Jordan Hartley
I voted sometimes. I have only had to core punch 3-5 times since I started chasing and everytime I took the gamble it has payed off. Of course, I only do it if im out of position and need to relocate to a better location near the storm and I dont endorse it. The most exciting core punch I ever did was on June 12th, 2004 in between Mulvane and Derby in SC KS. Me and my roomates lived in S Wichita(What a summer that was
and we had to get to Mulvane so that we could get on the south side of the mesocyclone that was a mothership. The core was moderatley heavy at times mostly hail the size of golf balls and a few tennis ball size at most. I remember being able to see through the core the whole time and when we got to the N side of Mulvane we watched the first tornado form. Then as the first one died out we quickly drove through town and relocated about 2 1/2 miles south of town almost under the meso mind you, the coloring was wicked it was like orange everywhere and it lit up the belly of the meso and we watched the 2nd tornado form. Funny thing about that was we were on K-15 which runs NW-SE out of Wichita,Ks and the tornado was only about 1/4 of a mile away from the hwy about 1 mile away from us. We were parked behind a local TV crew filming the tornado and we watched as the tornado grew, but it wasn't really growing and it wasn't moving left to right across K-15 like it should have done so it dons on me hey this thing is coming right at us and as soon as I realize that the hedge row 1/4 mile away from us is being ripped out of the ground and we all freak out and bail down the hwy. The tornado crossed the hwy right where we were at. I watch out my window as the thing snapped trees and telephone poles like tooth pics... that changed the way I looked at life that day lol. We drove down K-15 and paralleld the tornado for about 7 miles before we stoped and watched it rope out. Later we drove E and watched the Rock,Ks tornado with the guys who used to run stormguy.com. Had we not core punched that day we would have never experienced what happened that day so I just say be safe and play your cards right.