- 2 days ago
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00:00It started with one simple goal.
00:02Chris, we can deploy it, we can deploy it.
00:04Get our camera probe into the path of a tornado.
00:07This is not good, guys.
00:08It's turning hard to the left.
00:09This is not good.
00:11Holy, that is a violent tornado, man.
00:13We could have never imagined
00:16this would become the craziest storm chase of our lives.
00:20Oh no, oh no, please, please.
00:25It's June 28th, 2025,
00:28and my friend Chris and I are chasing
00:30a potent severe weather setup
00:32near the South Dakota, Minnesota border.
00:34For the past month,
00:36we've chased hundreds of storms across the country
00:39with the goal of putting an 8K 360 camera probe
00:42into the path of a tornado.
00:45Despite a relatively lackluster synoptic environment,
00:49extreme amounts of atmospheric instability
00:52under just enough wind shear allow several powerful,
00:55rotating thunderstorms called supercells
00:58to erupt at 5 PM.
01:01Noticing that the southernmost storm
01:03has begun to dominate the atmosphere,
01:05we make the quick decision to drive towards
01:08the rapidly intensifying storm,
01:10drawing closer and closer to the small town
01:13of Clear Lake, South Dakota.
01:17Tornado is imminent, if not already ongoing.
01:19It's wrapping, so crazy.
01:22Oh, there we go, it's starting to get down.
01:24Yeah, tornado coming down.
01:27You got this.
01:29All right.
01:30This is it, this is our chance to do it.
01:32I know.
01:33Oh, yeah.
01:36It's coming right here.
01:39It's pretty close.
01:42Definitely going to our north a little bit.
01:44Oh, my God, look at that thing.
01:47Emerging from the rain and hail,
01:49Chris and I arrive just in time
01:51as the storm quickly produces a strong tornado
01:54at 6.53 PM just to the northwest
01:58of the small town of Clear Lake, South Dakota.
02:02Positioned directly in the supercell's path,
02:04we take a few moments to judge
02:06which direction the tornado is moving
02:08as we attempt to get into position
02:11to deploy the probe.
02:12All right, watch left and right.
02:15Moving to the right.
02:16Should I go north?
02:17Just a little bit, yeah.
02:18Definitely right and do it right now.
02:20I'm turning around.
02:27Holy cow.
02:28That's a nice one.
02:29That is a beast.
02:30It's still moving north.
02:32Here, let's keep going.
02:33Let's creep north.
02:35It's still back in there.
02:37It's just wrapped in rain.
02:42It kind of stalled at once in the north, didn't it?
02:45Here, I have the radar.
02:46Yeah, that's exactly what it did.
02:49Damn, I don't know what to do.
02:51Initially positioned in the supercell's path,
02:54Chris and I notice that the tornado is not moving
02:57with the rest of the storm
02:58and begins to turn towards the northwest
03:01away from our position.
03:03Knowing we'll have to get close
03:05to get the probe in the tornado's path,
03:08we decide to drive west directly towards
03:11the powerful twister as it begins to occlude,
03:14revealing a gorgeous stovepipe
03:16stretching thousands of feet into the atmosphere.
03:19Here, here, here, here.
03:20We got to west.
03:21Let's get close.
03:22Let's get close.
03:23I think this is the move.
03:26That's insane, dude.
03:36Watch out, water.
03:43Let's get close.
03:45Let's get close.
03:46Let's get close.
03:51My goodness.
03:52This is one of the most incredible tornadoes I've ever seen.
03:56Closing the distance towards the tornado,
03:59we get within a mile of its path, but it's too late.
04:03The tornado ropes out in a field before we can get into position to deploy the probe.
04:08However, despite the failure, this day is just getting started.
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05:42Continuing to follow the storm to the east, Chris and I watch as it struggles to put down another tornado,
05:49slowly weakening in the increasingly hostile environment.
05:53However, just minutes later, another supercell explodes to our west, tracking into an extremely unstable atmosphere.
06:03Not wanting to repeat the same mistakes we've made with the first tornado,
06:08Chris and I decide to drive straight towards the intensifying storm,
06:12growing stronger and stronger with every second that passes.
06:16Nice lowering underneath a pretty classic looking supercell.
06:20Probably about to drop a tornado. Look at that.
06:23Alright, we're going to be more aggressive than last time.
06:29Beautiful.
06:33Holy cow.
