A few views of our closest approach to the widest tornado on record S/SW of El Reno, Oklahoma. This was a chase that I honestly left feeling pretty down about. The storm was pretty waterlogged at times, and the traffic was a nightmare on this day. There was a point when we were actually stuck between two mesos on the north side of the Canadian river (and their accompanying hail cores) because of traffic on US 81. At this point in the chase, we knew the tornado was moving southeast, and we were tracking with it, bouncing down the gridded road network. This was also when there were erratic subvorticies within the parent circulation, which you can identify on each pan over. Just after these shots, the tornado began to slingshot further north and east, which caused us to lose it in the aforementioned traffic. The u-shaped path of this tornado was not unprecedented, and on days like this one with extreme instability and strong storm-relative flow, we knew a big meso with erratic tornado behavior was likely. In those cases, we tend to stay S and E of things until it becomes clear there's a safe approach -- on this day that didn't materialize, which was part of my "well that wasn't what we expected" feeling. Now, looking back and knowing the history being made, I look at clips like this and am happy with how we worked the day overall. We still documented nearly the entire tornado life cycle from varying angles. 🎥 5/31/13 S and W of El Reno, OK #nature #science #supercell #oklahoma #tornado #TornadoScience #StormChasing

This brilliant white tornado touched down to our east and quickly grew into a large stovepipe over open land. Its ghostly appearance? A result of the sunlight illuminating the condensation funnel. Here’s how it works: • Condensation Funnel: The tornado forms as moisture condenses in the rotating column of air, creating a visible funnel. • ☀️ Sunlight Effect: The bright white color happens when the tornado is lit directly by sunlight, often from the west during afternoon chases. This makes the funnel look vivid and striking against darker storm clouds. • 🌫️ Dust and Debris: Tornadoes over open land often pick up less debris, so the funnel stays clean and white rather than taking on a darker, murkier tone. This Olustee tornado was a stunning example of nature’s artistry—both mesmerizing and powerful. #nature #science #supercell #oklahoma #tornado

🌪️ Easter Sunday Tornado Near Baird, TX: Beauty Over Open Land 🌄 On Easter Sunday, this graceful elephant trunk tornado touched down near Baird, Texas, giving storm chasers a stunning show over open land without threatening lives or property. This occurred at the very front end of a multi-day super outbreak sequence in April 2011. Tornadoes further west often have this luxury of space, thanks to lower population density and towns being spread farther apart—a chaser’s dream scenario where nature can show its raw power without harm. Misconception Alert: Many think a funnel cloud isn’t a tornado unless it touches the ground. But here’s the truth: if there’s dust or debris at the surface, it is a tornado, even if the funnel itself doesn’t fully extend down. Dust and debris confirm ground contact, not the visual appearance of the funnel. This is one of the most common myths we see in our comments—and it’s worth busting! This Baird tornado was a breathtaking reminder of nature’s elegance when it has room to roam freely. #StormChasing #texas #tornado #twister #weather #science #nature

The wind up and the touch down of a classic spring season tornado in Colorado. #colorado #tornado #supercell #weather #science

Sometimes you chase a day where everything goes exactly how you didn’t expect, but it’s also way more interesting that way. This day in SW Oklahoma featured a localized outbreak of supercells with tornadoes which was absolutely not expected. I left the house thinking that if we saw a supercell for a couple of hours before it dissipated I was going to be pretty happy with the documentation we achieved. Instead, we chased 3 different cells that all produced tornadoes, including one that had one of the most intense radar signatures you could imagine. Wild stuff. This clip is the middle part of that day. #weather #nature #science #oklahoma #tornado #supercell