This page is a useful bookmark for past “famous” tornadoes, supercells, and other storms in the United States and Canada. The list was procured by how impactful the storms were to civilization, how abnormal they were for the area, or how memorable they were to storm chasers.
Each case comes with documentation, a proximity sounding from unmodified RAP and ERA5 reanalysis, (see disclaimer), and storm-centered NEXRAD imagery. Data are valid at the time nearest the climax of the event (e.g., when a tornado was reported, or when the most well-known photographs were taken).
This archive sparks the question, “why did this happen?” Similar environments make similar storms, but a storm’s environment isn’t just skew-Ts and hodographs. If you’re wondering “how did this sounding do that?“, remember to check for boundaries, cell mergers, and chaos!
Created and maintained by Cameron Nixon and Kyle Gillett. Additional cases will be added. Here’s a guide.
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Go to: 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Search the case index below for cases by state, month, year, location, and other key info.
Localized outbreak of tornadoes within the DFW metro, including two F3s. The Fort Worth tornado hit downtown, damaging several high-rise buildings.
F4 tornado that tore through Granite Falls, damaging over one third of the town. Snowplows had to be enlisted to clear the way for first responders.
Particularly photogenic high-precipitation mothership supercell.
Large and photogenic F3 tornado.
Long-lived F3 tornado that killed 2 people. The aptly named town’s tornado siren was struck by lightning earlier that year, and was set to be replaced the next week.
F3 tornado that hit the University of Maryland, College Park campus, killing two people.
Photogenic F3 tornadoes, part of one of Oklahoma’s largest October tornado outbreaks.
Large wedge tornado rated F2.
Powerful F4 tornado that killed 5 people, one of the strongest to hit the greater Washington, D.C., area. Part of a larger outbreak of tornadoes in the Mid-Atlantic.
Destructive F2 tornado that killed 2 people in its circular track around town.
Long-lived F4 tornado from a cyclic supercell that produced 6 total.
Long track F3 from a QLCS that produced 5 other tornadoes in Indiana. This tornado has the longest track in Indiana history at 112 miles.
Deadly long track F4, part of the larger Veteran’s Day Outbreak of 2002.
Two long track damaging F3 tornadoes, from two separate supercells that tracked within miles of each other along a parallel path through northern Alabama for over 40 miles.
Large damaging F4 tornado, part of a succession of 4 tornadoes to hit the northern suburbs of the Kansas City metro area.
Numerous high-end, large, long track tornadoes. Out of an outbreak of 15 total tornadoes, 4 were rated F3 and one an F4. Some tracked for 20-80 miles.
Damaging F4 tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma and caused significant damage. This was part of a larger outbreak of 26 tornadoes from Oklahoma to Nebraska.
Damaging and long-tracked F2 wedge tornado, part of a larger regional outbreak of 43 tornadoes.
Numerous photogenic tornadoes associated with a larger outbreak of 26 tornadoes.
Violent multi-vortex wedge F4, part of South Dakota’s largest tornado outbreak, featuring 66 confirmed tornadoes. This outbreak remains the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded during astronomical summer not related to a tropical system. Manchester, South Dakota was completely destroyed and remains a ‘tornado ghost town’.
Deadly F3 tornado, part of an outbreak of 29 tornadoes produced by mini-supercells across Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, that was largely a “surprise”.
Particularly photogenic tornado produced by a cyclic supercell. 11 tornadoes struck Harper County, Kansas alone. This supercell also produced giant hail over 5” in diameter.
Massive, highly destructive, long-track F4. Former largest tornado on record (2.5 miles wide) until El Reno, Oklahoma EF3 in May 2013 (2.6 miles wide).
Cyclic supercell that produced several tornadoes during a localized outbreak of 16 tornadoes, most of which were weak but photogenic.
“Mothership” supercell that ultimately became the subject of many “Independence Day” references and hurricane Katrina fakes.
Cyclic supercell that produced 16 tornadoes, and hail over 4”. A DOW team measured maximum wind gusts of 157kts.
One of the most classic tornado/rainbow combos of chasing history, a photogenic F3 tornado, part of a localized family of 5 tornadoes.
Incredibly photogenic mothership/barberpoll supercell that produced a few brief tornadoes.
Considered to currently be the ‘highest elevation tornado’ documented in the United States, this highly photogenic F0 tornado existed for only a short time at a staggering elevation of 11,600 ft. Severe hail was also documented.
