Anna/Westminster Tornadoes
NOTE: If you are reding this blog entry as a direct link, please note that additional updates can be found by clicking here.
UPDATE: Video clip added. It's been slowed down so you can better see the tornadoes illuminated by the lightning flashes. CLICK HERE.
Tragically, North Texans were reminded that we are indeed still part of tornado alley. An intense supercell spawned two violent tornadoes across northern Collin County and along the border of SE Grayson County. Sadly, 3 people lost their lives as a result. Damage was extensive and devastating with 26 houses destroyed. A couple of them had only the bare slab foundations remaining. I think many people, including myself, are quite thankful that the loss of life wasn't alot higher given the level of devastation and that most people are home on weekend nights. We should also consider the consequences if this had formed and moved just about 10-15 miles further south across McKinney/Princeton.
I was indeed chasing yesterday and observed/videoed these vicious twisters. Normally I would have been elated with such an exciting night chase. However, seeing your neighbors' lives turned upside down and even abruptly ended casts a dark shadow across your heart. This area is part of my stomping grounds and where I've spent a good part of my adult years. I've attended many garage sales, festivals, markets and wet a line in a few of the fishing holes around here. I love the people here in rural North Texas. This is my home.
I had ended up in Atoka County, Oklahoma for tornadic storm up there thinking that the cap here south of the Red River would hold since at 6:30pm, several attempts of updrafts to punch through failed miserably. Once in OK, the storm there was intense, but a heavily precipitating supercell. Any chance at chasing or catching a tornado would be through the mountains of E OK east of Atoka. It just wasn't working out. I saw the cell pop up on Grayson county and made my way back south since this was my earlier target area and a prime environment for something big to happen.
As I approached the Red River, the updraft structure was impressive with a spectacular lightning display. I debated with myself as to setup out in the rural outskirts in western Grayson county to do lightning photography and get in front of it. I chose the latter and proceeded to do an "end-around" of the cell to the east on Hwy11 down to 121 in Trenton and then south to Hwy 75 south of Anna. The storm was moving SE at this time and I thought it would continue doing so. This made for abit of apprehension in cutting dangerously close in front if it on 121.
I sat there on the shoulder of a rarely used overpass to watch the storm as it started taking on a better radar signature. The surface winds were fairly strong feeding into it and the instabilities were still volatile. A couple of radar scans later, and a hook started forming on it. The velocities on radar at all tilts started tightening up and increasing. I thought, "Here we go". Within minutes, a tornado warning was issued based on this radar signature. I could make out a rounded base forming with some "tendrils" underneath it. Just as I got ready to jump east to keep up with it (still thinking that this storm would move E or SE), a spotter reported a developing funnel and soon a power flash north of Anna. It had begun.
I got to 455 just south of the developing tornado and was greeted by a strong RFD blast from the west and then quickly some strong winds from the south. I was getting uneasy and fortunately 455 makes a little dogleg south before heading east again and I had some southward escape options. Then, the funnel quickly got organized and descended to form the first "visible" tornado. You could barely make it out with your eyes as the faint city lights from Anna partially illuminated it. The camera, even my VX2100, couldn't catch that faint of light (I should have switched to nightshot). But, it would become starkly visible as a silhouette against the background of an occasional lightning flash. My impression is that this isn't a typical night time tornado which is usually embedded in rain and very difficult to chase. This looked like something you'd see in the daytime in Kansas....a classic supercell structure with a tornado
I continued to chase it as I got onto 121 again towards Trenton now realizing the storm was moving more ENE and NE. I watched it lift briefly and then regenerate again and growing into a large, violent tornado. It became wrapped in rain and totally obscured just to the NW of Desert (as in Mojave) where it dissipated. In analyzing radar and the visual storm structure, I thought a new mesocyclone was about to develop right on top of me. I jogged eastward from Desert just in case. I ended up back in Trenton when I realized the storm was scooting off to the NE. There was an accident where a motorcyclist smashed into the side of a police cruiser. I think the guy is OK though. I called it quits to go back and document the damage thinking that I might find a few barns damaged and some trees uprooted on the outskirts of the damage path.
Anytime I've chased a tornado and it caused some serious damage, I always avoided the area because the amount of emergency help arriving was overwhelming and rapid. I would only be getting in the way. Last night, I thought pretty much the same thing because of it being rural. Pretty quickly though, the spotters who had been chasing it put it all in perspective quickly. It was clear that it was a helluva lot more serious than I thought. I knew that being a licensed ham operator along with my GPS could be a useful resource as well as being an extra body to help.
