MovingPictures

A Historic Tornadic Look Back...

Over the years of chasing tornadoes, the loss of life from tornadoes is very hard to see, especially when I enjoy storm chasing so much. The conflict in my mind has caused some troubles lately. The loss of life in Greensburg, KS, coupled with almost losing my life in the same storm but emerging unharmed weighs heavy on the conscience. We re-visited Greensburg this year, some relief came from the visit, but not total. The tornadoes we saw the other day North of Colorado City, TX the other day were short lived and in the middle of nowhere, like a majority of tornadoes. There are more reports of tornadoes now because of the storm chasers and the new radar technologies.

Modern record keeping on tornadoes only began in 1950, fifty plus years ago there we no storm chasers, no spotter networks, no storm chase tours.

Here is a list of the deadliest tornadoes on record, and thanks to modern technology, the last incidence of a huge loss of life was in 1974, during the Super-Outbreak killing 315 over two days. This outbreak included six, F5 tornadoes, and twenty three, F4 tornadoes. To put this into historical perspective, there has only been six F5 tornadoes since 1996.

Below, the rank, 1-10 is first, followed by the number of deaths, followed by the states involved and then date.

  1. 747…Tri-State Outbreak, MO, IN, IL. TN, KY, AL - March 18, 1925.
  2. 454…AR, TN, AL, MS, GA, SC - April 5-6,1936.
  3. 330…AL, TN, KY, GA, SC - March 21-22, 1932.
  4. 324…AR, NE, TX, AL, LA, MS - April 23-24, 1908.
  5. 317…LA/MS - May 7, 1840.
  6. 315…Super Outbreak - April 3-4, 1974.
  7. 305…MO/IL - May 27, 1896.
  8. 256…Palm Sunday Outbreak…IA, WI, IL, IN, MI, OH - April 11, 1965.
  9. 236…Flint/Worcester - June 8-9, 1953.
10. 224…MS/AL/TN - April 20, 1920.

Finally Home...

I got home into Fremont, Ohio this morning at 4:30 a.m. after driving 1100 miles to get Nancy to KC from Wichita, KS, and Chris and I home from KC. We pushed it hard and I dropped Chris off around 3:00 a.m. I am so wired I can't sleep. I got a huge hug from Noah this morning and am going to be nursing a cough I inherited from Nancy Bose. I drove over 2100 miles over the last three days and will be staying out of my truck as much as possible over the next week. Overall it was a great chase year and we gained some great new members. MESO keeps getting better and better as the years go on.

Just a Short Note...

There were 23 tornadoes reported in TX yesterday as we chased, we bagged three. There were five reported today in TX, MS and AL. Time for bed, have about 1000 miles to drive to get home tomorow...

Back in Wichita...

We drove from Eastland, TX to Wichita, KS today to get most of the way back to Kansas City for the return trip home. We need to get Nancy somewhere so she can fly out Saturday and return the van. Chris and I will take off for the 12 hour trip home after that. There is a lot of driving to be done in the next two days, but the prospect of getting home to my own bed, and family will make the marathon worth it.

As much as I love storm chasing - "There's No Place Like Home"...

God Bless Texas...

White tornado, North of Colorado City, TX. Click photo to view full sized.

We closed out the 2008 MESO storm chase with a home run. We caught 3 tornadoes today about 45 miles west of Abilene, TX, between Colorado City and Snyder.

Our chase kicked off with a fine breakfast at Granny K's Kitchen in Scotland, TX. We highly recommend stopping at this little hole in the wall for a bite to eat, you will leave stuffed and satisfied. From there we headed South and West to I-20 and then further West from there. We went NE from Roscoe, into Snyder after a cell which had shear on it for well over an hour. From Snyder we went Southwest to find our first tornado have a short lived touchdown on the horizon. We tracked the cell avoiding the rain and hail, and got a very pretty white tornado briefly and then a third funnel cloud with a spin-up on the ground.

We went South of I-20 to try and regain position on the cell and ran into a flooded Loraine, TX. Water was running down all of the main streets of the town. After driving South on a gravel road that was not going where we wanted it to, we stopped and chatted with a truck parked where we were about to turn around. The driver was Greg Morgan, KOSA-TV, CBS 7 meteorologist out chasing storms. We teamed up with him for a few minutes then parted ways, but we made another friend in the storm business.

We then resumed the chase after our cell but decided to call it off after a successful day and spend the night in Eastland, TX. We had Texas Chinese food tonight - not bad. Tomorrow we will start to make the trek back to KC, sight seeing on the way.
Tornado #3 with a brief spin-up.

Abundance of Chasers, Lack of Storms...

A cell East of Purcell, Oklahoma at sunset.

