| Hurricane Gustav - Morgan City, LA - September 1, 2008 - 512 sec
Hurricane Gustav ravaged portions of the Caribbean in late August 2008, resulting in deadly flooding over Haiti and then crossing western Cuba on the 30th as a strong Category Four, with 150 mph winds.
A day after emerging into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, Gustav leveled off as a Category Three. The hurricane remained at that intensity as it approached the coast of Southern Louisiana, prompting the largest evacuation in the state's history on fears of another Katrina-type disaster.
Throughout the evening of August 31st, drier air began to work its way into the system and Gustav responded by weakening slightly to Category Two intensity.
Just prior to, and during, landfall Gustav began a trend of increasing organization with intense convection developing within the northwest and western eyewall. The hurricane made landfall near Cocodrie, Louisiana on September 1st at 14:30UTC with sustained winds of 110mph and a central pressure of 955mb.
Storm chasers Michael Laca, Jim Leonard and Max Hagen, as well as filmmaker Chris Terrill, intercepted Hurricane Gustav in Morgan City, Louisiana. Our chase team recorded a minimum pressure of 957.3mb at 17:26UTC and estimated peak winds at our location between 80-100mph. An unofficial observation of 103mph was reported by another chase team in Morgan City. Official wind readings include 86mph at Grand Isle; 82mph at Amerda Pass; 75mph at New Iberia; and 91mph at Baton Rouge.
After intercepting Gustav's eyewall and eye in Morgan City, our chase team repositioned ourselves to the northwest and intercepted the northwestern eyewall a second time between Franklin and New Iberia. During this second eyewall intercept, we encountered exceptionally heavy rainfall that made driving conditions extremely hazardous.
After Gustav's eyewall moved on, we once again repositioned ourselves to the northwest in Lafayette, Louisiana and intercepted Gustav's core a third time. Though weakening, the storm still produced intense winds, driving rains and significant damage well inland.
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Tags: Hurricane Gustav Tropical Cyclone Storm Category Two August September 2008 Cuba Morgan City New Orleans Lafayette Iberia Louisiana Strong Violent Wind 100 mph Winds Torrential Heavy Rain Flood Flooding Disaster Deadly Landfall Unroofed Debris Howling Bridge Warning Chase Chasing Chaser Michael Laca
 | | Tropical Storm Fay - Florida Keys - August 18, 2008 - 457 sec
On the August 18, 2008 storm chasers Michael Laca, Jim Leonard and Max Hagen intercepted Tropical Storm Fay as it crossed the middle and lower Florida Keys making its first landfall (out of a record four separate landfalls) within the state of Florida.
Fay produced moderate tropical storm conditions across the Keys, with very heavy rainfall, rough seas, and sustained winds of 45-50mph, with gusts between 60-70mph. An automated offshore station at Sombrero Key reported a 2-minute average wind of 60mph and a 10-min average of 52mph, while the Sand Key station reported a peak gust of 71mph.
Over the next six days, Fay slowly crawled across the Florida peninsula producing exceptionally heavy rainfall accumulations, with localized totals between 20-30 inches over several areas of east-central Florida, and a large swath of 10-15 inch storm totals. The resulting flooding was disastrous in several areas. However, many locations in Florida received a welcome ending to the severe drought conditions which have persisted for well over a year.
After its second landfall near Cape Romano, Florida on August 19th, Fay uncharacteristically strengthened while over land, exhibiting a well-defined "eye" and partial eyewall feature on radar and satellite imagery as it approached Lake Okeechobee in south-central Florida. There were several unofficial reports of winds between 60-80mph in this area.
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Tags: Tropical Storm Fay Cyclone Hurricane August 2008 Florida Keys Strong Wind Gusty Heavy Rain Flood Disaster Deadly Record Landfall Palm Tree Ocean Surge Waves Debris Howling Bridge Warning Chase Chasing Chaser Michael Laca
| | Tropical Storm Amelia - Vintage WTVJ Channel 4 News - July 30, 1978 - 220 sec
This is one of the very first news broadcasts I recorded on video tape, back in July, 1978. This is local South Florida news station, WTVJ Channel 4, covering Tropical Storm Amelia, which developed off the Texas coast on July 30th. Reporter Al Sunshine interviews the late, great John Hope who, at that time, was a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center. At the station, meteorlogist Don Carson gives anchorman Bob Mayer, and viewers, details on the current position of the storm, along with South Florida's weather conditions.
