May 18 was an excellent day of storm chasing, plain and simple. We spent much of the day in Greensburg, KS, known for the infamous EF5 tornado that destroyed nearly every part of the town in May 4, 2007. Just about every storm chaser was there, and we spent several hours in the hot sun waiting for the storms to start. Some storms fired in southwest Kansas as evening approached, in the 10% “hatched” tornado risk area issued by SPC at 20z (pic below).

Problem was, there were three cells to contend with; a northern one, southern one, and one in the middle. Years of storm chasing experience were screaming “go south!” as the southernmost cell would typically be the strongest in such a situation. But today was different. The southern cell that roped in even experienced chasers looked too linear for tornado formation. The northern cell looked more conducive for tornadoes, but it was too far north to be in range before dark. Rachel had a feeling about our middle cell, so we went for it. In following the storm we witnessed numerous high-based “needle” funnels. These formations are harmless, but are often a good sign of the storm’s capability. We then knew that this cell just might get it done, and thankfully in a very rural area.

Sure enough, just before sunset in Pawnee County, KS, we were rewarded for our correct judgment. The storm unleashed a powerful, photogenic, high-contrast tornado just a couple of miles to our north. Our placement was perfect, except when we had to adjust our position due to some larger hail. This was one of the most camera-friendly tornadoes we’ve ever documented, and we were in absolute awe just to be there. The tornado, near the small farming community of Rozel, was officially deemed an EF4 by the National Weather Service. Thankfully, no one was injured. One of the most surreal aspects of this storm was a farmer in the field directly to our west. This man was pure America. There was a very large tornado just a few miles to the north, which he undoubtedly saw. In true Kansas spirit, this man kept on plowing his field. There was work to be done, and come hell or high water, it was going to get done. Hell showed up, and this man didn’t back down. We can be heard referring to him at the end of the video below.

After the tornado, we had a tough drive home through very heavy rain and a strong gust front. The gust front formed ahead of the developing squall line that eventually became the primary storm mode of the system. The gust front contained very strong wind and a decent amount of tree and leaf debris. It was an excellent reminder of the power of nature, especially in phenomena other than tornadoes.

Below is our footage of the Rozel tornado. Definitely some of the best footage and pictures we’ve ever collected in the field. Quite an amazing sight!