May 22 dusty wall cloud and crazy inflow

[Andrea Griffa]

May 22 dusty tornadic wall cloud and crazy inflow

Hi all guys,on may 22th after we intercepted the Grainfield tornado, I with many other chasers were on the dusty supercell south of the line of supercells that developed. I don't remember the right place, but I think that many of you will understand wich wall cloud I'm thaking about. I think we were near collyer,ks, along the interstate.
There were reported 3 tornadoes actually I saw an incredible wall coud with tornadic circulation at the base with the strongest inlow I've never experimented so far.
Anyone from another perspective saw any tornado under the base?
This is one of the picture I took.
Before seeing this monster I saw one possibile tornado.

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

I'm guessing this is the one you're talking about?

This video also shows the circulation which ended up being a big dusty tornado. The wall cloud/tornado you're talking about is in the last half of this video.

 

[Andrea Griffa]

I'm guessing this is the one you're talking about?

This video also shows the circulation which ended up being a big dusty tornado. The wall cloud/tornado you're talking about is in the last half of this video.

Yes,Andrew, probably it could be that one. Were you near the interstate?

 

[Tony Perkins]

We were at the same interstate exit, and thought we saw a tornado off to the SW briefly (poor contrast) before it started sucking in dust and getting close to I-70. While observing it from I-70, we didn't see a tornado from our viewpoint.

 

[V. Gensini]

Here is the same storm from the southern viewpoint...

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

Yes,Andrew, probably it could be that one. Were you near the interstate?

Yeah, we got off at the same interchange where everone was parked next to, , across from, in the middle of the road. I pulled up to two people standing in the middle of the road and had to come to a complete stop, flash my brights, and then wave my hand out the window to get their attention to get them to clear the center line so we could drive through. Anyway, that's another topic.

We got off at the Collyer exit and headed north a mile where we had a dirt road more or less to ourselves.

 

[Andrea Griffa]

We were at the same interstate exit, and thought we saw a tornado off to the SW briefly (poor contrast) before it started sucking in dust and getting close to I-70. While observing it from I-70, we didn't see a tornado from our viewpoint.

Yes Tony I took a pic of that tornado with 200mm but it's poor contrasted.

 

[Andrea Griffa]

Yeah, we got off at the same interchange where everone was parked next to, , across from, in the middle of the road. I pulled up to two people standing in the middle of the road and had to come to a complete stop, flash my brights, and then wave my hand out the window to get their attention to get them to clear the center line so we could drive through. Anyway, that's another topic.

We got off at the Collyer exit and headed north a mile where we had a dirt road more or less to ourselves.

We were parked at the right side I saw a lot of people confused and completely ipnotized by the tornadic wall cloud and by the incredible inflow, especially at the first stage of the wall...Actually when the wall was approaching the interstate every one parked in a correct way.
Anyay, great dusty wall.

 

[Cameron Redwine]

We were parked at the right side I saw a lot of people confused and completely ipnotized by the tornadic wall cloud and by the incredible inflow, especially at the first stage of the wall...Actually when the wall was approaching the interstate every one parked in a correct way.
Anyay, great dusty wall.

Going along with all of the chaser responsibility and behavior threads, I must say that I saw some pretty poor chaser behavior at that intersection. A gentleman in a white Chevy Blazer was actually double-parked AT the stop sign (blocking the off ramp) and out of his vehicle when we exited to drop south. Also, folks running across the roadway w/o looking etc. Just a general lack of consideration and situational awareness that has made our hobby more difficult. Enough on that.

In regard to the inflow and the massive circulation, I agree that it was incredibly impressive - one of the neatest things I have seen in a long time. Before that occurred, five of us in two vehicles dropped south from the interstate and made our way back on the dirt roads. We witnessed two tornadoes at the same time, one land-spout on the far side of the field that we were standing next to, and a meso-tornado just a bit back to the w/sw in the core.

Those dissipated, and an intense circulation passed very close to us. We retreated north and stayed parallel with it, and I believe there was another circulation on the ground for a moment, but we were trying to get north so I don't know. Almost parallel and looking north, we saw the amazing dust from the inflow ripping into the circulation, and actually drove through it and came out to see the hordes parked next to the exit. Had to go slowly and dodge several folks trying to get north as it crossed the interstate.

Really a great looking storm for a time there, it's cool to hear accounts from other folks!

 

[Chris Hayes]

We were on that storm and were driving toward that wall of dust from the west. I wasnt sure if there was a tornado in that thing or not, but we stopped and watched it cross the road. I didnt know if it was a tornado or what was going on there! I had us stop about a mile and a half from it and watch it cross the road. Dont have any video or pics of it I was too concerned about what it was to be taking video. Wont count it on my tornado catch counter because there's no proof we saw it

 

[Cameron Redwine]

We were on that storm and were driving toward that wall of dust from the west. I wasnt sure if there was a tornado in that thing or not, but we stopped and watched it cross the road. I didnt know if it was a tornado or what was going on there! I had us stop about a mile and a half from it and watch it cross the road. Dont have any video or pics of it I was too concerned about what it was to be taking video. Wont count it on my tornado catch counter because there's no proof we saw it

Agreed, not on my counter either. There were at least two tornadoes prior to the big dusty circulation, but I can't confirm a tornado in that circulation as it approached the interstate, and we were very close. One hell of a storm though, that thing was a vacuum cleaner.

 

[Chris Hayes]

We were basically storm hopping that day, hoping to see a tornado. I watched that monster cross the road and had no idea what it was. Being the more meteorologically inclined of the two of us, I told my driver to STOP STOP STOP and watched it cross the road. Cant believe I didnt take any pictures or video of it. Oh well. I have a couple more weeks of chasing and there should be more chase days coming

 

[Derek Weston]

Wasn't that the storm that passed near Collyer Kansas?

Caught that storm after the Grainsfield area tornado.

Reviewed some video and between lightning strikes I saw some large lowerings, but no tube.

Certainly a large beast, though. There was a huge chaser convergence north of 70 as it crossed.

Want to say it went on to produce near Hill City or somewhere north of 70...

 

[Cameron Redwine]

Wasn't that the storm that passed near Collyer Kansas?

Caught that storm after the Grainsfield area tornado.

Reviewed some video and between lightning strikes I saw some large lowerings, but no tube.

Certainly a large beast, though. There was a huge chaser convergence north of 70 as it crossed.

Want to say it went on to produce near Hill City or somewhere north of 70...

Yep, exactly - moved near Collyer. Well, we were on that after we saw the Grainsfield tornado. We followed it north, then left it for another storm. It may have produced after that, but I didn't see it if it did.

 

[Rich Thompson]

Here's our view from the near E side of the mesocyclone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl2qc1DQuz0

There appeared to be a few different brief spinups within the same larger circulation over a period of 10-15 minutes. It certainly wasn't a "wedge" when viewed from our location, but interesting nonetheless.

Rich T.