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Tags: Tropical Storm Amelia July 1978 Vintage News Broadcast WTVJ Channel Four South Florida Miami Al Sunshine Don Carson Bob Mayer John Hope National Hurricane Center
| | Tropical Storm Noel - Miami, FL - October 31, 2007 - 152 sec
Though never directly affecting South Florida, Tropical Storm Noel moved through the northwestern Bahamas from October 31st through November 1st, 2007. The combination of the storm to the east and an area of high pressure to the northwest, resulted in a strong gradient across southern Florida producing intermittent periods of gusty winds. A sustained wind of 43mph with a gust to 54mph was recorded on Miami Beach.
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Tags: Tropical Storm Noel Cyclone Hurricane October 2007 Miami Florida Strong Wind Gusty Rain Palm Tree Cloud Sunset Gale Warning Flags Anemometer Chase Chasing Chaser Michael Laca
| | Tornadoes - Noble County, OK - May 24, 2008 - 327 sec
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, the hail core from this cyclic supercell overtook our chase team (Michael Laca and Max Hagen) and we were forced to find shelter in the town of Douglas, Oklahoma. 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.
We stopped on the west side of I-35 between Perry and Orlando and to our amazement the large, rain-wrapped wedge was still on the ground to our southwest.
As we watched, the tornado became more diffuse and within a few minutes had lifted into a large rotating base. Shortly after this, a new satellite tornado formed to the left of, and behind, the larger circulation. This tornado lasted for a few minutes before dissipating. The other half of our chase team (Jim Leonard, Ray Walker and Eric Baker) who were in another location, photographed this tornado and another one, which was very close, but apparently obscured from our view by the parent circulation.
A few minutes later another small needle-like funnel appeared and touched down briefly.
Just before the main circulation crossed I-35, a new funnel formed and lowered toward the ground with a quick swirl of condensation appearing at the surface. The circulation became quickly rain-wrapped, but reports on the radio indicate that debris was observed as the circulation crossed the interstate, moving east-northeast toward Perry, Oklahoma.
After the circulation crossed I-35, the core overtook us once again and we experienced intense rain, marble to quarter-sized hail, and winds gusting to 60-65mph as the cell weakened.
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Tags: Tornado Tornadoes Wedge Cyclic Supercell Thunderstorm Severe Wind Hennessey Oklahoma Storm Chase Chasing Michael Laca
| | Tornado / Large Hail - Douglas, OK - May 24, 2008 - 135 sec
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.
Auteur : vmax135
Tags: Tornado Wedge Large Hail Mesocyclone Thunderstorm Severe Hennessey Douglas Oklahoma Storm Chase Chasing Michael Laca
| | Tornadoes - Garfield County, OK - May 24, 2008 - 330 sec
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.
That morning our chase team (Michael Laca, Jim Leonard, Ray Walker, Eric Baker and Max Hagen) began the day in Hutchinson, Kansas and had opted to forego a northern chase target in Nebraska, in favor of an area of less vertical shear but deeper moisture to the south in Oklahoma. As we headed south on I-35 we quickly noticed the rapidly developing tower well to our southwest, and it wasn't long before we started hearing reports of confirmed tornadic activity in the Bison/Hennessey area (one of these tornadoes was made famous through widely seen aerial footage as it destroyed a hog farm near Hennessey). Assuming the activity was going to be relatively short-lived, we quickly turned west on highway 64, and then south on 74 towards Covington, Oklahoma. All the while, continual reports of new tornadoes kept flowing in. We stopped very briefly for gas and noted an obvious "stacked plate" appearance to the cell.
We continued south on 74 and then turned west on E0520. Almost immediately the base came into view to our southwest and we could see a smooth lowered wall cloud towards the right-side of the rainfree area.
As we neared the cell, the wall cloud became more defined and, after passing a clump of trees, a small funnel appeared right in the middle of the rotation. We quickly stopped and filmed as the funnel briefly extended to the ground and then quickly lifted before dissipating.
Before reaching the town of Douglas, we turned south on a dirt road and approached an ominously rotating mesocyclone, which was now fully backlit and very dark. The cloud motion was absolutely incredible, both the strong rotation within the meso and the seething, boiling in other areas of the base. As we watched, another small funnel appeared near the center of the base and then quickly dissipated
We got back in our cars and drove a little farther down the road positioning ourselves just north of a now extremely well-defined and violently rotating wall cloud. Shortly after stopping, we noted that the entire base of the wall cloud was quickly getting closer to the ground and a small tendril-like funnel appeared right in the middle. The funnel rapidly rotated to the left side of the wall cloud and extended down to the ground, just as a second and then third suction spot appeared, coiling around one another. The multi-vortex circulation dissipated as the wall cloud continued moving on.
