Awesome Jim Reed Tornado Footage from ABC News

[Gerrit Gulden]

Not sure if anyone has seen this yet. It was featured on Stormreport. Enjoy



http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Weather/story?id=4819080&page=1

[Mike Peregrine]

Jim is awesome. That is incredible. Someone at work sent it to me earlier today and it's jaw dropping.

[Dave Gallaher]

Can't get a video link there...

Edit--got it----wow~!

[Tyler Allison]

*gasp* *replay* *faint*

[Jeff Miller]

That is absolutely, without a doubt, the pinnacle of what a chaser can do. Absolutely spectacular. Wow!

[Darrin Rasberry]

Didn't know Reed (Timmer)'s Ellis storm from last year (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNL7ASvl4k4) would ever be lapped. Holy cow, Jim looks like he was going to run straight into it!

Does Jim typically chase in Western Kansas? His tornadoes usually tend to pick up a massive amount of dirt and dust (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBd0sG559aA).

[D. Hayes]

I want to see the video Jim was taking up close. I don't think any of that footage was shown in the video clip above.

[Mike Hollingshead]

I want to see the video Jim was taking up close. I don't think any of that footage was shown in the video clip above.

He was taking stills. I'd like to see those as well.

And Timmer's Ellis stuff is in an entirely different league, imo. Not thinking many would be running around in a field with that one, lol.

[Greg McLaughlin]

wow....I am jealous! what an awesome experience!

[Eric Flescher]

d
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What an impressive chase and video. He really gets close up. I saw it on ABC news here locally and then KMBC channel 9 in Kansas city. Also shown the Alabama video footage. But already will rank in the top ten of this year already. Wow

[Shane Adams]

It's cool, but IMO his 2002 Pretty Prairie stuff was more intense.

[Mike Peregrine]

I thought this one looked just like Pretty Prairie ... first thing it reminded me of. They showed a picture of this landspout on the news in KC tonight. Someone working over there snapped a picture of it from a distance.

[Darrin Rasberry]

Pretty Prairie? Any Youtube links for that? Never heard of it ...

I thought Jim Reed posted here?

[Jay Cazel]

Pretty Prairie? Any Youtube links for that? Never heard of it ...

I thought Jim Reed posted here?


If you go to Reeds web site you can see a picture of that Pretty Prairie tube on the third picture that comes up.

http://www.jimreedphoto.com/

I will talk with Jim and see if he can start posting some chase pics/logs on here.

[Bill Tabor]

Certainly unique cool footage. Unfortunately however my first and main reaction is 'STUPID'. Is this what we are now having to do as chasers to out do the next guy and make it on national television in order to be the next chase God? Whatever...

Still, this can't compare to my planned stunt later this summer of skydiving out of a plane into a tornado while juggling! :D

[Dennis Sherrod]

Still, this can't compare to my planned stunt later this summer of skydiving out of a plane into a tornado while juggling! :D

Bill, you forgot to add: At the same time you are getting arrested for refusing to leave.

But that stunt could be fun if you knew it was really going to stand still.

[mike scantlin]

Is this what we are now having to do as chasers to out do the next guy and make it on national television in order to be the next chase God? Whatever...



are you being serious?

Im sure Jim is perfectly capable of handling himself. He was not trying to outdo anyone. That weakening landspout doesn't even compare to the Ellis co. May 4th tornado. He wasn't running into a strong tornado. It was amazing to see and he got the shot of a lifetime...

Maybe you should consider a different domain name. Hand it over to someone looking to be the next "chase god":rolleyes:

[Mike Hollingshead]

Certainly unique cool footage. Unfortunately however my first and main reaction is 'STUPID'. Is this what we are now having to do as chasers to out do the next guy and make it on national television in order to be the next chase God? Whatever...

Still, this can't compare to my planned stunt later this summer of skydiving out of a plane into a tornado while juggling! :D

At least Jim knows what he's looking at, which is more than can be said about some.

