- 6 months ago
Information:
43 Minutes Long.
TV-PG
Originally Aired on 10/30/2011
Full Subtitles: Yes
Full Episode: Yes
Full Quality: Yes
Wikipedia Description:
A tornado outbreak in Elk City, Oklahoma threatens to wreak havoc in team Dominator's backyard. The TIV team follows their navigator's bold prediction, with the success of their mission hanging in the balance. Tension over too much caution threatens to derail team TWISTEX's chase on a huge day.
Discovery Go Description:
A tornado outbreak threatens to wreak havoc in Reed and his team's own backyard.
43 Minutes Long.
TV-PG
Originally Aired on 10/30/2011
Full Subtitles: Yes
Full Episode: Yes
Full Quality: Yes
Wikipedia Description:
A tornado outbreak in Elk City, Oklahoma threatens to wreak havoc in team Dominator's backyard. The TIV team follows their navigator's bold prediction, with the success of their mission hanging in the balance. Tension over too much caution threatens to derail team TWISTEX's chase on a huge day.
Discovery Go Description:
A tornado outbreak threatens to wreak havoc in Reed and his team's own backyard.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00On this episode of Storm Chasers...
00:08You know, that's a major tornado.
00:10Yeah, that's huge.
00:12The TIFF team chases dangerously close to a violent EF-5 tornado.
00:17It's on the ground.
00:18Stop here!
00:20It's moving right at us.
00:21Deploy that tornado tornado.
00:23Stop your vehicle.
00:24Stop wanting him!
00:25A massive twister threatens Team TwistX's delicate scientific instruments.
00:29Tornado wind speeds are 160-mile-an-hour plus.
00:33It's a big tornado, guys.
00:35It's monstrous.
00:36Yeah, it's huge.
00:37I don't think this is such a smart thing to do.
00:40And a major tornado outbreak threatens Team Dominator's hometown.
00:45Holy .
00:46That storm right there tends to stay for our houses.
00:54We're getting hit by the green!
00:56We're excited!
00:59It's coming right at us!
01:00Get up on it!
01:01Get up on it!
01:02Get up on it!
01:03Right here!
01:04We're tornado!
01:05Right in front of us!
01:06Oh man, that is huge!
01:07Go off and get closer!
01:08Move!
01:09Everybody down!
01:10She's down!
01:11Race for the path!
01:12Oh!
01:13Right there!
01:14Right there!
01:15We're tornado!
01:16Right in front of us!
01:17Oh man, that is huge!
01:18Go off and get closer!
01:19Move!
01:20Everybody down!
01:21Get down!
01:22Race for the path!
01:23Move!
01:24Move!
01:25Everybody down!
01:26Keep down!
01:27Race for the path!
01:28Oh!
01:29Right there!
01:30Oh!
01:31Right there!
01:32Right there!
01:33Oh!
01:34Oh!
01:35Oh!
01:36Oh!
01:37Oh!
01:38Oh!
01:39Oh!
01:40Oh!
01:41Oh!
01:42Mother Nature is terrorizing the American heartland.
01:45Over 750 twisters touched down in April alone.
01:48Oh my God!
01:49There's houses up there!
01:50Wow!
01:51Now, an outbreak is predicted for Oklahoma, right in Team Dominator's backyard.
01:55Hey Reed!
01:56Yeah?
01:57It's looking big!
01:58Yeah, SBC went high risk!
01:59Really dangerous!
02:00I'm looking at the parameters and everything's maxed out more than I've almost ever seen in
02:01the Plains.
02:02Yeah, there's a lot of populated areas, Oklahoma City, Wichita.
02:03This is going to be a historic outbreak in Oklahoma.
02:04I can see it rivaling.
02:05May 3, 1999.
02:06On May 3, 1999, an EF5 twister with wind speeds measuring over 300 miles an hour tore through
02:12more in Oklahoma City, killing 46 people and injuring hundreds more.
02:17Property damage was over.
02:18It's going to be a huge risk.
02:19Really dangerous.
02:20I'm looking at the parameters and everything's maxed out more than I've almost ever seen in
02:22the Plains.
02:23There's a lot of populated areas, Oklahoma City, Wichita.
02:24This is going to be a historic outbreak in Oklahoma.
02:25I can see it rivaling.
02:26May 3, 1999.
02:27On May 3, 1999, an EF5 twister with wind speeds measuring over 300 miles an hour, tore through
02:28more in Oklahoma City, killing 46 people and injuring hundreds more.
02:33Property damage was well in excess of $1 billion, a record at the time.
02:38Got to be dialed in, calling in those reports and keeping people warned.
02:43I mean, this is home.
02:44This is our backyard and it's coming right for us.
02:47It's scary.
02:48Got a lot of friends and loved ones here, so this isn't just about research.
02:52This is personal today.
02:54The National Weather Service has advised motorists to stay off Interstate 35 and I-40 through
02:59the Oklahoma City metro area this afternoon and evening.
03:02And I've never heard wording that strong.
03:05But it's a good thing because there's a very real possibility for EF4 and EF5 tornadoes
03:10to strike very close to home.
03:12I've let everybody know about today.
03:14I've been trying to text and give phone calls.
03:16You never know when you're going to save a life, so.
03:18This is where I grew up.
03:19I've got houses in the area.
03:20I've got my brother and sister that live here.
03:23These are the really nerve-wracking days because this type of an outbreak could easily affect me.
03:28If there's ever a day to get an intercept is today.
03:31We've got the perfect opportunity to get Dominator 2 inside a tornado.
03:35All the conditions are coming together for a tornado outbreak in Oklahoma over a very favorable road network.
03:41I think we've got to hit the road.
03:43Let's get it done, guys.
03:44If we fail today, there are just no excuses.
03:4850 miles north of Team Dominator, the TIV team is in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
03:55There's Tim Samaras.
