USA Tornado Outbreak 18-25 Jan

[Weetbicks]

America has seen quite an unusually high number of reported tornado's for this time of year over the last week, including a handful in California (even coastal Los Angeles) which is very rare. El Nino causing some interesting weather over there, and looks to be continuing for the next couple of days too.

Tornado in Huntsville, Alabama

The same tornado from an amazing perspective…

Do you think this is an indication that this year will be a bumper year for tornado season?

[NZstorm]

yes, it looks like the Gulf states may have an active tornado season over the next couple of months due to El Nino providing a very active pattern. The southern states are known as Dixie Tornado Alley as places like Alabama rival Oklahoma in tornado count. It is impossible to say how the season will be in tornado alley (Midwest plains) this spring but there are no negative indications around such as drought. The season is April/May which is still a long way off.

[Twizel Dave]

Hello chaps! I believe this may be a different view of the same tornado.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bsQ-mXynj0

[Weetbicks]

Thanks for posting the link Dave. Man, that is a really eerie tornado, just hovering above the city waiting to drop down. The tornado sirens really add to the "apocalyptic-ness" of the whole thing, it must be a terrifying experience for some, and awe inspiring for the rest!

The tornado itself is also right on the very back edge of the storm which is awesome, blue sky on one side, total darkness on the other, amazing.

[mikestormchaser]

Awesome vid well done finidng that! i am hoping to go with you storm chasers at some point to the midwest for some chasing be scary id say but absolutly bone chilling adrenalin rush!

[NZstorm]

Yes, not a bad clip. It documents a low topped winter supercell quite well.

[spwill]

Excellent clip, love the wide angle view of that storm

[MichiganJFrog]

I am the person who filmed that last clip posted by Dave. It was totally amazing, and indeed it is a different view of the same storm. I was so expecting to see it come out from behind that tree and watch it demolish my town. AGAIN! (OK City and Huntsville AL are the most tornado prone metro areas in the world.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Outbreak
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_1 ... o_outbreak

The apartment complex pictured on the second wiki page is less than 1/4 mile from my home. THAT was some scary s**t!!! (I wasn't here in '74, but that would have been about 3/4 mile north.)

BTW I am meeting tomorrow with a Prof at the local University who wants to see the whole file for an ongoing research project. If ya'll are interested, I'll let you know what he has to say.

[Weetbicks]

Hi JFrog,

Thanks for stopping by, that's very cool of you to do so! I'd love to hear what the Professor has to say. Do you study Meteorology or just an enthusiast?