[Bill Tabor]

Ok, I'm not surprised I am taking some heat for my statement. Maybe it is deserved. It just strikes me as being a stunt, and obviously it is because he said he planned it and even practiced it. What I am getting at is it seems every year somebody is having to do something to top the next guy, such as the whole driving into a tornado thing. I wonder where it ends? Do you guys really think this is good, and good for chasing? Perhaps I'll end up being in the minority on this one and take a hit, but I'm not going to lie and call something cool when I think it's just a ploy for attention. This is just my opinion...and you are welcome to yours.

As for Jim Reed, I don't know him, and haven't met him. I mean no disregard to him, and he's probably a great chaser. What I am judging is the stunt. It is that and not Jim that I called 'STUPID'. I an entitled to attack the concept and not the person - which I did.

My apologies if I have offended some of you with my direct opinion, perhaps I should have kept my opinion to myself; however it just occurred to me that it seemed everyone was Pro on this topic, and yeah while 'cool' I just thought there was another side to the topic that I thought was worthwhile to present.

EDIT: In retrospect, after a bit of reflection I realize Jim probably wasn't that close and therefore probably was never in much if any danger. There is a bit of illusion affect where if you have the camera back with a very large object in the foreground and you are in between the two it can make you look very close to the object. I've seen this with Geoff Mackley and others in front of volcanoes that are erupting where it appears they are practically in the volcano. For example check out: http://www.emergency.co.nz/archive/etna.html. From that perspective it is a unique idea - and I agree pretty inventive and cool. It's still a planned stunt, but like many of you have pointed out - I suppose who cares if he isn't hurting anyone. Maybe I'll want to do my own 'stunt' someday - so I suppose everyone is entitled.

Mike S / Mike H - I've never personally attacked or insulted either of you in public. In fact, I was one of the first to rave and make a big deal about Mike H's pictures years ago, promote him on public forums, amongst friends, and have been a fan. Whereas it is true I used flamboyant language to describe my feelings about Jim's video initially I never intended to direct that at him personally. It was a comment about a trend in chasing I don't necessarily agree with. Alternatively both of you guys have made it personal and basically flamed me - even if it was a somewhat mild flame. This of course is against StormTrack policy as I understand it. You didn't really give me time or opportunity to see the other side of the argument, or change it since you quoted my text. Actually I quickly intended to delete my comment when soon after I felt my choice of words was too strong, but was unable to because of this. It's sad you guys felt the need to respond at the level you did. I could flame back, but of course it is against policy and I really don't want to be on that level.

[Gerrit Gulden]

Here is a longer clip of that tornado.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=299_1210375488

[Mike Hollingshead]

Would it be better or change anything if folks are simply trying to one up themsleves? I know when I go out, that's my goal....get something crazier. If it takes me into a tornado one day, so beit. It's life, some of us want more of a thrill out of it than others.....hence doing things others don't feel like doing(but feel more like whining about after it's been done).

[jeremy wilson]

When I chase getting the greatest clip of all time isn't whats on my mind in the heat of the moment. What I'm thinking is of getting as close as i possibly can without dying. If that means running across a field to get to the dang thing I would do it, and like H said above I've thought many times about the very real possibility of ending up in one.

[Laura Duchesne]

Wow that is beautiful. Congrats to Mr. Reed!

A stunt? Naw. In my opinion, if he knows which way it was moving and he knew the roads around the area, I highly doubt he would put himself in a dangerous position. It looks clear to me he knew what he was doing. Mr. Reed has seen some very good stuff... that Pretty Prairie image was incredible too.

It's really deceiving out there... you can see for miles and miles. So it may look real close but in reality, not very....

[Michael Towers]

Fantastic footage, don’t know if I’d have the stones to get that close myself but everyone has their own limits/threshold they are willing to push, as long as they’re not compromising the safety of others in doing so then no big deal. What’s foolish can be subjective; some people consider chasing foolish/reckless altogether.

Great stuff Jim, this and the Pretty Prairie footage are nothing less than superb!

[Andrew Khan]

Hmm, I highly doubt this would top my intentional suicide, by walking into a tornado. They are both similar, in that they both give chasers bad names. But, I suspect it is only "awesome tornado footage", because it is dangerous.

[Dann Cianca]

Hmm, I highly doubt this would top my intentional suicide, by walking into a tornado. They are both similar, in that they both give chasers bad names. But, I suspect it is only "awesome tornado footage", because it is dangerous.