We began our chase in Purcell, Oklahoma, and ended it in Purcell, OK. In the mean time we went south on I-35 to Davis, OK to stay East of the dryline and ran into one of the biggest convergence of chasers I have seen in eleven years chasing. The crowd included us (MESO), Roger Hill (and his tour of 13 people plus crew), Josh Wurman (and his Doppler on Wheels), Sean Casey (owner of the TIV, Tornado Intercept Vehicle) and his Discovery Channel crew, possibly Shane Adams (at least it looked like him), a group of Italian storm chasers, and many other individual chasers all with their unusual chase vehicles in the parking lot of the Snack Shack gas station. We took after a cell around 7 p.m. and were the first group to head back up North to Purcell and then East on SR 39 to pursue the best thing in the neighborhood. We found a nice vantage point on 77 South and enjoyed the last show for the day as the sun set under the base of the cell. We then headed to Wichita Falls, TX and are working our way into position for tomorrow. There was only one report of a tornado in the plains, in Missouri near the Kansas border.
Sean Casey in front of his TIV (Tornado Intercept Vehicle) as featured on the Discovery Channel.

Chaser Convergence Breakfast...

Chris Howell and I just had a continental breakfast at the Super 8 in Norman, Tony Laubach, minus the jersey, Tim Samaras and a couple other of their team members were all choking down some dry donuts. Several other chase vehicles sit in the parking lots, The Austins (Florida Based Storm Trackers), and the Danish Severe Weather Society. Everyone seems to be on the same page as far as targets, and MESO will be out in the hunt later today, will keep you posted...

We just had lunch at Arby's, Beef and Cheddar and of course, curly fries (the ones that look like little tornadoes) waiting for things to pop, another hurry up and wait day...

Getting Ready for Tuesday...

Chris Howell checks his computer for storm data.

All of the greatest "Minds of MESO" not to be confused with the Mind of Mencia, of the Comedy Channel, even though things can get pretty comedic on a MESO road trip, are trying to come up with a target for tomorrow's storm chase. The Storm Prediction Center is showing a good risk for tornadic storms tomorrow. We will be taking off early tomorrow in hopes of a good chase. Today noted no storm reports across the United States, a welcome break after Saturday's deadly storms in the great plains.
Nancy Bose dozes off after a long day of computing.

20 Tornadoes in the East Today...

After a deadly day of tornadoes yesterday, there were 21 more tornadoes as the storm system moved off to the East coast today. Tornadoes were spotted in NC, SC, GA, KY, TN and one in Ohio. The Storm Prediction Center is putting quite an emphasis on Tuesday across the Plains. People in the area should really pay attention to the weather on Tuesday. The rest of the MESO team is currently parked in Norman, OK and are currently doing laundry and working on photos and house keeping to pass the time till Tuesday. Chris and I tok Nancy to the RIverwind Casino for a few hours of fun. I walked out even, so I consider that a win. We all made Mother's Day calls and caught up with family and friends.

Another Cool Sight in the Plains...

On our way back from Fort Smith, AK, we found another set of Hot and Cold water towers, similar to the ones in Pratt, KS. The towers can be seen from I-40 at exit 221, in Okemah, Oklahoma.
Click on the image to view it full size.

Update on the Tornadoes in the Plains...

The death toll from last night has been updated to 23, with ten deaths in Seneca, OK and six in Picher, OK. The number of tornadoes has been raised to 52, including the states of KS, OK, MO, AK, GA and SC.

Deadly Day in the Plains...

Cars drive through a hail storm in Fort Smith, AK.

Lesson 1 - Never Chase in Arkansas...

Lesson 2 - Seeing tornado deaths is never easy. We struck out during our chase today, we were on a nice cell to the SE corner of Oklahoma, but just could not keep up with it. The winding roads made it hard to navigate and catch the cells. We got a call from John Diel, a MESO member from Ponca City, OK, and he told us about Picher, OK being hit by a deadly twister. At the time of me writing this blog entry, there have been 33 tornadoes, and 11 deaths so far in four states. We got some golf ball sized hail in Fort Smith, AK today and some pretty photos on our way through the Arkansas hills. The drivers around Fort Smith went nuts at the first ping of hail, swerving under overpasses and we had a BMW slide into the highway divider in front of us. There were also three vehicles off the road on I-40. All in all it was a long day, departing from Norman, OK and ending the night in Fort Smith.
A cell blows up in south Oklahoma, over a hill.

In Arkansas Waiting for the Cells...

We are sitting here just 6 miles south of Fort Smith, Arkansas on SR 71 waiting for three cells screaming towards us at 65 mph, this is a day where you have to get in front of the cells and let them come to you, especially here in Arkansas. The road network is bad and it seem nobody is in a hurry here - except us, but what is new...

Saying Goodbye and Travel Day...

Today we drove to Hays, KS to get a rental car for the guys leaving for home today, Joe Falci, Brian McNoldy, Matt Kassawara, Wes Carter and John Diel. They headed back to KC to pick up cars, and fly back home. The first week of the MESO chase was quite successful and we are now in Norman, OK. Nanct Bose, Chris Howell and I just checked into the Quality Inn and are in position for the Moderate Risk issued by the Storm Prediction Center. I have not had enough time to tone up my photos from yesterday, but did do this one that I think is pretty cool, looks kind of like a painting. It was shot in a blinding rainstorm as we headed to Ford, KS for safety last night.

