1991 April 26 Red Rock, Oklahoma Tornado (part 2 of 3)

This is a video clip from the DVD program "Storm Chase 1990-1992 by Robert Prentice."

This F4 tornado was shot from I-35 in Noble County, Oklahoma between mile marker 203 and 200. This is perhaps my most famous video segment and brief clips have been featured in numerous documentaries.

The first parked scene was shot from the junction of I-35 (mile marker 203) and Oklahoma Highway 15. The remainder was shot while driving southbound to where the tornado crossed I-35 at mile marker 200.

My chase partners and I caught up to the Red Rock tornado again one hour (and 35 miles) later at Fairfax, OK (see part 3 of 3).

The complete DVD program listing and ordering information can be found at:

http://members.cox.net/rprentice/chase_1990-1992.htm

Copyright Robert A. Prentice, 1991, 1996, 2005

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[bluesbrother936]

red rock?

i thought this was in Billings, Ok..

i know you would know better than me (having actually been there) but in the documentary Twisters: Nature's Fury, the commentator said this was in Billings, Ok..

[RobertPrentice]

@bluesbrother936

Tornadoes are *informally* named according to which town they hit or pass close by. It a tornado does neither, naming it becomes more difficult. My chase friends and I called this the Red Rock, OK tornado because it followed along Red Rock Creek for much of its life cycle and passed somewhat near the town of Red Rock, OK.  Others have named it the "Garber" or "Billings" tornado because it passed between those towns.

[PaulG85]

What exactly is the tube? What causes that particular phenomena? I'm assuming the tube was that thing that looked like a horizontal tornado on the wedge tornado?

[RobertPrentice]

@PaulG85

The "tube" mentioned in the video was the horizontal sub-vortex on the left (east) side of the tornado. Why and how these form is difficult to explain here. Do a Google search for "tornado swirl ratio."

[Yarndt]

You mentioned March 13th...Do you have any chase video from Hesston?

[RobertPrentice]

No. I was chasing across central Oklahoma on March 13 and didn't see much on that outbreak.

[XtremeWeirdo]

This was also the day of the infamous Andover/McConnel F5.

[okieskatemom]

Wonderful footage.  Thanks for sharing!

[DaisyMarie311]

HAHAHAHA I was 5 years old when I first saw this footage. I was obsessed with the "Twisters Nature's Fury" VHS and would watch it every single day as a kid. It's so sad how much of a deja vu this is bringing back... Thank you for posting!!!

[vanni9283]

@RobertPrentice

I'm guessing it's an inflow jet.

[indyfan22k]

WowwaWeWa! Veerry Nice-uh !!

what model/brand was the lousy car??

[K5KJ]

Excellent video! You had a great view from north of the tornado. Al and I were south of the tornado as it formed. It was fairly low contrast. We got a much better view when we made it to I-35 before it crossed the highway.

[yonythemoony]

Great video. I remember that I saw it in a tornado documentary, when a guy was talking about that he and his friend we're driving and the tornado came out and the guy's friend died

[PaulG85]

@RobertPrentice

Ah okay thanks. God I cannot tell u how many times I've seen this vid of the tornado here and wondered about it. Imagine having had youtube back in 1991! Pretty cool that I can actually talk to the person who was there and taped it. Thanks again.