Is 2010 the most photogenic tornado year to-date?

[Jason Persoff]

I've been sitting here trying to mull over any year other than 2010 that has offered such repeatedly amazing tornados with associated structure. Over the past 3 weeks, we've had gorgeous low-base wedge tornados (Bill Hark's and Walker Ashley's in SD), spectacular high-based cycling tornadic storm in SE CO in the midst of a SVR watch where mesoscale events ruled the synoptic scale (I personally got to taste this storm), and yesterday's storms across IL.

Other than May 3, 1999, I don't remember a year that has produced such spectacularly structured tornados with repeatedly jaw-dropping photos. I've been chasing since 1993, but honestly cannot remember any year like this (except, perhaps, 2004 which seemed to be abundant with staggering tornados too).

Notwithstanding, a lot of the most photogenic tornados this year have occurred in less-than-ideal synoptic setups (yesterday in IL aside). Anyone else agree or disagree with this?

 

[Jason Boggs]

I agree with this. I've been chasing for about 12 years, and the Campo tornado is definitely the most photogenic tornado I've ever seen. Like you stated, the SD events were amazing too.

Jason...Like you, I got to taste the Campo tornado. The dirt from the RFD had kind of a gritty taste to it, but sweet at the same time.

 

[Connor McCrorey]

Too bad we had that damn death ridge for about a week there...

 

[MatthewCarman]

Hard to say 2010 is the most photogenic tornado year to date but it is defiantly one of the better years for storm chasers.

I have seen some very photogenic pictures from people like David Hoadley, Gene Moore, Brian Stertz, Warren Faidley etc in years before 2000. I can remember some old photograps from Kansas and Oklahoma that are stunning. I am sure some of the older members remember some spectacular years for photographs. 2004 was a very good year for tornadoes.

Having said that here are some dates with nice tornadoes this year:
March 8: Hammon, Oklahoma tornado.
April 22nd: Tornadoes in Colorado, Kansas and Texas. Large Wedge, Cone and Stove Pipe tornadoes are seen.
May 10th: Lot's of tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kansas.
May 18th: Tornadoes in Texas and Whyoming.
May 19th: Tornadoes in Oklahoma and maybe Kansas and Texas.
May 22: Large tornado in South Dakota. Same day as the May 22, 2004 tornado outbreak in Kansas, Iowa and Missouri.
May 23: Tornadoes in western Kansas.
May 24: Cone tornado in South Dakota.
May 31: Cone tornado in Baca County, Colorado.
June 5th: Tornadoes in lower great lakes region.

There was another brief (I think) but very photogenic tornado in Oklahoma earlier in the year that several chasers saw but I forget the date. Anyone remember? This tornado was shown on TV. I may have also missed a date for Colorado but I am not sure.

 

[Jason Foster]

I believe if there were equal number of chasers in years past, we would see equal to the number of images. Also add the easier level of ability thanks to technology in imagery equipment to get the image and post the image to a wider audience having a lot to do with it.

That said, 2010 has been a rather great year even with the slow start.

 

[Bart_Comstock]

I did not include May 19th because I did not see a lot of photographs for that date. The Hammon, Oklahoma tornado was nice but i'm not sure if it was very photogenic. I think most people saw it from a distance but I could be wrong.

May 19th was very photogenic. I do not have my video up yet but the tornado near the gas station that was at the intersection of I-35 and OK Hwy 51 was impressive.

As you can see bellow Hammon was very photogenic:



(Forgive my excitement in this video, I was thrilled to have a tornado on this almost bust of a chase. I also always freak out on a tornado when it is my first of the year.)

 

[Randall Cooper]

Expanding on Bart's post, My pictures can be seen here:

http://stormchasemo.smugmug.com/Other/3-8-10-OK-Tornado/11845053_qy3rD#837484876_eJZKy

What were you saying about the Hammon, OK tornado not being photogenic Matt? LOL

 

[MatthewCarman]

The Hammon tornado occured in March so I did not remember it well but based on the pictures I agree it was very photogenic and so was the tornado from May 19th that was posted. I will add both dates to the list. Thanks guys. Is there any good pictures of the Yazoo tornado?

 

[Danny Neal]

http://northernilstormchaser.com/2010-Tornadoes.php - I made a page illustrating all 22 tornadoes I have this year. Some were very photogenic, others were grungy and dark. Years still not over!