03:56Hey, he's got his radar.
03:57That looks really nice.
03:58Hoping to obtain wind speed readings from Team Twestix's new radar system to determine if it's safe to intercept the day's powerful storms.
04:09It collects very, very accurate parametric pressure, temperature and humidity.
04:14Uh-huh.
04:15Works very well.
04:16So you can discern how fast the winds are in the tornado in real time.
04:20That's correct.
04:21Which leads me to another question.
04:23Have you got any desire to combine forces today?
04:25Sure.
04:26We're headed out west.
04:28Uh, you guys are welcome to tag along.
04:30Okay.
04:31I've chased with Dr. Josh Werman and his radar trucks for pretty much my entire chase career.
04:36Tiff, this is down.
04:37Are you copy?
04:38Tiff, copy.
04:39It'd be nice to chase under radar again.
04:41So you don't drive into something that could kill you.
04:44So Twestix wants to go west out of here.
04:47If we set up directly west of here, anything that fires up along the Kansas-Okloma border, we can kiss goodbye.
04:52Yeah, it's gone.
04:53Marcus and Sean want to go chase with Tim.
04:56Our target areas are a little bit different.
04:58I think Wichita, Kansas, it looks favorable for tornadoes.
05:01I think we ought to just stick to our initial game plan where we play a little further north, but we also have the option to move back south.
05:08I do too.
05:10Brandon's in the Tiff for a reason.
05:12I think he is one of the best chasers on the planet.
05:16He wants to start near Wichita.
05:18So we will start in Wichita.
05:20It'd be nice to chase with Tim, but I don't want to undermine Brandon.
05:24So we are going to go where he wants to go.
05:27Brandon's family lives up in Wichita.
05:29Uh-huh.
05:30He kind of wants to start the chase up there for today.
05:33Okay.
05:34Yeah, that's perfectly fine.
05:35If you guys want to go north, then we'll hook up later.
05:37I have to break off the date with Tim.
05:40Okay.
05:41Much.
05:42Much.
05:43Hopefully another day we'll have some romantic time under a supercell.
05:47Okay, I think we're ready to roll.
05:49Here we go.
05:50See you guys.
05:52Wish I was chasing with you today.
05:55Why is Sean going to Wichita?
05:58I honestly wasn't able to get a really good reason.
06:01The dry line's way west of that now.
06:03Maybe they're thinking, you know, the storms may go up there first.
06:07That's fine.
06:08We could have a solid five, six hours of tornado craziness here.
06:13Yeah.
06:14Be ready.
06:15That's what I worry about.
06:17Is that it just increases the probability of somebody getting hurt.
06:21The storm is tornado-worned.
06:23Put on your catcher's bet.
06:25You're going to catch yourself and shoot the shell.
06:27Team TwistX continues west towards the tornado-worn storm,
06:31firing near Watonga, Oklahoma.
06:34Team Dominator is 40 miles south, targeting the same violent system...
06:39The next hour is going to be crazy.
06:41...for their first intercept of the day.
06:44Supercells will develop this afternoon as storms initiate.
06:47Very large hail.
06:48Tornado is likely.
06:49Probably have a tornado on the ground pretty soon.
06:51It's a very intense sell.
06:53The ultimate goal is to launch parachute probes that are carried along with the tornado
06:58to give us that 3D x-ray of the complex dynamics inside a tornado.
07:03Five, four, three, two, one.
07:08Did it!
07:10Yes!
07:11Yes!
07:12After getting a new cannon probe system halfway through the season,
07:17Team Dominator has yet to drive into a tornado to launch them.
07:21Should I launch one?
07:23Should I launch?
07:24Where's the tornado going?
07:25Damn it.
07:26We could have intercepted that, couldn't we?
07:29Yeah.
07:30I'm pissed right now.
07:31We need to get an intercept.
07:32Oh, here it is.
07:35It's really punching.
07:36This thing's going to produce soon.
07:38This storm may provide the perfect opportunity for the team's first probe intercept.
07:44It's coming.
07:45It's coming down.
07:46Right here, it'll stop.
07:47Oh, my God.
07:49Look at this.
07:50Right here is a developing tornado right on top of us.
07:54You can see the whole thing spinning.
07:56We've got the Lexan lifted.
07:58We're getting ready to deploy.
07:59It's really exciting seeing this nuclear explosion of a supercell.
08:03I'm ready to do my part and get these probes inside a tornado.
08:06Look at it.
08:07It's coming down.
08:08Right here.
08:09It's on the ground over there.
08:10There it is.
08:11It's on the ground.
08:12There it is.
08:13Joel, this is going to be really violent.
08:14Let's get east or we're going to get behind it.
08:15Let's go.
08:29Is it to our south or west?
08:30Look back to your left.
08:31Still got strong north at least.
08:32Tornado, right there.
08:33Yeah.
08:34Big time tornado, guys.
08:35New west.
08:36Big time.
08:37Let's get ready to launch!
08:40140 miles north of developing tornadoes in Oklahoma, the tip team chases near Wellington,
08:47Kansas, hoping their navigator's gamble on a different system will pay off.
08:52Hey, Brandon.
08:53How's it looking?
08:54Looks pretty good.
08:55Yeah.
08:56We got three tornadic storms lined up.
09:00So mainly your biggest two cities right now under the gun are Wichita and Oklahoma City.
09:05So this is the first storm of the day.
09:07It's probably going to be producing a tornado.
09:10So today might be a very active day.
09:12This is the kind of day that you hope for, but you also dread.
09:20Where is the tornado, Brandon?
09:22I'm trying to get some data.
09:24Yeah.
09:25It's always frustrating when the internet goes down because you can't get radar updates.
09:29When you don't have updates, you just don't have as much certainty.
09:32While the tip team waits for a radar update on the storm, Team Dominator's already on their
09:38first tornado of the day, forming 120 miles to the southwest.