Back to Dodge...

A diner patron watches reports of storms on the TV as he eats at the Chuckwagon Restaurant in Liberal, KS. Click on the photo for larger image.

After a long day of chasing in Western Kansas on the same supercell, we had dinner in Ford, as we let a storm pass. John Diel lost his back window while stationary in the parking lot of the Blue Hefford Reataurant, must have been some rogue hail. I will write more about today's tomorrow as well as post photos tomorrow afternoon, it is late and we have to get the guys that are leaving tomorrow to Hayes, Kansas by 10, so it will be an early morning.

A Liberal (Kansas) Theme for the Chase...

Click on the above photos to view full sized.

As Obamma and Clinton go head to head. MESO and Mother Nature have come head to head in Liberal, Kansas in each of the last three days. We came down here from Garden City, KS the previous two days, only to head back up in time for cells to initiate. Today, we came down here to spend the night, see a movie (Iron Man) and to get into position for tomorrow. We left Pratt, KS this morning and drove through Greensburg again, it still brought a lump to my throat seeing the town in its obliterated state, amazing. Shot a couple of cool photos on the way down, and we ate an early dinner and visited the Dorothy's House tourist trap.

No Chase Day Today...

The MESO team checking the Day 2 model runs, L-R, Joe Falci, John Diel, Brian Mcnoldy, Matt Kassawara, Chris Howell and Shanequa from the Maury Povich Show.

The storms last night screwed up the day today. We are currently looking for things to do here in central Kansas, not many results so far...

Another Day, Another Storm...

A rain shaft, East of Garden City.

I awoke with another of my dread feelings in Garden City, I think it is somewhat of an anxiety attack, but not that bad. I managed to get back to sleep, but this screwed up my morning for sure. Our MESO group decided to go a little south where they thought the storms would initiate, so we left Garden City, KS and headed to Liberal, Kansas, just as we did yesterday. After a few hours of waiting, a cell broke the cap just north of Garden City, just like yesterday. We headed back North and intercepted the cell from the South perfectly, had a nice show, good lightning and ended in Great Bend for dinner. We tried to stay in Great Bend, but every hotel was filled. We got some rooms in Pratt for the night, and will stay there, until we see what the storms from tonight did to tomorrow's forecast. As we drive to Pratt, we are getting a beautiful lightning show.

Sun shafts near Garden City, Kansas.

On The Mooove...

Our MESO team is currently choking down an overpriced meal of overcooked meatloaf and undercooked (raw) broccoli and cheese at the Garden City Travel Center as we prepare to get into position for the days chase. The ever-present odor of the local feed lots makes the meal even more less palatable than normal. the SPC has us currently under a 5% tornado risk and a Moderate Risk up north for hail and wind. The weather brains of our group are checking data as I write this. Will let you know what is happening in later posts as I can.

All Hail Broke Loose...

MESO began the day in Dodge City, Kansas - then we got out of Dodge...

We took a slow leisurely drive to Liberal, KS and then as a few cells broke to the county North of us, we began the chase. We intercepted the cells in Garden City, KS. and had a long, slow chase. The cells were moving 10 to 15 knots, which made them very easy to keep up with. After driving through one small hail shaft, we were free from the ear pounding beat of the hail stones. We followed the rotation and saw some great formations and funnel clouds. As we checked storm reports, we found the area we left behind was pummeled with hail the size of tennis balls.

After our show for the day was winding down, we were driving back into Garden City on SR 400 East into the city when we came upon on truck spun out in the median and then a van in flooded ditch, driver inside, unable to get out without getting into three feet of freezing water. We called a tow truck for the guy and waited around until police arrived. The road ahead of us was covered in at least four inches of hail, making driving treacherous. The hail was removed by snow plows from KDOT, Kansas Department of Transportation.

One of our new members Joe Falci from Ohio has experienced his first Great Plains hail storm. Shaking with excitement, he cheered as we went through the hail, and even got a quick prank by me as he stuck his hand out the window to try and catch some hail. Welcome to MESO Joe.

Tomorrow looks good for chasing, and we can stay the night in Garden City at the "Soft Pillow Inn" formerly a Super 8 and wait for things to develop tomorrow. See more of my photos from today in the StormChase2008 gallery to the right and on my website.

A funnel cloud near Garden City, Kansas.

Rollin', Rollin', Rolling...

This is a first for my blog and MESO, I am sending this to all of you while working on a wireless network, between our two trucks while traveling at 70 mph. Our resident geek, Matt Kassawara configured a wireless network using another members wireless card, turning it into a server with a wireless router. Amazing! So we are checking all the weather data, without stopping to get wireless internet, stormchasing has come a long way in eleven years!

Clearing Our Heads in Greensburg, Kansas...

Nancy Bose looks at the Dillon's store used as a triage base last May 4th.

May 4th, 2008. After one year, today we went back to Greensburg, Kansas.

The town has made many great strides, and barring today's celebration marking the one year anniversary, it still would look like a ghost town. Homes are slowly going up, and being repaired, main street downtown has a building here and there. City Hall is a modular trailer. Foundation slabs outnumber new construction, but the spirit is there.

Under a brilliant blue sky, today thousands of people from all over the United States visited Greensburg, Kansas to show theirs support for the remaining residents. Bikers lined the main Street to the high school holding flags, making a path for President Bush to follow to Greensburg High School for a commencement address. The flags. which flew straight out in a stiff breeze reminiscent of May 4th, 2007.

Our MESO members returned to show our support and donate a plaque in honor of the 12 people that died in the EF5 tornado. Five of us returned for another reason, to clear our heads of deep memories that have played over and over again daily since the night we skirted the tornado, cheated death and limped into the destroyed town of Greensburg, just minutes after the tornado wiped out 95% of the small rural town.

Some of us have sought counseling, some received it on the job and some of us thought we could handle it and went on with our daily lives. As the trip and anniversary approached, I found it harder and harder to deal with. Memories were triggered by the photos I took that night, smells, and in short, I had a few bad timed bouts of anxiety. I felt dread. I wanted to go back, but I didn't. I woke up from a deep sleep and was afraid to go back to sleep. Last night I just was afraid. Members of our group had a hear to heart with me, Nancy Bose hugged me, talked to me, and really helped me through the tough time.

Today as we drove into Greensburg, the feelings welled up, we have never seen the town in the daylight after the tornado, we had only stumbled through the rubble filled town in the pitch dark. I was amazed at the wide open town. The lack of homes and the stripped, bushy trees. As I shot photos, the fear and dread drifted away, my camera became a barrier between me and the reality of Greensburg, Kansas' past. The journalist in me kicked in as it did last May. I know I will sleep better now. I felt a relief as we drove out on West SR 54 toward Dodge City, exactly as we did last year on or way to get into position for a chase on Monday. It's back to business for the MESO chase team.

Something to note, yesterday was also the nine year anniversary of the F5
May 3rd, 1999 tornado in Oklahoma, City. I covered that tornado also, but seeing the human toll first hand in Greensburg, has left a lasting impression on me that I will never forget.

Kansas State Trooper Steve Little watches as President Bush flies into Greensburg, Kansas in Marine One.

53 Tornadoes, 7 Deaths in 5 States Yesterday...

As Chris Howell and I drove to Kansas City to join the MESO chase, there was a tornado outbreak in the southern states today. Seven people died in the wake of 53 tornadoes across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee. We has a mini chase across the middle of Illinois and has a cell that produced some pretty clouds and hail, nothing severe. Tomorrow we will have a BBQ lunch at our "Aunt Meg's" house, Sue Melena in Southern KC and meet up with the remaining members heading to KC.
Some storms in the middle of Illinois, click on the photo for full sized image.

19 Tornadoes in the Plains Last Night...

The were 19 tornadoes reported in four states including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Moderate Risk for Southern Illinois and surrounding states for today. Chris Howell and I will be checking into these storms as we head to KC tomorrow to meet up with the rest of the MESO crew.

Virginia Tornado, "Get in the Closet"...

Let the 2008 Chase Begin...

I am packing as we speak, will wait till my son gets home from school, head to Toledo to shoot a job for the Optical Shop, and then point my truck North to meet up with my MESO chase partner Chris Howell. I will spent the night in Michigan and we will take off as he gets out of work tomorrow. We will be driving headlong into a slight risk of storms over Illinois and Missouri. Ironically on our way to storm chase, a good start to say the least! The storm prediction Center has issued a moderate risk for storms in the Kansas City area for today. I will be updating from the road as we chase here on my blog and eventually extended galleries will be posted on the storm chase 2008 link at my website.

13 Tornadoes Yesterday on the East Coast...

Thirteen tornadoes were spotted in at least 4 states yesterday with a EF3 tornado reported in Southern Virginia. There were 200 reported injuries, amazingly only 6 are in critical condition and no deaths. One tornado was reported on the ground for 25 miles. The tornado believed to have caused damage over a 25-mile path from Suffolk to Norfolk touched down repeatedly between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m.

Tornado Stats Update...

The Storm Prediction Center updated its monthly tornado statistics page. The trend so far this year is above normal. There have been 679 preliminary reports of tornadoes through April 28th, compared to the same number last year, which was reached at the end of May after several outbreak days early in the month.
Click on the graph for a full sized version.

MESO Heading to the Plains Friday...