Series of 4 photogenic tornadoes (rated up to F2) from massive and well-structured supercell storm.
Photogenic and highly destructive F4 tornado. Amazingly, only 3 injuries and 0 fatalities were reported, even though this tornado struck the Parsons Manufacturing Plant that had over 140 employees in the building.
Strong F3 tornado that struck a densely populated portion of Campbelltown.
Considered one of the strongest tornadoes during the 2000s, this high-end F4 (also known as the “Noot Farm” tornado) was an uncanny Doppelgänger to that which occurred in Roanoke, IL, just a week before, and among 8 tornadoes confirmed in North Dakota.
F3 wedge tornado beneath a well structured supercell. This tornado was part of an outbreak of 118 tornadoes associated with Hurricane Ivan, the single most tornadoes associated with a tropical cyclone in the United States.
A particularly photogenic “mothership” supercell.
F2 tornado and softball-sized hail.
Massive “mothership” supercell.
Particularly photogenic tornado from LP supercell.
Cyclic tornadic supercell (up to F2).
F3 tornado that killed 24 people.
Long-tracked F2 tornado associated with the “Six-State” supercell, which lasted over 17 hours and travelled nearly 800 miles from Oklahoma to Michigan. Part of a large-scale outbreak of tornadoes.
Long-tracked F3 tornado.
EF3 tornado, part of the Groundhog Day Florida tornado outbreak.
EF4 tornado that killed 8 high school students.
Photogenic tornado family (up to EF3), part of a tornado outbreak over the TX Panhandle produced largely by a few cyclic supercells.
EF3 tornado that killed 7 people in a town with no siren system.
Particularly photogenic tornado.
Infamous first EF5 tornado that killed 11 people and destroyed 95% of the town. Associated with a supercell which produced 22 tornadoes across central KS, including one likely wider and stronger than the Greensburg EF5.
Long-tracked EF3 tornado and 5” hail that dealt the Northwoods’ distinguishable damage scar.
Canada’s only (particularly photogenic) EF5 tornado.
EF4 tornado, part of a localized outbreak of tornadoes
Particularly photogenic tornadic waterspout, part of a large-scale tornado outbreak.
EF3 tornado, part of a large-scale tornado outbreak.
Long-tracked EF4 tornado, part of the Super Tuesday Outbreak.
Two EF-4 tornadoes from separate supercells, killing 3 people. Both supercells were very long-lived, one producing over 10 tornadoes, many significant and deadly.
EF3 tornado from long-tracked supercell storm, part of an anomalous severe weather outbreak from Georgia into South Carolina.
Infamous long-tracked EF4 tornado that killed 6 people and destroyed an already decaying town.
EF3 wedge tornado, particularly long-tracked, wide, and at an early time of day for the area.
EF4 wedge tornado, part of an infamous outbreak of tornadoes across western Kansas.
1.8-mile-wide EF3 tornado, part of an infamous outbreak of tornadoes across western Kansas.
Long-tracked EF5 wedge tornado that killed 9 people.
Particularly photogenic, cyclic tornadic supercell (up to EF3).
Tornado family (up to EF2).
Long-tracked EF4 tornado that killed 8 people, the strongest February tornado on record in Oklahoma.
EF2 tornado, well-documented and heavily-studied by VORTEX2.
Massive, long-lived, high-precipitation supercell that produced a few tornadoes and very large hail.
149-mile-long EF4 tornado that killed 10 people.
Multi-vortex tornado, known for “chasing” storm chasers, that went on to become a long-lived EF3.
EF4 tornado that occurred simultaneously with 3 other tornadoes, including another other EF4, and associated with a supercell that went on to produce 20 tornadoes across central OK.
EF4 wedge tornado associated with a cyclic supercell.
Family of photogenic tornadoes, with twins at times.
Particularly photogenic EF2 tornado.
EF2 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across north-central IL into OH.
EF4 tornado that killed 7 people.
Particularly photogenic supercell and tornado.
Particularly cyclic, stationary supercell with reports of over 12 tornadoes (up to EF2) occurring in rapid succession, many simultaneously.
Photogenic EF4 tornado, part of a large-scale tornado outbreak
EF4 tornado from a cyclic supercell, part of MN’s largest tornado outbreak on record.
Particularly photogenic supercell and tornado.
Massive high-precipitation “mothership” supercell.
World record hail-producing supercell, with the largest observed hailstone measuring 8.0” in diameter and 1.93 lb.