09:43Their goal is to drive into the twister and deploy their parachute probes.
09:49Oh, wow.
09:50Guys, that's huge.
09:51Go!
09:52Go!
09:53Look at that.
09:54Look at the motion.
09:55He blasts the goal.
09:56We can easily get this one.
09:58Go!
09:59Go!
10:00Go!
10:01We're watching this elephant trunk tornado just blast north across the countryside.
10:04We realize it's weak enough we can get a direct intercept on this one.
10:08You got it, Joe.
10:09You got it!
10:10The tornado looks small, but if you looked at the base of it, it looked like a little drill
10:14bit just tearing up the countryside.
10:15Oh, look at it!
10:16Oh, look at it!
10:20That is crazy.
10:22Oh, !
10:23We're watching this tornado move correctly at a little house.
10:26Oh, !
10:27Oh, !
10:28Oh, man.
10:37That is crazy.
10:38I think it's flying.
10:40Oh, wow.
10:41Guys, that's huge!
10:42Go!
10:43Go!
10:44Look at that!
10:45Look at the motion!
10:46I can easily get this one.
10:47A tornado packing 110-mile-per-hour winds just touched down in central Oklahoma.
10:53Right there, behind right straight over by this.
10:56You got it, Joe.
10:57You got it!
10:58Team Dominator watches it rip up the terrain.
11:01Oh, my God.
11:02Oh, look at it!
11:03That is crazy.
11:04As it heads straight toward a house.
11:06Come on.
11:07Right here.
11:08Stop, stop, stop.
11:09Oh, look at that way.
11:10Oh, !
11:11Oh, my God!
11:12Look at that!
11:13Holy cow!
11:14It came close.
11:15That house almost took a direct hit.
11:19It couldn't have missed it by more than 10 or 20 yards.
11:22Jesus !
11:23It's like it's weakening.
11:24Oh, it's gone.
11:25All right.
11:26Shoot north.
11:27We know there's more tornadoes coming up, and we need to do everything we possibly can to
11:34continue trying to get those probes launched.
11:36Okay, let's get the next one.
11:37Could be insane.
11:38We're going to see a tornado here any second.
11:4210 miles to the northwest, Team Twist X is already on a storm, forming over Canton, Oklahoma.
11:51Go ahead.
11:52Looking for a chance to scan it with their Doppler radar and place their 600-pound probe in the path of a tornado.
12:04Looks mighty good here.
12:05It has all the classic things.
12:07, that has everything on it.
12:09Where is it going to cross this road?
12:11It's probably going to drop pretty close to the end.
12:14This looks like a formidable tornado, a violent tornado.
12:17We appear to be in the perfect spot to deploy the probe in the path of a tornado.
12:22It looks like the area of interest is going to cross right around here, so we'll probably find a place to pull off.
12:29Well, if we can do that, we can get the radar up.
12:31Radar is an instrument for us to study supercells and tornadoes.
12:34It allows us to look on the inside of the tornado and help identify wind speeds.
12:38Wow, this is fantastic.
12:39This is absolutely perfect.
12:41I smell fresh cut wood.
12:43Right behind us, we have what might be the first tornado today, and we're in an intercept path.
12:49Man, it's hauling ass.
12:51With this developing storm here, we may have a really good chance of deploying the probe.
12:56Wow, getting hit with the RFD now.
12:59Leaves are coming right at us.
13:02All kinds of debris coming down.
13:05Yeah, that's very much on the ground.
13:07Let's get an intercept.
13:08Here we go.
13:09Rock and roll.
13:10Let's get used to this a little bit and stay ahead of this thing.
13:13That's coming right towards us, isn't it?
13:15Team TwistX tries to position themselves in front of a strengthening tornado.
13:20130 miles northwest, Team Tiv is in Kansas.
13:26Are you getting updates now, Brandon?
13:28After Brandon convinced Sean not to chase with Tim.
13:32How old is that radar image?
13:33Where is the tornado, Brandon?
13:35It's like the storm to the south of it when tornado worms.
13:39I bet Tim's on that wedge already.
13:41Shouldn't have broken our date with Tim Samaras.
13:45TwistX went west when we went north.
13:48They were on that first storm.
13:51Seems like that's the tornado of the day.
13:53We just got our butts KO'd.
13:56I think the rest of the team's kind of a little down.
13:58Just knowing that, you know, if we would have chased with TwistX,
14:01we would have had one more tornado under our belt.
14:03I feel like it falls on my shoulders.
14:05If we don't get great tornadoes...
14:07U-turn, someone tell me something.
14:09Brandon, we need to know exactly what we have to do.
14:12You don't always pick the right spot.
14:14But what you can do is make an adjustment.
14:17So we're making an adjustment.
14:19We need to try to find a road to go south.
14:21And we're going south.
14:23We're Tim is.
14:24Team Tim now races 100 miles south to where Team Dominator is already positioning for a probe intercept.
14:32Oh, my God! There it is!
14:34Watching yet another tornado touch down just 80 miles from their hometown.
14:39That's big, Joel!
14:41I think we've got to get east through town, though, and get in its path.
14:43It's going to be big.
14:44Oh, my God.
14:45Joel, we've got to get ready to go soon.
14:47It's not moving very fast.
14:48I know.
14:49I just want to get an intercept.
14:50It's just getting going.
14:51We can easily intercept that.
14:53We've got a really strong tornado just to our north.
14:56We're going to try to intercept it.
14:58Go east and then north and get in its path.
15:00Deploy some probes.
15:01Caught in.
15:02Where are we?
15:03Canton?
15:04Yeah, just west of Canton.
15:05It just hit something.
15:06Hi, I'm a train weather spotter.
15:07I need to report a tornado on the ground.
15:08Six violent.
15:09Two miles northwest of Canton.
