I can see you were going south on Range line Road in this video from about 22nd street. The way the tornado went, you literally drove south out of the main damage path. Holy cow --- that’s way too close for comfort! May 21st, the day before, I had just used exit 11 on I-44 to go to St. Louis. Creepy, I had no idea the next day an EF5 would’ve went right across where I was the day before. Most of Joplin's 20th street was annihilated. My heart goes out to those people.
@DNBGuRu I completely agree with you, that was 110% pure adrenaline. They were NOT in anyway cheering that Joplin was being destroyed. The cheering and the calling people idiots and all that was extreme excitement escaping their bodies the only way it could, being confined in a car, directly in front of a very deadly very powerful storm. They must have said ten times that we have got to help these people while they were in the midst of it all. Which in my mind makes them honorable.
driving down rangeline rd. there, just before Lowe's most of that is gone, and/or rebuilding, this must have been just before it came up to rangeline. wicked guys.. they were lucky.
Your joviality, and laughter at this situation are truly disturbing,,at the very moment you were hollering with joy,, and calling the locals "idiots" so you could protect your own Asses,,there were individuals and families being killed and injured,,, bet you didnt help did you...your inference at the "Dickheads" makes me wish you would go back to whatever "Limey" place you came from and hang your heads in shame......
If they were acting this way driving down 20th AFTER the storm, thats one thing, but this is truly one of those moments in life when that is a natural reaction. I was over on 3rd behind the mall watching it, until I was hit with Insulation from a home and realized the magnitude of what was happening. Give it a rest. They are marvelling at a rare sight, not death and destruction.
i'm sorry, but it kind of pisses me off on how excited you are getting, we havee tornadoees here a lot and it is not a fun thing, if you think about it, you are litterally watching people die right in front of you
The city of Joplin published a book titled "32 Minutes In May," commemorating the events of that day and each of the 162 lives that were lost. I received my copy a couple months ago. It is nicely written, with a lot of pictures. Each person who died is memorialized, with a photo and description of who they were in life. I think the purchase price is around $25. and all the proceeds go toward rebuilding the city.
By the way, your video is great and frightening at the same time.
I took pictures (about 150 of them) yesterday 1/19/2012. I cant post a link here but if anyone wants to see them you can go to my picasa page On picasaweb look up my page, grimshady in the album "JoplinTrailOfTears8MonthLater20120119"
This is a great video and you were, at the start, right in the path of this thing. Most didn't know what was coming and your initial reaction of excitement in seeing a tornado is normal and the excitment quickly vanished as you realized what was happening. God bless you Joplin, I've never seen such devastation so widespread.
Interesting comments re "not seeing a tornado" & "why are people still at KFC" etc. Wedge tornadoes r often too big 2 recognize, espec when they approach quickly & look like severe thunderstorms/squall lines, which we've ALL encountered. Trees/rain/rapid darkness just amplify the adrenalin confusion. As w/Worcester MA in 1953 (95 dead) rapid-moving mile-wide storm was too big 2recognize as tornado. Even w/warnings, EF4-5 is so rare, no way 2anticipate which given storm will end up a milestone.
Sad that so many ppl were confused by Joplin's siren policy. Go read the NWS report if you don't know what I mean. They shut the sirens off after a bit instead of a constant on, which made ppl think that the warning had been cancelled. THAT is why you see so many going about their business not knowing what is heading their way.
@briebel2684 In some places they do not keep the sirens going. Joplin does not keep them on because they said that it would waste the batteries. In Joplin the sirens are turned on for strong winds a lot of the time. That afternoon when the sirens went on for the first time it was nothing but blue skys. Alot of people though they were just testing the sirens and it is why people kept going on about their business. When the clouds came in they came in way to fast and it was to late for to many.
I didn't see anything in this video! But the guy yelling, was he on a radio or what? You telling the people to get out of the way was kind of a oxymoron statement why weren't you in hiding too?
@drewsky684 omg haha i saw that too I'm like SERIOUSLY!? I worked at a restaurant for 4 years & when sirens were going off stuff people would be coming in and get upset that we werent seating people b/c of the storm...some people!
yeah the guys were heading the right way south on rangeline
evidently because just north of them, was the path the tornado took,like the guy(noonstorm84) said they were going to take shelter at the home depot, when u see the lowes store, home depot is not to far up rangeline back north. I live in SE kansas and u get so many of these tornado warnings that don't amount to anything that u become lax about them and u don't take the appropriate action. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY!!!
I can see my apartment complex in the background at 0:40. The complex sustained severe damage, I was lucky, my apt was one of only six that was habitable after the tornado. As of today (10/26/11) the complex is still trying to get itself repaired.
How were you guys able to see where you were driving? Good video though. Boy, camcorders came in real handy for this storm! Just think 20 or so years ago we never would have had so many interesting videos about this storm!!
yeah u guys were lucky,, i wasn't as far as losing everything i had,, one wall standing,,and i kept thinking everyone else's was worse, than mine, but in reality it wasn't,, mine was just as bad,,we live in tornado alley and should be prepared,, even renters,, the people they rent from should provide shelter
Ya know I from Joplin I lost my home in that tornado, what really bugs me about this video, is the cheering and excitment exhibit early on in the film, while over 7000 were being destroyed, and over 160 people died, and many more injured. The area they are traveling from the start of the film to about 48 seconds in was a total loss as the tornado made it way through there a couple of minutes later. I hope these guys got a thill they were seeking while documenting our tragedy.
@lennyandhope Lenny you have to look at it this way they were not cheering for the death of the people in the path of the storm. What they were experiencing was adrenaline rush they were scared to death and when you are scared like that you have mixed emotions from excitement to outcry.
