Crazy Kearney chase video (5/29/08)

[Derek Weston]

I don't like the thought that folks say....they are only going to hurt themselves, or they aren't hurting anyone else. That just isn't true.

First... as it has been said, it does hurt the rest of the chaser community. But that isn't the biggest issue.

The most important part of this carelessness is the fact that if they are injured, they have to be cared for by the medical system. If they have insurance, OK, that might take care of the costs to them, but it hurts the business. If they are not covered by insurance, or if the insurance doesn't pay since this was considered a reckless activity by their policy...then tax payers or family have to pay.

It is also family and friends that ultimately pay the price. Having to watch someone suffer should they be injured...or worse...in the case of death. I think those who take these kinds of risks need to consider not just themselves, but those in their lives. What about your mother and father, wife and kids, close friends. Would not they be affected by poor decisions. And for the gain of a few dollars or thrill.

I think it's never about these types just hurting themselves....it never is that isolated.

Sure, it affects others. Indirectly. I'm not going to wax philosophic here too much... but, with that sort of definition for harm, we're all guilty and on a multitude of levels. (even if minute) In short... you just have to deal with the fact that we're all interconnected, to an extent. At least that is how I feel, that's where I draw the line. (now, I suppose you could say that if the indirect harm is substantial enough that you might want society to be a bit more judgemental... but, I'm quickly heading for off topic material here)

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

Again, there were THREE simultaneous tornadoes on the ground, each in entirely different areas of the storm -- one to the north, one further south, and one even further south, each separated by a several miles, and all of it rainwrapped.
FWIW, I think the video shown probably did not show them sneaking through an RFD, seeing as there was a tornado to the north of them and a tornado just about on top of them and a tornado to the south of them. I'm not really sure what the heck they did drive through, but I don't know how it could have been RFD if they were literally surrounded by circulations that left damage tracks.

I'm not sure I personally really buy into the three tornado business, unless associated with another mesocyclone; being there I don't see it possible that any tornadoes occurred all that near or South of US 30 once East of Kearney, and despite the damage reports (while it may exist) I haven’t seen anything in them that convinces me otherwise. I've seen first hand the damage straight line winds can do, in fact I have seen straight line wind damage rival EF-2 tornado damage, based on what I seen on location as well as after looking at things after the fact, unless there was some tornado embedded in or behind screaming cold NW winds, I think there was just the one main tornado, with a large wet RFD that caused weak tornado like damage in areas South of the tornado.

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

I'm not sure I personally really buy into the three tornado business, being there I don't see it possible that any tornadoes occurred all that near or South of US 30 once East of Kearney, and despite the damage reports (while it may exist) I haven’t seen anything in them that convinces me otherwise. I've seen first hand the damage straight line winds can do, in fact I have seen straight line wind damage rival EF-2 tornado damage, based on what I seen on location as well as after looking at things after the fact, unless there was some tornado embedded in or behind screaming cold NW winds, I think there was just the one main tornado, with a large wet RFD that caused weak tornado like damage in areas South of the tornado.

While I'm sure that's possible, I tend to think the NWS damage survey teams are pretty good at sorting out tornado damage from straightline wind damage. That, and the fact that they mark the damage swath of the southern tornado as being "100 yards" wide makes me really doubt RFD. That would be some seriously focused RFD winds.

Still, the damage survey has some issues. It lists the northern tornado as forming at "around Harmon park"; however, I have photos of a midsized sedan sitting atop another car atop a motorcycle over a MILE to the northwest of this area.

 

[Danny Neal]

As usual. it serves others to assume something about what I said - that I didn't say..Par for course. (Course - spelled c o u r s e; not c o a r s e)

Basically you were saying that people are trying to out-do each other for the best shot for their productions, and care nothing about their own or anyone else safety as long as they get they get the money shot? So I think I got it right.....

Storm chasing isn't the riskiest thing I have encountered; that is for sure.
I'll take my chances with storms; they can be far more predictable than human behavior - that's also for sure.

Yes.....and?

No one wants to tell you what you can do, just be sure that your actions don't endanger anyone else. If you want to get close and get your pics - go ahead.I do.

What actions that pertain to the video in question show a danger to others? BESIDES the red lights. You are preaching to the choir here.

I wouldn't want people thinking that storm chasers don't take stupid risks - that's all.

Why not? You want people to think we take stupid risks? Hows that for the almighty image of the storm chaser? Again who cares what people think? Love me or hate me, I am going to go out there and do what I love to do.

Just my thoughts on this.....as was said to me before by the ST chaser officer "I respected your thoughts I ask that you respect mine"

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

I too would think that the survey team would get it right, which is why I am so baffled by their 3 tornado scenario. All I know is while the strongest tornado was moving across NW and N Keareny the area between I-80 - US 30 ALL had debris, and that entire area was blancketed by strong WNW winds. They mention this in their statement regarding the tornado that tracked basically along US 30 "The tornadoes affected a large part of the central residential area in the city of Kearney. There were hundreds of trees and literally thousands of tree limbs that crashed into homes, businesses, and vehicles. There was some minor siding and roof damage to structures caused by the winds. These winds also knocked down power lines and signs and displaced several empty grain bins. The maximum width of the tornado damage was estimated to be less than 100 yards" From what I was seeing this type and equvilant damage was being casued in the RFD winds, I'm not saying there couldn't have been a 100 yard wide tornado or something in there, but given what I saw that would have made it a damn unique tornado, and would explain why some chasers found themselves in a scary situation-. It would be nice to see a more detailed damage survey, and be able to see picutres that corelate with each tornado and its time, which would help to distinguish between regular damage and tornado damage. I guess it really doesn't matter, either way tornado or straight line wind, the winds never really reached much above 100mph near and South of 30 in Kearney...