Particularly photogenic EF4 tornado.
Kansas state record hailstone, measuring 7.75 inches.
Long-tracked, EF3 wedge tornado, part of the largest tornado event in AZ on record.
EF3 tornado, part of the New Years’ Eve tornado outbreak.
Cyclic tornadic supercell that produced 17 tornadoes up to EF4 across northwest Iowa.
EF3 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across OK and AR.
EF3 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across MS and AL.
Long-tracked EF3 tornado, part of North Carolina’s largest tornado outbreak on record.
Particularly photogenic supercell, especially for the area and time of year.
EF5 tornado from a particularly photogenic supercell for the area that killed 3 people. Part of the 2011 Super Outbreak.
Two long-tracked EF5 tornadoes from separate supercells that, together, killed 95 people. Part of the 2011 Super Outbreak. The latter tornado is often thought to be among the strongest of recorded tornadoes.
Long-tracked EF4 tornado that killed 64 people and was infamously covered on air. Part of the 2011 Super Outbreak.
Particularly photogenic tornado from well-structured supercell.
Photogenic EF3 tornado.
EF5 tornado, one of the U.S.’s deadliest on record due especially to a particularly rapid evolution, killing 158 people.
Oklahoma record hailstone, measuring 6 inches.
Long-tracked, EF5 wedge tornado that killed 9 people, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across the central Plains.
Long-tracked, EF4 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across the central Plains.
Long-lived EF3 tornado that killed 3 people.
Particularly photogenic “tidal wave”-like supercell.
Particularly photogenic tornado, part of a “cold-core” outbreak of tornadoes across south/central NE.
Massive thunderstorm-triggered haboob that lasted over 2 hours and 100 miles. Often regarded as the “gold standard” for dust storms for the Phoenix area.
Particularly photogenic “mothership supercell” that produced a couple of tornadoes.
One of several weakly-rated but photogenic tornadoes.
Massive cold front-driven haboob that lasted over 2 hours and traveled 100 miles. Often regarded as the “gold standard” for recent dust storms for the west Texas area.
Particularly photogenic EF4 tornado from a cyclic supercell that produced 9 tornadoes across SW OK. Also known as “quakenado” due to the magnitude 4.7 earthquake which occurred on the same day.
EF4 tornado that killed 8 people as part of the Leap Day tornado outbreak.
Long-tracked, EF4 tornado that killed 11 people as part of a large-scale tornado outbreak across the Ohio Valley.
Long-tracked, EF3 tornadoes, part of a large-scale tornado outbreak across the Ohio Valley.
EF3 tornado that was largely unanticipated.
EF2 tornado, part of a local tornado outbreak around the DFW metro.
Long-tracked and particularly photogenic EF4 tornado. Part of an outbreak of tornadoes across the central Plains.
Particularly cyclic supercell that produced over 20 tornadoes up to EF3 in strength, including two at once at times. Part of an outbreak of tornadoes across the central Plains.
EF3 tornado that killed 6 people. Part of an outbreak of tornadoes across the central Plains.
Several particularly photogenic landspout tornadoes up to EF3.
Particularly photogenic “UFO-like” supercell.
Particularly cyclic supercell that produced several tornadoes, up to EF2, in rapid succession.
Supercell that produced hail as large as 5 inches.
Particularly photogenic supercell and tornado.
Massive, high-precipitation supercell.
Particularly photogenic EF2 tornado.
Infamous U.S. derecho that travelled 800 miles over 18 hours, killing 22 people and resulting in an estimated $2.9 billion in damage.
EF3 tornado that took a highly deviant left turn, part of a local outbreak of tornadoes across north Texas.
Particularly photogenic EF4 tornado.
Infamous EF5 tornado that killed 24 people.
Particularly photogenic low-precipitation “barberpole” supercell.
Slow-moving, nearly stationary at times, EF3 (but likely stronger) wedge tornado regarded with particular fondness by many storm chasers, due to its lasting over an hour with no physical harm done to civilization; also known as Bennington I.
Particularly photogenic “mothership” supercell, regarded as a “consolation prize” for storm chasers who missed the Bennington, KS tornado.
Widest and strongest recorded tornado on Earth, at 2.6 miles wide and 302 mph winds measured by mobile radar, that exhibited particularly erratic motion and killed 8 people, including storm chasers and 3 members of the TWISTEX research team. Its official EF3 rating is widely held as highly controversial.