Jim in the frame or not ... still awesome footage.

[John Hudson]

A stunt, well maybe. But a real friggin' cool one. Congrats, Jim! I'd give anything to get close enough to smell it!

John

[Marc Rémillard]

Wow this is amazing. When did Jim stop running?

[Jay McCoy]

Wow this is amazing. When did Jim stop running?


probably when he pissed his pants :)


I doubt there is many of us that havent wanted to run into a dying landspout where winds may top out at 60-70mph but i dont think I would have chosen one that was still 200 yards wide and could still strengthen. Thats just me.

[Marc Rémillard]

Yeah... I wouldn't take a chance, with my non-17-years-storm-chasing-experience.

[Robert Dewey]

Would it be better or change anything if folks are simply trying to one up themsleves?

Exactly, and I think people should just worry about themselves. I mean, who cares if someone is doing a one-up, stupid stunt, or whatever? If it's not directly affecting you, why stress yourself out over it?

[beaudodson]

Not the smartest way of capturing a tornado. It could have strenthened or changed speed or direction. The video is incredible and it is a beautiful circulation with the dust and debris. Amazing. Not sure it sends a good message to the public though (but that isn't or wasn't his goal - so it doesn't really matter). I have already heard some news media talk about this subject. Sort of like the tornado video from under the overpass. At the end of the day everyone has to take care of their own safety though.

The video is an amazing piece of work. I think most of us would have loved to have been there as well - smart or not. Had I been in his shoes and had his experience then I would have done the same (perhaps not THAT close but close enough). Thumbs up on an incredible piece of video - at the very least.

[Mike Hollingshead]

I never understand the baby the public thoughts on things. Who cares what things look like to the public? I mean really. Crazy video has existed for a long time, and has it made "you" be more crazy? I know when I chase certain storms, nothing anyone else has done really makes me any braver in this or that situation(and I've seen a ton of videos).

And if it did make someone braver and they wind up killing themselves over it....oh well.

[Jay Cazel]

I talked to Jim today about posting his chase account on Stormtrack. Right now Jim as been busy with assignments and he would love to be able to post some of the pictures so everyone could see them. But right now he needs to get the okay from his client before he can, as soon as the client gives the green light he will have them up on his website.

Jim also asked me to tell everyone how this chase went down. They started the day in Colby Ks, (with his chase partner Robin Lorenson who took all the video. Jim took all the stills.) They got on this storm from the inception of the cu field to the end of the landspout. After talking with Jim, this was not a stunt, or something that he intended to do but he saw the spout starting to dissipate and at the last second decided to get out of the car to take some up close pictures. From what Jim was explaining me no one has gotten this close before to taking pictures of a dying landspout, or tornado and he told me if he thought there was any real danger he would have NOT gotten out of the car. Also Jim was using some new Nikon cameras that will show some great details of this storm.

I personally don’t believe this was a stunt by Jim; it was just a storm chaser getting some great shots and video.

[Randy Denzer]

Great footage, Hats off to Jim, I am jealous!

As far as public perception? You now have CNN asking the general public to risk their lives and go outside to take pictures of severe weather instead of taking cover like they should. I sure hope that if anyone gets hurt taking I-reporter pics that a lawyer can nail CNN to the wall. I feel it is highly irresponsible and unprofesional to ask the public to risk their lives.

I think Jim has enough experience to figure out if this was safe or not... I think he should have put on some goggles and ran into the landspot and took some inside shots!

Wheres my spell check?

[Bill Tabor]

I personally don’t believe this was a stunt by Jim; it was just a storm chaser getting some great shots and video.


I'm not trying to push the 'stunt' angle, but as I recall, I believe from watching that morning show segment they were explaining that they had practiced for this lots of times and felt this was the right time. -Perhaps I recall wrong? But if true, then it would have been an intended pre-planned stunt.

So, I am confused. Does anyone else remember hearing or reading this part?

Doesn't make any difference to me! Pictures would have been better from inside as Randy mentioned.

[Jay McCoy]

Jim was on GMA this morning and talked about his weekends outbreak and the tornado he shot. Good interview.

