So I've been storm chasing for a few years now and after last year being such a great year for super cells I decided my goal for this year was to photograph one. I have shot a few small tornadoes and seen a lot of damage from them in the past 5 years of living in Crossfield but the real monsters are the systems that spawn them. Super cells start off like any other thunderstorm except that when there are good upper level winds creating rotational energy (shear), the storm goes on to become a super cell. And if the weather modification guys haven't flown into it soon enough these super cells can move for hours across the province.
The cool thing about where we live is a formation at the eastern slope of the Rockies called the Foothills and as of late we now have a term "Foothills Magic". Now as much as I am learning tons about weather I am not a meteorologist and wouldn't claim to be. I just know when to go out and watch things build to the west and when towers are going up, you make your best guess and go to a safe place to setup in hopes it does turn into something.
On Saturday it did. I started the morning photographing some crop spraying but shortly after went home for lunch hoping there might be more action near 1pm. On my way out west of town I noticed some towers going up and decided to stage at one of my favourite high points along the 290 west near Madden. As I was setting up a time-lapse I noticed one of the cells had a signature shelf shape and clued in that this one might go off. I quickly drove out to the hill above the town of Dogpound at the 290 and set up my cameras to time-lapse as well as video. Within minutes this cell started to rotate so fast you could easily see it and shortly after lightning started to crash out of the anvil down into the valley. I stayed as long as I could and managed to get the time-lapse of the super cell below.
Tiemlapse footage showing massive rotational energy as the super cell matures
Just before 2pm I setup another 5 km to the east on the 290 and as I started filming I could not believe my eyes... well actually I expected it but to see a good sized tornado drop out of the bottom was so exciting. Especially to witness such a well developed system form up so textbook is absolutely amazing.
I'm so glad I have been working so much with the cameras, I feel like I've been ready so many times this summer. The storm chaser page that Joe Vonesche and I take care of has been awesome as well and a great source of information and personalities. This weekend was definitely one for the record books for me, man I love Alberta weather.
