Mike Hollingshead
I just about blew the chase/day. Wasn't expecting any chasing today. Went south of town towards Kenard just a couple miles to watch it. Was just severe warned then for hail and winds to 60mph. I wasn't home when I left for the "chase" so had to go to my apt and grab my stuff. Ended up forgetting the cell phone, and my camera bag was missing my camera! Ug. It was still out from downloading images from it last night. But had my vid cam with.
Sat there watching it, with a huge hill blocking the sw part of it. I could just barely tell it was more sfc based down there. I thought, hmmm, guess I better try and chase the best part. I fly over to 133 and fly south, and see a beast of a storm heading towards Omaha. I had turned the radio back on and the guy said something about what 80-90mph winds could do. I was like, why is he talking about those kind of winds. This was before I got a good look at it. Then he says the warning and winds over 90mph. Anyway, it was way way more sfc based on that southern end than what I'd been watching. It was round, about the size of a supercell really. I pulled into a residential area in nw Omaha since I had no more time to get further south. I wanted to be a hair more into Omaha, to be right ahead of the bowing part, but there was too much traffic(this was at 5pm/rush hour) and no time. I wound up under the north side of that "supercell" part(wasn't a supercell, but that portion looked close to one....that part turned into that soon to be apex of the bow). There was sweet forward motion in that thing as it hit. Sirens were blaring, and I began wondering, if it did manage a tornado...I'd just be completely screwed in there. I kept taking streets trying to find a good view, and was soon lost in there, laptop/gps not even on yet.
Found an ok spot, then shot it hitting. People are funny. Sirens blaring, this nasty nasty storm moving overhead...and they're just out there getting their mail, not even really looking up. Then a family walks on the east side of a house to get a look. I was thinking, LOL, that's bad timing. It first hit right as they were getting around the corner to look at it. So they go scurrying back around to the front.
I am bad at judging wind speeds. I don't know what they were there. 80 mph is probably what it was. Someone west of there reported a 3 minute 80 mph average just now on the news with it.
Lots of damage starting to come in now. 120,000 without power in Omaha area(sounds like the most there since 1997 Oct snowstorm). Boats on houses west Omaha or west of Omaha. Probably just leaning on them or something. Quest Center roof peeled back. Trailer park in bad shape in Council Bluffs. Roof off the Elkhorn school I think it was? There was some art thing in the old mill area down town...that area looks like a mess on the news. Tents with the art all over. Sounds like a lot weren't taking it all that serious. You'd think they would after the night a month ago with the tornado.
Will post a video at some point.
Breaking news: Some of the swimmers in the Quest Center for the Olympic trials are said to have gotten wet after the roof damage.
Sat there watching it, with a huge hill blocking the sw part of it. I could just barely tell it was more sfc based down there. I thought, hmmm, guess I better try and chase the best part. I fly over to 133 and fly south, and see a beast of a storm heading towards Omaha. I had turned the radio back on and the guy said something about what 80-90mph winds could do. I was like, why is he talking about those kind of winds. This was before I got a good look at it. Then he says the warning and winds over 90mph. Anyway, it was way way more sfc based on that southern end than what I'd been watching. It was round, about the size of a supercell really. I pulled into a residential area in nw Omaha since I had no more time to get further south. I wanted to be a hair more into Omaha, to be right ahead of the bowing part, but there was too much traffic(this was at 5pm/rush hour) and no time. I wound up under the north side of that "supercell" part(wasn't a supercell, but that portion looked close to one....that part turned into that soon to be apex of the bow). There was sweet forward motion in that thing as it hit. Sirens were blaring, and I began wondering, if it did manage a tornado...I'd just be completely screwed in there. I kept taking streets trying to find a good view, and was soon lost in there, laptop/gps not even on yet.
Found an ok spot, then shot it hitting. People are funny. Sirens blaring, this nasty nasty storm moving overhead...and they're just out there getting their mail, not even really looking up. Then a family walks on the east side of a house to get a look. I was thinking, LOL, that's bad timing. It first hit right as they were getting around the corner to look at it. So they go scurrying back around to the front.
I am bad at judging wind speeds. I don't know what they were there. 80 mph is probably what it was. Someone west of there reported a 3 minute 80 mph average just now on the news with it.
Lots of damage starting to come in now. 120,000 without power in Omaha area(sounds like the most there since 1997 Oct snowstorm). Boats on houses west Omaha or west of Omaha. Probably just leaning on them or something. Quest Center roof peeled back. Trailer park in bad shape in Council Bluffs. Roof off the Elkhorn school I think it was? There was some art thing in the old mill area down town...that area looks like a mess on the news. Tents with the art all over. Sounds like a lot weren't taking it all that serious. You'd think they would after the night a month ago with the tornado.
Will post a video at some point.
Breaking news: Some of the swimmers in the Quest Center for the Olympic trials are said to have gotten wet after the roof damage.
Last edited by a moderator:
