Is 2010 the most photogenic tornado year to-date?

[Jason Persoff]

40 tornadoes in one week for Roger is impressive but I remember 2-3 days in 2004 where there was around 80 tornadoes reported for a single day including the outbreak on the 22nd that produced the 2.5 mile wide Hallam, Nebraska beast and the numerous tornadoes in Iowa that day. I would like to see a comparison from this year to 2004 or even 1991 before I jump on the band wagon. Comparing this year to the last 5 years does not really prove this is the year of years in my opinion.

Just to be clear, I'm not claiming that this is the most voluminous year for tornados, only the most PHOTOGENIC tornados. In fact, my post above states that the quality vs. the quantity appears unparalleled.

But, we've made room for you on the bandwagon any time you want to leap on

 

[MatthewCarman]

Just to be clear, I'm not claiming that this is the most voluminous year for tornados, only the most PHOTOGENIC tornados. In fact, my post above states that the quality vs. the quantity appears unparalleled.

But, we've made room for you on the bandwagon any time you want to leap on

Thanks for saving me a spot but I am still not convinced. I still think 2004 or 1991 could have been very photogenic years and unless we chased those years we can't say for 100% certanty that they were not as good as 2010. People that did chase those years have said they were better.

 

[Jason Persoff]

Thanks for saving me a spot but I am still not convinced. I still think 2004 or 1991 could have been very photogenic years and unless we chased those years we can't say for 100% certanty that they were not as good as 2010. People that did chase those years have said they were better.

I can't speak for 1991 since I'd just about started to chase then, but hadn't learned how to forecast or chase at that time. But I've been chasing since 1993...2004 was incredible for a stretch of about 10 days where tornados dropped everywhere throughout the KS/NE border. 2004 included the Mulvane tornado (Eric Nguyen's amazing photo of that storm serves as a wonderful tribute to who he was) as well as Kearney & Hallam, Nebraska tornados.

Perhaps I'm biased because of the photos I took, and the photographic successes of my friends (Bill Hark, Roger Hill, Matt Crowther, etc) from this year. But, this is all just my opinion...

 

[Steve Miller]

Mulvane: 2004


Deer Trail, CO: 2010


Here are my contributions for the 2004 vs. 2010 debate. Obviously camera technology has improved!
Honestly, I never thought I would top my Mulvane shots from 2004 until SMTX and I got on the SW side of the Deer Trail torn earlier this month. If only there were a rainbow, shot #2 would be one of my best.

Click on either picture above for more shots from these two events.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

I can't speak for 1991 since I'd just about started to chase then, but hadn't learned how to forecast or chase at that time. But I've been chasing since 1993...2004 was incredible for a stretch of about 10 days where tornados dropped everywhere throughout the KS/NE border. 2004 included the Mulvane tornado (Eric Nguyen's amazing photo of that storm serves as a wonderful tribute to who he was) as well as Kearney & Hallam, Nebraska tornados.

Perhaps I'm biased because of the photos I took, and the photographic successes of my friends (Bill Hark, Roger Hill, Matt Crowther, etc) from this year. But, this is all just my opinion...

2004 was known for more than a 10 day stretch.

April IN/IL tornado outbreak.

Then you had what amounted to more of a 19 day stretch in May. May 10 CO tornadofest through May 29 outbreak. Including May 22 outbreak, 24th outbreak, 29th outbreak and "others" in that mix. May 12 Attica. May 16 Chambers NE tors. May 21 nice tor in NE by Samaras and others and a mile wide wedge in IA. Or maybe that was 20th.

Then June 10th through 13th tossed out amazing tornadoes. 10th Big Springs NE, 11th Iowa outbreak, 12th Mulvane, I guess 13th may not amount to much tornado wise but a rediculous looking storm with tors. At least 3 great days in July.

I just don't know that it is as simple of a conclusion as some might think. But at the same time, I'm edging more and more towards 2010. If the rest of June and/or July/August do pretty much anything, seems it's a safe bet which is the winner. Heck I think today will firmly establish it over the edge.

 

[Verne Carlson]

I didn't chase outside Colorado much in 2004 due to family/work obligations but this is a shot I've been trying to get for 20 years and it finally happened on June 10, 2010 east of Deertrail, CO. My vote would have to be for 2010 but one day in any year can be a career day.

 

[Adam Lucio]

When one talks about numbers one has to consider the tornadoes themselves.

2010 also went from the slowest start in history to complete insanity. The count was handicapped from the start.

2008 was as crazy of a year for tornadoes as it gets but most of the tornadoes were embedded HP messes in junky terrain. Hell if it weren't for Quinter there would be little in the way to show for the year. The June 7th tornado near Chicago was a beast, but only a couple IL guys were on that one. There was even a thread on here with everyone griping they had little to show from a year with a near record # of tornadoes due to the nature of them.

Verne that Deer Trail storm was Incredible...I only wish I had something other than a crappy 200 dollar pocket cam.

