nice looking lowered wall clouds and a funnel lowering on the south of the road not far from me. The two lowered areas looked cool in the backlit sunlight but there wasn't that much of it. I should have grabbed a picture then but was afraid I would be run over by potential developing tornado. Once I got far enough west I turned around and stopped and pulled out my digital cam and was surprised that it could take pictures in almost total darkness.
I followed the area east back across into MO as new tornado warnings were issued for Jasper headed for Miller. Once I was in Carthage I knew I could make Miller, or at least close if I tried hard. I boogied east and closed the distance with somewhat intense lighting starting to strengthen ahead of me. I ran the dashcam. Along the southern side of the road and ahead of me when I was still about 4 or 5 miles from Miller I could see a lowering and intense strikes associated with it. A tornado warning was issued for this area near Mount Vernon, MO. The storm was supposed to be at Miller at 9:40. At about 9:52 I saw a greenish purple power transformer flash at what looked like ground level and directly under the lowered area. I'm pretty sure it was a tornado on the ground. Once or twice I thought I could see a narrow wedge shape, and I also jumped out a bit later and took some shots with my digital camera. Like Xray vision it shot the lowered wallcloud and appears to also show a slanted condensation area extending down into the foreground trees. I got one shot like this with and arcing CG bolt that looks pretty cool. I'll probably post later. I should have called it in but I thought I'd see it better later which of course I never did. When I get home I'll review the cam footage which probably isn't that good because I don't know how to set it to low light. I need to study up and get some cheat notes to carry with me in the field. I did later file a report with Springfield NWS of what I saw.
One note, this is the second time I've chases MO. First time was in the ne corner. I always said I'd never chase MO cause I thought it was terrible winding roads, hills, and trees. So, instead I chase it in the dark in a tornadic thunderstorm - LOL go figure. Strangely though the route I took was mostly flat with fewer trees and many open farming fields with good visibility.
Update:
I've completed updating my website and extracting out a picture from my Rebel XT to post from the night hunt in Missouri.
http://www.tornadoxtreme.com/2005_Chases/A...il_21st_05.html
That shot was taken in total darkness - no moon and was handheld.
One comment....you folks in Oklahoma City sure have it easy as I have to drive 6 hours just to get to 'Go'. Sometimes that sucks a bit. Thinking about it on the drive home OKC is situated in striking distance in any direction. Sure you could argue later in the season it's all up in NE or even further north but it's still closer by 6 hours than me. My original target from the night before based off the 0Z ETA was Emporia, KS. I was up quite a while trying to decide if it would be really decent, and even longer really trying to make up my mind on the best spot to head for. I didn't get to bed until after 1AM CDT. I had hoped to get out early like 5AM but with the asthma and antihistamines I couldn't wake up. I didn't leave until about 8:20. I made pretty good time other than really having to stop a couple of times cause I couldn't breathe and thought I was going to have to call the EMT's. I think I lost at least 2 hours that way. I was initially hoping to target near the triple point or perhaps just a bit south of there on the dryline. Turned out the front was also further north than I had hoped. Activity did start up at the boundary intersection as expected fairly early and continued to intensify during the day. The southeast Kansas destination where the storms fired was not all that far from my original destination, but I was just out of position and needed to get east and into the better air faster. It really pays to be at your target destination in plenty of time to allow for adjustments and monitoring and redeployment especially when that target is about 13 hours away. Had I been feeling better I would have been out the previous days and would have been much closer with less driving than the one day shot I made.
Read your account Shane, and good call on Chanute, KS as a target. Sounds like a fun chase. All in all mine was good other than I had limited daylight time to chase and was often gasping for air.
Allergies / asthma has been better last 2 days and hopefully it will stay that way; however I fear that the Mexican smoke is just around the corner.
). Saw some storms go up well to our northeast prob on the missouri side. Receieved a call from Mike Parker about storms going up south of Iola so we flew down 16th rd in Coffey county over to Garnett and then headed south down 169 to the 59/31 JCT. WE can see the storm very clearly now. Just north of moran in allen county got hit with pea sized hail and torrential rain for about 3 minutes on a small storm. Kept driving down 59. About 8 or 9 miles south i looked west and saw 2 tornadoes approx 2 miles east in the SE Allen,NE NEosho,Sw Bourbon county intersection. Turned at Savonburg and headed east. Not sure which road i turned south on but i ended up near Philip on HWY 39. Stopped and filmed for a while. Then it started to move northeast of our location and you could see the rain curtains wrapping around the north side of the wallcloud. Continued to try and stay with this funnel but the road sucked. I lost site of the storm and it disappeared as i drove into Ft Scott with the Sirens still sounding in town. That didnt deter alot of folks, there was hella traffic on US 69 coming into town and people were all standing outside looking around. Congrats too all who saw the other tornadic storms in southern neosho county. Thank you to Mike Parker for the great nowcasting. He helped us get on this storm.
A quick stop and a peek at the computer and I was out the door. I chose to go east on 24 and then north because we already had good backing winds and small towers were already starting to form. I went north on Hwy 63 I believe, and parked myself just south and east of Onaga. 
