Report Pictures/video Chase Day 16 - Kansas

[Paul Sherman]

Dont quite know what to say about this day other than it was probably in my top 5 Chases ever, with everything thrown at us.

My absolute favourite Set-Up is the Dryline and Warm Front play, so was very confident we would see Tornadoes today. Nailed the forecast down to the point of initiation and where the warm front would be, the 16z Update gave me a wry smile as I knew exactly what was going to happen today whilst driving through fog and drizzle on I-70 Near Salina. Chase Target was Hays (Kansas) knowing the dryline would fire near Dodge City and track initially North East and then cut east across the Warm Front. And that is exactly how it played out, we ended up seeing 6 Tornadoes in the end and even had a flat tyre that helped us out no end in seeing Tornado number 2 when we were about to hit on the Tail end Charlie.

We got on the first cell of the day as it went up about 10 miles to our South West and core punched it east on I-70, The view from the other side was immense Rotation and Tornado Number 1 just SE Of Hays. We followed this to Russell as it traversed I-70 Perfectly. This cell then died so we shot south, we used dirt roads to get to the bottom Supercell that was going Tornadic, just then my car lurched to the left and a flat back left tyre held us up for 25 minutes, in that time a new Supercell formed right in front of our eyes and put down an incredible Tornado with an Orange Sky. We left that and headed south to position just east of La Crosse, this Supercell then rode the warm front and went on a Tornado Spree. We documented 4 more Tornadoes from this Storm moving at 10mph. We had Tornado Sirens blaring from the town of Bison, then 2 Tornadoes on the ground at once, the Meso Occluded and Tornado Number 5 Formed about 4 miles to our North, this dissipated after a few minutes, I took another dirt road (Will I ever Learn) and Tornado Number 6 which was the strongest of the day formed to our North West, a Powerfull looking Cone Tornado.

Stopped and ate in Hays for the night, long drive into Nebraska and Iowa for tomorrow.

- Tornado Number 2 Near Walker

- Rope Out Stage!

- One for the Scrap Book!

- Tornado Number 3 near La Crosse (Kansas)

- Tornado 3 & 4 Side by Side

- Tornado Number 5 near Bison

- Tornado Number 6 SE Of Hays

Incredible Chase Day and the Guests are pretty happy.

John has some amazing video to upload in this thread as well

Paul S

[Tom Lynch]

Wot a day started it by meeting Karen Kasaba Josh Worman and Herb Stein - we also had a puncture and saw 7 tornadoes

will put some video up but quality poor.

[ItIsGee]

Amazing shots Paul. Just leave some for Tour 4!!!

Gee

[Nick F]

Wow, epic chase! 6 tornadoes bagged on one day - I hope you leave some for Tour 4. Late May often seems to be pull up trumps over the central Plains.

Well done guys, unfortunately not been able to follow the chases these last few days as working a late shift, but it looks like those watching the live stream weren't disappointed and following it was compulsive viewing!

[Tom Lynch]

And there is more, how about a rope tornado?

Tom

[John Hanrahan]

Need sleepies now. What can I say except this is in my top 2 chase days ever. Trying to decide which is number one, Canton OK last year or today. Anyway a little bit of video from Ashley and I.

Warning bad language.

Video of our the second tornado of the day...

Video from Ashley of the sirens and some of the nighttime tornadoes we got near La Crosse, KS.

More photos and vids will follow from the rest of the gang and myself when we have gotten some sleep.

Edited May 26, 2012 by John Hanrahan

[Dorsetbred]

What a day, I hope you haven't used all the tours worth of tornado's in one go

[chrisbell-nottheweatherman]

6 in one day must be nearing some sort of NW record? BTW, I always find the sound of those sirens eerie, and, when combined with seeing a tornado briefly illuminated by a flash of lightning, the effect is quite spine-chilling.

Edited May 26, 2012 by chrisbell-nottheforecaster

[Tom Lynch]

There was an earlier tornado from the first cell that developed

It is embeded within the front of this cell

Hope you can see it

Edited May 27, 2012 by Paul

[Stu Robinson]

As can be seem from the attached graphic I was way too close to this tornado when it formed. I have also attached some raw fottage (taken at night) from my dash-cam. This tornado was on the ground for 54 minuites and has been rated EF2.

[dallas]

Great footage

[Dorsetbred]

This is the 10th time I've read this thread.

And....

I've come to the conclusion... you lucky lucky b@st.....s (oops pardon my french)

[Tom Lynch]

There is never a good time to have a puncture but when you are in and around three tornadic storms with close CGs is an even worse time. Although team effort full praise to Arron , Jim and John. Arron in particular received a nasty gash on his back.

If you look at the the wall cloud to the left that is the one the minutes later dropped a tornado.

Tom

Edited May 27, 2012 by Tom Lynch

[Tom Lynch]

Sat on the road watching three tornadoes on the ground at the same time , just up the road from you was amazing

Tom

Edited May 27, 2012 by Tom Lynch

[dallas]

Tom, what are the numbers and letters representing, ta

[Paul Sherman]

Fantastic Images and Video Stu!

If we did not have the puncture which cost us 35 minutes I am sure we would have made it into La Crosse as well to be right in the hook area, when we approached La Crosse from Highway 4 from the East we had a wall of Hail in front of us so we had to watch this tornadofest from Bison (Ks) pay off was the daytime Tornado and also a clear view of the extra Tornadoes further towards Russell.

Great day lets hope your last day on this trip ends with a bang as well.

Paul S

[Tom Lynch]

Tom, what are the numbers and letters representing, ta

a cock up by me sorting it out now

[Arron]

Finally got some videos uploaded after several failed attempts! The night time ones Laura shot

First cone tornado backlit by the sun

Amazing rope out

2 tornadoes on the ground at the same time, the sirens do wonders for this video

Another cone with sirens

[dallas]

Lots of excitment from all

[ZONE 51]

Excellent!! Scary but exciting, them rope tornados i call snakes!

[Arron]

Jim doing his tornado dance! God knows what the people thought in Subway

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