2010 has actually made me feel more confident in myself as a chaser. I have been at it for 6 years now yet still felt unaccomplished...I would look at the videos of people who had been doing it for awhile and thought to myself "those are the shots I would kill to have in my collection" and now I got them. Its been unreal.

And its only half over...

 

[NickSeyour]

1995 was awesome 2 but chasing is so big now that we're able to capture more tornadoes with better technology. Every tornado is photogenic!

 

[Dave Kaplow]

2004 was known for more than a 10 day stretch.

April IN/IL tornado outbreak.

Then you had what amounted to more of a 19 day stretch in May. May 10 CO tornadofest through May 29 outbreak. Including May 22 outbreak, 24th outbreak, 29th outbreak and "others" in that mix. May 12 Attica. May 16 Chambers NE tors. May 21 nice tor in NE by Samaras and others and a mile wide wedge in IA. Or maybe that was 20th.

Then June 10th through 13th tossed out amazing tornadoes. 10th Big Springs NE, 11th Iowa outbreak, 12th Mulvane, I guess 13th may not amount to much tornado wise but a rediculous looking storm with tors. At least 3 great days in July.

I just don't know that it is as simple of a conclusion as some might think. But at the same time, I'm edging more and more towards 2010. If the rest of June and/or July/August do pretty much anything, seems it's a safe bet which is the winner. Heck I think today will firmly establish it over the edge.

One thing about 2004 though, there was also that 10 day stretch where there was a complete Death Ridge-like absence of severe weather on the Plains at the beginning of May, 12 straight days if you weren't lucky enough to catch the Colorado Surprise on the 10th, and most of us weren't. This year, on the other hand, there has been pretty much non-stop action in the Alley, with no extended periods of down time, which is pretty unusual in itself. Think about it... I suspect that just about everyone who went out with one of the big chase tour companies this year saw a tornado of some kind. And yes, many of this year's storms have been as photogenic as they come. So I'd have to go with 2010, for number of chase opportunities, for photo ops, for just about anything chase related. It's been a phenomenal year, and it continues to be extremely active - just look at the current string of mod risks. For just about everything except maybe total number of tornadoes I think the 2010 season is going to be extremely tough to beat for a long time to come.

 

[Greg McLaughlin]

This thread should be closed for discussion. 2010 trumps all previous years and it isn't even close. 2004 was an incredible season for photogenic tornadoes, but 2010 has produced more spectacular tornadoes in more states over a longer span of time. As Al Gore said, "The debate is over". Oh wait, did I just quote Al Gore?......fail.

 

[Shane Adams]

2010 will be the shiz until 2011. Whatever year it is will be the "best" now because nothing goes unseen with 23,000,000 people out there. Plus, now you have people up north who basically sit out the traditional S Plains season and wait until June to start chasing, so people are out there on everything all year...of course there's gonna be more photos than ever.

Technology makes chasing the Dakotas as easy as OK, because of constant internet. Back in the day chasing north of I-80 was sketchy if you weren't a great forecaster because of a lack of NOAA radio/cell coverage. But now chasing anywhere on earth is easy. So the folks who live outside traditional TA just wait until the weather comes to them. Ten years ago there were very few chasers who chased up north all through their season. Now you have as many starting up north in June for a full season as you do people ending their season in June down south.

April-May-June used to be "tornado season". Now it's all year.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

In my own words I believe 2010 would be the most prolific years to date for tornadoes, many of which photogenic.

2010 had tornadoes from March through June, with NO "ridge" and an active season in May AND June. Photogenic or not, I have not seen a season as active as 2010 in my 25+ years of storm chasing!

Heck, it's the END of June and there is still activity each day in the N plains!

Congrats to all who went out this year and caught tornadoes ... There was so much activity it was hard to keep up with it ALL.

I was literally sick of seeing tornadoes and "stoked" myself by the end of May - I am so glad I was canned at my IT job THIS year - 2010 was the year to chase!

 

[Jeff Duda]

One thing that has now blown me away is the number of high-end/significant tornadoes this year. I'll continue to check records, and I am curious to see how 2010 ranks with other recent years in terms of the number of 4 rated tornadoes. The following is a list of the EF-4 tornadoes this year that I know of:

April 24th: Yazoo City, MS
May 10th: Norman/OKC/Shawnee, OK (2)
May 22nd: Bowdle, SD
June 5th: Wood County/Toledo, OH
June 17th: Wadena, MN; Albert Lea, MN; Holmes, ND; Almora-Bluffton, MN
June 25th: Sibley, IA

That's 10 EF-4s so far this year! Granted, no EF-5s, but that's still quite something.

 

[MatthewCarman]

How many reported or confirmed tornadoes have we had this year? I think in 2004 there was over 1,800 tornadoes reported and I am wondering if this year has a higher number.

 

[Jeff Duda]

How many reported or confirmed tornadoes have we had this year? I think in 2004 there was over 1,800 tornadoes reported and I am wondering if this year has a higher number.

Due to the slow start this year, and barring an insanely active and historic tropical season and fall season, I'm pretty sure 2010 will not come close to 2004 for total tornadoes. See http://www.spc.noaa.gov/wcm/.