Particularly photogenic supercell.
Particularly photogenic “mothership” supercell.
Particularly photogenic waterspout.
Particularly photogenic waterspout.
Pair of photogenic tornadic waterspouts over Lake Michigan.
Long-tracked EF4 wedge tornado.
Long-tracked EF4 tornado that killed 3 people as part of the largest November IL tornado outbreak on record.
Long-tracked EF4 tornado that killed 16 people
Long-tracked EF4 tornado that killed 10 people.
EF3 tornado from a cyclic and high-precipitation supercell that produced 8 tornadoes across southeast NE during a “Mother’s Day” tornado event.
Particularly photogenic low-precipitation supercell.
Photogenic UFO-like supercell that dealt a swath of wind-driven significant-severe hail
EF3 tornado, largely regarded as a “surprise” event.
Photogenic and dusty EF2 tornado that hit an oil workers’ camp.
Particularly photogenic “mothership” supercell.
Infamous “twin” EF4 tornadoes from a supercell which produced 5 tornadoes, 4 of which were rated as EF4.
Long-lived EF3 tornado, the strongest recorded in southeast MT.
Long-lived, nearly stationary EF3 wedge tornado.
Photogenic EF4 tornado.
Particularly photogenic orange “carrot” tornado.
Long-lived EF4 tornado.
Photogenic supercells that produced hail up to 4.25 inches and a couple tornadoes.
Chaotic supercell that produced several weak tornadoes, some simultaneous, including a large wedge.
Particularly photogenic tornadoes from a rather atypical cold core-like setup for the area.
EF3 tornado and others from cyclic, high-precipitation supercell.
Particularly photogenic tornadoes, part of a “cold core” tornado outbreak across eastern CO and western KS.
Long-lived EF3 tornado (though measured by mobile radar to be stronger) from a high-precipitation supercell.
Nocturnal cyclic supercell that produced multiple large tornadoes, at times hidden by fog.
EF2 tornado, one of several produced by a slow-moving supercell.
Particularly photogenic tornado.
Particularly photogenic supercell.
Particularly photogenic supercell that produced both a cyclonic and an anticyclonic tornado simultaneously.
Several tornadoes produced by a cluster of cyclic supercells in rapid succession.
Massive and particularly photogenic “crown-shaped” supercell that also produced a rain-wrapped EF2 tornado.
EF2 tornado, one of 10 tornadoes (up to EF3) produced by a cyclic, high-precipitation supercell that tracked across northern IL.
Particularly photogenic EF3 tornado.
One of the longest-lived tornadoes on record, lasting 2.5 to 3 hours, rated EF2 (though likely stronger), a wedge tornado from a high-precipitation supercell.
Long-tracked EF3 tornado near Plains, and two EF3 tornadoes, including one wedge tornado, in close proximity to Pampa. Part of an outbreak of particularly photogenic nocturnal tornadoes, unprecedented for the time of year for the area.
Long-tracked EF4 tornado that killed 9 people.
EF4 tornado that killed 9 people after impacting an elevated highway bridge.
Long-tracked EF3 tornado, part of an unusual tornado outbreak for the time of year.
Uncondensed EF2 tornado.
Particularly photogenic EF2 tornado.
Two tornadoes, the first a particularly photogenic EF4, and the second an EF3 wedge tornado with winds measured by mobile radar to be over 200 mph.
Particularly photogenic, stationary supercell that produced a few brief tornadoes.
Weak, nearly stationary tornado.
Particularly photogenic low-precipitation “barberpole” supercell that later produced an EF3 wedge tornado that took a highly deviant northwest motion.
Prolific tornadic supercell producing 13 often-photogenic tornadoes (up to EF3), with three documented simultaneously, in a localized area. Often regarded as one of the greatest days of modern storm chasing.
Slow-moving EF4 wedge tornado lasting over 90 minutes, often referred to as Bennington II.
Long-lived and photogenic supercell that tracked across central MT.
EF3 tornado, part of a “surprise” outbreak of 24 tornadoes (up to EF3) produced by mini-supercells across northern IN and OH that went largely unforecast.
EF3 tornado, the strongest recorded tornado to hit New Orleans.
Particularly photogenic dusty EF3 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across IL and the Ohio Valley.
Long-tracked EF-4 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across IL and the Ohio Valley.
Prolific cyclic and nearly stationary high-precipitation supercell that produced several tornadoes, including an EF3 wedge; this was a largely “surprise” event.