As the meso approached the road directly in front of us, a new larger cone began to peek out from the middle of the larger circulation. The funnel briefly condensed to the ground, before lifting into a large bowl shaped protrusion.
Continuing on, the funnel extended downwards again and this time planted itself firmly, swelling into a large cone. Simultaneously, the previous circulation also briefly generated a new multi-vortex tornado. Inflow winds, which were already strong, increased significantly at this time. After a couple of minutes, both the large cone and the new multi-vortex circulation lifted and dissipated.
A few minutes later, a new lowering appeared and within seconds extended fully to the ground as a large, ragged, multiple vortex. The tornado lifted quickly, only to be replaced a few minutes later by another large funnel, which quickly connected with the ground and grew into a large wide cone.
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Tags: Tornado Multiple Vortex Cyclic Supercell Thunderstorm Severe Bison Hennessey Oklahoma Storm Chase Chasing Michael Laca
| | Tornadic Supercell - South Hutchinson, KS - May 23, 2008 - 207 sec
After nightfall on the evening of May 23, 2008, numerous long-track supercell thunderstorms developed over south-central Kansas, rapidly becoming tornadic. One of these cells produced an ominously well-defined hook echo on radar, headed straight for the tornado ravaged town of Greensburg, Kansas, with another tornadic cell to the east near Medicine Lodge. While the Greensburg cell did initially produce a tornado that impacted Protection, Kansas, luckily that tornado lifted before the cell reached Greensburg and the meso moved over the previously stricken town producing only minor damage.
Meanwhile the eastern cell (which had started west of Medicine Lodge) was headed north-northeast towards Pratt, Kansas. This cyclic cell produced a strong tornado which crossed highway 54 just to the east of Pratt, causing two fatalities. As the cell moved on, it turned towards the northeast, paralleling highway K61 towards Hutchinson, Kansas. As the cell approached the city, spotters frequently reported a large tornado on the ground.
At this time, our chase team (Michael Laca, Jim Leonard, Ray Walker, Eric Baker, Max Hagen and Mike Ratliff) was headed east on highway 50, on an intercept path, that brought us into South Hutchinson a few minutes before midnight, just as the cell arrived. We observed a strong rotational couplet on radar and, as we stopped on the side of the highway, could see a large wall cloud illuminated by the frequent lightning. At this point, sirens began blaring loudly throughout Hutchinson and we decided to move off the highway. We exited on S. Main Street and proceeded north, stopping briefly in the parking lot of a motel where, in the light of increasingly intense lightning, we spotted a very broad conical funnel just to the southwest of highway 50, with an intense precipitation core close behind. With the core rapidly approaching, we continued a few more blocks north and found some minimal shelter in a self-serve car wash. Once inside, the core quickly overtook us producing intense rainfall and winds gusting to 60-65 mph, while sirens wailed eerily in the background. Luckily for Hutchinson, the funnel likely remained aloft, since no significant damage was observed.
On May 25th, our chase team surveyed the tornadic damage path from this cell, just to the east of Pratt, Kansas. Tragically, the fatalities had occurred when the tornado threw a car and its two occupants into an open field about ¼ mile to the north of the road. The mangled remains of the vehicle were still out in the field when we surveyed the area. Based on the severity of the tree damage we observed, and the distance the vehicle was thrown, our team estimated that the tornado was at least a high EF3, possibly EF4, at the time it crossed highway 54.
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Tags: Tornado High Wind Thunderstorm Kansas Storm Chase Severe Hutchinson Pratt FS 2001 Thunderbolt Siren Damage Michael Laca
| | Tornadic Supercell - Ness City, KS - May 23, 2008 - 223 sec
After driving south on highway 283 towards Ness City, storm chasers Michael Laca, Jim Leonard, Ray Walker, Eric Baker, Max Hagen and Mike Ratliff turned west on highway 96 with an ominous supercell thunderstorm approaching from the southwest. After passing the DOW (Doppler On Wheels), we got to a position on the west-end of a long chaser lineup (closest to the storm), but after seeing violent rotation about to overtake us, we retreated a bit eastward as the meso edged closer to Ness City.
During this time we also observed some incredibly close and intense staccato lightning strikes. As the cell approached we moved farther east, back into Ness City (with tornado sirens blaring), and decided to head back north along 283 as the meso moved off to the north-northeast, in the direction of Brownell, Kansas.