The first house/garage (you couldn't tell) I came to I drove up to it and illumintaed the area with my headlights and proceeded towards it to see if anybody needed help. Two sheriff deputies arrived right behind me. About that time, this pit bull approached us barking his head off. This idiot from next door yelled out "Hey! this is private property!" The deputies told him our intentions. But, Mr Idiot yelled back that "We don't need no help! Get off my property! This is private property!". The dog started advancing towards the deputies (I was back in the vehicle being the wuss I am when it comes to mean dogs...but then I didn't have a 9mm strapped to my hip either. LOL). They repeatedly told the stupid ahole that he needed to call of the dog or they would shoot him. They had their guns and pepper spray at the ready. Fortunately, the stupid moron called off the dog and things calmed down once we started to leave. Can you believe some people? Sheesh.
I then drove by another area where several homes were destroyed and now sealed off by law enforcement. The propane odor was ripe and quite pungent. CareFlite was about to land (this would be their staging area for the night). I came up on a road with several large, mangled trees strewn across it. I saw some flashlight beams down there so I called out and asked if any help was needed and if everybody was ok. Thankfully, everybody was. They recounted their incredible accounts of seeing and/or hearing it coming and then scrambling for their lives to seek shelter. A couple of guys came along and told me about the destroyed house with the trapped woman and her missing 14-year old son.
Along with two of the neighbors, we immediately volunteered to the Sheriff deputy there. He said to grab a flashlight and start searching a field for the boy that was in the house but now missing. They didn't know if he was tossed out or trapped under the debris of the house. They had just found the mother under the debris who was rushed to the CareFlite staging area.
After about 15 minutes of searching, the fire engine's horn was blasted to let us know they had found him. He was found trapped under the debris, but they did not know if he was alive. After about an hour, they were still trying to get him out. I and about 10 other people were willing to jump in and help, but there wasn't room and it would risk collapse. It became apparent though that the firefighters and deputies transitioned into recovery mode. His name was Colson Owens, a freshman at Van Alstyne High School. He had taken shelter under the stairwell of their two-story house. I pray for his family as they endure a long road to recovery.
The deputy thanked us for our help, so I drove around to see if I could help elsewhere. Fortunately, emergency vehicles from all surrounding communities and counties were on the scene. There was actually too much help because quite a few of them were staged in a waiting area in Westminster. I finished the night driving around the damaged areas to see if I could be of assitance and was impressed by how many emergency vehicles had descended on the area. McKinney, Sherman, Plano, and every other small town from within the county as well as all surrounding counties were there. My neighbors were in good hands. If any good comes out of this tragedy, it is the spirit and good nature of people shine through in a dazzling display of unselfish compassion and wanting to help in any way possible.
Some things I've pondered today that I want to do in the future include carrying a good first aid kit, boots, and heavy duty work gloves. It wouldn't take up much room in the vehicle yet would be critical if you ever need them. I was ill equipped last night in that regard. At least my spotlight came in handy as well as the flashlight. It's also been about 15 years since I took any sort of first aid course. It really disturbed me a great deal in that if I came upon somebody seriously wounded, I wouldn't be able to render proper aid. Fortunately, I didn't have to. I hope to rectify these deficiencies very soon.
Lastly, from what I've heard, most of our DFW weather personalities and their fellow media counterparts performed in a typical Three Stooges fashion when everything was breaking loose. I didn't observe this of course, but it would be par for the course. I'm going into a rant here, so I'll stop for now.
Also, kudos to the Collin County spotters and the other participating chasers for an outstanding SKYWARN net. I would have jumped in to call my report, but it was far from necessary with the outstanding "play-by-play" account in conjunction with the NWS. I would have just cluttered up the communications. At least that part of the warning process works quite well.
My video aired on The Weather Channel and FoxNews all day today. My video captures of the tornadoes can be seen here:
http://www.texastailchaser.com/chases/2006/may9/pictures/
The map of the damage path I surveyed last night (some slight errors possible due to exhaustion and 3am in the morning) as well as my route:
http://www.texastailchaser.com/chases/2006/may9/map.gif
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/collintor06.htm
Some news links:
dallasnews.com
Channel 5
CBS News 11
UPDATE: Video clip added. It's been slowed down so you can better see the tornadoes illuminated by the lightning flashes. CLICK HERE.
