Need video of May 29 Tipton, KS tornado

[Tim Samaras]

Stormtrack:

I recall seeing a few of you out there (Robin and Jeff?) on the Tipton, KS tornado of 29 May at approximately 7:30 CDT. Some of you may know that we had a successful in-situ measurement (and spaced Mobile Mesonet measurements) of that weak tornado as it crossed the N-S road near Tipton.

If you have video or pictures of that tornado crossing that road(believe it was highway 181), could I get a copy? Please contact me off-line.


Thanks!!

Tim

 

[Mike Peregrine]

Tim -

I think Scott and I (and likely others) have video of it crossing close to there. Not sure if I can tell exactly when it was over the road, but definitely close. The video that I posted in the Vimeo account below (video link) has a scene of weaker circulation with a lightning bolt in front (it's like the second scene in the video) that would have been just after it crossed that road, I'm thinking. We have earlier shots of the tornado(es) available, though, during the time you are interested in.

 

[Mike Peregrine]

By the way - I snapped this photo right about that time as well:

(EDIT) - the time stamp on this photo is 8:28 pm CDT. I'm not sure if you were still on Mountain Time perhaps?)

 

[Mark Farnik]

Tim - I was about a half mile south of the circulation it as it crossed the road north of Tipton and got some excellent footage. PM me and I'd be happy to get you a copy of the video.

 

[Mike Peregrine]

I love Google maps for going back and looking at things later - this should help you calculate our/your position, Tim (this is approximate):

 

[Tim Samaras]

Mike:

The map is terrific!

Actually, if you were to extend the tornado track further to the southwest where it crossed 181...that is the area of interest to me. The biggie is if anybody caught the tornado crossing 181. In fact, if you zoom in on that location, there was a farmhouse located on the west side where EF0-EF1 damage (our untrained estimate) happened. We did a damage survey the next day..

I know there were a few chasers down there..

Thanks for all of the responses!
Tim

 

[Mike Peregrine]

That almost sounds like it was back where the first two tornadoes were at play. When we first arrived, there was a single tornado that appeared to be near Osbourne. A second one was soon on the ground and the first occluded. The second one sort of appeared to get wrapped up or pulled into the primary circulation which became the multi-vortex on up the road. The video definitely shows it through all of this, but probably not at the close proximity you are looking for. Scott/Amos, etc. can feel free to correct any of this per their judgment at the time. As I thought about this, I almost wonder if the map should look more like this, actually ... wish I could find a track map from the NWS, but the only one I can locate (Hastings) starts tracking at Glen Elder.

 

[afischer]

If anyone is interested, here is my highly subjective interpretation of the Mitchell county tornado tracks I observed on May 29. http://tornadohead.com/052908routetor.jpg

I can't help Tim out with the stovepipe that crossed Highway 181 south of Downs as I didn't intercept the storm until after that. I believe Reed Timmer and Chris Hovanic were on that initial tor, maybe they can help...

 

[Lanny Dean]

Tipton KS supercell

Tim,
We rolled into Tipton just as the sirens were going off in town...the tornado was still west of HWY 181 and crossed about 1/5 mile North of Tipton, the problem is that the tornado wrapped and obscured the view from the south, at least from our view just before it crossed 181. In fact it was at this time that the film crew that was with us lost sight of it in the rain and wrap around.
I also got data and measurments from this cell by means of the RTA with a very high electromagnetic reading of nearly 21db! Time stamp was 7:33:48.
I would be glad to send you the video if you still need it.

Lanny

 

[Mike Peregrine]

I guess I'm confused on the time. Was there another tornado in Tipton an hour before the one we were on?

 

[Lanny Dean]

Mike, so sorry...I guess I should say: the RTA time stamp was 7:33:48!

 

[Reed Timmer]

I'm thinking this is the tornado you mention Tim:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3xO0NZybrs

This was the first tornado produced by the supercell... This circulation occluded and the second circulation was the long-track multi-vortex tornado that tracked toward Glenn Elder. The first tornado occluded and did not become "absorbed" in the new circulation.

We had an "independent" live streaming team at our same initial location when the tornado first touched down, before we drove north to deploy the probe. I believe they have footage of the tornado crossing the road.. PM me for the specifics if you're interested.

Our probe video shows 1500 lb hay bales flying through the air, so I'm thinking it may have had winds stronger than an EF0-EF1 tornado... You can also see the top power line being ripped off. The compressed youtube clip does not do it justice - I wish I could show you all the HD version.

 

[Tim Samaras]

All,

Thanks so much for your help with this! I'll be contacting some of you off-line.

Tim