There were over 40 people killed on Range Line where you were filming. The tornado was rain shrouded so it was very hard to see. There were reports that people thought it was a rain line till it hit, just a dark line that shimmered till it struck.
I live north of Joplin in Webb City. The main reason there may have been so many people out in Joplin when the tornado hit was that reports had indicated the rotation to have been spotted just north of Joplin. Joplin was included in the warning but so were all of the towns directly bordering along the north end of town. If you look at the radar shots of the area you can see where the main cell is northwest of Joplin.
Just an add on to my previous comment. I did take shelter. I work graveyard and was asleep when the first warning was issued but was awakened by my Honey after hearing the sounds coming from the sky outside. This was around 4:45pm, a little less then an hour b4 the tornado touched down. I rolled my eyes at first but after stepping out onto the porch and hearing the one of the most unforgettable sounds I have ever heard I began to take the warning seriously.
The sound was like a continous rumble, as if it were thunder, but no lightning accompanying it. There were intermittent wind gusts as well. While watching the skies and trying to find a local station covering the oncoming storm I also got the only interior room(a small 3x4 closet with lots of stuff) ready just in case. Once the only station covering the storm came back from a commercial break the showed the tornado on their monkey cam we high tailed it to the closet for the next 10 minutes
@Slapchop200 The Joplin tornado was rain wrapped, so people had trouble seeing it. I live in northwest Arkansas, a few miles from Joplin, and we get tornado warnings all the time, and we typically have skies that look like the sky in the video, but they are always just storms and never drop anything. Many here just go on with their normal routines waiting for a tornado to come that never does. It was the same situation in Joplin that day, except tragically that really turned out to be a tornado.
This tornado broke all the "rules" so to speak and developed within literally seconds from multiple vortices to a 1 mile wide wedge...I know, because I watched it and shot it from beginning to almost end... they (tour) had a really good forecaster on board to maneuver them out of a potentially lethal situation.
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Also the road you were on was Rangeline.. the direction was South toward the Tulsa exit. I don't live far from there, so I know the roads pretty well.
I live in Joplin, I live on the 27th block of Delaware which wasn't too far from where you were at, it's unbelievable at the footage you guys have gotten. I'm amazed at the officer in the background on the louder speaker phone thingy, telling you all to get the fuck out. You guys have just told a story to people, the story of mother nature's true calling. I'm glad you all are safe, so is my family, there is a lot more to my story if you wish to hear it. Please tell me.
Actually they are thinking about changing the level of power our tornado was to an EF - 6, so it does exist, sir. It would be kind if you would refrain from calling people dumb fuck, because you, kind sir don't have your facts straight. Thank you, I bid farewell. @ckaplan81
@TheAbaharakiTwins There is no such thing as an EF-6 tornado, and until the next revision of the Fujita scale (which may or may not ever happen), there never will be.
Here's how the scale works:
EF-0: 65-85 mph
EF-1: 86-110 mph
EF-2: 111-135 mph
EF-3: 136-165 mph
EF-4: 166-200 mph
EF-5: >200 mph
There is no EF-6, and under the scale, there can't be. EF-5 ratings consist of estimated wind speeds of over 200 mph, meaning estimated wind speeds from 201 to *infinity* miles per hour are EF-5.
@jbthornton15 Yes, I understand that.. and for your information they are in talks of CHANGING it to an EF - 6, do you even live in Joplin? 'Cause if you do, then, you should know this.. If you don't live in Joplin nor work with the Weather Services, then how the hell would you know if they aren't considering it?
@TheAbaharakiTwins They will not change it to an EF-6, as it is mathematically and physically impossible on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
No, I don't live in Joplin. I live in West Plains, and I'm an amateur meteorologist. If you think you're smarter than me, tell me what CAPE and CINH signify on severe weather days.
No, I don't work for the National Weather Service. However, mostly everything they do and use is online. Read about the Enhanced Fujita Scale here:
@jbthornton15 CAPE is the "positive area" of a sounding while CINH is the "negative area" (parcel cooler than surrounding environment). CINH is the amount of energy needed to warm the PBL in order for surface parcels of air to reach the level of free convective. If the CAPE is high, and the CINH is low, thunderstorms are likely.
@jbthornton15 If the CAPE is high and the CINH is high, then more afternoon heating and warm/moist air advection will be needed before parcels from the surface will be able to reach the level of free convection. CINH can also be overcome by fronts, jet streaks, dry lines, vorticity, and others since the air is forced in the vertical to the level of free convection.
@jbthornton15 Generally, CINH values of 50 and below are low while 200 and above are high. Thermodynamic thunderstorms are unlikely as long as the CINH remains above 200. Once the CINH drops below 50 and adequate lift, instability and moisture are in place, thunderstorms are eminent. Remember, soundings can change rapidly throughout the day, especially the morning sounding. This is one area where forecaster experience is critical.
[ part three. ] I never said I was smarter than you.
@TheAbaharakiTwins Congratulations! You used Google and copy-and-pasted the answer. You win negative eighteen internets. You know how I knew you got this from somewhere else? Nobody talks like that except in documentation written by people who know more than me!
And you definitely imply you know your meteorological stuff, when I was able to easily find where you got your answer (word for word).
@jbthornton15 .. Look, I really don't wanna like argue with you because I have plenty of shit going on right now, I did look it up but I read it carefully word for word before I copied and pasted it. I never said I was a meteorologist or that I was a storm chaser. So please, excuse me for using my brain and searching the information rather then guessing and getting it wrong. -__- I really dislike arguments, especially when my town has suffered enough.
>>>You people in the 3 van caravan came very close to dying. I'd say you missed total destruction by 1 minute (motorists died in their cars when their vehicles were thrown off of Rangeline). Since you lived through the worst EF-5 tornado in history (maybe an EF-6), now would be a good time to pray to Jesus Christ and ask Him to save you. Hopefully, many who died were Christian believers. I heard the name of Jesus a number of times in your video -- please ask Him to save you. Thanks.
@noonstorm84 yEAH chadthewetherguy no body stands a snow balls chance in hell to survive wind twice that of a cat 5 hurricane, unless under ground. I went through a small tornado when i was little, but nothing even close to that of Joplin. No body can comprehend an F5 tornado unless they live trough that power, and that sound, the sound off death, like a hundred trains passing you on each side at 100 miles per hour, that is the sound. I know what it sounded like at 100-120mph but 300 no.
i lived at 17tj amd connectictu, to look, theres nothing there now,, but i made it out, how i don't know,,iam just thankful to be alive and here in joplin mo,, unlike slackes that have moved and are scared
This was very hard to watch, just knowing that people were sitting in drive-thrus, and were in businesses and out driving when that monster came through. RIP to those whose lives were taken that day. God bless Joplin.
@S0lidState i have been a chaser in australia for nearly 10 years now. So that is my accent you can here lol. I was on a tour group for 10 days before i headed off chasing by myself with a friend. There was a canadian you can here in the background as well as a couple of americans to.
@Beergut222 we didnt stay, we were going to try and get back to help but we thought we may just hinder the effort with it all. We ended up dropping south to catch the next storms and to try and help warn other towns in the way of the dangerous outbreak. It was extrodinary just how quickly that storm grew! it was a horrible feeling seeing those people in the line up, and i saw people walking down the road not knowing at all! i hate to say it but i dont think they will be with us anymore :(
I'm from Joplin and this is an amazing video. Thank you for showing this. For many of us, huddled inside our homes, we had no idea just how BIG this sucker was. Thanks again for shooting this and showing your concern for the town and it's residents.
im not saying that the people who were driving around picking up evening dinner are stupid, but they honestly may have not seen it. Things like that can happen. If i was in the van with u all i would have brought my megaphone and tried to yell for people to take cover NOW, LARGE TORNADO!!!! yet there are some who seriously try and challenge theriselves to see if they can do what they need to and get back home before it gets to them! just thrill seekers i guess =( alot werent so lucky
yeah i know we told them and im having a very hard time coming to grips with the fact that i know those people are no longer with us! it is really starting to hit me at what i saw and knowing that those people lost there lives! i have some amazing stories from this storm. we were going to take shelter in the home depot as well! its not there anymore :(
@noonstorm84 oh my god!!! so the people in home depot where u guys were gonna go, everyone died?!!! or did some survive. dear god thats horrible!!!!!!!! u all arent appreciated enough for what you do; and the fact that u put your life in danger to warn others is beyond me. THAT TAKES ALOT OF HEART!!!!!!! joplin is in the prayers of millions!!!
@noonstorm84 I chased with Roger Hill back in 2006 when we got hit by a violent hailstorm that injured his wife & a couple of passengers (thankfully minor injuries). But what you all encountered on that eventful day was very terrifying. Thank God you all made it out okay. It's very sad that the town was unaware that monster tornado was coming.
@overcomer91 i commented on another video but i guess i was right that was rodger hill. respected chaser but gets a bit close sometimes. and glad you all are all right but shame for joplin and the people
what I find disturbing about this video is the people out on the roads having absolutely no idea what was coming. Did it seem like any of the other drivers were aware? In your video I saw cars in fast food drive thru lines, and cars going very slowly down the road. I wonder what happened to all of those people...I can only hope they made it to a shelter. It seems like there was hardly any warning.
@NinerGreen My wife and I were in the mall when the 1st sirens sounded so we couldn't hear them. Nobody told us there was a tornado coming. We left there heading down the same road these guy were on (behind them) heard the second siren and decided to do what they did and go south. The tornado was so big we didn't, couldn't tell it was heading our way. We turned on 20th and ran right into it. We survived but I don't know how. We abandoned our destroed Civic and walked to our house which was gone
i broke down later on that night.. even though 40 seconds later i wouldnt be coming out of there alive! but because i knew what was coming for that poor town, it hurt me sooo deeply and being from another country where we get big supercells but not anywhere the tornadoes like here it hurts even more!!!!!!! :( i wish there was something i could of done but mother nature is a cruel beast! no we were not able to as we were fleeing for our life by the time w got back we couldnt get in :(
@jujubees2bees The reports were saying if you weren't already there to stay back. That It was still too dangerous and we would only have been in the way. The streets were literally filled with emergency cars, we couldn't get back in if we tried. Just had to keep driving : \
@RevolutionNo1 Well... I thank you for sharing this with us! While some people feel that with today's technology that all this information is a detriment to us I beg to differ! It keeps us informed and aware of our surrounding Americans who need assistance and prayers! I'm glad you were all safe!
People were in the drive thru line at KFC, amazing. Looks like the beginning of rapture to me. People so disconected from reality and spirituality in line at KFC, fake reasoned wars, porno, fake boobs, God is sooo pissed, I don't blame him.
There's now nothing left of the Lowe's store you guys past. It's amazing seeing footage of places and knowing seconds later they won't be there any more. It sends a strange, sickening feeling through you.
