Bats sucked into tornadic supercell inflow.

[David Draun]

I was just browsing the cool image page at SPC and I came across this. A tornadic supercell was crossing out of Mexico and into Texas. It overtook swarms of bats coming out of thier caves for evening feeding.

Inflow Bats

I can only imagine what they felt being sucked into the tornadic circulation... :blink:

 

[MatthewCarman]

The town I used to live in called baxter is not far from my home town of newton (North of des moines Iowa) and before I lived there they had a f3 tornado hit outside the town and it hit farms. This one family I knew was in the basement when it took off there roof then floor and they were looking right up into it. The tornado sucked up many farm animals and the people of this town called Rhodes I heard saw the animals falling to the ground like rain in there town! Rhodes is like 10 or more miles from baxter (Guessing). That was the first story I have ever heard of animals getting sucked up into a tonado. The bat story reminded me of that. That is interesting to see the bats on radar like that. Thanks for showing us that david.

 

[Paul Austin]

Until you posted this, I had been perplexed by a loop of radar images from the same area a few weeks ago. There must be a large cave heavily populated by bats in Uvalde county. I haven't figured out a way to post the loop yet, or I would have inquired as to an explanation. Now I understand what I was observing. Thanks, David. If I can find a way to post the animation, I will. The "separate group" of bats expands on radar from a small tight circle almost perfectly simetrically, appearing similar to the outflow from a collapsing storm.

 

[Morgan Palmer]

You can also usually see from the New Braunfels or Granger radars (EWX & GRK) bats emerging from the Congress Street bridge in downtown Austin. Happens just before sunset.

I'll sometimes turn on the radar feed when I get bored and watch the critters.

I think some bats also emerge from somewhere just north of San Antonio, but don't recall.

 

[Paul Austin]

bats emerging from the Congress Street bridge in downtown Austin. Happens just before sunset.
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Yeah, I've noticed that as well, but they are sometimes more obscured by the ground clutter.

 

[Bill Tabor]

You can also usually see from the New Braunfels or Granger radars (EWX & GRK) bats emerging from the Congress Street bridge in downtown Austin. Happens just before sunset.

I'll sometimes turn on the radar feed when I get bored and watch the critters.

I think some bats also emerge from somewhere just north of San Antonio, but don't recall.
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I went and watched the bats at Congress Ave Bridge from a riverboat about a week ago, and it was really cool. I couldn't believe there were so many. From a distance they look a bit like billows of smoke moving through the air. They continue to exit the bridge for over an hour in wave after wave.

Also the other day I as on I35 heading south near Round Rock and found another bridge at sunset similar to the Congress bridge construction where bats were piling out in droves as well.

Bats and supercells....would have been crazy to watch.