Ft. Leonard Wood tornado picture perplexing

[Bob Hartig]

Looking at the above YouTube video, which I'd already seen but this time kept a more analytical perspective on, I'm struck by the lack of apparent multi-vorticity at any stage as the tornado approaches. The dust/debris plume appears to be purely a product of ejection by the main vortex--that is, once it has been lofted by the primary circulation, its motion becomes outward and then downward. I don't see evidence of smaller whirls impinging on it at any time, and the dust cloud in the photo that looks like it could have been a sub-vortex was likely just a roostertail of descending ejecta. Maybe I've missed something, but overall, I'm just not impressed that this tornado demonstrates a track-record of multi-vorticity in its approach. Of course, that can always change, but what I'm getting at is that for a significant secondary vortex to suddenly emerge flies in the face of the pattern this tornado established. Also, note how small the wall cloud/parent circulation of the tornado is. Granted, anything is possible, but it seems like pretty cramped quarters for generating a side-vortex, or whatever you want to call it. Overall, unlike some tornadoes from larger circulations that can morph rapidly, this one is pretty consistent in shape, size, and overall behavior.

On another note, I haven't gotten hold of Leonard Morrow yet, but that's on my mind. I'll let you all know when--or if--I have news on that end.

 

[Scott Weberpal]

Looking back and fourth at the image and the likely location of the photographer, they would have been standing to the SW corner of the NE building, looking ESE. The building in the photo would be on the left, and the parking lot orientation matches. Also, on the east end of the parking row of the lot you can see three small white boxes in the google image linked above. I believe those to be the three masard roof sheds seen in the image. Also....looking in the distance of the photo at the horizon line, left of the tornado and right of the tan cargo/storage trailer, you can see small white box like items...which I believe to be the structures in the distance to the ESE of the gymnasium toward Goethal and Jadwin Drives scene in the google aerial images.

Jason, can you use the draw feature on google maps to circle or otherwise demarcate the buildings you are referring to? It's a little difficult to follow the directions you are giving while looking at the map - though I do agree you are in the right neighborhood.

 

[Bob Hartig]

Rats. After puttering around a number of online directories trying to get a phone number for Leonard Morrow in Edgar Springs, I finally called the Rolla Public Library. A gal there was good enough to look through a good, old-fashioned hardcopy directory--that anachronism which we old-timers fondly refer to as a "phone book"--and while there are a number of Morrows in it, neither a Leonard nor an "L" is listed. At this point, my one hope is that the military base has an office number for him.

 

[Jason Foster]

Jason, excellent job of searching for details. I believe you were close. I looked over your google location, and by side by side comparison of the photo and google maps, I believe the spot was exactly 37.752765,-92.10603.
I used my architecture training to match the layout of the parking lot and those sheds-which all matchup with the map and picture.

I didn't hit the exact mark for the link...so yeah, it is probably a tad different than where I actually centered the map...I just ball parked it....then tried my best to describe it in text....

Jason, can you use the draw feature on google maps to circle or otherwise demarcate the buildings you are referring to? It's a little difficult to follow the directions you are giving while looking at the map - though I do agree you are in the right neighborhood.

....which is why Scott, I didn't pin the map. I actually hardly use google options to do that, and just been crunch on time to do a photoshop work up....maybe tonight. I'm just on a quick regroup here at the house getting read to head out for the DC snow storm. Papa needs snow pictures...LOL.

Wow, thanks for the link to the photo gallery! It appears the owner of the gallery is stationed at the base, so I left a comment on the gallery asking if he has more information in regard to the tornado pic in question. Hopefully I hear something back!

One of my previous links was also from the same gallery. The Smugmug from the base itself had some decent pictures post storm as well as a copy of the tornado photo within the gallery (as noted in my previous post).

Again, when I have more time I can dig some more, do the map spot and/or scan and post the sketch I did to get a rough idea of what the layout of the parking and such was before bring up google to match to it. Dennis...yes...architecture backgrounds are great for soooooo many things isn't it.

 

[Dennis Dennison]

The picture isnt that large in the first place--Best to do is look at it on the site its at, and zoom in as I did.
http://www.pulaskicountydaily.com/news.php?viewStory=2363

 

[Joshua Nall]

I took this picture with a black string in front of the lens. Why I thought to try this is my aunt is all the time getting her thin strap on her camera in front of the lens and it looks something like this.

I then went outside and used the same string and took this picture. This is with the string a few inches maybe, in front of the lens. Really didn't have to try that hard, took a few minutes. Looks to me like this effect could be created with any thin type material... string from a pocket or purse as the person pulled the camera or phone from there. Or maybe a pine needle in the air or on a car windshield just a few inches in front of the lens or any other type of debri... piece of dry grass that the wind has kicked up, etc...

 

[Bill Tabor]

Ok, here's something I've noticed in video. Similar to the original image in question but perhaps not exact. It's a bit hard to tell. I see a secondary vortex almost perpendicular to the other main vortex likely as a brief product of vortex breakdown.