I am from S.E Kansas(30 miles) and neighbors to Joplin and we are so distraught by this catstrophe. Images are hard to swallow, one last look of a place we all are so familiar with is surreal and hard to grasp the risk you guys took, glad your all safe.
this is he absolute worst storm i have ever seen. this video is sad because that is what out town used to be... just yesterday morning. on the plus side, the sirens and helicopters have stopped. it look hours but i think the turmoil is coming to an end and we should be able to start rebuilding soon.
couldnt agree anymore with you jkk815 it is a horrific day! all of our thoughts are going out to everyone i just wish there was more i could do to help! Marablejenn im not quite sure of the road but i think it was the main e-w road through town
@noonstorm84 From the video you are traveling South on Rangeline Road. Joplin will be forever changed by this tornado, it cut the town in half. RIP to the 150+ killed
I left Joplin at 5pm time i got home to Miami, Ok it was on tv we were at Burger King on Range Line eating we saw storm coming on radar and took off home....Burger King is gone so is half of range line which you see in this video.
yeah it was exciting to start with until we realised that it was headed straight for town, and straight for us, we were going to take cover in the home depot but we didnt have time lucky cause home depot isnt there anymore! :( my heart goes out to everyone
fellow aussie here lucky guy being able to go storm chasing in the US but bad luck being somewhere thats been so devastated. hope all is well happy chasing
Disgusting, whooping and hollaring while people are dying and lives are being destroyed. You will burn in hell. Someone should put a bounty on you.
TheGeniusX 4 days ago
I can see you were going south on Range line Road in this video from about 22nd street. The way the tornado went, you literally drove south out of the main damage path. Holy cow --- that’s way too close for comfort! May 21st, the day before, I had just used exit 11 on I-44 to go to St. Louis. Creepy, I had no idea the next day an EF5 would’ve went right across where I was the day before. Most of Joplin's 20th street was annihilated. My heart goes out to those people.
dynamicwolf 1 week ago
Comment removed
SimonGruberSays 1 month ago
@DNBGuRu I completely agree with you, that was 110% pure adrenaline. They were NOT in anyway cheering that Joplin was being destroyed. The cheering and the calling people idiots and all that was extreme excitement escaping their bodies the only way it could, being confined in a car, directly in front of a very deadly very powerful storm. They must have said ten times that we have got to help these people while they were in the midst of it all. Which in my mind makes them honorable.
TheOutlaw008 1 month ago
driving down rangeline rd. there, just before Lowe's most of that is gone, and/or rebuilding, this must have been just before it came up to rangeline. wicked guys.. they were lucky.
DNBGuRu 1 month ago
Was that a cop hollering over a PA?
beatleman69 1 month ago
Your joviality, and laughter at this situation are truly disturbing,,at the very moment you were hollering with joy,, and calling the locals "idiots" so you could protect your own Asses,,there were individuals and families being killed and injured,,, bet you didnt help did you...your inference at the "Dickheads" makes me wish you would go back to whatever "Limey" place you came from and hang your heads in shame......
antimatter513 1 month ago
@antimatter513
If they were acting this way driving down 20th AFTER the storm, thats one thing, but this is truly one of those moments in life when that is a natural reaction. I was over on 3rd behind the mall watching it, until I was hit with Insulation from a home and realized the magnitude of what was happening. Give it a rest. They are marvelling at a rare sight, not death and destruction.
DNBGuRu 1 month ago
i'm sorry, but it kind of pisses me off on how excited you are getting, we havee tornadoees here a lot and it is not a fun thing, if you think about it, you are litterally watching people die right in front of you
halverdha1 1 month ago
The city of Joplin published a book titled "32 Minutes In May," commemorating the events of that day and each of the 162 lives that were lost. I received my copy a couple months ago. It is nicely written, with a lot of pictures. Each person who died is memorialized, with a photo and description of who they were in life. I think the purchase price is around $25. and all the proceeds go toward rebuilding the city.
By the way, your video is great and frightening at the same time.
AmaRealtor37 1 month ago
Holy Bat Fart!!!
jonasbrofan154 1 month ago
I took pictures (about 150 of them) yesterday 1/19/2012. I cant post a link here but if anyone wants to see them you can go to my picasa page On picasaweb look up my page, grimshady in the album "JoplinTrailOfTears8MonthLater20120119"
grmishady 1 month ago
This is a great video and you were, at the start, right in the path of this thing. Most didn't know what was coming and your initial reaction of excitement in seeing a tornado is normal and the excitment quickly vanished as you realized what was happening. God bless you Joplin, I've never seen such devastation so widespread.
grmishady 1 month ago
Interesting comments re "not seeing a tornado" & "why are people still at KFC" etc. Wedge tornadoes r often too big 2 recognize, espec when they approach quickly & look like severe thunderstorms/squall lines, which we've ALL encountered. Trees/rain/rapid darkness just amplify the adrenalin confusion. As w/Worcester MA in 1953 (95 dead) rapid-moving mile-wide storm was too big 2recognize as tornado. Even w/warnings, EF4-5 is so rare, no way 2anticipate which given storm will end up a milestone.
ricub1 1 month ago
getting excited about death and destruction filming a deadly tornado FU
davidallenroth 1 month ago
wow people getting gas
TRAIN24NERD 1 month ago
People were still in the KFC drive thru, LOL!!
beatleman69 1 month ago
@beatleman69 Guess they don't want their coupons in the wind
wctr413 1 month ago
0:18 NOOO JIM BOBS I hope they rebuild it was our favorite place to eat on Friday afternoons
tophlovr 1 month ago
2:11
SidneyCrosbyIsAbitch 2 months ago
"YOOHOO!" XD
kellytamayo 2 months ago
how come all the videos stop befor it ends?? and how come i couldent see the tornado
bereruter0 2 months ago
@bereruter0 its a cover blanket from God, mother nature can leave u fucted up in the head
bdoncho27 2 months ago
2 days after my birth day D:
fuzzy1416 2 months ago
Does something sttrange in you when you see these videos. We get tornados over in the UK but they mainly stay out at sea...
artstudent07 3 months ago
I love the dick heads driving right into the tornado dissing the dick heads who aren't taking shelter
niselat 3 months ago
Sad that so many ppl were confused by Joplin's siren policy. Go read the NWS report if you don't know what I mean. They shut the sirens off after a bit instead of a constant on, which made ppl think that the warning had been cancelled. THAT is why you see so many going about their business not knowing what is heading their way.
briebel2684 3 months ago
@briebel2684 In some places they do not keep the sirens going. Joplin does not keep them on because they said that it would waste the batteries. In Joplin the sirens are turned on for strong winds a lot of the time. That afternoon when the sirens went on for the first time it was nothing but blue skys. Alot of people though they were just testing the sirens and it is why people kept going on about their business. When the clouds came in they came in way to fast and it was to late for to many.
