THE IMAGES BELOW ARE FROM THE NIGHT TORNADO 05/16/02 JUST NNW OF OKARCHE. MY CHASE PARTNER IS RICH REHERMAN AND WE WERE ASSISTED BY JOEL FRISBY AND DOUG WITTROCK.

DISTANCE VIDEO WAS TAKEN FROM MY FRONTDOOR:

½ BLOCK.

ROUNDTRIP TOTAL DISTANCE = .1 MILES

THIS WAS THE 1^ST TIME WE ATTEMPTED TO VIDEO AT NIGHT AND REALLY DIDN’T KNOW HOW IT WOULD TURN OUT. THE 1^ST FEW IMAGES WITH LIGHTNING APPEAR TO ILLUMINATE THE ENTIRE HOOD. JUST A REMINDER, THIS WAS ALL FILMED IN TOTAL DARKNESS AROUND 11:30 PM BY A CAMCORDER (OLD AND ONLY 268,000 PIXEL). THE VIDEO WAS ANALOG AND NOW CONVERTED TO DIGITAL. ALL IMAGES ARE CAPTURED WHEN THERE IS A FLASH OF LIGHTNING (USUALLY ONLY LASTS 1/30 OF A SECOND), THEREFORE; ABOUT 99% OF THE VIDEO IS WORTHLESS AND TOTALLY DARK.

THE NEXT 3 FRAMES SHOW THE TORNADO FROM START TO FINISH. IT IS MOST VISIBLE WHEN THE LIGHTNING STRIKES FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STORM RATHER THAN THE NORTH OR BACKSIDE OF STORM.

BEST VIEW OF FUNNEL IS BELOW.

LAST IMAGE OF VISIBLE FUNNEL

ZOOMED IN IMAGES BELOW SHOW OTHER SMALL SHORT-LIVED AREAS OF ROTATION PRIOR TO THE MAIN TORNADO ABOVE.

OTHER IMAGES THAT DON’T REALLY SHOW MUCH BUT HAVE LIGHTNING IN THAT FRAME AND GIVE YOU A DECENT IDEA WHAT THIS SUPERCELL WOULD LOOK LIKE IF IT WAS DAYLIGHT.

LOVE THE GRAYS IN THIS ONE.

SUMMING IT UP: ALL 4 OF US HAD AN ENJOYABLE, ENLIGHTNING, EDUCATIONAL EVENING WITH THE COMPANY OF SOME SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS.

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