[Darrin Rasberry]

As far as public perception? You now have CNN asking the general public to risk their lives and go outside to take pictures of severe weather instead of taking cover like they should. I sure hope that if anyone gets hurt taking I-reporter pics that a lawyer can nail CNN to the wall. I feel it is highly irresponsible and unprofesional to ask the public to risk their lives.


Absolutely. Are Jim's actions risky? Yes. Is it good for storm chasing? I don't know exactly what is meant here, but as far as public perception goes, I don't think this is going to elevate the opinion of Joe Public that chasers are all crazy. I mean, the Crocodile Hunter had a big show and was known worldwide, but did you see a widespread report of deaths from people wrestling crocodiles?

But the CNN thing will put Joe P. in danger, even if they know better than to do what Jim does and just want to get "close enough to see it" - it's an easy way to get your name on national news. What if it's discovered that a completely untrained and uninformed "I-reporter" (or whatever they're called) was killed on the road near Picher or Newton the other day, because they went out to shoot some "raw eyewitness footage" for immediate fame instead of seeking shelter?

[Warren Faidley]

This was a landspout, not a "full-blown," deep meso-type tornado. I've been near these on several occasions and they are "generally" no more than a dust devil on crack. I've driven right to the fringes (and through one once when I had the fortified truck). They are extremely predictable, compared to full-blown tornadoes -- although I would not push my luck too far and I don't recommend or suggest anyone do this -- for the record. Jim is an experienced chaser and a good photographer. I think it was an excellently planned and executed publicity stunt and I tip my hat to Jim for some great footage.

W.

[Mike Peregrine]

Definitely non-mesocyclonic. On the distance photo shown of this event on the news locally, this appeared to be extending out of an outflowish feature on the storm. The forecaster showing the photo identified it as a landspout, and that is also how it appeared to me. You probably could have just about driven through it with little more to worry about than chips to the paint.

[Bill Tabor]

Yep, I checked the source again and at the bottom of the page it mentions they rehearsed it. Also toward the end of the video with Good Morning America Jim says that his whole team has been rehearsing many times since March 30 - so sounds to me in that regard it was a 'stunt'. But I agree on Warren's label of a excellently planned and executed publicity stunt.

Also I remember Jon Davies once mentioning landspouts in the past have been measured up to F4 strength damage wise so... guys don't necessarily think all are innocuous and you can drive into them like a big warm fuzzy dust devil. :D

[Warren Faidley]

Interesting note about the F-4 strength. Something to consider and research.

In some ways, it's a shame chasing has come to this, of needing to feed the media frenzy of "one-upping someone else".... but it's just the way adventure-related pursuits go now days. It use to be that a client would call looking for "tornado footage," but now days it's changed to "dramatic" life and death or "debris." You would be surprised of the specific level of "horror" my office gets requests for. Even the TV shows don't want to move forward unless there is some element of "getting too close," or near death. Oh well, subject for a future post.

I have a feeling there will be a lot more spouts this year in such a high shear, low RH environment.

W.

[beaudodson]

Surprised nobody has posted this - I put it on www.stormreports.org (http://www.stormreports.org) a few minutes after it was uploaded. I am fairly certain that this is the same tornado/landspout.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puGZ1XK22hs

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLSd73cDL-k

[James Langford]

So, I'm guessing that is Jim's car in the second video as the landspout dies out?

James

[Shawna Davies]

Also I remember Jon Davies once mentioning landspouts in the past have been measured up to F4 strength damage wise so... guys don't necessarily think all are innocuous and you can drive into them like a big warm fuzzy dust devil. :D

To clarify, Jon says he never said landspouts can reach F4 intensity... typically the strongest might get to F2 intensity (Denver metro area has on occasion recorded some low-end F3 damage from them). Maybe someone got confused with Jon's comments about the Jarrell TX tornado (May '97) that appeared to start as a landspout, then morphed into a violent supercell tornado. That was an unusual case with some very different things going on in the environment, not well understood, and certainly not a pure "landspout" event.