06:35Pretty crazy.
06:37It's right there. Do we want to look for a south road?
06:40Oh, it's right here.
06:41Whoa, you see that? It's on the road right now.
06:43It is on the road. It's right there. It's right there on the road.
06:48Holy cow.
06:49Alright, pull over. I've got to get this thing up.
06:51Get the 360 up. There's no need to get any closer.
06:55Just go, go, go.
06:56Make it quick, man.
07:00I can hear it, Chris. It's right there.
07:04We're going.
07:12Oh, my God.
07:15Insane tornado.
07:17Should I stop?
07:18It went south of the road.
07:19That's fine.
07:21Oh, my God.
07:22There's a hill in the way.
07:24Keep going?
07:25A little bit.
07:26Or turn.
07:27I'm going to you.
07:28I'm going to you.
07:28You got to see this thing, dude.
07:30Oh.
07:32Do you want to go get the probe?
07:36Uh, we might be able to go back for the probe.
07:38The boat's on the ground.
07:39Believing the storm will follow a similar path to the first tornado, Chris and I deploy the probe and make
07:45our escape.
07:47However, at the last moment, the tornado makes an unexpected turn towards the east, missing the probe just to its
07:55south.
07:57Go dude! Chris, we can race past and get in the probe. We can get it if we go real
08:02fast.
08:02I know. I just want to shoot this. I want to shoot this right here. This is... Oh my god,
08:06it's right here!
08:07That thing is strong as hell, dude! Can we turn? This is insane!
08:16Alright, the probe is fine. The probe is fine. It's right here. It's right here.
08:22Oh my god! It's like Eli! Come on, grab it! Let's go!
08:39Put it in! Put it in!
08:47We got it!
08:50We gotta get it in now! I know, I know. Oh my god, look at that thing!
08:55Let's turn around! Let's turn around, let's turn around!
08:58Realizing that the tornado has missed the probe, Chris and I race back to retrieve it, preparing to reposition for
09:05another attempt at an intercept.
09:07However, neither of us realize this is only the beginning of the most insane tornado we've ever seen.
09:16This is insane! It might be starting to rope! Wow!
09:20Look at that thing! Look how rapidly it's rotating!
09:25I've never seen anything like this in my life!
09:28No! Oh, in the field! In the freaking field, man! Shoot that close!
09:32Let me zoom in! Tight! There is like an inner core vortex!
09:39Dude, I'm getting, I'm getting on the field!
09:41Dude! Oh my god!
09:58Oh my god!
10:00Oh my god!
10:10You can hear it!
10:12Oh, look at the inner core! Oh my god!
10:18Chris, we can intercept this! Oh, and that's too late now!
10:21Let's get closer!
10:24Let's get closer! Oh my god!
10:26What is that? What the heck is that?
10:29I gotta zoom in!
10:30I have never seen that before!
10:33Bro, what is that?
10:35Oh my god!
10:38Oh, with the lightning!
10:39It's gonna cross the road!
10:40Here, let's go! Let's go!
10:42Let's go!
10:44Racing to catch back up with the intensifying tornado, we watch as it dances in front of us,
10:51gaining strength with each passing moment. However, as we film the tornado, it begins to make a hard left
10:59turn to the north, heading directly towards the road packed with dozens of other storm chasers
11:04sitting right in its path. Fearing a worst-case scenario, Chris and I move in as the powerful
11:11twister approaches the road.
11:14That inner core! That inner core! Oh my goodness!
11:22It's moving pretty hard to the left now!
11:23Oh god, these guys gotta move! This is not good! We gotta be ready to move! We gotta be ready
11:27to move!
11:28This is not good, guys!
11:29It's turning hard to the left!
11:30This is not good!
11:31Don't hit the road! Please, do not hit the road!
11:35Don't hit the f***ing road! I can't- I'm not deploying on that!
11:39No, too dangerous! Here it comes! It's going for the road!
11:44Oh god! Oh god! Oh god! Oh god! Please, move, guys! Move! Move!
11:55Here it comes!
12:05It's gonna take out the power lines! Oh my god!
12:10Oh my god!
