Tornado / Large Hail - Douglas, OK - May 24, 2008

On the afternoon of May 24, 2008 an isolated supercell thunderstorm developed over north-central Oklahoma, to the northwest of Oklahoma City, and quickly became tornadic as it moved slowly east-northeastward. The cyclic cell became a prolific tornado producer and, over a four hour period, generated no less than 15 individual tornadoes... possibly more.

After already observing numerous tornadoes from this cyclic supercell our chase team (Michael Laca and Max Hagen) observed a large funnel develop just to our south, which quickly grew into a large wide cone. After a few minutes, this tornado lifted as the overall circulation became wrapped in dense precipitation while approaching the road directly in front of us.

As we slowly trailed behind the now very large circulation, the hail core began to overtake us and we noted several stones between golf ball and baseball size bouncing off the ground. As we continued slowly east, the parent mesocyclonic circulation became nearly stationary over highway 74 and extended fully to the ground as a large rain-wrapped wedge, less than ¼ mile east of our position.

With the hail core continuing to advance, and a large tornadic circulation directly in front of us, we were forced to turn northward and found some limited shelter alongside a gas station in Douglas, Oklahoma as the hail became more intense. Luckily we escaped with no damage to our car.

Once the hail let up, we decided to head back towards I-35 and drop south to get a good vantage point as the cell continued to advance.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Tornado
• Tornadoes
• May
• 24
• 2008
• Memorial
• Day
• Outbreak
• Wedge
• Large
• Wall
• Cloud
• Low
• Hail
• Violent
• Mesocyclone
• Tornadic
• Thunderstorm
• Severe
• Hennessey
• Douglas
• Bison
• Orlando
• Oklahoma
• Storm
• Chase
• Chasing
• Michael
• Laca
• HD
• HDV
• High
• Definition
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[SupercellNathan]

That is very nice rotation! What a nice mesocyclone on that Supercell. On this very day while all of you guys were out chasing this storm, I was watching it live on TV and Internet stream. This thing did not know when to stop producing tornadoes.

[vmax135]

Totally! This supercell was definitely on steroids. I was in total awe staring at the whole meso on the ground less than 1/4 mile away!

[CyrusNixes]

Awesomeness. The look of the meso infront of us is really ominous.

[vmax135]

That thing was unbelievable! Right when we turned north, the entire meso was on the ground! I just wish the hail hadn't been such a problem, I would have loved to spent more time filming at that spot.

[brownocasio]

yes toranados

[tall32guy]

I am glad we do not get hail like this in Washington State! LOL

[naruto26944862]

i would never in my life chase after a tornado i would be either running fro my life or just be and idiot to chase after a tornado

[jamaicanweatherman]

omg, look @ those clouds

[UtahMike41]

I too would have been scared out of my wits. Glad you made it!

[TommyJoebowers1tycoo]

Large hail can be horrifying. In 1995, shortly after the pampa tx tornado, I was 20 miles S of Altus Ok on an unfamiliar road (tring to get to Ppa). The road flooded, up past car doors bottom, baseballs were packed with 80 mph winds, and a rain-wrapped tornado was two miles to my west. Only option was to stay in my hail-beaten car. First and only time I cried out of fear in a storm. Pitch black of night.

[LuvsTstormTapes]

I love this entire video...the huge dark wall cloud..the lightning, the hail/sounds..and also..I have noticed the ''lightning-static/SFERICS'' off your AM-radio too.... in fact...some of my own Tstorm videos have the 'sferics'' such as my 4/15/06-Tstorm video....and several others. Excellent video HERE..enough to make my mouth water ...!

[Jamiesyme999]

Crazy chase, Hope I get to see one supercell that crazy someday,,,,,,

[godscrazychild]

people are crazy they like are wishing death on them by goin out in this severe storm crap ahha i mean its cool,but crazy!