My storm chase group MESO will be meeting this Friday in Kansas City for our annual two week storm chase. Four of our members are from the original group that chased for the first time eleven years ago in 1998. Nancy Bose, Brian McNoldy, Chris Howell and I will be spending our 22nd week of vacation together chasing storms. Most of us have spent more time on vacation with MESO than our immediate families. Our MESO family has been through many tough times, births, deaths, family crisis' and come hail or high water, we make a pledge to come back one more year. I will be updating my blog daily from the road and my website when possible so please check back daily for our travels.
Brian McNoldy during our original 1998 chase near Gueda Springs, KS.

Feels Almost Like Summer, Yea Right...

We hit a high of 85 degrees today here in Fremont, Ohio almost made me feel good, until I looked at the weather for next week. Our high on Monday is forecast to be 46 and rainy. Mother Nature, please make up your mind...

10 Tornadoes in the Plains Last Night...

The North part of Kansas along the Nebraska border into Iowa was the hot zone last night. Ten tornadoes were reported, seven in Kansas, two in Iowa, and one in Nebraska. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a slight risk for tornadoes today, over areas of Wisconsin, Illinois and eastern Texas. We has some thunderstorms roll through Fremont, Ohio last night. It was great, sleeping with the window open, listening to the rain and hearing the thunder. Will hopefully see more storms when MESO converges on the plains for our annual two week storm chase next weekend. 

14 Tornadoes in the Plains Last Night...

There were fourteen tornadoes in the plains last night, ten in Texas, three in Nebraska and one in Oklahoma. There is a Moderate risk issued by the Storm Prediction Center for today. Greensburg, Kansas is on the southern end of the bullseye of the 10% risk area for tornadoes and the 45% risk area for large hail. If you are near that area or North, keep an eye on the skies today...

A Wonderful Thanks From Greensburg, KS....

I got this letter in the form of an e-mail the other day, and it hit me like a haymaker from Joe Frasier. On the night of May 4th, we did what was needed, search and rescue, triage, and holding the hands of the people that needed comforted, and then we left Greensburg, KS after major amounts of help arrived. We dealt with the emotions among ourselves and as we prepared to return this May 4th, those emotions and memories of what happened that night are boiling to the surface once again. Most of us have had no contact with anyone from Greensburg, not knowing if they remember us or if we even made a difference that night. Until now...

Click on the photos from Stacey to see the full version.

    Hi there! My name is Stacey, and I am a survivor of the Greensburg tornado. I don't know you but let me first say thank you for what you and your group of friends (MESO) did the night of May 4th. I am sure you helped many people that night...probably more then you know.

As for Greensburg...we are doing great!!!! The progress here is amazing! We were actually one of the first families to build back here and we moved into our new home 8 months to the day of the tornado. They said this town wouldn't be back but we are and its gonna be a great place to live. Houses are going up like crazy here!

The one year anniversary is coming up and there is gonna be a big celebration that day (actually the whole weekend)! Its gonna be a hard day but yet a day to be VERY thankful for what we have all overcome and what lies ahead of us.

Anyways I just wanted to tell you THANKS and God bless you all! - Stacey

Here is a list of the weekend events as sent to me by Stacey

Front Row Seat...

Man rides out tornado in La-Z-Boy recliner

February storm in Tennessee destroyed home, except for La-Z-Boy recliner.

Talk about holding onto your seats.

John Spencer was sitting on his La-Z-Boy recliner in his home in Lafayette, Tenn., on Feb. 5 when a massive tornado hit his house. His home was destroyed, along with hundreds of others in Macon County in wide-spread storm that swept across the southern United States, but amazingly Spencer survived, and so did his La-Z-Boy.

“Normally they’ll say when there’s (a storm) coming, but I missed that,” Spencer said. “I was sitting in my recliner and I didn’t really hear the storm coming — and all of a sudden the windows were blown out.”

When rescue officials arrived nearly two hours later, they found Spencer’s house demolished, but Spencer and his La-Z-Boy survived without a scratch.

“The wind tried to pull me out of the recliner, but I (thought) no, I’m just going to sit back and relax a little bit — and then it was over,” Spencer said. “I lost everything except for my chair, and I guess I happened to be in the right spot at the right time.”

After hearing Spencer’s survival story, La-Z-Boy has given Spencer a $1,000 gift certificate for new La-Z-Boy furniture to match his “lucky” recliner when he moves into a new home.

Headquartered in Monroe, Mich., La-Z-Boy is North America’s largest manufacturer of upholstered furniture and the world’s leading producer of reclining chairs.

Greensburg, Kansas on Angry Planet...

My footage of the the May 4th tragedy used on the TV show Angry Planet...

A Couple of Days of Remembering...

From the night of May 4th, 2007, after an EF5 tornado wiped out 95% of the small town of Greensburg, Kansas. A night that we all will never forget...

Unusual Night...

There were 6 tornadoes reported in 3 states, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia tonight. Looks like there was some damage but no deaths or injuries...