Matyme 3 months ago
Yha u can hear the guy yelling tat them to get the hell out of there!
agmpickles101 3 months ago
you cant see the tornado because it was that fucking big and they were that close....the dark ass wedge u see is the tornado
mrkawasakikx500 3 months ago
@mrkawasakikx500 and it was rain wrapped.
Matyme 3 months ago
I didn't see anything in this video! But the guy yelling, was he on a radio or what? You telling the people to get out of the way was kind of a oxymoron statement why weren't you in hiding too?
MiMiMary 3 months ago
How terrifying... Check out the tornado video at... Don Vickers music - "Whirlwind"
sendthistodon 4 months ago
1:04 I love the people still waiting in the drive through for kfc
drewsky684 4 months ago in playlist Liked 2
@drewsky684 omg haha i saw that too I'm like SERIOUSLY!? I worked at a restaurant for 4 years & when sirens were going off stuff people would be coming in and get upset that we werent seating people b/c of the storm...some people!
DaschundLover87 3 months ago
this is amazing. the feel of the whole are is just horrifying
drewsky684 4 months ago
yeah the guys were heading the right way south on rangeline
evidently because just north of them, was the path the tornado took,like the guy(noonstorm84) said they were going to take shelter at the home depot, when u see the lowes store, home depot is not to far up rangeline back north. I live in SE kansas and u get so many of these tornado warnings that don't amount to anything that u become lax about them and u don't take the appropriate action. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY!!!
bulldawgy2012 4 months ago
wtf i cant see shit in this video epic fail british bastards
justin816835 4 months ago
I can see my apartment complex in the background at 0:40. The complex sustained severe damage, I was lucky, my apt was one of only six that was habitable after the tornado. As of today (10/26/11) the complex is still trying to get itself repaired.
dpo745s 4 months ago
How were you guys able to see where you were driving? Good video though. Boy, camcorders came in real handy for this storm! Just think 20 or so years ago we never would have had so many interesting videos about this storm!!
rrbond07 4 months ago
yeah u guys were lucky,, i wasn't as far as losing everything i had,, one wall standing,,and i kept thinking everyone else's was worse, than mine, but in reality it wasn't,, mine was just as bad,,we live in tornado alley and should be prepared,, even renters,, the people they rent from should provide shelter
kgracielu2005 4 months ago
OH MY GOD OH MY GOD ITS RIGHT THERE ITS RIGHT THERE OH MY GOD OH MY GOD ITS RIGHT THERE JESUS OOHHHH OHHH OHHH
jesseadkins187 4 months ago
Ya know I from Joplin I lost my home in that tornado, what really bugs me about this video, is the cheering and excitment exhibit early on in the film, while over 7000 were being destroyed, and over 160 people died, and many more injured. The area they are traveling from the start of the film to about 48 seconds in was a total loss as the tornado made it way through there a couple of minutes later. I hope these guys got a thill they were seeking while documenting our tragedy.
lennyandhope 4 months ago
@lennyandhope Lenny you have to look at it this way they were not cheering for the death of the people in the path of the storm. What they were experiencing was adrenaline rush they were scared to death and when you are scared like that you have mixed emotions from excitement to outcry.
watchingme215 4 months ago
this scares me just watching it. O.O
i think tornados are kinda cool... but not the F4-5 those are huge and scary.
and i was watching the weather channel when this happend. it was a sad day. :(
the4gotten100 4 months ago
idiots!
shivator 5 months ago
yiiihaaaa wonderful...this amaaazing destruction ...lovely
shivator 5 months ago
were in kfc because its delicious and yes pee was involed
1simplename 5 months ago
ckaplin81 first off it was being considered and ef 6 if you havnt heard it was the biggest most deadly tornado ever recorded
1simplename 5 months ago
Why people is in KFC?
JPMorganSuckBalls 5 months ago
range line was the only part of joplin i really knew
theepicfamaster 5 months ago
How did that Lowe's store hold up that lost power? I know it had to have been really fuckin close.
belphegor79 5 months ago
@belphegor79 its still there light damage. go north a block and its a different story.
Tarten46 5 months ago
@Tarten46 Sad state of affairs down there. The people of Joplin sure do deserve to be commended for their perseverance.
belphegor79 5 months ago
There were over 40 people killed on Range Line where you were filming. The tornado was rain shrouded so it was very hard to see. There were reports that people thought it was a rain line till it hit, just a dark line that shimmered till it struck.
spootie1 5 months ago
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I live north of Joplin in Webb City. The main reason there may have been so many people out in Joplin when the tornado hit was that reports had indicated the rotation to have been spotted just north of Joplin. Joplin was included in the warning but so were all of the towns directly bordering along the north end of town. If you look at the radar shots of the area you can see where the main cell is northwest of Joplin.
angelnmoki 6 months ago
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Just an add on to my previous comment. I did take shelter. I work graveyard and was asleep when the first warning was issued but was awakened by my Honey after hearing the sounds coming from the sky outside. This was around 4:45pm, a little less then an hour b4 the tornado touched down. I rolled my eyes at first but after stepping out onto the porch and hearing the one of the most unforgettable sounds I have ever heard I began to take the warning seriously.
angelnmoki 6 months ago
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The sound was like a continous rumble, as if it were thunder, but no lightning accompanying it. There were intermittent wind gusts as well. While watching the skies and trying to find a local station covering the oncoming storm I also got the only interior room(a small 3x4 closet with lots of stuff) ready just in case. Once the only station covering the storm came back from a commercial break the showed the tornado on their monkey cam we high tailed it to the closet for the next 10 minutes
angelnmoki 6 months ago
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angelnmoki 6 months ago
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angelnmoki 6 months ago
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angelnmoki 6 months ago
Theres a giant tornado...and theres people ordering chicken...
