May 22, 2010 Bowdle, South Dakota Tornado Outbreak!
Last Updated on Monday, 15 November 2010 16:33 Written by Roger Hill
May 22nd was a day that had high risk/high reward written all over it. There really wasn't much anywhere else to chase. We played the triple point in north central South Dakota and were rewarded with one of the prettiest and most violent tornado producing storms of the year. Several storms formed along the triple point and congealed into one beastly tornadic supercell that produced at least half dozen or more tornadoes. The large wedge in the photos below was an EF4 and we were able to get within a quarter mile of it before it started spewing debris around us. The structure of the monster was breathtaking as it dropped tornado after tornado between Bowdle and points northeast from there. Enjoy the photos and video, but keep in mind people's lives were changed by the monster.
First tornado touches down southwest of Bowdle, SD.
Tornado increases in size and draws to within a half mile of us.
Second tornado forms and is a multivortex. Wide shot so the structure is visible.
Tornado wedges out. Beautiful structure complete with clear slot!
Tornado is getting closer and much stronger. Probably beginning its EF4 stage right now.
Tornado approaches to within a quarter mile. This is as wide as my 5d and 17mm lens would take me. Stunning tornado!
Very impressive structure complete with tapered cone tornado.
Zoomed in shot of this fairly significant tornado above.
Magnificent structure with rotating lowering, vault and long inflow band. It produced another multivortex tornado just before this picture.
Storm became an HP beast. We were able to get in front and look back to see twin tornadoes as they wrapped in rain.
We later departed to head south and were greeted with this beautiful mamatus field.
The tail end storm produced a brief truncated, tapered, cone tornado and disippated, leaving us with this structure for the last shot of the evening. What a day!
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