Shane Adams
Observed a brief tornado north of Munday this evening. I approached the tornado-warned sup from the northeast, taking US70 southwest from Vernon. East of Crowell, I took 267 south and drove to the 267/1919 intersection. The storm looked undercut, ouflowy, and crappy. It was obviously rotating higher up but nothing could get going downstairs. I ended up commited to 267 and was forced to go west about 3-4 miles into the mouth of this thing before I could get south again (my only other option would've been to give up and head east on 1919 earlier....no thank you). I made it to the south turn and then went into a basic "escape" mode, just flying south to get away from the thing.
I eventually caught up to the end of the gustfront, which began to turn in on itself and rotate rapidly. I stopped a few times over the next five minutes to shoot some video of the rotation. After one of these stops, I got back on the road and drove about a quarter mile when I saw a debris whirl spin up in the field next to me, about a half mile to my west. I stopped and shot video, noting the ground circulation was below the area of intense rotation. The debris cloud looked like a large dust devil, as the milky white clouds above it spun like crazy. After about thirty seconds or so, the debris whirl began to fizzle, but the rotation stayed strong. I should've just stayed there, but I thought it was over, and decided to move further south to stay ahead of it.
About another quarter to half mile later, I looked over my shoulder and saw a vigorous debris swirl shoot up again, this time very intense, looking identical to the orange debris swirl the Mulvane tornado brought up as it dissipated. I pulled over again and went to shoot video....but I'd never stopped recording from the first time I saw the tornado...so when I pushed "record" this time I was really pushing "pause". DOH.....son of a b#$#%!!!!!
But regardless of my dumba$$, it was awesome to see. There was a ragged cone funnel above it, rotating rapidly....within the leading edge of the gustfront. I've never seen anything like it. After it dissipated, I discovered I'd missed the main portion of it on video, and cussed myself as I moved further south. Another orange debris whirl appeared again, this time just east of the road. It lasted about 45 seconds, but seemed more of a gustnado.....but it did form in the same area as the tornado.....but I couldn't see rotation above it so I didn't log it as a nader.
So all in all, a decent forecast, semi-decent chase decisions, and a needle-in-a-haystack tornado....that I managed to at least get a portion of on video. Had I not screwed that up the day would've been a home run......but another tornado another good day regardless.
EDIT: I have about five seconds' worth of the tornado....once I get moved in and settled I'll eventually post an image online.
I eventually caught up to the end of the gustfront, which began to turn in on itself and rotate rapidly. I stopped a few times over the next five minutes to shoot some video of the rotation. After one of these stops, I got back on the road and drove about a quarter mile when I saw a debris whirl spin up in the field next to me, about a half mile to my west. I stopped and shot video, noting the ground circulation was below the area of intense rotation. The debris cloud looked like a large dust devil, as the milky white clouds above it spun like crazy. After about thirty seconds or so, the debris whirl began to fizzle, but the rotation stayed strong. I should've just stayed there, but I thought it was over, and decided to move further south to stay ahead of it.
About another quarter to half mile later, I looked over my shoulder and saw a vigorous debris swirl shoot up again, this time very intense, looking identical to the orange debris swirl the Mulvane tornado brought up as it dissipated. I pulled over again and went to shoot video....but I'd never stopped recording from the first time I saw the tornado...so when I pushed "record" this time I was really pushing "pause". DOH.....son of a b#$#%!!!!!
But regardless of my dumba$$, it was awesome to see. There was a ragged cone funnel above it, rotating rapidly....within the leading edge of the gustfront. I've never seen anything like it. After it dissipated, I discovered I'd missed the main portion of it on video, and cussed myself as I moved further south. Another orange debris whirl appeared again, this time just east of the road. It lasted about 45 seconds, but seemed more of a gustnado.....but it did form in the same area as the tornado.....but I couldn't see rotation above it so I didn't log it as a nader.
So all in all, a decent forecast, semi-decent chase decisions, and a needle-in-a-haystack tornado....that I managed to at least get a portion of on video. Had I not screwed that up the day would've been a home run......but another tornado another good day regardless.
EDIT: I have about five seconds' worth of the tornado....once I get moved in and settled I'll eventually post an image online.
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