Amateur storm chaser captures first tornado on dashcam

On July 18, 2022, the NWS Storm Prediction Center issued a "Slight Risk" outlook for parts of New England and upstate New York.
www.spc.noaa.g...
Included in the forecast was the potential for damaging wind gusts, large hail, and a 5% tornado risk. The potential was promising enough that even veteran storm chaser ‪@ReedTimmerWx‬ wanted in on the action.
My chase began in central Connecticut around 6:00 PM EDT. Aside from several weak showers, not much interesting was materializing. The only storm that was even remotely promising was located in upstate New York, in the northern Hudson Valley.
Using the RadarScope app, I could see that the gusty thunderstorm was roughly banana-shaped, and moving quite slowly. At the first sign of hail, I decided to pursue it further north. Then it did something unusual. The southern end of the "banana" went full hook echo, complete with a velocity couplet.
I desperately hoped to intercept it before the radar signature disappeared, but it weakened. I pushed forward anyway. As I drew closer, I could see a band of clouds rushing leftward into the storm like a ribbon being wound onto a spool. This storm was still packing a punch despite the weak signature.
As I approached my new target of Chatham, NY, I rounded a corner and came face to face with my first tornado. Believe me when I say that this thing was much more impressive than my panoramic dashcam would suggest. It appeared as a truncated cone tornado, with mountainside fog plumes swirling rapidly around it at ground level.
Others noticed the twister as well, and pulled off to the side of the road with their hazard lights blinking. Since I did not have the number for the Albany NWS office readily available, I called 911.
Storms on this day also produced two other tornadoes:
wpdh.com/torna...
www.necn.com/n...

[@Davesand2003]

You actually called 911, what a savage.

[@VintageVibratone]

Fantastic stuff man, must've been insane seeing one so up close and personal. Love it, stay safe chasing!

[@poonslayer9619]

What weather app are you using?

[@Fahrenheit4051]

RadarScope.

[@plasticlemmon3288]

nice job man!

[@noopbloop5051]

to 911 operator "This mesocylone's crankin" LOL.