Tornadoes
All Photos © Scott F. Blair

T1 - Bowdle, SD May 22, 2010

T2 - Bowdle, SD May 22, 2010

T3 - Bowdle, SD May 22, 2010

T4 - Bowdle, SD May 22, 2010

T5 - Bowdle, SD May 22, 2010

T6 - Gretna, SD May 22, 2010

The T1-T5 sequence of photos displays the violent EF4 tornado near Bowdle, SD. Fortunately, only limited damage occurred with this monster tornado. The visual vortex evolved from a cone into a pure wedge tornado. The storm structure combined with the rapid circulation made for a very photogenic and memorable experience. The eastern periphery of the tornado finally crossed Hwy 47. The large tower to the right of the road would eventually fall as the circulation passed nearby. Following the Bowdle wedge, a second tornado was observed ~3 miles NE of Bowdle at a new cyclic region of rotation.

T1 - Hasty, CO April 22, 2010

T2 - Hasty, CO April 22, 2010

T3 - McClave, CO April 22, 2010

T4 - Neesopah Reservoir, CO April 22, 2010

T5 - Neesopah Reservoir, CO April 22, 2010

T6 - Neesopah Reservoir, CO April 22, 2010

I was fortunate to observe ~13 tornadoes across eastern Colorado, generally along a SW-NE corridor from the John Martin Reservoir to Eads to Cheyenne Wells. The majority of these tornadoes were from separate occluding areas of rotation. I watched the full evolution of the first tornado near Hasty, CO. This 10 minute tornado transitioned from a bowl-shaped tornado into a cone. A secondary satellite tornado developed on the outer circulation. T4-T5 was ~200 yards wide and eventually evolved into a stovepipe tornado with an impressive drill-press debris fan. The tornado moved virtually due north, paralleling my road about 1 mile west of my location for nearly 15 minutes. The rotational motion was impressive with the particular tornado, and certainly appeared to be the most intense vortex I observed this day.

T1 - Cedar Hill, TX April 29, 2009

T2 - Cedar Hill, TX April 29, 2009

T3 - Cedar Hill, TX April 29, 2009

This tornado developed at close range and went through several evolutions of shapes within its 10 minute lifespan. I deployed a research-grade pressure probe within 200 yards in the middle of snapping photos, but only managed a 1 hPa deficit. Regardless, a beautiful tornado with the only damage limited to a few snapped power poles.

T1 - Big Springs, NE June 10, 2004

T2 - Big Springs, NE June 10, 2004

T3 - Big Springs, NE June 10, 2004

One of the best examples I’ve seen of tornado evolution was observed on 10 June 2004. The tornado developed near Interstate 80 with a funnel aloft and debris whirl underneath. With time, the vortex became a stovepipe tornado and eventually roped out north of Big Springs, NE after nearly 40 minutes on the ground. We paralleled the tornado for the majority of its life cycle on a dirt road, allowing for excellent contrast during the event.

T1 - Glen Elder, KS May 29, 2008

T2 - Glen Elder, KS May 29, 2008

T3 - Glen Elder, KS May 29, 2008

This tornado put on a spectacular multi-vortex display just north of Rd 380, south of Waconda Lake, near sunset. Strong RFD and inflow winds were encountered while photographing the tornado at close range. The tornado evolved into a large tornado near dusk with EF3 damage inflicted to the western side of Jewell, KS.

T1 - Chickasha, OK May 24, 2011

T2 - Chickasha, OK May 24, 2011

T3 - Chickasha, OK May 24, 2011

T4 - Goldsby, OK May 24, 2011

T5 - Goldsby, OK May 24, 2011

A classic supercell spawned a violent EF4 tornado, initially touching down on the outskirts of Chickasha, OK. The tornado neared 1.5 miles south of our location as it quickly moved northeast, very near I-44. As it entered an urban landscape, we drove south to observe another classic supercell. It took less than 15 minutes to depart the old storm, head south on I-35, and first spot the ongoing tornado approaching Goldsby, OK. The tornado was beginning to move in a northerly fashion as the parent circulation occluded and the tornado transitioned into a rope. The tornado finally decayed in a snake-like, wispy fashion approximately 1.5 W of our location. An incredible amount of debris rained down from the sky.

T1 - Douglas, OK May 24, 2008

T2 - Douglas, OK May 24, 2008

T3 - Orlando, OK May 24, 2008

A long-lived supercell slowly moved across northern Oklahoma producing at least 6 tornadoes. Most of these tornadoes were difficult to observe with precipitation masking the features. We were fortunate to capture two photogenic tubes including the first one observed of the day with a beautiful foreground and storm structure.