Back From Michigan Chase

Well the tornado threat was diminished by the lack of available moisture, we had a nice chase and got a couple nice photos. Here are some of the photos. The nice thing about storm chasing is that even though you do not get a tornado every time, you get something very beautiful and unique. Chris Howell and I did about a 250 mile chase, had a great warm-up for the main event in May... Click on the photos for a larger version.

Ready to Roll, Again...

I could go through all kind of song analogies; On the Road again, by Willie Nelson, Riding the Storm Out, by REO Speedwagon, and numerous others. If I can believe the forecast by the SPC, we have a 5% chance of tornadoes over all of Ohio and SW Michigan. I have been in contact with my MESO chase partner Chris Howell and we are planning to hit the road here shortly. Will keep you informed what we find for sure...

There's No Place Like Home...

Three states, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri. Chase is a bust. No outbreak! 1178 miles, on the road for 32 hours, got home at 1:45 a.m., going to bed, to get ready to chase tomorrow in Ohio and Michigan...

Torn...

Marion, Illinois as a cell moved through. Click for larger image.

I am sitting Marion, Illinois and in the immortal words of Tom Petty, "The waiting is the hardest part." I have visible satellite running and the clearing is coming, radar shows the morning storms are moving off to the East. SPC has intensified the and tightened the tornado probability. I am sitting in a tornado watch box. It is all HERE!

The thing about storm chasing is it seems to be a hurry-up and wait game. I am torn about heading down to western Tennessee or staying here for a while...

Moving Into Position...

I have traveled on 57 south am currently in Marion, Illinois, maneuvering into position, SPC moved the highest risk area slightly east this morning. It is now 11:06 Illinois time, 110 miles in.

Getting Everything Set...

I awoke this morning to a phone call this morning, and on the edge of a tornado watch box. I figured it was one of my storm chase buddies ready to give me a forecast, but no, it was my brother-in-law Jim Bower, wondering where he might be able to get an old Sony memory stick, ha. I tried not to sound too tired and told him to buy a new camera, but we settled on him looking on eBay. Won't be hard to get an antiquated memory stick cheap.

I could not go back to sleep after that, so I got up, checked the forecast had a target e-mail from my MESO chase partner Chris Howell, and he said he will call me a little later with a more detailed  target. I am good, he is one of the best there is, I also have nowcasting from Chris Rozoff in Madison , WI and other friends from Ohio.

My hotel had one of the greatest hot showers I have had in a long time, this may not seem important to most, but I usually follow my wife into the shower, and this means I get maybe three minutes of good hot water. I even thought about taking a second shower later, it felt so good.

I am still in Effingham, Illinois, and am thinking about moving a little south to Marion or Sikeston, I just got a call from Chris Howell and he confirmed the move. There have been some tornado warnings in S. Missouri this morning, heading this way at 75 mph. I am going to get ready to move here quickly and will check bac in later this morning...

St. Louis is in Sight...

Tonight so far in the plains there have been 6 tornadoes reported, four in TX and two in Oklahoma. Tomorow might be another story.

I took off from Fremont tonight, thinking I would get some driving in tonight, to make my drive shorter tomorrow. I first decided to stay at my brothers' in Indianapolis for the night, but I got outside Indy and I wasn in no way tired enough to stop for the night. I then decided to drive the rest of the way to my initial target of Effingham, Illinois, 400 miles for today.

It worked out perfectly, found a motel, and as I was checking in, one of the hotel clerks asked if the license plate on my truck (TWISTER) was an omen for tomorrow? I replied "You never know." She then politely said "Have a nice day."

I just laughed and thought to myself, lady, you don't want to see my nice day...

Chase Day Tomorrow...

Tomorrow is looking like a day that everyone from TX to Ohio should keep their eyes and ears on the sky and the TV. Talk among the weather elites is comparing the possibilities of tomorrow to the super outbreak of 1974, the day Xenia, Ohio was wiped out, along with many other Midwest communities.The SPC has already issued a large Moderate Risk for tomorrow and it will likely get larger and possibly go High Risk at some point in time. This is a day for caution, and keep checking the radio and TV.

Click on map for larger version.

Stormy Weather Later in the Week...

It is shaping up like a severe weather week across the plains and the Midwest, finishing up into Ohio and Lower Michigan on Friday. Check the MESO Forecast Center Blog for updates. I might be looking at my first chase of the year on Thursday or Friday, depending on the storm set-up. I scraped a chase today in Illinois, but could make up for it later this week.

Just in From Greensburg...

This from Editor Mark Anderson; The Greensburg, Kansas book Blown Away is available: The books are $27.61 each, plus $6.50 shipping or $34.11 for each copy. You will need to include your shipping address. Checks for the appropriate amount should be make out to Kiowa County Signal, and orders mailed to Kiowa County Signal, P.O. Box 909, Pratt, KS, 67124 - Lets order some books and support the Kiowa County Signal, who kept the official record of this historic event. The first printing of 1000 copies have sold out and any orders placed now will be part of the second printing.