Photogenic low-precipitation supercell
One of multiple tornadoes produced by a cyclic supercell.
Nearly 2.5-hour duration EF3 tornado from high-precipitation supercell, the longest-tracked tornado recorded in Wisconsin.
Rain-wrapped EF2 wedge tornado.
Weak, photogenic tornado that served as the “consolation prize” for storm chasers in a High Risk event that many regarded as a “bust.”
Known as the “lawnmower man” tornado, thanks to a viral and nonchalant photo.
The first of several tornadoes from a particularly photogenic and cyclic “mothership” supercell, part of an unusual outbreak of tornadoes across WY into the NE panhandle.
Long-lived EF2 tornado from an HP supercell with northwest flow. Also featured a rather large “eye” on radar at peak intensity.
Alabama record hailstone at 5.38″.
EF3 wedge tornado, also known as Bennington III.
Over a dozen landspout tornadoes.
Particularly photogenic and long-lived EF3 tornado with an EF2 satellite tornado.
Particularly photogenic rope tornado.
Particularly photogenic “mothership” supercell.
Particularly photogenic and cyclic supercell that produced several tornadoes up to EF3.
Particularly photogenic haboob that traveled around 200 miles across the Sonoran Desert.
Localized outbreak of tornadoes (up to EF3), including 2 simultaneous EF2 tornadoes across central IA. An event that was largely a “surprise” (especially in magnitude) until later in the forecast period.
Long-tracked EF3 tornado.
EF2 tornado, the first tornado of the largest October tornado outbreak in Pennsylvania on record.
A couple of several tornadoes (up to EF3) produced by photogenic and cyclic “cold-core” supercells, part of the largest December tornado outbreak in Illinois on record.
EF3–EF4-equivalent tornado that killed 6 people, highly unusual for the area.
EF4 wedge tornado that killed 23 people.
Particularly photogenic “flying saucer”-like supercell.
A pair of large and intense tornadoes, both rated EF2, that formed in quick succession, narrowly missing the KGWX radar.
Particularly photogenic low-precipitation supercell.
Long-lived, dusty, and nearly stationary EF2 tornado.
High-precipitation, cyclic supercell that produced multiple weak tornadoes.
Photogenic EF2 tornado from a cyclic supercell that produced tornadoes up to EF3.
Particularly photogenic tornado, the first of multiple (up to EF3) from a cyclic supercell.
Wedge tornado produced by high-precipitation supercell, with recorded winds up to 212 mph, though rated an EF2. Part of a High Risk event regarded by some as a “bust” due to a lack of intense tornadoes across Oklahoma.
Particularly photogenic EF3 tornado.
Photogenic cold-core EF3 tornado.
Long-lived EF3 tornado.
EF2 and EF3 wedge tornadoes from the same supercell
Long-lived and photogenic tornado.
Particularly photogenic supercell, especially for the northern California region.
Particularly photogenic, cyclic supercell that produced several tornadoes up to EF2.
Massive and particularly photogenic “mothership” supercell.
Long-lived EF4 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes across IN and OH. The OH extent of the event was largely a “surprise” until late in the forecast period.
EF2 tornado, one of multiple photogenic tornadoes from a cyclic supercell.
Long-lived, heavily rain-wrapped EF4 tornado.
Particularly photogenic supercell that produced an anticyclonic tornado amongst others.
Particularly photogenic “surprise” tornado.
Colorado record hail, measured at 4.83 inches, and twin tornadoes.
Cyclic “mothership” supercell that produced multiple brief tornadoes in quick succession
Multiple tornadoes up to EF2.
Photogenic “mothership” supercell.
EF3 tornado, highly-visible for the area and time of occurrence.
EF3 and EF4 tornadoes, the former long-tracked and killing 5 people, the latter killing 19 people. Two of 10 tornadoes produced by a cyclic supercell, part of an event with an eastern extent and intensity that was largely a “surprise.”
Long-tracked EF4 tornado that became the third widest on record at 2.25 miles, and killed 8 people. It followed an EF4 tornado from the same supercell, and was followed from behind by an even longer-tracked EF3 tornado ongoing simultaneously from a different supercell. All were part of the 2020 Easter Sunday tornado outbreak.
Long-tracked EF4 tornado, part of a prolific QLCS that produced multiple intense tornadoes simultaneously.
Photogenic “cold-core” EF2 tornadoes occurring close to each other both in location and time, from two separate supercells.
