Michael Carlson
EF2
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2007
- Messages
- 100
Each year around this time I look back on some of the chase days I really enjoyed in terms of unique and spectacular tornadoes that I documented. Here a few that I really enjoyed seeing.
April 22, 2010 – Las Animas, Colo.
The supercell initiated right on the triple point intersection and drifted very slowly to the NE at 20mph. It produced two tornadoes from separate circulations and had multiple RFD surges. – I had never witnessed anything to this extent, it really shows how every storm is different in the way it can mature and there it’s not that “cookie cutter†predictability each time.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.staticflickr.com%2F5146%2F5667991298_db628c9ed7_z.jpg&hash=ab6d29b55d8e7949f1c49aa80cd7224e)
_DSC0098E by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
August 16, 2010 – Gary, Colo to Deer Trail, Colo.
Typical Colorado landspout day – I found this day interesting in that positioning around each storm varied. I found that being on the back sides (west side) of the storms that went up along the boundary was the best spot to be to get high contrast photos of the landspouts/whorl pools. This was the first time I had been surrounded by multiple circulations and had a hard time focusing on a particular one.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4135%2F4902172432_5228cdfb07_z.jpg&hash=d099b9071612cbc869e9e9f10c4fcc8f)
funnelpano by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4134%2F4901586579_4bdc8ace28_z.jpg&hash=c860ef8870fe59132ff1da8b64e7e95a)
_DSC0147 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
April 14, 2012 – Langley, Kans.
Most people got on this tornado and I know it’s been discussed but I think this tornado in particular was pretty amazing visually. It reminded me of the Tuscaloosa tornado in that I had some of the same vertical motion/funnels being ingested into the main core flow. Also the evolution from a multi-vortex wedge to a large cone was really impressive. (subjective to my particular position on the tornado)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7197%2F6936492550_4aa6599898_z.jpg&hash=3f03c37fc0049a06ae544a4f40c88fb3)
_DSC0178 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7187%2F6936492636_5cf97f7630_z.jpg&hash=3283b237f3c4d4c4327f65cf6074e5d8)
_DSC0058 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
June 20, 2010 – Chugwater, WY.
I enjoy chasing Wyoming each year since the storms are high contrast and roads are a challenge to navigate. Yep I said challenge, kind of fun having minimal road options to stay near the meso. June 20th was interesting in that two supercells fired north of Chugwater and the first on moved to the NE and died. The second one begun to move NE then retrograded to the S down the mountain ridge. Low level flow was from the SE (upslope) and as soon as this supercell turned it tapped into better moisture, base dropped and produced a nice cone tornado just E of Chugwater. It was an odd storm motion but it seemed to aid in tornadogenesis.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4128%2F5191894231_52d834804a_z.jpg&hash=448559220d4c1f8fa389cd844f881d92)
_DSC0032 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4031%2F4720247840_50d6fa200c_z.jpg&hash=a15fbe157daac3938f8fb37657ab34f3)
_DSC0100 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
May 18, 2013 Rozel & Sanford Tornadoes.
This day was by far more on the photogenic than the unique side in my experience this day. Every year I have a goal or bucket list thing in mind when out photographing storms/tornadoes. I have always wanted to photograph a tornado from the RFD portion of the storm. I had seen photographs from the Bowdle wedge ( Amos Magliocco’s Photos - http://cycloneroad.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html#4368789367577228050) and always wanted a shot like that. It turned out the Rozel tornado was perfect since it was moving slow and to the N. The gridded road network helped to get into position behind the tornado and I was worried about rap around hail but all I saw was a few nickels.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm9.staticflickr.com%2F8401%2F8772828065_4e81719c00_c.jpg&hash=de05846132c6d46d7d0b0d35026d1fb6)
_DSC3120 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.staticflickr.com%2F3784%2F8772826541_9e23f148d3_c.jpg&hash=39e6ea0fdc9b4777ad57f33c48631692)
_DSC3398 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
I think the thing that made this day unique to me was the fact that the rope out of the Sanford tornado jumped/crossed the road (183) to the west and re-condensed near the base of the circulation. I literally looked to my left and saw the drill bit in the field next to me.