Ohio's "Little Tornado Alley"...

Here is an interesting article from the Dayton Daily News on Ohio's own little tornado alley. November 10th, 2002, the area was hit with a tornado outbreak, click HERE to see my photo of a killer tornado from Tiffin, Ohio that day.

Blown Away...

When I got home today from a rare family day outing with my wife and son; my wife picked up the mail out of our mailbox and handed me two large envelopes from Pratt, Kansas. I knew what was in the envelopes, but I really did not want to open them up.

For those of you that don't know, I will digress. Almost a year ago my storm chase group MESO made it through the night of May 4th, 2007 alive and fortunately in one piece. We were just a stones throw outside the tornado that destroyed the small town of Greensburg, Kansas, as it was destroying Greensburg, Kansas.

We then went into the silent, destroyed town and helped with triage, search and rescue, and whatever we could for hours until a large amount of first responders flooded the storm ravaged town.

That night I got photographs of a rescue effort unequaled. I shared those photos with the local paper, the Kiowa County Signal, for no pay, just to help out in my own way, with my own talent. Some of my photos appeared on their website and also in their papers in the following weeks.

A few months back I got an e-mail from the editor of the paper wondering if they could use some of my photos in the commemorative edition they were doing for the one year anniversary of the tornado. Without hesitation I said yes. He said he would send me a couple of copies for my help.

Today is the day it arrived. I am fortunately, or unfortunately the first from MESO to see the completed book. It hit me like a slap in the face. After finding my photos, I took the time to look at the rest of the book and read the stories contained within its cover. I had to take some time to write this  blog to let my emotions cool down.

I really can't image the flood of feelings I will have this May 4th when we pull into the city limits of Greensburg for the first time since last year. I had a double truck of my photos in the book and several others throughout the book. The photos that bothered me were the ones I really never got to see, being out here in Ohio.

After shedding more tears I shared the book with my wife and son. I think it hit my wife the hardest knowing that my friends and I were almost part of that disaster. If it were not for some divine intervention, we might not have made it through that night of killer storms.

Maybe we made it through so we could help the people of Greensburg, even if it was for those six hours on that night of May 4th. We are proud of our role that night and I am proud the Kiowa County Signal used my photos in their historic book on the May 4th Greensburg, Kansas EF 5 tornado. Thanks to them I was Blown Away again...

Click on the photo for larger version.

Mississippi, Alabama Currently Being Hit...

Vicksburg, Mississippi and other towns in the Rankin and Madison counties have been hit with at least 4 tornadoes this afternoon with some injuries. A tornado has recently been reported in Green County, Alabama, with reports of trees down all over the county, more to come later...

Eight Tornadoes Hit Last Night...

Overnight at least seven tornadoes hit the suburbs of Little Rock, Arkansas, several injuries were reported, but no fatalities. One additional tornado was reported in Mississippi. A slight risk for severe storms has been issued by the Storm Prediction Center, with a 5% risk for tornadoes is mostly centered over Mississippi and Alabama.

Colorado St. Hurricane Forecast: More Than Normal...

The annual Colorado State University Hurricane Forecast expects an above-average Atlantic hurricane season and may raise its prediction of 13 tropical storms and seven hurricanes when it updates its outlook next week. La Nina cool-water conditions in the Pacific and higher sea surface temperatures in the eastern Atlantic are contributing to enhanced conditions for hurricane activity. The preliminary forecast calls for a total of 13 named storms in the Atlantic. It also says it is probable that at least one major hurricane will hit the U.S. coastline. Click (HERE) for the full PDF report.

Hurricane Rita evacuation in Beaumont, Texas in 2005.

Interesting Statistics Graph on Tornado Trends...

Found this interesting graph from the Storm Prediction Center, on the number of tornadoes that have occurred, comparing during the the last three years, compared to this year so far. The comparison is amazing. The trend is way above normal and significantly above the ten year average line. I bring this to your attention on a day the Storm Prediction Center has issued a Moderate Risk over Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. This area has a 10% chance of significant tornadoes, while a slight risk, and a 2%-5% chance of tornadoes extends through Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, and Illinois. As well as long track tornadoes, the storms today are predicted to dump many inches of rain in the same region where the ground is saturated from recent storms.

Click on the graph to see it full size.

OT - Thanks for all the hits coming from Austin, Texas...

Tornadoes Last Night...

This is no April Fools story... Last night in the plains there were 9 tornadoes reported, 8 in Missouri and 1 in Oklahoma. Three injuries were reported near Dallas, Missouri. Two children were reported killed in flooding. One two-year-old died in Peggs, Oklahoma and one seven-year-old died in Shelby County, Tennessee while playing with friends.

Maybe Trouble Today in the Plains Today...

