Finally updated my website for this date. It was very frustrating because I  was unable to get any stills from my digital camera, and ended up having to use video grabs. So sorry for the quality but it gives you an idea.

http://www.tornadoxtreme.com/Image00006.jpg

For those of you interested in this crazy as usual chase read on.

My Dad had been in the hospital in Abilene so I was delayed. I had been  looking earlier in the day to get up toward Enid or so. Really I wanted to be  central Ok, preferably north of an E/W line through OKC. Models were indicating IMO that some of the upper level winds would be difficult to find further south  I believe it was 300's or 250 plus sfc wind wasn't supposed to be too strong.  Anyway dynamics on the northern end. My Dad got out (everything ok) after noon  or so, and by the time I checked what was up and left Abilene, Tx it was a bit  after 2:00. Plan was to shoot north up through Wichita Falls to at least  Chickasha. I keep thinking of La Nina and previous climatology. I've had this  weird thought for sometime that OKC might get hit by F4 or F5 somewhere between  April 26th and May 7th. Probably silly but it had me considering getting close  to OKC this day. However that was not to be. As I raced north early activity near Ponca City had moved off to Tulsa with associated warnings. I was thinking  perhaps that was the show. Regardless I continued toward Chichasha passing through Lawton. About that time cells began forming along a N/S line to my west. I debated southern cell versus northern cell. For awhile south looked best and  would be easy to catch, but then the north cell took on good supercellular radar  characteristics. I decided north and would have to break though a minor core as  I was headed north of Marlow on Hwy 81. I got up to Marlow I believe and pulled over for a stop. Checking radar it appeared my north cell was starting to  finally merge with the more southern activity which had also had a couple of  mergers. I figured chase over. However I did note an interesting cell up toward  OKC - near El Reno (hehe). I would have liked to get it but appeared too far and  I was tired. Decided to blow it off and head south. Along the way I checked out  the wallcloud of a cell west of Sunray. Didn't look like much.

I continued on and noted the southern cell never merged. It had more of a  right moving aspect, and as I approached hwy 70 intersect Threatnet was showing  increasing rotation. I was debating the quickest way home and part of the shortcut was to head for hwy 281. The best way to do that was take hwy 79 and  turn south at Petrolia. Lo and behold my cell to the west is looking more interesting so I figure the diversion is worth taking a look at the wallcloud  even though it is getting late. The wallcloud isn't that far away, and hail appears to be a potential issue so I am a bit reluctant to take a small unknown  backroad. I figure the cell is moving slow though and I can escape easily back east. I take FM-171 from Byers at 8:20 CDT. As I do so and finally break out from initial construction, trees and lower windy roads suddenly the wallcloud has some 'thingies' hanging down. Next it forms a small dark cone funnel just  below the wallcloud. I continue to race west toward it. Suddenly I understand  that I may not get skunked after all. It looks like I'm about to score! Sure  enough the darn thing drops all the way close to the ground. I stop and try and shoot a digital still quickly while on the move just to prove I saw something -  because - well you know the recent story. The camera was giving me fits. I  continue on after the tornado is on the ground and headed apparently in my direction albeit somewhat slowly (20mph). Next to get closer and find a clear area to shoot a picture I have to drive a few miles down the road with large  trees blocking my view while I can still see the upper part of the wallcloud  menacing from above. My asthma had been acting up earlier and it was going  bonkers now from the excitement. It is a weird feeling knowing you are approaching a nearby tornado on the ground but can't see it to know how close it is.

I finally got to a clearing and pulled over to shoot this incredible tornado at about 8:31 pm CDT. It was just beautiful and had that lonely menacing  look as well. It was to my WNW about probably 3 to 4 miles. There I am trying to shoot pictures of this tornado and I'm thinking it's going to dissipate any  second with no pictures. I keep trying to shoot and the camera won't focus cause  it's too dark. I try and snap it off and it won't because it isn't in focus. I  finally get a shot or two off. Next I try and call the NWS to report it using my Streetatlas overlay and the OUN number. I couldn't get the cell to call for  awhile. I get the camera up again and finally figure out that the lens is set to AF (autofocus) which I normally only use for non-tornado things. I switch to  manual and manually attempt focusing. I screw that up too, but get some shots off. Damn I'm anxious! Asthma getting much worse. I finally grab the camcorder and put it on it and record seconds of the tornado. At least it seems to be able to take a picture for a change! Arrrggghhhh!!!!! Yes, this is how I felt multiplied by 100. I hardly got to watch the tornado. It seemed to be getting closer and rain wrapped and getting dark. In the dark it is sometimes tough to judge tornado distances so I decided to bail. I had gotten more than I bargained for. I shot back east on 171 at 8:34. As locals passed in their vehicles I tried to honk, flash my lights, and stop a few and tell them what was ahead. I passed  a family outside their house with the kids then backed up and talked to them.  They didn't know the storm behind them had a tornado in it. The lady let me use her cell phone to call the NWS line. I promptly got in and listened to the somewhat long voice mail options of 4 current conditions and forecast and 5 talk to someone 8 to 5 during normal business hours. No way to log a report. (See other thread). I told them to look out and drove on back to Byers. There I took  a position southwest of town on hwy 79 at 8:50 and videotaped the continuance of  a possibly larger version of the tornado until 9:17 (see pics on website).

For one reason or another this was probably one of my most anxious chases. Not sure why but I think the asthma made it that way. Tough to chase when you can't breath well and feel rushed to call in a report and try and get some decent pictures before it gets dark, the tornado lifts, or runs over you. Quite  a bit of quick annoying multitasking there. All that said this was also a very rewarding chase and a surprise after I thought I was going home empty handed. As  you can tell from the pictures this was also a very healthy, interesting tornado to watch. My biggest regret is that I didn't really have time to enjoy what I  found and watch it leisurely for awhile, plus all the photography to remember  this event was mostly screwed up. I spent a lot of hours today just trying to get the marginal pics I got.

Tornado Extreme Storm Chase