Tragically, North Texans were reminded that we are indeed still part of tornado alley. An intense supercell spawned two violent tornadoes across northern Collin County and along the border of SE Grayson County. Sadly, 3 people lost their lives as a result. Damage was extensive and devastating with 26 houses destroyed. A couple of them had only the bare slab foundations remaining. I think many people, including myself, are quite thankful that the loss of life wasn't alot higher given the level of devastation and that most people are home on weekend nights. We should also consider the consequences if this had formed and moved just about 10-15 miles further south across McKinney/Princeton.
I was indeed chasing yesterday and observed/videoed these vicious twisters. Normally I would have been elated with such an exciting night chase. However, seeing your neighbors' lives turned upside down and even abruptly ended casts a dark shadow across your heart. This area is part of my stomping grounds and where I've spent a good part of my adult years. I've attended many garage sales, festivals, markets and wet a line in a few of the fishing holes around here. I love the people here in rural North Texas. This is my home.
I had ended up in Atoka County, Oklahoma for tornadic storm up there thinking that the cap here south of the Red River would hold since at 6:30pm, several attempts of updrafts to punch through failed miserably. Once in OK, the storm there was intense, but a heavily precipitating supercell. Any chance at chasing or catching a tornado would be through the mountains of E OK east of Atoka. It just wasn't working out. I saw the cell pop up on Grayson county and made my way back south since this was my earlier target area and a prime environment for something big to happen.
As I approached the Red River, the updraft structure was impressive with a spectacular lightning display. I debated with myself as to setup out in the rural outskirts in western Grayson county to do lightning photography and get in front of it. I chose the latter and proceeded to do an "end-around" of the cell to the east on Hwy11 down to 121 in Trenton and then south to Hwy 75 south of Anna. The storm was moving SE at this time and I thought it would continue doing so. This made for abit of apprehension in cutting dangerously close in front if it on 121.
I sat there on the shoulder of a rarely used overpass to watch the storm as it started taking on a better radar signature. The surface winds were fairly strong feeding into it and the instabilities were still volatile. A couple of radar scans later, and a hook started forming on it. The velocities on radar at all tilts started tightening up and increasing. I thought, "Here we go". Within minutes, a tornado warning was issued based on this radar signature. I could make out a rounded base forming with some "tendrils" underneath it. Just as I got ready to jump east to keep up with it (still thinking that this storm would move E or SE), a spotter reported a developing funnel and soon a power flash north of Anna. It had begun.
I got to 455 just south of the developing tornado and was greeted by a strong RFD blast from the west and then quickly some strong winds from the south. I was getting uneasy and fortunately 455 makes a little dogleg south before heading east again and I had some southward escape options. Then, the funnel quickly got organized and descended to form the first "visible" tornado. You could barely make it out with your eyes as the faint city lights from Anna partially illuminated it. The camera, even my VX2100, couldn't catch that faint of light (I should have switched to nightshot). But, it would become starkly visible as a silhouette against the background of an occasional lightning flash. My impression is that this isn't a typical night time tornado which is usually embedded in rain and very difficult to chase. This looked like something you'd see in the daytime in Kansas....a classic supercell structure with a tornado
I continued to chase it as I got onto 121 again towards Trenton now realizing the storm was moving more ENE and NE. I watched it lift briefly and then regenerate again and growing into a large, violent tornado. It became wrapped in rain and totally obscured just to the NW of Desert (as in Mojave) where it dissipated. In analyzing radar and the visual storm structure, I thought a new mesocyclone was about to develop right on top of me. I jogged eastward from Desert just in case. I ended up back in Trenton when I realized the storm was scooting off to the NE. There was an accident where a motorcyclist smashed into the side of a police cruiser. I think the guy is OK though. I called it quits to go back and document the damage thinking that I might find a few barns damaged and some trees uprooted on the outskirts of the damage path.
Anytime I've chased a tornado and it caused some serious damage, I always avoided the area because the amount of emergency help arriving was overwhelming and rapid. I would only be getting in the way. Last night, I thought pretty much the same thing because of it being rural. Pretty quickly though, the spotters who had been chasing it put it all in perspective quickly. It was clear that it was a helluva lot more serious than I thought. I knew that being a licensed ham operator along with my GPS could be a useful resource as well as being an extra body to help.
