TODAY’S CHASE PARTNERS ARE KARISSA & RYAN SCHWARZ, THEIR 1st OFFICIAL STORM CHASE. WE STARTED 3W OF GEARY KNOWING IT HAS ALREADY PRODUCED A TORNADO NEAR THOMAS. IMAGES (1/30 OF A SECOND OFF THE CAMCORDER) BELOW ARE LOOKING WEST AND INDICATE GOOD INFLOW BY THE SAND THAT IS LIFTING UP INTO IT. WE REPOSITIONED ONCE WE FELT IT WAS WITHIN ˝ MILE TO OUR WEST.
NOW WE’RE 1W OF GEARY. THE INFLOW
WIND HASN’T LET UP BUT AT LEAST WE’RE NOT DEALING WITH THE SAND NOW. AS I GET OUT TO FILM, THE INFLOW WIND IS SO
STRONG THAT I’M NOT HOLDING THE CAMERA STILL ENOUGH TO GET UNBLURRED IMAGES. THE MEDIA STATES THERE’S A TORNADO IN THERE,
BUT FROM OUR VIEW, WE ARE RAIN WRAPPED OUT.
IF YOU USE A LOT OF IMAGINATION, YOU CAN MAYBE SEE A LOWERING OR
UNDEFINED FUNNEL.
EVEN THE NE SIDE OF THE STORM HAS GOOD INFLOW.
THE MAIN FUNNEL OR TORNADO CONTINUES TO BE OBSCURED BY RAIN. WE ARE NOW ABOUT 1.5 E OF GEARY LOOKING BACK
WEST TOWARD TOWN AS THE STORM ARRIVES.
AS WE ARRIVE TO THE NORTH SIDE OF CALUMET, THE KIDS THINK THEY
RECOGNIZE SOMEONE. HEY, IS THAT
RICH??? AND HE SAID HE WAS CUTTIN’
WHEAT WITH BOB.
NOT LONG AFTER BUSHRAG.COM DROVE BY, A NICE FUNNEL FORMED AND IT
TURNED OUT TO BE AN ANTI-CYCLONIC TORNADO.
A LITTLE CLOSER VIEW.
THIS VIEW BETTER REVEALS ITS ANTI-CYCLONIC MOTION.
THE TORNADO GOT LARGER AS IT CROSSED CALUMET ROAD. WE’RE STILL JUST N OF CALUMET LOOKING N.
DOES THIS IMAGE ALSO SHOW THE GEARY TORNADO JUST TO THE LEFT OF
CALUMET ROAD???
THE NEXT MINUTE OR SO IT GETS A LITTLE SMALLER.
NOW IT GETS LOWER AND STARTS TO GAIN STRENGTH.
IT’S TIME TO RELOCATE AND HAND THE KIDS THE CAMCORDER. WE ARE NOW ON THE MOVE.
I TOLD THEM NOT TO BE DISTRACTED BY FARM ANIMALS AND JUST FILM THE
TORNADO.
THEY DECIDED TO DO BOTH.
THE TORNADO NOW HAS THE CONDENSATION FUNNEL ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND.
AND TAKES ON VARIOUS SHAPES.
WE ARE YET ON THE GO AS SOME IMAGES ARE SOMEWHAT BLURRED.
NOW THE CONDENSATION FUNNEL NO LONGER GOES TO THE GROUND.
NOW 2.5N AND LOOKING EAST.
THE PREVIOUS TORNADO WAS NO LONGER VISABLE AFTER WE DROVE E ON A
ROAD WITH TREES. IT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE
ON THE GROUND 7 TO 10 MINUTES. NOW 2.5N
& 2E AND LOOKING VERY HIGH JUST TO THE NNW.
MEDIA ON THE RADIO SAYS THERE IS A DEBRIS CLOUD ON THE GROUND. THE ROTATION CONTINUES BUT NOWHERE NEAR THE
GROUND FROM OUR VIEW.
WE MOVE ON EAST TO 2.5N & 3E WHEN THIS TORNADO CATCHES US NOT
PREPARED AS WE’RE BACKING UP. LOOK JUST
ABOVE THE LAST STRAIGHT FENCE POST ON THE RIGHT.
IT IS EXTREMELY NARROW BUT SPINNING RAPIDLY. IT WAS ONLY VISABLE FOR ABOUT 8 SECONDS AND
I DIDN’T REALIZE WE HAD CAPTURED THIS ONE UNTIL THE 4TH TIME I
VIEWED THE VIDEO. THERE WAS ONLY 20/30
OF A SECOND OF VIDEO. THE PREVIOUS 7
SECONDS YOU COULD SEE THE DEBRIS CLOUD WAS VISABLE TO THE GROUND.
WE MOVED TO 2.5N & 3E & .5 BACK S AND SEE THIS FORMING JUST
TO THE NW.
NOW GETTING BETTER SHAPE.
AND VERY LOW.
IT WAS VERY SHORT LIVED, THEN STARTED TO LIFT, AND QUICKLY
DISAPATES.
AS WE MOVE ON TO 2S OF HWY 81 & 3 JCT, THE PIEDMONT STORM
BECOMES VISABLE. I ASK THE KIDS IF
THEY’VE HAD ENOUGH AND THEY SAID LET’S CHASE IT. AN HOUR AGO THEY HAD NEVER BEEN CHASIN, NOW THEY’RE MAKING THE
DECISIONS. THE IMAGE IS A LITTLE TOO
DARK BUT 2E OF HWY 81 & 3 JCT WE SEE THIS.
THE FUNNEL IS LIGHT GRAY AND JUST LEFT OF THE CENTER.
A LIGHTNING FLASH ILLUMINATED IMAGE.
THIS TORNADO IS STILL ON THE S SIDE OF NW HWY AND LATER CROSSES
OVER AT BANNER ROAD TAKING OUT SEVEN OR SO ELECTRIC POLES AND A BARN JUST W OF
THE INTERSECTION. THE TORNADO CONTINUES
TO TRACK ALMOST STRAIGHT E DESTROYING BARNS IN THE 164TH TO 178TH
AREA. THE FATAL HORSE/AUTO
ACCIDENT OCCURRED EAST OF NW HWY AND GREGORY ROAD.
IT’S GETTING TOO DARK FOR GOOD VIDEO SO WE HEAD HOME.
WE ARRIVED HOME TO INSPECT DAMAGE.
NEIGHBORS WHO WERE HOME REPORTED HAIL FROM GOLFBALL TO SLIGHTLY LARGER
THAN BASEBALL. AS FOR RAIN TOTALS, I
HAD FROM 1.8 TO 2.2. IN THE 3 GAUGES OF MINE.
AS FOR CHASER NOTES:
KARISSA AND RYAN THINK THIS IS PRETTY EASY. THEY ENJOYED FILMING THE TORNADO, THE BUSHRAG.COM CAR, AND THE
OTHER AUTOS WITH VARIOUS ANTENNAS AND DISHES ATTACHED TO THEIR VEHICLES.
BACK TO: WWW.F5CHASN.COM HOMEPAGE