Particularly photogenic tornado, especially for the area.
Photogenic supercell that produced a swath of hail up to 3.25 inches.
Pair of particularly photogenic LP “mothership” supercells.
Particularly photogenic supercell.
Photogenic supercell that produced a few tornadoes.
Particularly photogenic EF4 tornado.
Particularly photogenic EF3 tornado that killed two teens driving.
One of the costliest severe thunderstorm events in U.S. modern history at an estimated $11 billion. A derecho that damaged over 850,000 acres of crops across eastern IA and destroyed over 1,000 homes in Cedar Rapids alone, where a gust of 126 mph was recorded nearby.
A few tornadoes (up to EF2, though likely stronger) occurring primarily from the same supercell in rapid succession (with a brief period of two simultaneous tornadoes), part of a local outbreak in and around the Texas panhandle.
Very long-tracked EF3 tornado that lasted over an hour and a half.
Multiple particularly photogenic tornadoes (rated up to EF2) from the same supercell.
Supercell that produced a large wedge EF3 tornado before acquiring a particularly photogenic “mothership” structure.
Texas State record hailstone measured at 6.4” diameter, produced by a particularly massive supercell storm.
Particularly photogenic tornado from low-precipitation “mothership” supercell.
Truncated cone tornado rated EF2 that damaged a gas plant.
Photogenic EF1 tornado that damaged parts of town.
Particularly photogenic “surprise” morning “mothership” supercell.
Particularly photogenic EF2 tornado, one of multiple (mostly EFU) produced by a few supercells.
Widely-photographed cone tornado produced by nearly stationary supercell.
Particularly photogenic “mothership” supercell.
A series of two almost mirror-image photogenic “mothership” supercells, both of which produced tornadoes.
Photogenic tornado produced by supercell in an anomalously unstable environment in the high terrain of NE NM.
A series of particularly photogenic tornadoes, some well-documented at a close range, part of a local outbreak of tornadoes up to EF3.
Cyclic supercell that produced multiple tornadoes (rated up to EF3) and later acquired a particularly photogenic “mothership” structure, part of an anomalous and Plains-like severe weather outbreak for the area.
Tornado which made what was likely the first recorded tornadic sonic boom upon dissipation.
EF3 tornado, part of several tornadoes produced by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.
A series of two EF4 tornadoes, one of which was extremely long-tracked, that quickly became colloquialized as the “Quad-State Tornado”, though surveys found a significant break in damage. This tornado family killed 65 people, leveled large portions of multiple towns along its path, and along with another tornado this day, stirred controversy over workplace preparedness.
Long-lived EF4 tornado.
A local outbreak of well-documented and significant tornadoes.
EF3 tornado that struck parts of metro New Orleans.
EF4 tornado, part of an outbreak of tornadoes in the Southeast U.S.
Photogenic and long-lived EF3 tornado that took a particularly abrupt northward jog, narrowly missing downtown.
Photogenic LP barberpole supercells.
Particularly photogenic EF3 tornado with well-documented and mesmerizing sub-vortex dynamics.
Photogenic and dusty tornado that weaved through a field of wind turbines.
EF3 tornado, a rarity for the area.
Cyclic supercell that produced multiple tornadoes, including a large, dust-wrapped, and particularly photogenic wedge tornado.
Photogenic and well-structured supercell.
Photogenic and plains-like supercell, part of a multi-day montage of mothership storms.
Photogenic and tornadic “mothership” supercell
Immaculately-structured mothership supercell that evaded all but a few lone chasers.
Pair of particularly photogenic tornadoes.
Long-tracked EF4 tornado, part of a local outbreak of intense tornadoes in the ArkLaTex.
Neither RAP nor ERA5 will not perfectly represent the observed environment.
In general (especially prior to 2021), RAP has a bias toward warm, dry surface conditions and weak low-level shear, especially on drier days. ERA5 has a bias toward cool surface temperatures and weak buoyancy. Soundings were not adjusted for observed surface variables or storm motions.
Certain artifacts are inevitable. RAP soundings will often display saturation aloft that masks otherwise drier profiles near convection. RAP may also feature unrealistic low-level moisture distributions, such as high surface dewpoints in otherwise dry boundary layers. ERA5 soundings are occasionally marked by an incongruent disconnect in the low-level thermodynamic profile.
For educational use. If any info here is re-used please cite author (Cameron Nixon) and web page (https://www.ustornadoes.com/case-archive/).