15:10Look at that thing.
15:11Joel, we've got to get east.
15:12Let's go.
15:13We've got to get east of it!
15:14Get east!
15:15Look at that!
15:16Get east!
15:17Look at that!
15:18Joel, we've got to get east!
15:19Let's go!
15:20We've got to get east of it!
15:21Get east!
15:22Look at that!
15:23Oh, my God!
15:24There it is!
15:25It just hit something!
15:26Near Kenton, Oklahoma, Team Dominator watches a violent EFVD
15:30Tornado intensify.
15:31It's gonna be big.
15:32Oh, my God!
15:33It's just getting going.
15:34We can easily intercept that.
15:35Poised to drive into 165-mile-an-hour winds and launch their cannon probes for the
15:37first time.
15:38Joel, we've got to get east!
15:39Let's go!
15:40We've got to get east of it!
15:41Let's get east!
15:42Let's get east!
15:43Oh, my God!
15:44Oh, my God!
15:45There it is!
15:46There it is!
15:47It just hit something!
15:48Near Kenton, Oklahoma, Team Dominator watches a violent EFVD Tornado intensify.
15:50It's gonna be big.
15:51Oh, my God!
15:52It's just getting going.
15:53We can easily intercept that.
15:54Poised to drive into 165-mile-an-hour winds and launch their cannon probes for the first
16:00time.
16:01Joel, we've got to get east!
16:02Let's go!
16:03We've got to get east of it!
16:04Let's get east!
16:05Really big!
16:06Really big!
16:07Let's go, Reed!
16:08Go, go, go, go, go!
16:11Wow, look at it.
16:12It's huge.
16:13Yeah.
16:14Oh, it's a wedge.
16:15Yeah, we've got a very large, violent tornado just toward northwest.
16:18Probably EF4.
16:19Tornado easy.
16:20Really strong.
16:21And we're getting in its path to intercept.
16:23So we are gonna go east and then north and get right in its path.
16:26Then we're gonna deploy.
16:27We're gonna have to be careful because this is a violent tornado.
16:30This is a violent tornado.
16:32This is where we have to put all of our skills to work to make sure we get ourselves in position
16:35to get an intercept.
16:36And bad things could happen if we make a mistake.
16:37That's got violence.
16:38On the north side of the same tornado, Team Twistex looks for an intercept path of their own.
16:45It's a big tornado, guys.
16:46It's monstrous.
16:47Yeah, it's huge.
16:48And make sure their new tower probe is operational for its first intercept of the season.
17:01Maybe we can stop for just a quick, brief period of time so we can turn the probe on.
17:05Okay.
17:06We're pulling off the side of the road and we're taking the cover off the radar.
17:09And what we're gonna do is take off the clamps and get ready to use the radar today.
17:13You don't get a big tornado like that very often.
17:15So our first deployment of the season is potentially moments away.
17:18Probe turn on.
17:19We only have two or three weeks left of this month.
17:23And we'll have to shut down our operations for the year.
17:25So the pressure's on.
17:26Probably gonna have to go north.
17:28Let's go.
17:29The tower probe is running.
17:32We're gonna try to get in position.
17:35Oh, there is a dominator.
17:37Timber pass on your left here.
17:40Gotta get further north.
17:42The tornado's grown up to probably over a half mile wide.
17:48Probes are on.
17:49Ready to go?
17:50Yep.
17:51It's gonna be perfect positioning, guys.
17:52Get ready for the first intercept.
17:54This is our first intercept opportunity with D2.
17:57A large, dangerous tornado.
17:59And we're actually gonna get the opportunity to have the thing hit us.
18:02Go, Joel.
18:03Go.
18:04You gotta move.
18:05You gotta move.
18:06We gotta get this thing beat.
18:07This thing is a beast.
18:08Oh, my God.
18:11It's really violent.
18:12Look at that wedge.
18:13We gotta get these cannon probes in here.
18:15Get ready, Joel.
18:16Coming up.
18:17Let's go do it.
18:18Yeah, we got it.
18:19Intercept time.
18:20Go, go, go, go, go.
18:21There it is.
18:23There it is.
18:27As Team Dominator turns directly into the storm.
18:32This thing continues to grow.
18:34It's up to Tim to decide if Team TwistX will follow them toward the beast.
18:39It's 4.7 kilometers to our width, paralleling the road.
18:42There's an east-west road coming up about a mile.
18:46It's probably gonna go right across, so we probably shouldn't go there.
18:50A deployment's not gonna work if we're paralleling a tornado.
18:55I wish that Tim was being more aggressive and a little less cautious.
18:59Is your radar still running?
19:01Yep.
19:02We're over 160 miles an hour right now.
19:04160?
19:05This is a monster, guys.
19:06Yeah, it is.
19:07A powerful tornado of 160-plus miles per hour can basically wipe a house off its foundation.
19:12It could toss cars in the air like they are toys.
19:15It could do very, very extensive damage.
19:17All stations, Dominator, if you were reading me, tornado wind speeds are 160-mile-an-hour-plus.
19:27Copy that, Tim.
19:28160 miles an hour.
19:29I think we can handle that one.
19:31We've never actually tested out D2.
19:33Reid says it's impenetrable by these strong tornadoes or by debris, but we don't know that for a fact.
19:40Holy .
19:41That's one massive tornado right there.
19:43Let me know when to launch.
19:44Let me know when we're inside.
19:45Just don't do it.
19:46Just don't do it yet.
19:47Okay.
19:48Almost there.
19:49Oh, look at that.
19:50Look at that.
19:51Slow down.
19:52Slow down.
19:53We're in the circulation, Joel.
19:54It's right here.
19:55Watch for debris.
19:56Look at that.
19:57Look at that.
19:58Look at that.
19:59It's hard to stay calm, and it's hard to make sure everything's done correctly when you have an extremely violent tornado barreling down on you.
