STORM TRACK: May 31, 1985 (Volume 8 Issue 4)

This was the year of the funnel cloud and phantom tornado! Funnels were everywhere (generally small, high base events) and some tornadoes (mostly in April) but rarely where chasers were. It was an interesting chase year, with a big winner (Erik and Lisa Rasmussen photographing nine, saw 14, on May 10); a first timer (Lou Wicker puts "TOTO" in the path of a tornado) and in-depth media coverage of chasing by National Geographic (magazine and cable television). Although only one classic tornado situation presented itself during the Editor's three week trip (which he missed), there were several interesting storm chases throughout this spring. In fact, the stories of missed tornadoes are almost as good as the few actual intercepts. Despite a very active April with several multiple outbreak weekends of 20-30 twisters at a time, very few were actually photographed. The Editor saw five distant ones and photographed four (one missed due to exposure problems) and photographed 16 funnels (most of the latter with his daughter, Sarah, on her second chase trip). None of these tornadoes were anticipated when they occurred. In fact, that can be said of most of this year's intercepts -- more on this later. No one that I know was in Ohio or Pennsylvania on that last May Friday, when their world turned upside down. A few of us saw the first tornadic thunderstorm go up east of us near St. Joseph, MO, Thursday evening. However, the system was moving too fast (jumped four states in 20 hours) for any chaser to follow. Also that area of the country doesn't lend itself to chasing (more trees and hills), and the atmosphere isn't as clear on a humid day as it is in western states for spotting storm bases at a distance. --- On balance, May, 1985 was not a good month for plains twisters, at least not by seasonal expectations. From chase reports, the last half of April through May 10 was best. However, the normal mid to late May peak didn't occur. This was also true last year and, to some extent, for 1983. The Editor is beginning to wonder if we are in a short term period of climatic change, with the season's peak moving up a week or two on average. Perhaps an earlier chase trip next year is called for. What are your thoughts on this?