Does anyone else have any cool stories or just awesome photos to share from their favorite events?
April 22, 2010 – Las Animas, Colo.
The supercell initiated right on the triple point intersection and drifted very slowly to the NE at 20mph. It produced two tornadoes from separate circulations and had multiple RFD surges. – I had never witnessed anything to this extent, it really shows how every storm is different in the way it can mature and there it’s not that “cookie cutter†predictability each time.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.staticflickr.com%2F5146%2F5667991298_db628c9ed7_z.jpg&hash=ab6d29b55d8e7949f1c49aa80cd7224e)
_DSC0098E by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
August 16, 2010 – Gary, Colo to Deer Trail, Colo.
Typical Colorado landspout day – I found this day interesting in that positioning around each storm varied. I found that being on the back sides (west side) of the storms that went up along the boundary was the best spot to be to get high contrast photos of the landspouts/whorl pools. This was the first time I had been surrounded by multiple circulations and had a hard time focusing on a particular one.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4135%2F4902172432_5228cdfb07_z.jpg&hash=d099b9071612cbc869e9e9f10c4fcc8f)
funnelpano by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4134%2F4901586579_4bdc8ace28_z.jpg&hash=c860ef8870fe59132ff1da8b64e7e95a)
_DSC0147 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
April 14, 2012 – Langley, Kans.
Most people got on this tornado and I know it’s been discussed but I think this tornado in particular was pretty amazing visually. It reminded me of the Tuscaloosa tornado in that I had some of the same vertical motion/funnels being ingested into the main core flow. Also the evolution from a multi-vortex wedge to a large cone was really impressive. (subjective to my particular position on the tornado)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7197%2F6936492550_4aa6599898_z.jpg&hash=3f03c37fc0049a06ae544a4f40c88fb3)
_DSC0178 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7187%2F6936492636_5cf97f7630_z.jpg&hash=3283b237f3c4d4c4327f65cf6074e5d8)
_DSC0058 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
June 20, 2010 – Chugwater, WY.
I enjoy chasing Wyoming each year since the storms are high contrast and roads are a challenge to navigate. Yep I said challenge, kind of fun having minimal road options to stay near the meso. June 20th was interesting in that two supercells fired north of Chugwater and the first on moved to the NE and died. The second one begun to move NE then retrograded to the S down the mountain ridge. Low level flow was from the SE (upslope) and as soon as this supercell turned it tapped into better moisture, base dropped and produced a nice cone tornado just E of Chugwater. It was an odd storm motion but it seemed to aid in tornadogenesis.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4128%2F5191894231_52d834804a_z.jpg&hash=448559220d4c1f8fa389cd844f881d92)
_DSC0032 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.staticflickr.com%2F4031%2F4720247840_50d6fa200c_z.jpg&hash=a15fbe157daac3938f8fb37657ab34f3)
_DSC0100 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
May 18, 2013 Rozel & Sanford Tornadoes.
This day was by far more on the photogenic than the unique side in my experience this day. Every year I have a goal or bucket list thing in mind when out photographing storms/tornadoes. I have always wanted to photograph a tornado from the RFD portion of the storm. I had seen photographs from the Bowdle wedge ( Amos Magliocco’s Photos - http://cycloneroad.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html#4368789367577228050) and always wanted a shot like that. It turned out the Rozel tornado was perfect since it was moving slow and to the N. The gridded road network helped to get into position behind the tornado and I was worried about rap around hail but all I saw was a few nickels.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm9.staticflickr.com%2F8401%2F8772828065_4e81719c00_c.jpg&hash=de05846132c6d46d7d0b0d35026d1fb6)
_DSC3120 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.staticflickr.com%2F3784%2F8772826541_9e23f148d3_c.jpg&hash=39e6ea0fdc9b4777ad57f33c48631692)
_DSC3398 by Michael Carlson - Photography, on Flickr
I think the thing that made this day unique to me was the fact that the rope out of the Sanford tornado jumped/crossed the road (183) to the west and re-condensed near the base of the circulation. I literally looked to my left and saw the drill bit in the field next to me.
Does anyone else have any cool stories or just awesome photos to share from their favorite events?