As we caught up to the meso, we observed a large area of strong rotation directly in front of us, with several satellite vorticies developing along the periphery, to the right of the road. One of these satellite vorticies quickly evolved into a full tube.
Towards the end of this clip the TIV (Tornado Intercept Vehicle), from the Discovery Channel's television series 'Storm Chasers', makes a cameo appearance.
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Tags: Tornado Supercell Thunderstorm Close Intense Lightning Strike Satellite DOW TIV Kansas Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather Mesocyclone Michael Laca
| | Tornado - Lane County, KS - May 23, 2008 - 278 sec
Storm chasers Michael Laca, Jim Leonard, Linda Kitchen, Kathy Velasquez, Ray Walker, Eric Baker, Max Hagen and Mike Ratliff intercepted a cyclic supercell thunderstorm that produced a classic 'elephant trunk' tornado in Lane County, Kansas to the west-northwest of Dighton. The full life-cycle of the tornado is captured within this clip.
This cell was part of a complex of tornadic thunderstorms that also produced the widely photographed Quinter, Kansas tornadic family, as it moved northward from this location.
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Tags: Tornado Elephant Trunk Supercell Thunderstorm Lane County Dighton Quinter Kansas Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather Michael Laca
| | Tornado / Core Punch - WaKeeny, KS - May 22, 2008 - 325 sec
After two prior intercepts during the afternoon, storm chasers Michael Laca, Jim Leonard, Linda Kitchen, Kathy Velasquez, Ray Walker, Eric Baker and Max Hagen moved south along Higway 283 in Trego County, Kansas to a position two miles south of WaKeeny. A strong rotational couplet was evident on radar as an intesifying supercell thunderstorm approached from the south-southwest after sunset.
As the cell neared, a distinct wall cloud developed and as our chaser convoy turned west off of 283, a large, partially rain-wrapped, cone descended and headed rapidly north-northeast. The funnel briefly condensed all the way to the ground as it crossed the road about 1/2 mile in front of us.
Immediately after the funnel passed, the rain and hail core rapidly followed and trying to make a three point turn on a very narrow dirt road, lined with chase vehicles, delayed things just long enough for the core to overtake us. Blinding rain, quarter-sized hail and winds gusting to 60-65 mph made driving back north along 283, towards WaKeeny, extremely treacherous.
As we found out later, the parent circulation that produced the tornado we had witnessed, approached highway 283 just south of I-70 and a new intermittent tornadic damage track began near there. A corrugated metal shed was completely destroyed (seen at the end of this clip). The new tornadic circulation moved northeastward through the eastern sections of WaKeeny with isolated damage.
Auteur : vmax135
Tags: Tornado Supercell Hail Core High Wind Thunderstorm Kansas Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather WaKeeny Damage Michael Laca
| | Tornadic Supercells - Lane & Graham Co., KS - May 22, 2008 - 213 sec
Storm chasers Michael Laca, Jim Leonard, Ray Walker, Eric Baker and Max Hagen intercepted a developing supercell thunderstorm in Lane County, Kansas on the afternoon of May 22, 2008. The storm produced several intense staccato lightning strikes and developed a distinct rotating wall cloud with an associated area of rotating dust at the surface, though no condensation funnel was initially visible. As the rotation approached our area, the visible surface reflection disappeared, but a small conical funnel with strong rotation developed almost directly overhead with our surface winds increasing significantly. The funnel quickly dissipated as the cell moved off to the north-northeast. The DOW (Doppler On Wheels) makes a brief appearance at the beginning of this clip.
The chase team then repositioned ourselves farther to the northeast, meeting up with numerous other chasers in Graham County, Kansas north of I-70, as a separate tornado-warned cell approached from the south, around sunset. This second cell produced strong outflow winds that kicked up a large area of dust. Though not tornadic, the appearance of the dust as it rose rapidly towards the thunderstorm base was quite ominous.
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Tags: Tornado Funnel Supercell Thunderstorm DOW Kansas Dust Storm Chase Chasing Severe Staccato Lightning Michael Laca
| | Tornadic Supercell - Gove County, KS - May 22, 2008 - 174 sec
Storm chasers Michael Laca, Jim Leonard, Linda Kitchen, Kathy Velasquez, Ray Walker, Eric Baker and Max Hagen intercepted an intensifying supercell thunderstorm in Gove County, Kansas on the afternoon of May 22, 2008.
This particular cell produced a well-defined rotating wall cloud, with very low rotating scud, that evolved into a ragged funnel as it crossed the road in front of us. From our observations the circulation did not appear to have any reflection on the surface. So, although impressive in appearance, this likely wasn't a tornado.
