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Last Updated on Monday, 15 November 2010 16:19 Written by Roger Hill

2010

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Had high expectations this day as all parameters pointed to a significant tornado outbreak. I just had a gut feeling it would line out quickly and that you would have to be in position to intercept any discreet supercells before they lined out. That is what happened. I took the Canadian Prairie tour to Faribault, MN for lunch and watched as surface based storms broke the cap. We blasted up I-35 and approached highway 19. We quickly noticed an amazingly rapid development in the mesocyclone of this supercell and it took a matter of moments and it dropped a nice truncated cone tornado that crossed I-35 and flipped a couple vehicles as the white debris cloud moved into a field next to the interstate. This tornado skipped along the countryside for a couple miles and lifted. Quickly, another tornado, a slender truncated elephant trunk shaped tornado touched down and rotated around the outer periphery of the mesocyclone. It stayed in contact for only a few minutes before lifting.  The rotation in the mesocyclone was still quite intense. Another long snaking elephant trunk tornado touched down with full condensation to the ground and looked very nice. Unfortunately it did a bit of damage, as shown below. All this occured not far from Northfield, MN. Then the cells lined out and the show was over on a day that was hyped to be a big tornado outbreak.

Video still of first tornado as it touched down in the fields a mile north of us.

Another video still as the tornado descended a bit further and crossed the road.

Video still of the second tornado, a pretty truncated elephant trunk!

Finally grabbed my still camera and took a photo of the second tornado. Looking north from near Northfield, MN.

Another shot (contrast enhanced) as it was on the ground here causing the damage shown below.

Video still of the 3rd, snaking elephant trunk, taken in Northfield looking northeast.

Tornado had just hit this house and the owner was out front frantically calling family as the roof and garage was damaged.

Semi truck was blown over only moments before as the tornado crossed the road. Notice the pieces of debris all around as well.