Take a look at the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3cyzHAgC6s&feature=player_embedded. Go to Full screen and look at the time between 1:31 and 1:35. Now freeze it at 1:33. Lean your video screen top back a bit to show the shadows a bit more. You will notice all the features of the original photo but from an opposite direction likely much closer up. Judging by the video differences it would appear the photo would have been taken at a slight angle (rather than direct opposite) making the two vortices appear closer together. Note the secondary vortex intersecting in the video at an angle also then close to the ground shows debris beneath it at an angle directly below it as in the photo. If you swap the direction (imagine yourself on the other side of the tornado taking the picture) the video is taken you will note that the angle of the main vortex and intersecting vortex angle the same direction they did in the photo. The video does not look as clean as the photo; however it may not look as clean / sharp delineating the intersecting vortex as well because of distance, lower quality video, the fact that the intersecting vortex is on the other side of the main vortex. Tornadoes can appear a bit different from different angles. The lack of smoothness or ability to show a revealing straight intersecting vortex may be due to cloud material of the tornado in between the tornado and the video camcorder. However you should note that at 1:33 an intersecting vortex does snake horizontally completely from outside one side of the tornado across it and then outside the other where it shows debris beneath.

Mystery solved?

 

[Skip Talbot]

Mystery solved?

Heck, I thought the mystery was solved when we discovered someone had taken the time to edit the anomaly in/out of the photo, casting serious doubt on its existence in the first place.

At 1:33, the tornado looks completely natural to me. There is a twisting vortex expanding out from the main circulation. It curves, its turbulent, it looks very natural like dozens of sub vortices I've seen on tornadoes and tornado videos. I do not see a perfectly linear, laminar tube jutting out of the side of the tornado here. The anomaly is in jarring juxtaposition when compared against the tornado. In this video, the sub vortex blends very smoothly into the tornado. Its definitely more interesting than the last thumbnail we were looking at, but I think Joshua's second string photo looks a lot more like the original anomaly than what the video is showing at 1:33.

 

[Scott Weberpal]

Mystery solved?

I just don't see it...

 

[Danny Neal]

I just don't see it...

I agree, I am not seeing it. We have two sides here that are stubborn. The side I belong to that can't make ourselves see this feature, and the side that can't make themselves NOT see this feature. On another tangent.... perhaps we should all become private investigators with all the sleuthing and information we are digging up over a simple photo!

 

[Nick Nolte]

lol, I love that this thread is still going strong 27 days later.

I assume this is the frame(s) Bill is talking about. To me, I haven't been convinced one way or the other,
but if this is from a slightly different angle, it is possible it was not 100% straight to another observer, as in the
other photo.

Intrigue, nonetheless!

 

[Scott Weberpal]

With the video Bill posted, it appears the tornado is moving toward the base, considering the where the image in question was taken (on the east side of the base), and the video appearing to show the tornado still approaching from the west from within the base - the image and this video were taken at two completely different times.

 

[Danny Neal]

Yeah, it appears the video Bill and Nick quoted are near the airport which is on the SW side of the base. Assuming the original photo wasn't taken at the airforce HQ building also on the SW side of the base. However, this feature would have need to be toward the end of the video pointing way to the left. It is not the same time.

 

[Bart_Comstock]

Wow 9 pages and still going strong? Jeeze! Alright I guess I will give this a shot.

It looks like a hair on the lens imho. Looking on Google Maps it looks like the photo was taken facing south(ish) near Colorado and South Dakota Avenues. This would put it near the 4th MEB hq building. Looking at footage shot out of that building by a soldier's iphone you can see the tornado at the same time the photo was taken from almost an Identical distance and perspective.

Here is the video. Skip ahead to past 3:50 to see the part that matches with the photo. The frame at 4:29 I think is the same moment in time that the photo in question was taken. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uti4OAtn_-g

As you can see in the video there is not a tube that extends out from the tornado. Case closed, GTFO, go start a lightbar thread or something.

[/thread]

 

[Bill Tabor]

I agree with Bart the time of that previous video is off. The latest video time seems more appropriate based on buildings nearby, trees, etc. The video may have even been taken at the end of the brick building shown on the left of the photo. Disclaimer: Let me state that I don't necessarily believe the photo is genuine without an error such as a hair across the image. That may in fact be what it is. However I am not convinced completely either.

Actually when I looked at the video Bart points out and and I reviewed I noticed that near 4:00, 4:05, 4:07 there appears to be some sort of vortex or suction vortex on the leading bottom left side in a similar position as the photo showing something there. I don't distinctly see a smooth laminar vortex tube then shooting straight across the tornado at a diagonal though, but it also appears that this video only shows the bottom part of the tornado. I accidentally happened to be looking at the photo with it scrolled up so I could only see the bottom part of the tornado and it looked somewhat similar. Perhaps the video just has that part cut out above the level where the image was shot and extending out of view. I'd say.. 'Maybe' but it seems encouraging that it does show a vortex to ground on that side of the main vortex. Then again that may be how it naturally appears and it just coincidentally has a hair or something similar juxtaposed in the same area??? Lightbars...nah this is better - everyone knows the lightbar arguments with this we can make it up as we go.

Speaking of SDS: Appears there may be a brief window of convective potential available in Central Tx tomorrow of which I may be a part.