T1 - Hill City, KS June 9, 2005

T2 - Hill City, KS June 9, 2005

T3 - Palco, KS June 9, 2005

A strong tornado was spawned from a wet-classic supercell storm southwest of Hill City, KS on 9 June 2005. The tornado was initially cone-shaped before evolving into a wedge. The image displays the incredible storm structure with a typical Kansas foreground. The tornado passed south of Hill City and very close proximity to our location with a loud audible roar (T2, video). The storm was cyclic per second photo with the white tornado and its associated updraft in the process of occluding. To the east, a new tornado developed near Stockton, KS and eventually grew fairly sizeable.

T1 - Hitschmann, KS June 11, 2008

T2 - Hitschmann, KS June 11, 2008

T3 - Hitschmann, KS June 11, 2008

Very rapid visual tornadogenesis occurred with this tornado near Hitschmann, KS. The tornado began as a dust bowl underneath strong, tight cloud base rotation. The initial single-cell vortex transitioned to a multi-vortex configuration as it passed us at an uncomfortably close range. It eventually fully condensed into an elephant trunk and roped out.

T1 - Edson, KS March 28, 2007

T2 - Edson, KS March 28, 2007

A regional tornado outbreak transpired from Nebraska into the Texas Panhandle on the afternoon and evening of 28 March 2007. The tornado above was photographed on a very muddy road north of Edson, KS at sunset. The low sun angle transformed the condensed vortex bright red, providing a surreal moment before the color slowly faded.

T1 - Collyer, KS May 22, 2008

T2 - Collyer, KS May 22, 2008

T3 - Pendennis, KS May 23, 2008

A two-day tornado outbreak occurred across portions of western Kansas on May 22-23, 2008. Supercells literally overlapped the same areas in Gove and Trego Counties. Limited road options, many of them mud-ridden, complicated by fast storm motions made for a difficult photogenic intercept. Above is a sample of the tornadoes observed.

T1 - Hill City, KS May 22, 2007

This tornado intermittently condensed fully to the ground and showed signs of debris, but likely persisted for nearly ten minutes during the evening of 22 May 2007. While the tornado had nice motion, it was the storm structure above in combination with the vortex present that made for an awe-inspiring event. Good storm structure with a tornado is always a major plus.

T1 - Mulvane, KS June 12, 2004

T2 - Mulvane, KS June 12, 2004

The most beautiful tornado I’ve witnessed to date on 12 June 2004 near Mulvane, KS. The images above are captured from digital video as I unfortunately failed to shoot any stills. Regardless, an amazing sight with a glowing white tornado contrasted against a dark blue sky, and even a stunning rainbow to finish. Its beauty was abruptly ended as the tornado destroyed a home resulting in at least F3 damage.

T1 - Centerville, SD June 24, 2003

T2 - Centerville, SD June 24, 2003

A localized tornado outbreak across eastern South Dakota occurred on 24 June 2003. We were fortunate to observe 13 tornadoes from one cyclic supercell storm that moved northward near Centerville, SD. Many of the tornadoes moved northwestward as the updraft would occlude and a new tornado would form east of the ongoing tornado. The chase spectacularly capped off the end of the 2003 chase season.

T1 - Ekalaka, MT June 6, 2005

The long drive to southeast Montana paid off on 6 June 2005. I was already pleased observing a nice supercell in such a remote location, so when the tornado developed I could hardly keep my excitement contained. It’s very difficult to observe tornadoes in Montana due to the lack of roads and limited annual supercell frequency. This scene was amazing, with lush green fields and a backlit tornado.

T1 - Rock, KS June 12, 2004

A tornado developed at sunset near Rock, KS on 12 June 2004. The low sun angle cast shades of orange and yellow throughout the updraft base and tornado. The view is looking north and the tornado was slowly moving northward, away from our location.

T35 - Kyle, SD June 6, 2007

Only one tornado materialized from a highly anticipated severe weather setup across the plains states on 6 June 2007. This tornado was observed from a good distance, but the foreground made the experience very unique. We remained stationary for nearly 30 minutes watching the slow-moving tornado over the beautiful Badlands National Park.

T1 - Jayton, TX June 12, 2005

T2 - Jayton, TX June 12, 2005

This was one of six tornadoes captured on 12 June 2005, but by far the most impressive and significant. I unfortunately ran out of slide film the previous day, so I settled for digital video. This tornado initially was a large white cone before morphing into a large dirt-filled wedge.


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© 1996-2011 - All pictures and images are copyrighted by Scott F. Blair. Any reproduction either electronic or otherwise is strickly prohibited by Federal Law.

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