12:15it's station inch inch crawl you can inch a little bit closer all right
12:20holy that is a violent tornado man it's just stalled right on the road zoom in on it zoom
12:46at the last possible second the other vehicles move out of the tornado's path as it stalls
12:53on the road directly in front of us not wanting to pass up on a rare opportunity to get extremely
13:00close footage of the incredible tornado chris and i get as close as we can recording some
13:07of the greatest tornado footage ever captured
13:15that is a freaking violent tornado do you want to get close or what we can get you a little
13:20bit closer if it retrogrids just get ready to rip it around
13:31look at that
13:35this is the most incredible thing i've ever seen in my entire life
13:38it's insane
13:40look at that
13:43we can get closer
13:54this is like manchester dude
14:02oh look up i'm looking up
14:05oh shit
14:09this is insane
14:15zoom out you gotta get all that that's insane
14:23holy crap
14:26sure
14:29wow
14:32i've never seen anything like this in my life
14:34oh my god it's ripping the trees apart
14:37i can hear it i have never heard anything like that before
14:42listen to that
14:43i'm sticking my camera out the window i want to be able to hear it
15:00keep going keep
15:11rfd
15:15struggling to hear each other over the deafening roar
15:18chris and i watch as the tornado narrowly misses several homes in front of us
15:24tearing apart trees and scouring the ground
15:27still wanting to get into position for another attempt at a probe intercept
15:32we start to catch back up with the dangerous twister
15:36however
15:37at that same moment
15:39the tornado deviates once again
15:42turning to the northeast straight towards a farmstead
15:45we have no idea
15:48we are about to watch a family
15:50take a direct hit from the now violent tornado
15:54this is nutty
15:58it's out your window
16:04it's in those trees right now it's hitting something bad
16:07oh my god
16:08it's hitting a house
16:10not good
16:11that is not good
16:14oh no
16:15oh no
16:16please
16:16please
16:17no
16:19god damn it
16:24no
16:28no
16:28no
16:28no
16:29no
16:29no
16:29no
16:29no
16:34that house just got destroyed
16:36that is so bad
16:45that's a strong tornado
16:47that's violent
16:48that is a violent tornado
16:51oh my god
16:56all right
16:58shit
16:59there's no way to get to it
17:00i can't get to it
17:01i don't know how to get there
17:02that's so bad
17:05hopefully no one was home
17:06god damn it
17:08watching in horror at what's happening in front of us
17:11chris and i film as the entire farmstead disintegrates into a cloud of shrapnel
17:17entire roof trusses and trees weighing hundreds of pounds fly through the air like feathers before slamming into the ground
17:26in total shock of what we had just witnessed chris and i failed to notice the driveway to the home
17:32in time
17:33missing the turn by only a few seconds
17:36thankfully our friends will and aaron along with several other chasers driving right behind us notice the driveway to the
17:45home in time and take action
17:58thanks to the actions of storm chasers and first responders
18:02all four residents survive with only minor injuries
18:10i can't get north
18:12just
18:14maybe we can just get out and watch it
18:17we can get out and watch it here chris
18:19to pull over or something
18:20i can't really get it much from my side
18:22all right
18:23i'm gonna go here
18:28it does look like people are trying to get to that house
18:31but they're gonna have to walk out in that field
18:34dude we got it let's let's move let's move
18:37all right we got to get to this north road here
18:40it's coming up here
18:42i just need i want to get off this road
18:44yeah north road try to get in front of it and we can try to deploy
18:47it's lots of sunlight
18:50it's right there in the field
18:52yeah it is
18:56this is like literally dodge city
18:59i'm closing my window
19:00i'm not going
19:02it's just too dangerous
19:04we need to be ready to turn
19:07that's insane
19:08should i deploy
19:09is it coming this way
19:10i can't tell i'm not seeing left or right it seems stationary
19:15rain bands make it seem like it's moving kind of just to the north of us
19:18i think it's moving right
19:20i don't think i can deploy this is too much man
19:23it's also i think too dark
19:25yeah
19:27holy cow dude what a tornado
19:30still trying to get into position to deploy the probe
19:33we finally get in front of the tornado as it begins to occlude to the north
19:38but with the sun beginning to set
19:40and the tornado moving in unpredictable directions
19:44we decide it's too dangerous to position in its path
19:48over the next several minutes
19:50chris and i watch as the tornado continues to shrink in both size and intensity
19:55narrowly missing the small town of gary before finally dissipating in a field
20:01what started as a simple mission to get our probe in a tornado turned into the most insane chase of
20:07our lives
20:08so
20:13that's what's going on
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