Now if you want to talk about an awesome shot...

[mikedeason]

...this one, taken by Doug Raflik near Red Cloud, NE on June 10, 2004, would be, IMO, the best of the year:

http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/nebraska/redcloud-tornado.jpg

Regards,

Mike

 

[mikegeukes]

You can find more of his Red Cloud tornado pics on his web site.
http://www.wxnut.net/redcloud.htm

Mike

 

[Bryce Stone]

It has my vote.

 

[Tim Vasquez]

Excellent shot... it's rare to see a tornado with such a LPish-looking updraft, partly because the LP's develop a poor precip cascade. However there is certainly a decent one present here (along with a bulky anvil). I wonder if this was formerly a great storm or if we're seeing part of another cell. I'd be surprised if this updraft was putting out all that anvil & precip.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Tim.... I (and my chase partners) were on that storm from initiation in northwestern KS. It was pretty LP from the get-go. While it was tornado-warned pretty much it's whole life in northenr KS, it was quite high-based and, while visually impressive with it's nice LP-esque updraft, had quite poor low-level rotation. IT was until it got very near the NE/KS border that a nice wallcloud developed. There was one attempt at a tornado, and it actually might have produced a tornado briefly, just south of the border, but there was a much more successful attempt as the storm neared REd Cloud. Personally, I think this was my favorite night-time tornado -- second only to the Anthony/Harper nighttime tornado on 5/12...

 

[Shane Adams]

Excellent shot... it's rare to see a tornado with such a LPish-looking updraft, partly because the LP's develop a poor precip cascade. However there is certainly a decent one present here (along with a bulky anvil). I wonder if this was formerly a great storm or if we're seeing part of another cell. I'd be surprised if this updraft was putting out all that anvil & precip.

That was my exact impression as well. Looks not only LPish but low-topped; that can't be more than 30,000 feet. And I agree, the anvil doesn't look like it's a part of the storm.

 

[Robbie Cox]

It should be worthy of "shot of the year". think i'll ask to use it a my desktop pic.

 

[nickgrillo]

Beautiful stuff there.

 

[Matteo CalzÃ]

Weather-handbook photo !

Simply wonderful

 

[Justin Teague]

Great photo, definitely handbook material.

 

[JHadorn]

If only it came in 1280x1024.

Certainly wothy of inclusion in a text.

 

[Richard Halter]

When I first saw that shot, it brought tears to my eyes, bitter jealous tears.

:twisted:


One of those pictures that earn you accolades for the rest of your life, sorta like the guy who said "so why don't we just use Fed-Ex" as the junior executive and 50 years later he is eulogized for it.

Sorry, bitter jealous tears

:twisted:

Great, great shot.

:headbang:

 

[Saul Trabal]

I made it my PC's wallpaper.

 

[Mickey Ptak]

That was my exact impression as well. Looks not only LPish but low-topped; that can't be more than 30,000 feet. And I agree, the anvil doesn't look like it's a part of the storm.
_________________
SA

I don’t know man. The way I am looking at it is there seems to be two developing towers in front of the main updraft which connects to the anvil and also producing the tornado. The reason I say that is because the flanking line is in the very back (or left side of the photo). If you look right above the front tower you can get a glimpse of the main updraft and the flanking line that follows it. That’s my take at least.

Mick

 

[Mike Peregrine]

I love this photo ... for me, I think it is tied with Eric Helgeson's photo of the supercell at sunset near Rapid City, SD - and with Mike H's June 13th Alvo, NE photos.

I think it may just be the angle we are looking at the photo, Mickey ... looks to me like the flanking line is oriented at an angle moving away from the primary updraft tower. It's possible there could be a better developed precip core on the other side of the tor ... but to me it still looks like a single primary updraft tower that is LPish in nature. Interesting observation, though - wonderful photo.