20:02Right here, right in front of us.
20:03Wait for it.
20:04We're right on it, Joel.
20:05We're driving into it.
20:06As we're coming up to the Canton tornado, Reid is completely overexcited.
20:11Stop.
20:12Stop.
20:13Not driving into that one right now.
20:14We're okay.
20:15Slow down.
20:16Drop down.
20:17It's right on top of us.
20:18Hurry, hurry, hurry.
20:19Drop down.
20:20We're getting closer and closer to this tornado where we have to intercept, and it's roaring across this field.
20:25I'm seeing debris getting kicked up, and I want us to drop the vehicle down and brace ourselves for impact.
20:30Get down.
20:31Yeah, we're good.
20:32Get down, Joel.
20:33Drop it down.
20:43Let me know when to launch.
20:44Let me know when we're inside, please.
20:45Just don't do it.
20:46Just don't do it yet.
20:47Almost there.
20:48In Canton, Oklahoma, Team Dominator drives towards a monster tornado to launch their cannon probes for the first time.
20:55Wait for it.
20:56Let me know.
20:57We gotta do it, Joel.
20:58Wait for it.
20:59Timing has to be perfect to get the probes into the circulation and record wind speed, direction, and pressure.
21:06Let me know when to launch.
21:07You'll know.
21:08You'll know.
21:09Right here, right in front of us.
21:10I gotta shoot.
21:11Wait for it.
21:12Debris hit the car.
21:13Get down.
21:14Yeah, we're good.
21:15Get down, Joel.
21:16Drop it down.
21:17Power lines.
21:18Drop down.
21:19If we don't drop down with the Dominator inside a tornado of this size and intensity, it could
21:28be the difference between life or death.
21:30Launch.
21:31We're launching one.
21:32Launch.
21:33Launch.
21:34Launch.
21:35Launch.
21:36Launch.
21:37Launch.
21:38Launch it again.
21:39Launch.
21:40Launch it again.
21:41I'm just launching cannon probe after cannon probe into this thing, watching him getting
21:45lifted up into the funnel.
21:46The action probe is in the tornado.
21:48It just lifted.
21:49We got it in the tornado.
21:50It went up.
21:51I saw it go up.
21:52Finally getting our first deployment in D2, there's a huge sensation that overcomes
21:56the team.
21:57We got it inside.
21:58There it is out the window.
21:59Look.
22:00Did you see it go up?
22:01No, I couldn't see anything.
22:02I saw it going all over the place.
22:03It shot straight up.
22:04The probes are equipped with GPS tracking devices, so once the chase is over, we can return
22:10to the area that we launch them, recover the probes, and then pull that data off for analysis.
22:15Nice, Joel.
22:16Great work.
22:17He's got debris all over his back.
22:18Look.
22:19This is what we've been working for all year.
22:20To finally have it come to fruition is awesome.
22:21Drought is over.
22:22Nice driving.
22:23Good job, Joel.
22:24As Team Dominator celebrates their success, Team TwistX watches the tornado from four miles
22:39away after Tim turned cautious and decided not to intercept.
22:44Look on to your left, folks.
22:45Still there?
22:46Yeah, it's still there.
22:47Oh, yeah.
22:48Oh, yeah.
22:49Still a strong tornado.
22:50Let's get into the intercept.
22:51No.
22:52We ain't gonna do that.
22:53There's no road options to deploy safely.
22:57We're gonna lose it at this point.
22:59Tim, for whatever reason, is hesitant to go in for the intercept.
23:03This reticence could mean that TwistX misses out on a significant opportunity to get our
23:10probes inside a tornado.
23:13This one's beginning to rope out.
23:14Yeah, that one's completely cut off now.
23:16It's just a rope circulation.
23:18Now we're watching the Canton Lake tornado rope out to our west.
23:22I feel like today may come to a close without any intercepts.
23:26And this has been a really tough season.
23:28It looks like the tornado has dissipated.
23:34Darn!
23:35Oh, my God.
23:36Look at this.
23:37Look at this rotation.
23:38And there's the hook.
23:39Good God.
23:40That's a huge tornado.
23:41A dramatic opportunity for our deployment has just fizzled.
23:48And now there's been a verified tornado with one of the supercells heading for Oklahoma City.
24:06This storm needs to be our next target.
24:09We need to get in the path of this thing as quickly as possible so we can intercept.
24:13How far away is this tornado?
24:15It's about 24 miles to our south.
24:18Let's get back into the heart of the beast.
24:20Our mission is not done.
24:2380 miles north, Team TIB finally crosses the Kansas-Oklahoma border.
24:28After Brandon targeted the wrong storm system, Sean is too late to film the Canton tornado in 3D.
24:39Maybe a monster storm to the north side of Oklahoma City.
24:42Well, we should go to Oklahoma City then, I think.
24:45Yeah.
24:46We missed the first one.
24:47We might get the second one.
24:48Now we're kind of a little northwest of where we need to be.
24:51We really have to make up a lot of ground in a short amount of time.
24:54Probably just have to jump over to the 35 and head south there.
25:00Are we going to be able to catch it?
25:02Yeah.
25:03I think we're going to catch it.
25:04It's going to be close though.
25:06There's a small opportunity to get to that storm when it's putting down a tornado.
25:11And we might be too late.
25:14Get me close.
25:20Tornado warning for northwest Oklahoma City.
25:22That is a violent, violent maxi tornado showing over 200 mile per hour wind shear.
25:26So it could be an EF-4 potentially approaching an EF-5.
25:29Extremely dangerous.
25:30You have no choice.
25:31Get out of the way or get below ground.
25:32Tomorrow's a better day.
25:33Today, save your life.
25:35It's getting bad.
25:36Large pilot tornadoes are heading straight for the OKC metro area.