Slapchop200 6 months ago
@Slapchop200 The Joplin tornado was rain wrapped, so people had trouble seeing it. I live in northwest Arkansas, a few miles from Joplin, and we get tornado warnings all the time, and we typically have skies that look like the sky in the video, but they are always just storms and never drop anything. Many here just go on with their normal routines waiting for a tornado to come that never does. It was the same situation in Joplin that day, except tragically that really turned out to be a tornado.
Brdj010 5 months ago
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This tornado broke all the "rules" so to speak and developed within literally seconds from multiple vortices to a 1 mile wide wedge...I know, because I watched it and shot it from beginning to almost end... they (tour) had a really good forecaster on board to maneuver them out of a potentially lethal situation.
TornadoAlleyVideo 6 months ago
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TornadoAlleyVideo 6 months ago
Joplin resident here, all the businesses being filimed in this video are no longer standing. Nothing but empty lots now...
sableblonde 6 months ago
bfgnrczutibk kjluhzg nbhzxrc hkuztr r tzuz th gdfg f dghd f z rdd hm hjz f ff jz i9 u d dsrgter rztj rztee zh essxddgfths r s tf cg tr t rjtcx r f7rt7rfdhrdd547567rseeec 5hetether sse wgrhteehte xsd thzjtu gf?
1955flashpointer 6 months ago
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HOLY SHIT ITS RIGHT THERE!!!
Pinkrearea234 6 months ago
I'd be pissing my pants in that KFC drive thru just sayin...XD
xXBeNarcoticXx 6 months ago
I miss my city :/
bstark06 6 months ago
So weird to see rangeline before the tornado hit. Up until about Lowe's it all still looks like a bomb hit. These guys were so lucky
doctender77 6 months ago
Also the road you were on was Rangeline.. the direction was South toward the Tulsa exit. I don't live far from there, so I know the roads pretty well.
TheAbaharakiTwins 7 months ago
I live in Joplin, I live on the 27th block of Delaware which wasn't too far from where you were at, it's unbelievable at the footage you guys have gotten. I'm amazed at the officer in the background on the louder speaker phone thingy, telling you all to get the fuck out. You guys have just told a story to people, the story of mother nature's true calling. I'm glad you all are safe, so is my family, there is a lot more to my story if you wish to hear it. Please tell me.
TheAbaharakiTwins 7 months ago
Ef-6? No such thing you dumb fuck
ckaplan81 7 months ago
Actually they are thinking about changing the level of power our tornado was to an EF - 6, so it does exist, sir. It would be kind if you would refrain from calling people dumb fuck, because you, kind sir don't have your facts straight. Thank you, I bid farewell. @ckaplan81
TheAbaharakiTwins 7 months ago
@TheAbaharakiTwins There is no such thing as an EF-6 tornado, and until the next revision of the Fujita scale (which may or may not ever happen), there never will be.
Here's how the scale works:
EF-0: 65-85 mph
EF-1: 86-110 mph
EF-2: 111-135 mph
EF-3: 136-165 mph
EF-4: 166-200 mph
EF-5: >200 mph
There is no EF-6, and under the scale, there can't be. EF-5 ratings consist of estimated wind speeds of over 200 mph, meaning estimated wind speeds from 201 to *infinity* miles per hour are EF-5.
jbthornton15 6 months ago
@jbthornton15 Yes, I understand that.. and for your information they are in talks of CHANGING it to an EF - 6, do you even live in Joplin? 'Cause if you do, then, you should know this.. If you don't live in Joplin nor work with the Weather Services, then how the hell would you know if they aren't considering it?
TheAbaharakiTwins 6 months ago
@TheAbaharakiTwins They will not change it to an EF-6, as it is mathematically and physically impossible on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
No, I don't live in Joplin. I live in West Plains, and I'm an amateur meteorologist. If you think you're smarter than me, tell me what CAPE and CINH signify on severe weather days.
No, I don't work for the National Weather Service. However, mostly everything they do and use is online. Read about the Enhanced Fujita Scale here:
spc dot noaa dot gov/efscale/
jbthornton15 6 months ago
@jbthornton15 CAPE is the "positive area" of a sounding while CINH is the "negative area" (parcel cooler than surrounding environment). CINH is the amount of energy needed to warm the PBL in order for surface parcels of air to reach the level of free convective. If the CAPE is high, and the CINH is low, thunderstorms are likely.
[ part one. ]
TheAbaharakiTwins 6 months ago
@jbthornton15 If the CAPE is high and the CINH is high, then more afternoon heating and warm/moist air advection will be needed before parcels from the surface will be able to reach the level of free convection. CINH can also be overcome by fronts, jet streaks, dry lines, vorticity, and others since the air is forced in the vertical to the level of free convection.
[ part two. ]
TheAbaharakiTwins 6 months ago
@jbthornton15 Generally, CINH values of 50 and below are low while 200 and above are high. Thermodynamic thunderstorms are unlikely as long as the CINH remains above 200. Once the CINH drops below 50 and adequate lift, instability and moisture are in place, thunderstorms are eminent. Remember, soundings can change rapidly throughout the day, especially the morning sounding. This is one area where forecaster experience is critical.
