4/25/09 NOW: TX/OK/KS/MO/IL/MI

[Eric Bucsela]

Strongest storms are N of I-40, with another near Clinton. Max reflectivities now around 60 dBz. No obvious trend toward better organization.

There had been a very nice velocity couplet on the torn-warned storm in eastern Grant Co. OK (west of Ponca City) - but it dissipated about 25 min ago.

 

[Amy Sand]

I live in NW Lawrence, we saw rotation and wall cloud. Got some pictures and video, but they don't look as good as it did real time. Pretty impressive looking storm for sure.

 

[Eric Flescher]

just got back just missed the tornado

I've been watching all afternoon since I could not go to TX or OK as I had to pick up my son from the airport at 10:00 am on Sunday. Still I hoped to see something on Sat.

I heard a cell was moving into Lawrence and NE and could possibly drop a tornado. I headed out from Olathe at 5:28pm. I decided not to head to Lawrence as the cell was said to be a heading a little north.
I started going on I-70 towards Lawrence but got off at Bonner Springs to try to intercept the cell near Tongonoxie and Linwood on K-73 to then west on K-29 and 40. I thought I would have a better chance if I went slightly north. this was a mistake.

I sat next to a Sonic watching pea hail and tons of rain. Like some other times, it was pouring cats and dogs but the sun was peaking through. I hearing a cell was approaching on the radio. I should have had my little TV on KMBC or used twitter . They were showing the tornado from the air from the helicopter. I was too far north and could not see as a tornado went close to I-70 and acroos. The TV showed the debris swirling in the air and the people scurrying out of the cars to get into field away from the tornado. There was damage to a little town called Reno. Make sure to watch the 10 o'clock new on KMBC to watch the tornado in the air and from I-70 on the ground. Mile marker 213 damage is extensived for some of the buildings. Got back 8:06 with 82 miles minichase.

Now 8:29 there is another tornado warning for the area that I was in Basehor and Tongonoxie.

Some pics and vid clips of my hail. Close but no cigar. I should have been south instead of being north to try to intercept the storms going east and north of Lawrence. Better then nothing but I should have stayed on I-70!

 

[Randall Marable]

Live stream here as of 22:22 following the Enid / North Central OK Tornado situation...

http://www.koco.com/video/19291505/index.html

 

[Warren Faidley]

TWC reporting "Extensive Damage in Enid." 10:45 PM. Surprised there is not more discussion here.

W.

 

[Darren Addy]

The storms W/SW of Enid appear to be on the nose of strong Theta-E. LLJ must be getting cranked up and lifting when it hits the front. Dodge City's SFC shows a close overlap of high CAPE, Theta-E, and downwind of warm advection in that area.

 

[Andy Wehrle]

Is anyone else watching VNX radar and having difficulty comprehending why a tornado warning has not been issued for Major County southwest of Fairview in the last 20 or so minutes?

 

[Zac Goode]

Is anyone else watching VNX radar and having difficulty comprehending why a tornado warning has not been issued for Major County southwest of Fairview in the last 20 or so minutes?

Exactly what I was just discussing with my girlfriend!!

 

[Chris Outler]

Thats exactly what I've been wondering, unmistakable hook and nice velocity couplet, and it's riding the same boundary that the Enid cell formed along. I guess we have to trust OKC knows what their doing, although the cell is not looking as good now as it was 20 minutes ago.

 

[Jason Boggs]

DITTO the last couple of posts. I haven't figured out why it hasn't gone tor warned.

 

[Mark Farnik]

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if there was a tornado on the ground with the Major County circulation that passed southeast of Fairview about 20 minutes ago - luckily it appears to have passed over open country.

There now appears to be a new circulation forming on the cell west of Fairview attm - a strong inflow notch has begun to develop in the last few radar scans. 3.5" diameter hail is also being indicated with this cell. It's looking to track directly over Enid within the next half hour. Those poor folks just can't seem to catch a break tonight.

Things might get really interesting once the cell in extreme southeastern Major County merges with the main cell west of Enid, as the Fairview cell will have completely unimpeded inflow... if this happens, tornadogenesis could certainly occur in a very rapid fashion.

EDIT - Tornado warning just issued for Major and Alfafa County.

EDIT 2 - TORNADO BEING REPORTED ON THE GROUND JUST WEST OF FAIRVIEW!

 

[Chris Allington]

That thing west of Enid looks like a beast now... ate the storm in front of it and now its just a massive c-shaped beast. Looks like an intense core to... dbz values of 60+ right now just north of the couplet.

 

[Darren Addy]

I don't have GRLevelX on this computer, but there's a heck of a notch showing on radar right now on that storm W/SW of Enid:
http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=vnx&product=N0R&overlay=11101111&loop=no

Edit: That thing has to have one on the ground and it looks like it has the potential to last a while. Has to be close to Fairview.

 

[Alex Lamers]

That's a pretty nasty looking storm. If it keeps it up, it'll be threatening the Enid area, which is I'm sure the last thing they need if they're responding to other tornado damage in the area.

AJL

 

[Darren Addy]

Looking at an animated radar loop over the last 20 minutes, I'd estimate that the tornado (if it is on the ground) it is still nearly 30 minutes away from Enid. It's current vector would appear to take it across the same area that sustained damage earlier tonight (north Enid). Let's hope it at least occludes and jumps left before it gets there.

You would think that we'd be seeing a general weakening trend as late as we are getting into the early morning hours, but this thing may be staying juiced for a while on the LLJ that is cranking into it.