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Anyone ever seen a tornado in person?

Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:12 am
Posted by SidewalkTiger
Midwest, USA
Member since Dec 2019
55448 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:12 am
This is on my bucket list, hopefully a Great Plains, far away from my house, type out in the middle of nowhere.

I've storm chased a few times but always came up empty.
Posted by fr33manator
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2010
126411 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:14 am to
Every morning

Posted by Bryno1960
Off River Road
Member since Aug 2013
2716 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:15 am to
As long as I've lived in the south, I've never seen one (thank goodness) and that includes the time I spend in Oklahoma and Texas while in the Air Force.
Posted by Bama and Beer
Baldwin Co, AL
Member since Oct 2010
81451 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:15 am to
quote:

Anyone ever seen a tornado in person?
No one ever has
Posted by TTU97NI
Celina, TX
Member since Mar 2017
1173 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:16 am to
Lived in the panhandle of TX for 3 years. We have seen quite of few small ones, called Rope Tornadoes? but have seen quite a few start to form and make a funnel but then disappear. Only seen the aftermath of the big ones that have touched down, OKC (2000) and Mississippi around Laural (2014/15?)
Posted by Steadyhands
Slightly above I-10
Member since May 2016
6945 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:16 am to
Seen several. The best was watching from a large window, about 5 miles away. Saw the funnel cloud come down, touched the ground for 5 seconds or so, and went back up.

All were in the Midwest.
This post was edited on 1/31/24 at 6:18 am
Posted by IAmNERD
Member since May 2017
19960 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:18 am to
Saw a decent sized waterspout once while fishing in the Gulf.
Posted by CunningLinguist
Dallas, TX
Member since Mar 2006
18888 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:23 am to
Yes. Pulled over on side of highway in Texas in panhandle for a work trip. That shite was scary
Posted by Snipe
Member since Nov 2015
11854 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:26 am to
quote:

Anyone ever seen a tornado in person?


Yep.

A few but only one kinda close.

Also seen plenty of waterspouts fishing in the gulf.
This post was edited on 2/1/24 at 5:27 am
Posted by cable
Member since Oct 2018
9722 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:26 am to
yes, many. It's not that much fun. I've seen some extremely violent ones.
This post was edited on 1/31/24 at 6:28 am
Posted by Cheese Grits
Wherever I lay my hat is my home
Member since Apr 2012
56527 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:27 am to
Yes, too many times to count.

While I respect researchers who storm case, others are well known to Red Forman

Posted by OK Roughneck
The Sooner State
Member since Aug 2021
10946 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:35 am to
I have seen them and I would never go chasing them.
Posted by DoctorTechnical
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2009
2834 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:35 am to
Fun fact: the man for whom the tornado rating scale is named never saw one until late in his career.

Dr. Tornado
Posted by aTmTexas Dillo
East Texas Lake
Member since Sep 2018
16689 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:35 am to
Yes, in the South Louisiana countryside when I was a kid. And a funnel cloud in Cypress, Texas when I lived in Houston. Told everyone on the van it was a funnel cloud. Nobody believed it until they got home and turned on the weather.

Oh and I've seen F5 tornado damage in Oklahoma for the 2011 El Reno F5. In a few areas only slabs remained. Only one or two deaths in that tornado. I've seen damage paths from a half dozen tornados including from the air as I approached the Ok City airport, the Moore 2013 F5.

Was in a tornado shelter in garage for the 2013 El Reno F5. Sirens were blaring in the distance. My wife could hardly wait to move out of Oklahoma. Funny thing about this one was I was working in west OK City. We all knew there was a tornado watch. One by one my direct reports came to me and said they were leaving to go home. I looked out the window and blue skies with a few puffy clouds. Got back to working on my computer. At about five I looked out the window and saw the biggest, blackest towering thunderstorm clouds I'd ever seen. I decided to split at that point and was somewhat concerned. After that tornado because so many had been caught out in cars our company decided to instruct employees to shelter in the basement of our building rather than to cut them loose before quitting time.
This post was edited on 1/31/24 at 6:49 am
Posted by jbgleason
Bailed out of BTR to God's Country
Member since Mar 2012
19181 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:36 am to
Yes. When I was living in north LA one came through my neighborhood in the middle of the day. I had worked a night shift the prior evening so I was home. Was sleeping on the couch and heard a roaring like a train (or maybe a low flying jet). I was right by Barksdale so I ran out front. That thing was coming right for me. It was on the ground and spitting out debris and there were electrical flashes and transformers popping. About a block from my house, it lifted off and went right over my head. I could look up into it. It touched down again a couple of miles away. Don't know why I was spared.

Spent the rest of that day pulling people out of collapsed houses, cutting downed trees and looking for my buddies dog.
Posted by Scuttle But
Member since Nov 2023
1301 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:36 am to
I've seen a few water spouts of the coast in the gulf of Mexico. Even saw one on lake Pontchartrain. Never a real life tornado that makes and Dorothy fly though.
Posted by LSURoss
The Bleachers
Member since Dec 2007
15733 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:37 am to
Yes. In Waskom, TX. At the time my wife and I lived in a double wide. The tornado crossed I-20 about 1/4 - 1/2 mile to the west of us. Every time the lightning would flash, you could see it.

Before it arrived I was standing on the porch and you could feel the pressure change and the wind stop and shift direction. It was pretty wild.

Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
12520 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:39 am to
Yes, south of Jackson Mississippi about 10 years ago. I thought I was a goner.
Posted by Neveragain
Ok, maybe one more time
Member since Apr 2023
111 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:44 am to
At fire school at Delgado back in 2017. One passed right by the school along side of NASA. It was a surreal experience.

Tornado's exist for Mother Nature to let you know just who is in charge
Posted by Chili Davis
Wichita, KS
Member since Nov 2010
826 posts
Posted on 1/31/24 at 6:46 am to
I saw the end of the Andover, KS tornado from a couple of years ago. We were downtown in Wichita at my daughter’s ballet recital. I got a text from a buddy telling me to get to the basement if we weren’t already there. My son and I left the recital to head back to the house and saw the tornado for about 2 minutes before it stopped.


No damage to my house, but my YMCA a mile down the road was toast. Neighbors sent me a photo of my house with the tornado in the background.
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