Your All-time Favorite Tornado Video?

[calvinkaskey]

It's hard to declare just one as being my favorite, but the helicopter video of the tornado in Fridley Park, MN in 1986 is definitely a top 5. I love it because it illustrates tornado structure and airflow from close range and in a unique perspective, and the tornado was highly visible and not terribly violent.

I loved that video for like ever.

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

So this thread is awesome. I've never seen most of these videos, to thanks to all for posting and thanks to Shane for starting this.

That helicopter footage in incredible.

 

[calvinkaskey]

I just saw this one recently. Really, really cool video. Shows you can't just go by looks, ie. if that funnel was behind a hill at the point it started to rope out you might think it is small.

Oh my, it's the Columbus, NE 1998 F4 "Crazy Farmer". There's so much in this video to love and it's been brought up quite a few times on here already over the years, but I could still gush over it. High contrast, textured wedge. Very distinct roar in the audio. Throw some softballs in there to keep the action going. Some of the best local's dialogue. Crazy multivortex action from extremely close range, Campo like stovepipe, fairly unique structure with those tendrils under the tornado cyclone. This video has it all. The guy is standing directly in the path of a violent wedge and it ropes out at his feet as a high based, clear air stationary drillbit stovepipe. When the camera tilts full vertical I still get chills down my spine. I can't think of a more perfect intercept than that.

Watch video >

 

[calvinkaskey]

Wow, he has gonads! Probably not recommended to chase an ef-3 or 4 to the very edge next to a tree line. Very, very cool video though.

I'm a fan of Verne Carlson's 5/24/11 Canton video, if for anything, the pure joy and unbridled enthusiasm of Verne himself. Road blocked? Use feet. That's dedication.

Watch video >

 

[Skip Talbot]

So this thread is awesome. I've never seen most of these videos, to thanks to all for posting and thanks to Shane for starting this.

That helicopter footage in incredible.

You'll notice about half of these videos are coming from the same YouTube channel. Those are shots Roy Britt gathered for the Tornado Video Classics series. Many of us grew up on those videos, fueling the fire for many aspiring chasers. Many of those shots are still revered as some of the best ever captured and referenced all the time, "this reminds me of Pampa, "Crazy Farmer... Lazbuddie..." Definitely check it out if you can get your hands on a copy. I remember watching it on TV and you'd get it on VHS originally. I think you can get it on DVD too. For awhile it was really difficult to get a hold of though so it's great to see Roy uploading these clips to YouTube so we can all enjoy them, especially the new generations and those who never got a chance to see them.

 

[calvinkaskey]

I used to have both videos but I have no idea where they are now. They were on vhs and I got them in the early 90s.

 

[Shane Adams]

Not to derail my own thread, but speaking of TVC, back in late 2000 I contacted either Tom or someone close to him about submitting my Dwyer, WY tornado video for (what was then planned) TVC 4. My submission was accepted.....but for whatever reason, production never happened and Tom kinda disappeared. I've always been bummed about this, as for me, having a tornado clip included in this amazing, classic series would've been a career highlight for me.

 

[Adam Lucio]

Since some of my top choices have already been posted Ill throw the next runner up in the mix.

Its more of an event overview with no audio since I dont know where the original video is, skip to about 3:30 if you just want to see the tornado.

This storm has local interest for me because it was close to where I live since Lemont is a suburb of Chicago. The storm was nearly stationary, and the core dropped hail up to baseball size over my neighborhood for an hour. I haven't experienced anything even remotely close to this and Ive lived here all my life.

 

[Bill Hark]

Great thread Shane. Argghh. There are too many choices and I could easily go with Shane's or some of the other tornadoes as listed earlier. Great tornado video has become much more common. Examples include some of the Pilger videos, 2011 Tuscaloosa–Birmingham tornado, June 2003 Manchester, SD and Attica, KS. For early awe and impact on me as I was seeking out tornado videos in those pre YouTube days, I would have to go with the 4/26/1991 McConnell AFB tornado.

I think one can still purchase DVD versions of the old Tornado Video Classics. Unfortunately, they never did a a TVC IV. The old VHS compilation tape Tornado: The Entity also has many of these classic videos.

Bill Hark

 

[Bob Schafer]

Great, great thread!!! In a different vein from most of these, my all-time favorite, OMFG holy mother... vid from Sean Casey, Brandon Ivey, et. al. is their amazing intercept vid from Memorial Day 2013. I spent the entire day driving from Akron OH, left at sunrise, my niece's wedding was the day before, and got there about 20 minutes late (not that I would have positioned myself in the same place!):

 

[Brian G]

The TIV video is pretty awesome. It is one of my favorites. At the 2:43 mark something hits the windshield hard enough to create a spark. Question...did they get a pressure reading or any other useful meteorological data from this intercept?

 

[hadrian predock]

Tuscaloosa

Great all-timers. Thanks for posting. As shaky as this footage is the 4:20 - 5:00 section of this Tuscaloosa video shot by Jason Rozolowski is some of the most terrifying footage of close range wedge footage I can think of. Watch video >

 

[John Olexa]

You'll notice about half of these videos are coming from the same YouTube channel. Those are shots Roy Britt gathered for the Tornado Video Classics series. Many of us grew up on those videos, fueling the fire for many aspiring chasers.

I still have all 3 TVC tapes and watch them quite often. As far as the question goes, The Andover KS underpass video. Just kidding! Reading the replys , remembering them is sure making it hard to pick one! Fritch, TX video ranks right up there. "Hell, I got struck", as does the McConnell Air Force Base footage. But #1 for me is the 1981 Cordell, OK footage shot by NSSL Sound Chase team.

 

[JustinPhillips]

Skip's June 17, 2010 Minnesota outbreak video still my fav by far. The colors, the structure, the insane rotation at all levels, just nuts. Also painful, this day happened 3 hours west of home on a day I couldnt chase. If only I could go back and get that day over again...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRmmh6VDj4s

 

[Danny Neal]

If I hadn't of chased it myself I would never have believed some of that structure and pure chaos underneath that storm. Thankfully he had his dome cam operational as I recall earlier that day it was glitchy.