25:41We've got to pray for Oklahoma City, guys.
25:44This is not looking good.
25:46Just when it seems like this season can't get any more crazy, it does.
25:51This tornado outbreak's close to home.
25:53We have a lot of friends and family in this area.
25:56Where's your brother located?
25:58He's in Yukon.
25:59Get Jason to blast west on 40 immediately.
26:02They have to do it, like, right now.
26:04Hey, there's a second wave coming up right towards Yukon.
26:07Just go west on 40 to El Reno.
26:10Time to leave immediately, though.
26:11Immediately.
26:13Mile wide, violent tornado.
26:15Very deadly situation.
26:17Extremely populated.
26:18I hope people are underground right now.
26:20All these people are evacuating, I bet.
26:22Look at this.
26:23They're evacuating northern sides of Oklahoma City.
26:25That's really good, actually.
26:27That's where warnings come in really helpful.
26:29All the vehicles were leaving town in the path of this tornado.
26:33It's a really good thing to see that people are heeding those warnings.
26:38It's right out here, I think.
26:41Let's just wait a little bit here.
26:48Very large damaging tornado to our southwest heading right to this location.
26:52You can hear sirens.
26:53There's people evacuating from south to north.
26:58Is that it?
26:59This whole thing?
27:00Yeah, it's the rain crates right up here.
27:01That whole thing's in!
27:02We gotta go, we gotta get out of the way.
27:04Whoa, whoa, whoa.
27:05We gotta get out of the way!
27:06Go south!
27:07Yeah!
27:16Large, violent tornadoes are heading straight through the OKC metro area.
27:20We gotta pray for Oklahoma City, guys.
27:22This is not looking good.
27:23This is heading straight to home.
27:24Over half a million residents of Oklahoma City are threatened by a violent tornado hidden behind sheets of rain.
27:32Right now there's a very large damaging tornado to our southwest heading right to this location.
27:37So we should see it come over this hill pretty soon.
27:40Team Dominator is right in its path.
27:43Still hoping to drive into the beach to launch more of their cannon probes.
27:48I think there's the right side of it.
27:49Is that it?
27:50This whole thing?
27:51Yeah, look at the rain crates jumped up here.
27:53That whole thing's in it!
27:54We gotta get out of the way.
27:55Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
27:56We gotta get out of the way!
27:57Go, go, go, go, go!
27:58Fly!
27:59Fly south!
28:00We gotta get south, fast!
28:03This is the type of situation we can't intercept.
28:06We just have to get completely out of the way.
28:08There's debris back in there, too!
28:10Keep going, Joel!
28:11Keep going, keep going!
28:12Go, go, go, go!
28:13This tornado is rain-wrapped, and when we can't see the vortex inside that shroud of rain,
28:17it just looks like this wall of darkness.
28:19How'd you get hit by major wind?
28:21This thing's completely rain-wrapped.
28:23You're almost through it!
28:24There could easily be an EF-5 in there that even the Dominator can't handle.
28:33I can see it!
28:34It's way north-north.
28:35We're looking northeast.
28:36We're good.
28:37Are you sure?
28:38Yeah.
28:40There's a wedge back there, a rain-wrapped wedge tornado.
28:43We couldn't see it until the last second.
28:45It was right on us, and we had to evacuate south.
28:49Oklahoma City was nearly taken out by this mile-wide EF-5 tornado, and now it's headed straight
28:54for Guthrie along the I-35 corridor, which is very populated, and this is about as deadly
28:59as it gets for tornadoes.
29:01Twenty miles north of Team Dominator, the TIF team races south towards the same tornado,
29:10now approaching Guthrie, Oklahoma.
29:13I keep in mind as we approach town, if there's traffic around us and the tornado's gonna cross
29:20the I-35, I might do our siren to stop traffic before they drive into it, just in case.
29:26See the debris coming down?
29:28See?
29:29Oh, yeah.
29:30Right.
29:31This is a major tornado.
29:32Yeah, maybe.
29:33It's closer than we think.
29:34This is pretty eerie.
29:35Yeah, it's getting that crazy color.
29:37There's more debris.
29:38All the truckers are pulling over now.
29:40That's unbelievable.
29:41No, that's a major tornado.
29:43Yeah.
29:44Huge.
29:45This tornado is definitely very intense.
29:47Even though we can't see it, you almost just know that that's a strong, violent tornado
29:52back in the air when you're seeing debris flying out of the sky, well ahead of the main circulation.
29:57It's raining debris.
29:59Let's tell these people they should stop right now.
30:01Large tornado going through Guthrie.
30:04Pull over now.
30:05We are using our PA siren system to warn people to not drive south because they could be driving into a killer tornado.
30:11Large tornado going through Guthrie.
30:14Pull over now.
30:15The first three people we warned, they actually started to pull over off the road.
30:18Pull over now.
30:19I mean, on a high risk day like today and people are driving through weather like this, it's a bizarre up.
30:26Well, hopefully they take your advice and you save some people.
30:30I don't know.
30:31As we got closer to where that tornado was going to cross, we're still passing vehicles.
30:36Can you tell this guy?
30:37At this point, man, if he pulls over, he might be in the path.
30:40It becomes a safety concern.
30:42We could be warning them to stop right in the path of a tornado.
30:46So, I mean, our hands are tied right there.
30:49Looks like it's toward due west right now.
30:51Due west?
30:52Yeah, due west.
30:58It's on the ground.
30:59It's on the ground.
31:03Wow, that's a large tornado.
31:05We realize that this tornado is a lot closer than what we had previously thought.
31:10We can't see a shape or size of it.
31:12All we know is that there's a monster hidden back there in the rain.
31:15That is a very big, big tornado.
31:21Let's get an intercept.
31:24No, we're not going to intercept this tornado.
31:26Feel a little apprehensive going into a half-mile-to-mile-wide tornado.