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

I'd love to see the image evidence the areas south of the main wrapped up part were different tornadoes. Wasn't the storm a bit high based in nature? It didn't look that confusing from the pictures I saw. I'd think with all the people there chasing it, others would have been able to see these other two tornadoes if they were south of the main wrapped up part.

"Tornado 2" stars at a location that to me would put it directly in line with where the main one "starts" and goes. "Tornado 3" furtherest south mentions silo damage, pipes blown over, and billboard damage.

Descriptions of "tornado 2" include...

This wind damage, per eyewitness reports, featured the developement and dissipation of multiple weak tornadoes.

That sounds like exactly what you'd expect reported with the main wrapped up area, but then again....its beginning location to me puts it in that line with that main tornado.

 

[Paul Knightley]

We saw 1 tornado as we headed east along I-80 towards Kearney. The funnel retracted, but we continued to note power flashes for a time beneath the wall cloud. Video here, but watch for a bit of strong language:
http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~paulkn/Videos/kearneysmall.wmv

 

[AndyGabrielson]

Who cares, they aren't dragging anyone with are they? I don't get why everyone is aways so eager to care so much about what others decide to do.

As for the original video in here, I missed the crazy part. Looked like they snuck up from the south in the RFD.

I agree Mike, I will chase as I please whether it's ok in the eyes of the complainers here. If I want to get a close up shot, I will, I want to be as close as I can, but that's me. I'm not going to criticize people who take video from 5 miles away and claim it's extreme, I'm going to say "thank you i enjoyed your perspective" and move on with my life.

 

[Gabe Garfield]

Well, I'm a bit late on this thread (in all respects).

I was in Kearney on 29 May, and it was very clear before the tornado struck that the main, cyclonic circulation would pass on the northern side of Kearney (as evidenced by the RFD clear slot). Convinced that the action was a safe distance away, we traveled north from I-80 toward the center of town. On the way, I looked up through the sunroof of my vehicle and noticed a vigorous circulation/funnel overhead. As soon as I spotted this feature, a huge gust of wind, accompanied by all sorts of debris, hit us with frightening force. The shingles on a nearby hotel began to peel and were lifted upward. Sheet metal, insulation, and other objects swirled around us at high speeds. We didn't know it immediately (perhaps because it was so loud), but our back windshield had been knocked out by debris. Within seconds, it was over -- we had been in a tornado.

Some might say we were reckless, but I can assure you, we were taking the storm (and our safety) very seriously. This storm just happened to have an incredibly complex structure. With many years of formal meteorological training under my belt, I'm still not quite sure what happened that day. The storm really didn't fit a classical model of tornadic supercell structure. Perhaps the tornadoes south of the main tornado were non-supercell tornadoes on the leading edge of the RFD? I don't know. I am curious to find out what an analysis of DOW radar data would reveal.

 

[Greg Ansel]

Just a few facts....

Just so everyone knows, we were south of the original tornado (heading north) that was rolling through the northern part of Kearney when Sean and I decided to turn around and catch the Lincoln highway east (Hwy 30). As we turned around, we noticed a new set of rotations forming to our southwest heading towards us quickly. We tried to outrun the southern storm but it caught up with us on the east side of town, which is where we took shelter next to a large brick industrial bulding. The couplets were showing winds at 96 and 104 mph so we hoped we would be safe. Not the best choice, but in certain circumstances things happen, luckily we all came out fine. Reckless is easier to recognize when you are reviewing the footage six months later, with no decision making to do, no chase partner to keep an eye on, and no adrenaline going. Oh, and only 25% of the facts. Sorry if this sounds bad, but we've been through this before (last May) and it gets a little old.

Greg & Lydia Ansel
Team Remora

 

[James McCormick]

I spoke with the MIC of the Hastings office shortly after giving a presentation regarding the Kearney tornado event at the High Plains AMS conference in Hays, KS. He questions the '3 tornado track' scenario a bit, with the Highway 30 damage potentially being RFD damage. It's a case where even the damage assessment team wasn't sure with what happened. I will agree with everybody on the storm who believes this was one of the most complicated, convoluted storms I have ever chased.

From my chase vantage point in Odessa, it was very clear that at least two rotating wall clouds were gearing up to produce tornadoes. This was one of the most complicated cases of storm merger and existence I have ever seen.

A detailed review of the radar data made it clear that three low level circulations were possible as it passed over Kearney. Pretty obviously a tornado near the Interstate (or an intermittant tornado path). Pretty clear there is a stronger tornado near 39th street in Kearney. The damage in both cases is pretty clear on both of those storms. However, it's just not clear what type of wind flow is passing parallel to Highway 30.

On a side note, I grew up on 2nd avenue in Kearney. Wierd to see a video with your old house/neighborhood in the line of fire

 

[Jim Saueressig]

Sorry if this sounds bad, but we've been through this before (last May) and it gets a little old.
Team Remora

Yeah, I thought it was all resolved....

 

[Derek Weston]

I'm not going to criticize people who take video from 5 miles away and claim it's extreme, I'm going to say "thank you i enjoyed your perspective" and move on with my life.

Not me... I'm going on hunger strike until all videos of "wreckless" chasing on youtube are taken down.