Regarding Jim Reed's intercept last Thursday, Jon says the tornado was clearly a landspout (see http://davieswx.blogspot.com), probably EF0 or EF1 max intensity. He also says it would have been nice if it had been clarified in the interviews and video showings that the tornado was indeed a landspout tornado, typically weak and very slow moving, so that non-chaser viewers watching would understand that it was very different from a supercell tornado with a chaser running right up to it (very stupid and very dangerous). Jim, for whatever reason, did not clarify this in his interviews.

Jon, I hope you get an account soon...

Shawna Helt

[Dann Cianca]

No need to do any further analysis ... this non-supercell tornado formed when the storm was barely a blip on radar. When the warning box popped up, the storm was barely +35dbz. We were watching the radar pretty hard here in Denver (at least I was) ... saw the warning, did my best whiskey tango foxtrot face and started calling people.

[Bill Tabor]

To clarify, Jon says he never said landspouts can reach F4 intensity... typically the strongest might get to F2 intensity (Denver metro area has on occasion recorded some low-end F3 damage from them). Maybe someone got confused with Jon's comments about the Jarrell TX tornado (May '97) that appeared to start as a landspout, then morphed into a violent supercell tornado. That was an unusual case with some very different things going on in the environment, not well understood, and certainly not a pure "landspout" event.

Odd, as I thought I recalled that fact - primarily because I found it somewhat shocking. This conversation happened some years ago when I was discussing land spout tornadoes on a Wx-Chase thread. I was pretty sure he responded that way mentioning one case. I keep all my archives..I may be able to find the post. I'll check.

[Jason Harris]

Here's a theoretical paper suggesting the ratio for supercell vs. non-supercell F4/F5 tornado correlations:

---
"distribution would imply that about 1 out of every 70 supercell tornadoes is violent (F4 or F5), and about 1 out of every 7000 reported non-supercell tornadoes in the United States is violent."
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/users/brooks/public_html/toulclim.html

--
I could swear that someone here at stormtrack mentioned an F4 non-supercell tornado as well. Maybe it was in the education section.

[Bill Tabor]

Haven't found the reference or email yet, so I may be mistaken. However I did find one from Roger Hill to Wx-chase on landspout strength:

"Landspouts definitely count! I have seen landspouts nearly a quarter mile wide, and causing F2-F3 damage. Just remember in simple terms a landspout forms from the ground up, where a supercell tornado of course forms from the cloud down. Landspouts often form under a wind shift boundary where there is little shear aloft, but decent CAPE and moisture. Along that boundary you get areas of rotating winds that get pulled up into the base of a developing storm. The column of air is stretched and tighted, thus causing it to spin faster. Soon a debris cloud forms on the ground, then a small funnel forms at cloud base and hopefully soon the two will meet :) They often last for more than 15 minutes. And this usually before any rain or even lightning occurs. "

Could have sworn I once had a reference to an F4 landspout.

[Bill Tabor]

I have found more support for F3 Landspouts:
"From: "Jonathan Triggs" <jtriggs@USWCL.ARS.AG.GOV>
To: <WX-CHASE@listserv.uiuc.edu>
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2001 12:25 PM
Subject: Re: [WX-CHASE] Landspout Winds


> The discussion on landspouts v. tornadoes reminded me of an article
> written by a man that worked closely with Ted Fujita...
>
> Wakimoto, R.M., and J.W. Wilson, 1989: Non-supercell tornadoes. Monthly
> Weather Review, 117, 1113-1140.
>
> The article discussed how small areas of pre-existing circulations can
> be stretched and picked up by convective updrafts to form "non-supercell
> tornadoes." A big example of these conditions is the Denver and Front
> Range areas where there is a nearly persistent convergence boundary.
> When a tight area of positive vorticity becomes collocated with an
> updraft (e.g. cumulus cloud), the results can be explosive...
>
> The article also points out that landspouts can cause damage up to the
> F3 level. Also to note...they referred to the term "landspout" as the
> common expression, but they defined them as tornadoes not associated
> with a supercell.
>
> Jonathan Triggs"

http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0493(1989)117%3C1113%3ANST%3E2.0.CO%3B2&ct=1

I checked the article and it says capabilities up to F2, but mentions two tornadoes they found matching the landspout definition and one was F3.

[Kurt Hulst]

That was flippin sweet man. Did I hear this right it was may 8, 2008?