31:34Sound's here!
31:36It's moving right at us.
31:37I'm deployed, then.
31:38I'm deployed.
31:39We're stopped on the side of the road, and just to our south-west, just crossing the road was that tornado.
31:46There it is.
31:47It's right here.
31:48Oh, .
31:58Holy smokes!
32:00Guys, somebody come right into it.
32:02Stop warning them!
32:03Stop warning them!
32:04Stop your vehicles!
32:05Stop warning them!
32:06Tornado!
32:07Tornado!
32:08Stop your vehicles!
32:10There is a tornado!
32:11Stop your vehicles!
32:1432 miles northeast of Team Tim, Team TwistX also approaches this storm, hoping for a probe intercept.
32:26It'll be crossing I-35 pretty quick here.
32:29We're just going to be driving right through it.
32:31There has been damage reported on I-35 in Guthrie, just on the south side of the city.
32:35Power is out throughout the entire town.
32:37Roger.
32:39The newest warning on this thing, there's extreme damage in the path of this tornado.
32:43Houses were swept away.
32:45I don't think this is such a smart thing to do.
32:48There has to be a point where a decision has to be made, and unfortunately, I'm the guy that has to call that.
32:54But a day like today, where we can have strong, violent tornadoes, even going through metropolitan areas, really has me concerned.
33:02All right.
33:04So much for the 35 option.
33:05I value everybody's opinion on the target, but I have to make the call.
33:11And sometimes it's tough, and of course, I'll take a lot of heat for that.
33:15.
33:16Yeah, west wind.
33:17Okay.
33:19This is crazy, guys.
33:21Yeah, we're really, this is, this is crazy.
33:25This is absolutely insane.
33:27Tim seems to be exhibiting more caution than we saw at the beginning part of the season.
33:32We don't know how many opportunities may be left.
33:35Time is of the essence.
33:38And when an opportunity presents us with something as dramatic as this, we've got to take chances and we've got to be aggressive.
33:46A new warning, hanging right toward Norman.
33:48Yeah, with some of those new cells.
33:49We need to get south ASAP if it's got a disgusting hook on it.
33:54Roger.
33:56There it is, right there. Look at that.
34:00That thing was totally wrapped in rain.
34:01We might have actually, uh, helped out.
34:02We just got here right on time.
34:03Holy .
34:04I've seen cars on that I-35 and kind of break and swerve at the last moment.
34:09Even though we didn't get a fantastic shot, we did some good work.
34:13We just got here right on time.
34:15Holy .
34:17I'm seeing cars on that I-35
34:20and kind of break and swerve at the last moment.
34:22Even though we didn't get a fantastic shot,
34:25we did some good work out there.
34:26Good job, guys.
34:28Yeah, hey, and actually,
34:30we stopped traffic from going through.
34:32Hey, there's some car cars.
34:33Hold on, someone's up there.
34:34Let's go see if we can help them out.
34:36We've got a vehicle that might need help.
34:38.
34:40Not what I wanted.
34:42Call 911.
34:43We got a big rig down.
34:44They might need help.
34:45There's a big rig that's been flipped in this tornado
34:48right just north of the Guthrie exit.
34:50I'm gonna pull up front on that side.
34:52Yeah, yeah.
34:53Yep.
34:54Come back, thanks.
34:55Let's go get him.
34:57We don't know if this guy is injured.
34:58We don't know if he was thrown from the vehicle.
35:00We don't know what condition he's in.
35:02.
35:12Oh, someone's up there.
35:14Call 911.
35:15We got a big rig down.
35:16They might need help.
35:17In the wake of a violent EF-5 tornado,
35:20Team Tib races to help a trucker blown off the highway.
35:24There's a big rig that's been flipped in this tornado
35:26right just north of the Guthrie exit.
35:28Let's go get him.
35:29We don't know if this guy is injured.
35:31We don't know if he was thrown from the vehicle.
35:33We don't know what condition he's in.
35:35.
35:38.
35:39Everybody okay?
35:40.
35:41Are you the only person in here?
35:42No.
35:43You all right?
35:44Okay.
35:45You okay, man?
35:46Holy cow.
35:47As we approach the vehicle,
35:48he's standing inside the cab with the windows blown out.
35:51Okay, we called 911 and they're coming right now.
35:53911's on their way.
35:54You wanna come sit in our vehicle?
35:55You're losing diesel.
35:56Yeah, we got a lot of gas coming out.
35:57Yeah, you're losing diesel.
35:58You're sure you're all right?
36:00Yeah.
36:01Okay?
36:02Okay, you're good.
36:03Well, wow.
36:04You're wearing your seatbelt then, right?
36:05We take him over to the TIB because he said he was all right,
36:08but I wanted him out of the rain, out of his vehicle
36:11until the real authorities can get there.
36:13I'm a medic, so if you're hurting, let me know, okay?
36:16Yeah, I'm okay.
36:17I give him a quick medical assessment,
36:19making sure he's okay.
36:20I believe it hit his elbow and his shoulder pretty hard,
36:23but he said he was fine.
36:24He was articulating all his joints quite well.
36:27Boy, oh boy, oh boy.
36:28Well, you're a tough dude.
36:30We could use a guy like you.
36:31Did you see the tornado coming?
36:34Yeah.
36:38Okay.
36:41Here comes the police.
36:46All right.
36:47You good, bud?
36:48Yeah.
36:49Whoa.
36:50Oh, yeah.
36:51Well, I'll hear that.
36:52Yeah.
36:53Once law enforcement showed up, we knew that he was safe.
36:55Oh, it was insane, guys.
36:56Yeah, that was pretty crazy.
36:57Today was a mixed bag.
36:58Yeah, that was pretty crazy.
37:00Today was a mixed bag.
37:02We were out of play for a lot of the major tornadoes,
37:04but, you know, we help people today,
37:06and I feel good about that, you know?