[ part three. ] I never said I was smarter than you.
TheAbaharakiTwins 6 months ago
@TheAbaharakiTwins Congratulations! You used Google and copy-and-pasted the answer. You win negative eighteen internets. You know how I knew you got this from somewhere else? Nobody talks like that except in documentation written by people who know more than me!
And you definitely imply you know your meteorological stuff, when I was able to easily find where you got your answer (word for word).
jbthornton15 6 months ago
@jbthornton15 .. Look, I really don't wanna like argue with you because I have plenty of shit going on right now, I did look it up but I read it carefully word for word before I copied and pasted it. I never said I was a meteorologist or that I was a storm chaser. So please, excuse me for using my brain and searching the information rather then guessing and getting it wrong. -__- I really dislike arguments, especially when my town has suffered enough.
TheAbaharakiTwins 6 months ago
watching this vid...shows how ridiculously close that thing was to my house, thats like 1/2 a mile from my house, which luckily wasnt damaged.
mythicman4545 7 months ago
HOLYMONKEYTITS. thats fuckingg scary.
yummypenguin615 7 months ago
Someone please make a tribute video to this tornado & destruction .. with the song Breaking Benjamin (acoustic) Diary of jane
justin816835 7 months ago
>>>You people in the 3 van caravan came very close to dying. I'd say you missed total destruction by 1 minute (motorists died in their cars when their vehicles were thrown off of Rangeline). Since you lived through the worst EF-5 tornado in history (maybe an EF-6), now would be a good time to pray to Jesus Christ and ask Him to save you. Hopefully, many who died were Christian believers. I heard the name of Jesus a number of times in your video -- please ask Him to save you. Thanks.
roger44332 7 months ago
wow! You really were very lucky, that's the street where the tornado hit hard!
MrTavito82 7 months ago
@chadtheweatherguy im asuming you had to get underground to survive? would love to hear your story of it mate
noonstorm84 7 months ago
@noonstorm84 yEAH chadthewetherguy no body stands a snow balls chance in hell to survive wind twice that of a cat 5 hurricane, unless under ground. I went through a small tornado when i was little, but nothing even close to that of Joplin. No body can comprehend an F5 tornado unless they live trough that power, and that sound, the sound off death, like a hundred trains passing you on each side at 100 miles per hour, that is the sound. I know what it sounded like at 100-120mph but 300 no.
Jgraupp99 5 months ago
@noonstorm84 Around 1:30 he is clear of where it hit. Everything from there on is still there.
joshdavismusic 3 months ago
i lived at 17tj amd connectictu, to look, theres nothing there now,, but i made it out, how i don't know,,iam just thankful to be alive and here in joplin mo,, unlike slackes that have moved and are scared
kgracielu2005 7 months ago
This was very hard to watch, just knowing that people were sitting in drive-thrus, and were in businesses and out driving when that monster came through. RIP to those whose lives were taken that day. God bless Joplin.
Renfurrer 7 months ago
at 2:03 you can see a building in the back ground that is the Apple Bees where I was during the tornado!
chadtheweatherguy 8 months ago
@S0lidState i have been a chaser in australia for nearly 10 years now. So that is my accent you can here lol. I was on a tour group for 10 days before i headed off chasing by myself with a friend. There was a canadian you can here in the background as well as a couple of americans to.
noonstorm84 8 months ago
Was this an Aussie-American joint chasing effort ?,,,lol
S0lidState 8 months ago
@Beergut222 we didnt stay, we were going to try and get back to help but we thought we may just hinder the effort with it all. We ended up dropping south to catch the next storms and to try and help warn other towns in the way of the dangerous outbreak. It was extrodinary just how quickly that storm grew! it was a horrible feeling seeing those people in the line up, and i saw people walking down the road not knowing at all! i hate to say it but i dont think they will be with us anymore :(
noonstorm84 8 months ago
its very scary to see people waiting in the drive thru at KFC and had no idea what was coming
mkk2496 8 months ago
I'm from Joplin and this is an amazing video. Thank you for showing this. For many of us, huddled inside our homes, we had no idea just how BIG this sucker was. Thanks again for shooting this and showing your concern for the town and it's residents.
How long did you guys stay? Just curious?
Beergut222 8 months ago
They don`t have Battery Backup Sirens?
TheSecurityFreak 8 months ago
My poor town :(
avaiae 8 months ago
im not saying that the people who were driving around picking up evening dinner are stupid, but they honestly may have not seen it. Things like that can happen. If i was in the van with u all i would have brought my megaphone and tried to yell for people to take cover NOW, LARGE TORNADO!!!! yet there are some who seriously try and challenge theriselves to see if they can do what they need to and get back home before it gets to them! just thrill seekers i guess =( alot werent so lucky
leahbasham1987 9 months ago
yeah i know we told them and im having a very hard time coming to grips with the fact that i know those people are no longer with us! it is really starting to hit me at what i saw and knowing that those people lost there lives! i have some amazing stories from this storm. we were going to take shelter in the home depot as well! its not there anymore :(
noonstorm84 9 months ago
@noonstorm84 oh my god!!! so the people in home depot where u guys were gonna go, everyone died?!!! or did some survive. dear god thats horrible!!!!!!!! u all arent appreciated enough for what you do; and the fact that u put your life in danger to warn others is beyond me. THAT TAKES ALOT OF HEART!!!!!!! joplin is in the prayers of millions!!!
leahbasham1987 9 months ago
@noonstorm84 I chased with Roger Hill back in 2006 when we got hit by a violent hailstorm that injured his wife & a couple of passengers (thankfully minor injuries). But what you all encountered on that eventful day was very terrifying. Thank God you all made it out okay. It's very sad that the town was unaware that monster tornado was coming.
overcomer91 8 months ago
@overcomer91 i commented on another video but i guess i was right that was rodger hill. respected chaser but gets a bit close sometimes. and glad you all are all right but shame for joplin and the people
justintime2989 7 months ago
what I find disturbing about this video is the people out on the roads having absolutely no idea what was coming. Did it seem like any of the other drivers were aware? In your video I saw cars in fast food drive thru lines, and cars going very slowly down the road. I wonder what happened to all of those people...I can only hope they made it to a shelter. It seems like there was hardly any warning.