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Tags: Tornado Funnel Wall Cloud Scud Supercell Thunderstorm Kansas Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather Mesocyclone Michael Laca
| | LP / HP Supercells - Olton, TX - May 6, 2008 - 325 sec
Storm chasers Michael Laca, Jim Leonard and Ray Walker intercepted a multi-cellular complex of supercell thunderstorms near Olton, Texas (northwest of Lubbock), on the afternoon of May 6, 2008. The initial storm (southwest of Olton) was relatively small but developed classic LP supercell features including a highly tilted mesocyclone, beautifully backlit by the sun.
The second storm evolved into a large HP supercell that prodcued a small and very brief funnel south of Olton and large hail in the fields to the north of the town.
The last storm approached Olton from the south with Level 2 radar data indicating a strong rotational couplet and four inch hail. As the storm neared Olton an extremely ominous, and rapidly moving hail shaft/microburst developed and moved northward across the town.
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Tags: Tornado LP HP Supercell Hail Shaft Thunderstorm Texas Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather Microburst Michael Laca
| | After The Chase - Tulia, TX - May 6, 2008 - 69 sec
A wall cloud like lowering of the cloud base appears under the shallow remains of an earlier thunderstorm. May 6, 2008, near Tulia, Texas. Veteran storm chaser Jim Leonard can be heard recounting the day's highlights to a fellow chaser on the phone.
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Tags: Tornado Wall Cloud Thunderstorm Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather Texas Michael Laca
| | Before The Chase - Lubbock, TX - May 6, 2008 - 282 sec
Storm chasers joke around while prepping equipment and planning the day's chase target in Lubbock, Texas on May 6, 2008. Featured in this clip are veteran storm chasers: Michael Laca (filming), Jim Leonard, Scott McPartland, Dave Lewison, Jim Edds, Mark Robinson and Ray Walker.
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Tags: Tornado Supercell Thunderstorm Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather Preparation Equipment Planning Texas Michael Laca
| | Lightning / Squall Line - Bartlesville, OK - May 2, 2008 - 101 sec
In the early morning hours of May 2, 2008, a large and intense, MCS induced, squall line moved through the eastern portions of Kansas and Oklahoma as well as western Missouri, bringing 40-50 mph winds, marble-sized hail and intense electrical activity.
The northern portion of the squall line evolved into a 'comma-head' that produced intense wind damage over portions of Kansas City. This vivid lightning display is from Bartlesville, Oklahoma during the passage of the squall line.
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Tags: Lightning Squall Line MCS Thunderstorm Oklahoma Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather Intense Vivid Michael Laca
| | Tornadic Supercell - Wilson County, KS - May 1, 2008 - 237 sec
Storm chasers Michael Laca, Jim Leonard, Robert Jones, Ray Walker and Eric Baker intercepted an intesifying supercell thunderstorm in Southeast Kansas, between Neodesha and Fredonia, on the evening of May 1, 2008.
The storm exhibited classic supercell features with a textbook flanking line, backsheared anvil, low rainfree base and intense precipitation core.
The storm evolved into a large multi-cellular complex, that was frequently producing rapidly rising scub bombs and one particuarlly suspicious lowering, right under the mesocyclone. Right about the time of this suspicious feature, the cell became tornado warned, possibly related to the feature we saw.
As the sun set, a beautifully picturesque mammatus field appeared under the anvil as lightning illuminated very low and ominous scud.
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Tags: Tornado Supercell Thunderstorm Kansas Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather Mammatus Lightning Mesocyclone Michael Laca
| | Before The Chase - Tulsa, OK - May 1, 2008 - 122 sec
Storm chasers Michael Laca (filming), Jim Leonard, Robert Jones, Ray Walker and Eric Baker review data and discussion options, in the lobby of a hotel in Tulsa, Oklahoma, while preparing for a May 1, 2008 chase.
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Tags: Tornado Supercell Thunderstorm Storm Chase Chasing Severe Weather Preparation Planning GRLevel2 Michael Laca
| | Funnel Clouds - Key West, Florida - July 23, 1988 - 312 sec
Two funnel clouds (the first was actually a full waterspout a few minutes before I was able to film it) in Key West, Florida on the evening of July 23, 1988. The first funnel was located northeast of Key West, the second was just to the southeast of the White Street pier. My little cousin Larry came with me on the chase.
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Tags: Funnel Clouds Severe Weather Cyclone Tornado Key West Florida 1988 Cloud Waterspout Thunderstorm Rain Storm Chasing
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