37:09So even though we didn't get the end-all shots,
37:12we pulled a guy out of a big rig.
37:14I feel good about us.
37:17Good job, guys. Good job.
37:21I think this day is D-O-N-E.
37:24Yeah, I'm kind of feeling the same way.
37:2835 miles south of Team Tip,
37:32Team Dominator chases another storm
37:35that's moving through their home state of Oklahoma.
37:38Right now, we are targeting these two supercells.
37:40They both have strong, violent tornadoes on the ground.
37:43One of them is heading for south Oklahoma City,
37:47and the other one is heading...
37:50Holy !
37:52That storm right there is heading to Norman.
37:54That's heading straight, straight for home.
37:57Look at my dogs outside.
38:01This is crazy.
38:03I got to get to Norman.
38:04Should we just dive south?
38:06Yeah.
38:07Anybody you know lives in Norman,
38:09I would tell them to blast north to the north side of the city.
38:12We're flying south and realize the storm is heading directly for the north side of Norman.
38:17We know a lot of people in that area.
38:19This situation makes me realize just how high the stakes can be sometimes.
38:23Hey, get in your car and go towards downtown.
38:27North side.
38:28Get him to admin.
38:29Just go north.
38:30Get out of the way.
38:31You don't want to mess around with it.
38:32Okay, bye.
38:33That's...my house is pretty much right where that line crosses.
38:38Heading straight for our houses.
38:40The storm is heading where both Reid and I live.
38:45We gotta get down there.
38:47Our houses are pretty much directly in the path of the tornado.
38:50You know, you never think that's gonna hit at home.
38:53And it's becoming a reality.
38:55These tornadoes are heading straight for our house.
38:58My four dogs are outside.
39:01They can go in the garage.
39:03That's about it.
39:04It's not the best place to be.
39:06That's going right into a heavily populated area in North Norman.
39:09There's all kinds of residential places.
39:11Get down there.
39:12We'll get down there.
39:13Maybe we can even get your dogs.
39:15It's a very bad feeling to know that potentially everything you have could be lost in the next 15, 20 minutes.
39:22Tornado warning for Norman now.
39:24Should be a tornado emergency.
39:27We've got 11 miles to our exit.
39:3250 miles northeast of Team Dominate, Team TwistX is still without their first probe intercept.
39:40All right, so this is the storm that we're now targeting.
39:42It has confirmed tornadoes on it.
39:44Large ones.
39:45Violent.
39:46And Tim continues to worry about their delicate radar system.
39:52What kind of a core are we going through here?
39:54Yeah, it's going to get nasty.
39:55We really want to do this giant monster.
39:56Great.
39:57It's going to get nasty.
39:58Just freaking great.
39:59Yep.
40:00That thing's got to have a massive wedge tornado on it.
40:01Wrapped in rain.
40:02This is going to be nuts.
40:03Yeah, I can't see it.
40:04I don't want to give up hope until it's totally dark.
40:06You know, this one intensified and it's got a tornado on it.
40:09So, you know, why not chase?
40:11Look at this.
40:12Oh, jeez.
40:13Oh, we don't want to go through that core.
40:15We can't assume that that won't intensify.
40:18If we go through that core, I'll guarantee you.
40:20You know what I mean?
40:21I mean, we're from Marino.
40:23All right.
40:24Well, probe is going home.
40:25I really don't want to go through the core of this storm.
40:28My thoughts here, we're pretty much done for the night.
40:31Today, I think, is a huge disappointment.
40:33I had big hopes for this big outbreak day, and we kind of didn't really do what we're supposed
40:38to be doing out here.
40:39These storms are still producing tornadoes.
40:41It is a bit disappointing.
40:42I think we should push till dark.
40:44I think hope is fading on trying to get any probe deployments.
40:50Why keep chasing?
40:52Right?
40:53We're a science mission.
40:56We stay together.
40:57We work together.
40:58All right.
41:01This one right here in the southwest is heading straight for your apartment complex.
41:10That'd be horrible.
41:11Those things are not well built.
41:14Campus is on South Norman, too.
41:16Yeah.
41:17OU campus.
41:18Yeah, it's heading for campus right now.
41:19We easily could have a tornado.
41:24Normal Oklahoma is about 100,000 people.
41:27It's where the University of Oklahoma is.
41:29If a large tornado came through town, the devastation would be unimaginable.
41:33People are taking warning, though.
41:35This should be full of traffic right now.
41:36Yeah.
41:37So that's a good sign.
41:39Any second.
41:40I think there's something back in there.
41:43Give a really close eye on it.
41:48It looks like the couple is weakening.
41:53Has the radar updated?
41:55We might dodge a bullet.
41:56It looks like this line of convection is catching it.
41:59It looks like it's going to go north.
42:01That's going to go north of us.
42:02Yeah.
42:03This tornado is lifting north now.
42:06It's going to miss Norman.
42:07It's going to be a hit.
42:09Today was just another insane outbreak in what seems to be a never-ending year.
42:16It's just crazy.
42:17Crazy how how devastating this year has been, including today.
42:21Fortunately, as it gets close, the storm falls apart, and we get lucky that this time
42:26our homes, our lives were spared.
42:28Norman's safe.
42:29Norman, Oklahoma City, more are all safe.
42:32The chase today worked out about as good as it could in terms of research.
42:36of research we intercepted one tornado we got close enough to several tornadoes to collect data
42:42we launched our parachute probes and at the same time all our friends and family are safe
42:48the data team dominator collected in the canton oklahoma tornado
42:52indicates that even winds 50 yards from the center of an ef3 twister can be deadly
42:58here's your probe is in the tornado it just lifted gusting over 100 miles per hour these winds are
43:05more than powerful enough to severely damage structures and lift and throw mobile homes like
43:11toys
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