NinerGreen 9 months ago
@NinerGreen My wife and I were in the mall when the 1st sirens sounded so we couldn't hear them. Nobody told us there was a tornado coming. We left there heading down the same road these guy were on (behind them) heard the second siren and decided to do what they did and go south. The tornado was so big we didn't, couldn't tell it was heading our way. We turned on 20th and ran right into it. We survived but I don't know how. We abandoned our destroed Civic and walked to our house which was gone
rarebasses 8 months ago
Thank you for sharing and god bless those in Missouri.
bbx5463 9 months ago
i broke down later on that night.. even though 40 seconds later i wouldnt be coming out of there alive! but because i knew what was coming for that poor town, it hurt me sooo deeply and being from another country where we get big supercells but not anywhere the tornadoes like here it hurts even more!!!!!!! :( i wish there was something i could of done but mother nature is a cruel beast! no we were not able to as we were fleeing for our life by the time w got back we couldnt get in :(
noonstorm84 9 months ago
Were you able to help the first responders with getting people out of their homes and businesses? I pray for them all!
jujubees2bees 9 months ago
@jujubees2bees The reports were saying if you weren't already there to stay back. That It was still too dangerous and we would only have been in the way. The streets were literally filled with emergency cars, we couldn't get back in if we tried. Just had to keep driving : \
RevolutionNo1 9 months ago
@RevolutionNo1 Well... I thank you for sharing this with us! While some people feel that with today's technology that all this information is a detriment to us I beg to differ! It keeps us informed and aware of our surrounding Americans who need assistance and prayers! I'm glad you were all safe!
jujubees2bees 9 months ago
People were in the drive thru line at KFC, amazing. Looks like the beginning of rapture to me. People so disconected from reality and spirituality in line at KFC, fake reasoned wars, porno, fake boobs, God is sooo pissed, I don't blame him.
chuck3377 9 months ago
damn, i'd be shatting my pants. storms are so scary. hope everyone's holding up now there in joplin :(
youdayoudabessst123 9 months ago
Chilling stuff. It was so close to you. I've had a funnel cloud go over where I was twice and it is fascinating, but frightening. Take care guys.
Petuniasquared 9 months ago
lowes is still standing. it is being used as a shelter. home depot is the one that was totalled. this is all really scary.
andrear215 9 months ago
Bet that scared the hell out of that Aussie!
jtbpnw 9 months ago
There's now nothing left of the Lowe's store you guys past. It's amazing seeing footage of places and knowing seconds later they won't be there any more. It sends a strange, sickening feeling through you.
Clarrisani 9 months ago
@Clarrisani Lowe's was about 1/4 mile south of the Tornado, it was fine.
alscort93 6 months ago
I am from S.E Kansas(30 miles) and neighbors to Joplin and we are so distraught by this catstrophe. Images are hard to swallow, one last look of a place we all are so familiar with is surreal and hard to grasp the risk you guys took, glad your all safe.
v8chevy350 9 months ago
Glad you guys are alright and thank you for the video! At least you are safe!
DarkDaydreamer65721 9 months ago
this is he absolute worst storm i have ever seen. this video is sad because that is what out town used to be... just yesterday morning. on the plus side, the sirens and helicopters have stopped. it look hours but i think the turmoil is coming to an end and we should be able to start rebuilding soon.
andrear215 9 months ago
This is rangeline road they were traveling south toward the interstate. I can tell from the bank n lowes. God be with Joplin.
Chici3 9 months ago
couldnt agree anymore with you jkk815 it is a horrific day! all of our thoughts are going out to everyone i just wish there was more i could do to help! Marablejenn im not quite sure of the road but i think it was the main e-w road through town
noonstorm84 9 months ago
@noonstorm84 From the video you are traveling South on Rangeline Road. Joplin will be forever changed by this tornado, it cut the town in half. RIP to the 150+ killed
astanford09 7 months ago
Exactly what street were you guys traveling down and in what direction?
marablejenn 9 months ago
It's a very sad time for all of us in this area....many people have been killed and so many can't be located. It is a tragic day.
JKK815 9 months ago
very scary for sure, shook everyone one up :(
noonstorm84 9 months ago
I left Joplin at 5pm time i got home to Miami, Ok it was on tv we were at Burger King on Range Line eating we saw storm coming on radar and took off home....Burger King is gone so is half of range line which you see in this video.
OkiLoyal 9 months ago
yeah it was exciting to start with until we realised that it was headed straight for town, and straight for us, we were going to take cover in the home depot but we didnt have time lucky cause home depot isnt there anymore! :( my heart goes out to everyone
noonstorm84 9 months ago
@noonstorm84 oh wow....that would have been the end. Good choice to speed on. So heavy for all and glad you made it and we could see 2nd hand.
JamesTyreeII 9 months ago
fellow aussie here lucky guy being able to go storm chasing in the US but bad luck being somewhere thats been so devastated. hope all is well happy chasing
nickerten 9 months ago
I hope you guys and your families are okay.
mkausti 9 months ago