There may be the threat of severe weather in Oklahoma, and up into Kansas, with a more than 5% chance for strong tornadoes as forecast by the Storm Prediction Center. For you weather geeks out there, my storm chase group MESO now has a forecast blog where members publish forecasts and discuss the possibility if severe weather it is called the MESO Forecast Center, feel free to stop by and see what our weather guys are seeing and saying.

Greensburg, KS to be New "Eco-Town"...

Greensburg, Kansas, was destroyed by Mother Nature last may 4th. The rebuilding of the dot on the Kansas landscape has taken on a literal meaning for the town; it will also rely on Mother Nature to build her back from the ground up.

The Discovery Channel and noted environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio plan a 13-part series, “Eco-Town.” The series will chronicle the rebuilding of Greensburg, which was leveled by a tornado May 4. The town, which has more than 1,500 residents, will be rebuilt as a "sustainable model of eco-living and one that will save it from future environmental catastrophe." The project was brought to Discovery by DiCaprio. DiCaprio will executive produce through his company, Appian Way, along with Piligian and Discovery Studios.”

The website of Greensburg, KS is touting the building of a replacement water tower for the one that collapsed during the EF 5 tornado, May 4th. A temporary visitors center was built on the site of the world's largest hand dug well, a tourist draw for the town before their noted tornado.

May 4th will mark the first anniversary of the tragedy and it will also help people put some closure on that horrible night in the plains. Hopefully May 5th, 2008 will mark a new beginning for all that are lucky enough to have lived through that night of twisters.

The sign for Greensburg, Kansas, advertising the world's largest hand dug well, is one of the few things that survived the tornado on May 4th, 2007.

First Downtown Atlanta Victim Found...

Officials have found the first victim of the downtown Atlanta tornado a week ago, buried in rubble. The body of the victim was found when a worker driving a bobcat was pushing debris aside. The man was found in a parking lot across Decatur Street from the Martin Luther King Jr. MARTA station, his hand was seen sticking out of debris. This amazing considering there were 18,000 people in the Georgia Dome at the time the tornado struck, plus thousands more at various other sporing events in the metro Atlanta area.

Flooding Likely to Crest Today...

The Sandusky River just South of Fremont, Ohio.

President Bush declared a major disaster in Missouri on Wednesday night and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in flooded areas. Seventy counties and St. Louis also are eligible for federal funding.

Much of Ohio is under a flood warning today, with some areas watching out for flash floods. Most of southern Ohio received more than 4 inches of rain, Butler County has declared a state of emergency because of rising waters.

In Findlay, just 40 miles from Fremont, they have closed off streets after the Blanchard River had once again has gone over the 11-foot flood level - the 10th time it has done so in the last 15 months. The National Weather Service predicted the river will crest this afternoon at 12.3 feet. 

See more photos from today - CLICK HERE.

Flooding a Very Deadly Risk...

Flooding forced hundreds of people to flee their homes and has closed many roads across a wide swath of America's midsection as a huge storm system poured as much as 12 inches of rain over a large part of the Midwest. Fortunately here in Fremont, we have only had an inch of rain since midnight. Several weeks ago we had massive flooding in the area. (See my February 8th post and video - photos) As many as 13 deaths due to the flooding and storms have been reported so far, including a small boy in the Mesquite, TX area after being swept away by rushing waters into a drainage ditch.

Let me begin this post by saying that if you are in a flood stricken area, NEVER drive into fast moving water, here are some stats and facts about severe thunder storms from our MESO storm chase group's website library.

- Flash Floods/Floods
The number ONE thunderstorm killer...nearly 140 fatalities each year. Most flash flood deaths occur at night and when people become trapped in cars.

- Lightning
Occurs with ALL thunderstorms.
Averages 93 deaths and 300 injuries each year. It causes several hundred million dollars in damage to property and forests annually.

- Straight-line Winds
Responsible for most thunderstorm wind damage. Winds can exceed 100 mph! One type of straight-line wind, the downburst, can cause damage equivalent to a strong tornado and can be extremely dangerous to aviation. During the summer in the western states, thunderstorms often produce little rain but very strong wind gusts and dust storms.

- Large Hail
Causes nearly $1 billion in damage to property and crops annually. Costliest United States hailstorm: Denver, Colorado, July 11, 1990. Total damage was $625 million. The high plains of northern Colorado and southern Wyoming are the most frequent victims of hail storms, but any state that get thunderstorms can get large hail.

- From Lightning:
People who are: outdoors, especially under or near tall trees; in or on water; or on or near hilltops.

- From Flooding:
People who are in automobiles when flash flooding occurs near them

Flooding related to Hurricane Floyd.

Filming for a TV Pilot...

Just a shot note to let you know that our group MESO will be doing filming this chase season for a TV pilot. We have several production companies interested in a TV series called "Twisted" which hopefully will be picked up next year.

Cameras Catch Atlanta Area Tornado...

From a local Atlanta TV Station towercam.

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