The first house/garage (you couldn't tell) I came to I drove up to it and illumintaed the area with my headlights and proceeded towards it to see if anybody needed help. Two sheriff deputies arrived right behind me. About that time, this pit bull approached us barking his head off. This idiot from next door yelled out "Hey! this is private property!" The deputies told him our intentions. But, Mr Idiot yelled back that "We don't need no help! Get off my property! This is private property!". The dog started advancing towards the deputies (I was back in the vehicle being the wuss I am when it comes to mean dogs...but then I didn't have a 9mm strapped to my hip either. LOL). They repeatedly told the stupid ahole that he needed to call of the dog or they would shoot him. They had their guns and pepper spray at the ready. Fortunately, the stupid moron called off the dog and things calmed down once we started to leave. Can you believe some people? Sheesh.
I then drove by another area where several homes were destroyed and now sealed off by law enforcement. The propane odor was ripe and quite pungent. CareFlite was about to land (this would be their staging area for the night). I came up on a road with several large, mangled trees strewn across it. I saw some flashlight beams down there so I called out and asked if any help was needed and if everybody was ok. Thankfully, everybody was. They recounted their incredible accounts of seeing and/or hearing it coming and then scrambling for their lives to seek shelter. A couple of guys came along and told me about the destroyed house with the trapped woman and her missing 14-year old son.
Along with two of the neighbors, we immediately volunteered to the Sheriff deputy there. He said to grab a flashlight and start searching a field for the boy that was in the house but now missing. They didn't know if he was tossed out or trapped under the debris of the house. They had just found the mother under the debris who was rushed to the CareFlite staging area.
After about 15 minutes of searching, the fire engine's horn was blasted to let us know they had found him. He was found trapped under the debris, but they did not know if he was alive. After about an hour, they were still trying to get him out. I and about 10 other people were willing to jump in and help, but there wasn't room and it would risk collapse. It became apparent though that the firefighters and deputies transitioned into recovery mode. His name was Colson Owens, a freshman at Van Alstyne High School. He had taken shelter under the stairwell of their two-story house. I pray for his family as they endure a long road to recovery.
The deputy thanked us for our help, so I drove around to see if I could help elsewhere. Fortunately, emergency vehicles from all surrounding communities and counties were on the scene. There was actually too much help because quite a few of them were staged in a waiting area in Westminster. I finished the night driving around the damaged areas to see if I could be of assitance and was impressed by how many emergency vehicles had descended on the area. McKinney, Sherman, Plano, and every other small town from within the county as well as all surrounding counties were there. My neighbors were in good hands. If any good comes out of this tragedy, it is the spirit and good nature of people shine through in a dazzling display of unselfish compassion and wanting to help in any way possible.
Some things I've pondered today that I want to do in the future include carrying a good first aid kit, boots, and heavy duty work gloves. It wouldn't take up much room in the vehicle yet would be critical if you ever need them. I was ill equipped last night in that regard. At least my spotlight came in handy as well as the flashlight. It's also been about 15 years since I took any sort of first aid course. It really disturbed me a great deal in that if I came upon somebody seriously wounded, I wouldn't be able to render proper aid. Fortunately, I didn't have to. I hope to rectify these deficiencies very soon.
Lastly, from what I've heard, most of our DFW weather personalities and their fellow media counterparts performed in a typical Three Stooges fashion when everything was breaking loose. I didn't observe this of course, but it would be par for the course. I'm going into a rant here, so I'll stop for now.
Also, kudos to the Collin County spotters and the other participating chasers for an outstanding SKYWARN net. I would have jumped in to call my report, but it was far from necessary with the outstanding "play-by-play" account in conjunction with the NWS. I would have just cluttered up the communications. At least that part of the warning process works quite well.
My video aired on The Weather Channel and FoxNews all day today. My video captures of the tornadoes can be seen here:
http://www.texastailchaser.com/chases/2006/may9/pictures/
The map of the damage path I surveyed last night (some slight errors possible due to exhaustion and 3am in the morning) as well as my route:
http://www.texastailchaser.com/chases/2006/may9/map.gif
The official NWS damage map just released:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/collingraytrak.htm
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/collintor06.htm
Some news links:
dallasnews.com
Channel 5
CBS News 11
posted by Steve Miller TX at 5/10/2006 07:53:00 PM
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