 

[Connor McCrorey]

Is there any good pictures of the Yazoo tornado?

There's my video from inside it... lol. That was a rainwrapped beast in Mississippi. Not exactly what I'd call photogenic.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Between the May 12 Attica, KS event and June 12 Mulvane, KS event, I'd have to say 2004 was probably the most photogenic year. Mike H had also had some stunning catches from that year as well:
http://extremeinstability.com/2004.htm

 

[Greg McLaughlin]

As it stands right now, 2010 has not quite reached the "status" of 2004 in regards to photogenic tornadoes, however we are just into June and the overall pattern doesn't appear to be slowing down. If this year continues to produce like it has been, 2010 will likely become THE year for photogenic tornadoes. That is saying a lot because 2004 was an incredible year which has stood alone...until now.

 

[Andrea Griffa]

So far I can't tell if 2010 is better than 2004; all I can say is that the cone tornado in Baca County, Co is the most photogenic nado I've seen by years.

 

[Paul Sherman]

Well for me on a personal level 2010 has blown me away with structure. Started chasing in 2004 but missed all the great risk days due to being on an organised Tour.

Just a few days from this year. But pretty much most days have had amazing structure

May 11th - May 19th - May 31st

Paul S

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

I don't know, I'm guessing 2010 has a lot of work to do to be some most photogenic tornado year to date. I don't even know if 2004 owns that sort of title or not. For some reason it doesn't feel as if 2010 is even close really. It also seems as though if 2010 can have a shot, that then any tornado can qualify as photogenic, which I actually think is largely true...given the right angle and right time(by and large).

But just if you start to stack it up to 2004 it starts to hit some pretty solid walls....and I can't think of most of them then....like one can do with the fresh 2010.

Yeah once I start to though, it seems easy to know 2004 has it rather owned...though yeah it's only early June this year.

2004.....seems part of the problem is just that 2004 had several tornado days....but several of those days produced a lot of tornadoes in a lot of areas. 2010 just hasn't seemed nearly as prolific on the given day.

April IL/IN tornado outbreak.
May 10 Colorado tornadofest
May 12 Attica tornadoes
May 22, sw NE tornadoes plus the early tornado from the hallam storm...plus the billion other tornadoes that day most likely.
May 24 sc NE/nc KS had a couple that could qualify..also nw MO intense tornadic sup
May 29 sc KS amazing tornadoes and nc KS wedge....again nw MO crazy crazy tornado machine.
May 30, got me, tornado outbreak to the east
June 10 Big Springs NE
June 11 Samaras' tornadoes in nw IA(tornado probe video)
June 12 Mulvane stuff
July 7 tornado outbreak in nc KS
July 12 tall barrel tornado in central NE
July 13 Roanoke IL crazy big violent tornado

There were some ND tornado days in there too...and other tornado days I don't know if they'd be "photogenic" from some location or not. Seems 2010 would have too much ground to cover for at least beating 2004. It for sure is working on a great tornado year though. It's just kind of doing it in a strange fashion. Like has been mentioned, several from kinda not obvious situations(Campo....the first early OK deal...even May 22nd SD to some degree, given just how hard that had to turn on that boundary and cap concerns).

2010 will probably end up my 2nd favorite year, but that is planning on some more catches. Or maybe it won't get 2nd. 2010 is just odd to me. It's like you get on the "tornado machine"(seems most of them weren't even tornado machines) on the right day, or you don't get much of anything else. I don't know that I've even had the camera out for lightning once yet. No great structure at all yet on anything but the 2 tornado days I chased. For me it has been catch junk...or Wakita or Bowdle. Just an all around different year for me, as I'm really finally able to just sit the heck out of some days I don't like now. Doing fairly well at that for once. Chased the 24th of May, but just left 30 minutes too late, thanks to thinking I could bump the alarm back 1 hour as I went to sleep the night before...sigh. Biggest regret of the year. Otherwise I don't regret missing much else. CO doesn't count lol. It'd be nice if some setups would finally move closer to home. Each deal is either in OK....WY/western NE/CO.....or northern/nw SD. Can add IL to that now too. Like a damn black hole around home. But still, I'm guessing 2010 will end up my number 2 year by the time it is over. Probably just because I suck it up so well most years and well 2004 was no different, just a lot more ops to be lucky.

26 Marcus! Damn. I'd probably have to do a 2005-2010 to get to 26. Yeah pretty sure I'd still not get to that. Congrats!