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Chase 2008
What a wild year for tornadoes.


Chase 2007

On April 23rd we captured several tornadoes including this one near Protection Kansas.  This storm produced many tornadoes including this power tornado. Read more here.

 Chase 2006
On May 5th we were in Martin County Texas where we filmed a classic tornado while chasing with a French TV crew. It was an incredible chase with a fantastic supercell producing a nice elephant trunk tornado. Read more here...

Chase 2005
Look for the story about Tornado Tim featured in Top Gear magazine from UK. Check the tornadoes of 2005.

Kartrina Report   Hurricane Rita Report   SPACE WEATHER

Chase 2004
Chase 2004 Tornado Photos and storiesa01t.jpg (8211 bytes)
"Tornadoes Near North Platte on May 29th 2004 were seen along Interstate I-80 by anyone traveling through."
"For the second day in a row the Nebraska Panhandle gets hit with another small rope tornado just miles from one the day before. On June 4th 2004 a tornado warning was issued...."

Chase 2003
Chase 2003 Tornado Photos and stories0027t.jpg (4881 bytes)
Tornado Tim's Near Death Encounter with a tornado.
"I realized I had made a stupid mistake and left no way to escape. I was stuck in my car and had to ride out the tornado in the worst possibly location. The large building seemed to be holding, but large debris passed over the top of the car and flew by the sides of the building."

Chase 2002
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This storm kept dropping tornado after tornado.
"Although we did not know it yet, just before the tornado crossed the road it destroyed the Douglas farmhouse leaving nothing of the house standing with debris spread all over."

Chase 2001
2001t.jpg (5145 bytes)Chase 2001 Storms
"Spinning fast and tight it was a short lived event lasting less than 10 minutes and was filtered through the rain making it less impressive, but still rewarding. A tornado watch was issued for the area and as it turns out it was needed."

Chase 2000
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Watch the entire life cycle of a tornado on this chase.
"During this time I didn't have to move my car once. I sat in the same place for at least 20 minutes making it easy to photograph. This slow tornado movement was truly a chasers dream for photographing and a rare occurrence for tornado photography."

Chase 1999
Chase 1999 Basset Nebraska Tornadoes
"Traveling north on Hi-way 7 leaving the city limits of Basset Nebraska there off to our right we could barely make out a large tornado, hidden in a sheet of rain. It was incredible as it became more visible to us. This tornado was a real monster and was much larger than the sleek rope tornado we just left."

Chase 1998
Chase 1998 Strong Storms and Small Tornadoes
No one was watching as several small tornadoes formed.
"Did you know that not all cities have warning sirens to warn citizens of an approaching tornado? "

FREE VIDEO CLIPS AT
Stormchasingtv.com

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Suction Vortices:
One of the unique signatures left by many tornadoes are by “Suction Vortices.” Often, they leave a pattern on the ground as the tornado moves across the land that looks like small circles.

With these patterns, it is possible to estimate the rotation speed of the main tornado, but you need to know the speed the tornado moved and the number of suction vortices to get an accurate speed.

Suction Vortices Pattern

For more research I suggest you read the work by Thomas P. Grazulis, "A chronology and Analysis of Events, Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991".
(Available at most University Libraries)
We learn through reading.

 

Weather Maps and Charts

Huge Wall cloud seen here indicates a Mesocyclone - a rapidly rotating air mass within a thunderstorm that often gives rise to a tornado
Massive wall cloud on this chase

Kansas Tornado Chase BelowCone tornado spins violently


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