He had been out of state on business and had just arrived home from the airport in Omaha. He was changing his clothes when he first saw the tornado and grabbed his camcorder and started recording.
In terms of videos from homeowners (home video), this definitely is one of the best tornado videos ever recorded by someone who isn't a chaser. Incredible roar, stunning storm & funnel structure, crazy rotation, & good nerves of steel from the couple!
I'm a storm chaser, and have seen many tornado videos by chasers and people who were in their own home. This is by far one of the best videos I have ever seen. Very incredible footage.
"Lost a few more shingles again"...you're very lucky to have not lost a lot more than that. That was almost like winning the lottery. One of the best tornado videos out there.
We've been treated to some great tornado videos in recent years by professional storm chasers, but I have to say that I've never seen anything like this. It is absolutely superb!
7:30 lololol This is top notch footage though, especially considering the date. You really don't tend to see such great detail in tornado footage, and this had a pretty ideal combination of factors to allow for that, between it being shot from a home rather than a vehicle and being so stationary for a solid chunk of time. And of course, thank goodness it started to weaken as it drew closer cause about the time he heads downstairs I was thinking to myself that their home might be gone by the end of the vid. Glad to see they narrowly escaped annihilation! Also, the end bit where he captures the funnel roping out from basically directly beneath it was stellar. Soooo good! 👍🏼👍🏼
Awesome video!! How could 5 people dislike this?? For the technology of the late 90's, this guy did a hell of a job on this! One of the best tornado videos I have ever seen!
Okay guys this is my second posting regarding this video. To be perfectly honest; I think this is a Pulitzer Prize winning video!! Again, I have NEVER seen a video of a tornado with so much depth, noise and fine detail. I am facinated with the weather and watch tornado videos daily. THIS tornado video is what we visualize and puts fear into all of our hearts when a tornado siren goes off!!!! This guy has a heart of steel,...even with no pants on!!!!
I've looked at a ton of tornado videos, and really this is one of the most insane, amazing videos I've seen of any of them - not to ruin it, but the way this thing breaks up right at this guy's doorstep is just a fluke of nature - literally. Amazing how the dry slot avoids his place, sends the funnel up for a bit, then it re-forms downwind of his place. This family is freaking blessed!!! downright amazing.
Got to say this is the best footage ive ever seen, the guy filming deserves a film award for that exceptional footage.No lie if I would have looked out that window and saw that tornado I would've been in the basement!!!
I remember this tornado. I was 5 when it happened and my family went out chasing it. We came over a hill and it was right in front of us. My family freaked out but I remember laughing. To this day I still love tornadoes. Yes, they're destructive and deadly, but they are an amazing force of nature.
By far the best videomof a tornado ive ever seen!! The sound and power of it is rare. Camera man gets extra props for keep the monster in sight , you got sir!! And this is the first time ive ever seen a tornado transform!! Guess it was F4 all the down to F0. So cool
Every time he said it was just sitting there , i was literally thinking ''it's coming right at you , you fool ! '' lol I would've ran for my cellar a lot sooner than he did.
Fantastic video! All I could think of when the man said "it's just sittin' there" is an old tornado rule from my childhood that said "If a tornado does not appear to be moving, but appears to be getting larger, it is heading straight at you!" LOL
This eventually touched down again, and hit our house. We all lived though. Blew all the car windows out and every south, west and east window. A tree went through one of the walls of the house. I saw it coming, told my mom and family I saw it, no one believed me, lol. Eventually we went in the basement. The door to the basement had a door that led outside a few feet away. Both flew open and I saw trees flying by.
Wow! You mean, that after this monster roped out, another one touched down, and hit your house? Talk about some bad luck! But, it was good, that none of you were hurt or killed! This video is best tornado video of them all! It's incredible!
If I had to guess, I'd say a cold and/or dry RFD saved his ass. Something dried the hell out of that circulation and weakened it considerably in a matter of seconds.
I watch this again a year later. One of the best I've ever seen. The video guy keeps his cool, holds still, and reacts more calmly than I would. And that sound!
Wow! A monster wedge coming right at you, and all you can do is watch. What suspense! Then it suddenly starts to die, and ropes out right above you. This is GREAT footage.
To me, it sounds like a distant fighter jet with all of its afterburners on in addition to the engines. That loud, deep rumble is so loud that you can almost feel it roaring inside you. It's hiddeous!
Superb, particularly in showing the life stages of a tornado and showing why people in different locations in a tornado path see radically different tornadoes.
Great video, very well documented. Amazing how it just sat in one place the whole time. Very rare. I was getting nervous for the homeowners while watching and am glad it worked out with a safe ending. One for the tornado hall of fame!
Up here in NewJersey, I freak out when there are 50mph+ wind gusts. I wouldn't know what to do if I saw a tornado, especially an intimidating one like in this video
Calm under pressure or what?! I admire these guys. Superb footage...and proper softball sized hail - the first I've seen despite watching countless videos saying it was! Listening to that roar and those loud thumps on the roof was scary, even from my safe chair in the UK. I'd have run for my car. Would love to see one, but from a safe distance, thanks!
I have seen a lot of tornado videos on youtube but this one is one of the best! Just to hear the roar from the winds and how it went from a mountain of a tornado then appears to break apart into a elephant trunk funnel. The last part of the video where it was roping out was great too, at times you could see inside the funnel! Glad you all were ok!
That tornado just didn't want to die... I'm no expert but it seemed to really keep persisting. Very good video showing a lot of the structure and I would think of interest to experts. Thanks for sharing on You tube.
So you are about to loose everything you own, and possibly your life. Did you spend time gathering valuables and hiding in the basement? - No, you grabbed a video camera and captured the most impressive tornado footage that I have ever seen. Thank-you sir!
Great footage. I love some comments too "grab my pants" the only time he sounds scared is when it's sidewinding not when it's a multi vortex EF 4 or 5. I'd quit chasing if I could see three different tornadoes in one like that omg wow.
When you see a tornado that looks like it's not moving from side to side, chances are high that it's coming right at you as seen here. If it gets big enough where you don't have to zoom in, that's when you TAKE SHELTER and stop your filming, your life is worth more than a full length video of something that can and WILL kill you if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Best tornado video I have seen! I grew up in Nebraska and I actually miss feeling the shift in the weather with these types of storms. :) Thanks for sharing this. His shots of the 'tail' as it weakened were actually quite beautiful.
Wow. That is incredible. One of the best videos I have seen that show so much workings of a tornado. 3:30 it shows some great RFD and inflow tail/horizontal vortexes coming together, you can already hear roaring early 6:20 roaring dramatically increases, I cracked up at telling Susan to go get your pants...'cause if you are going to get hit by a tornado, pants are important, the footage at 8:40 is insane! Long but a worthwhile watch.
At first he is in disbelief, then denial, thinking it'll just stay there, then his wife reminds him that that means it's comin tight for you. "Oh shit..." One of the best vids out there, and this guy is damn lucky too, if it didn't rope out, he woulda been flyin with the angels. I'm glad they were OK though; I'd have needed a new pair of pants too, but not cause I was changing my business clothes....
What a capture! Huge, classic sound, violent, dangerous hail, and uncertain anticipation. It took guts to video this tornado knowing that it is creeping closer to your home. I could fell your anxiety. You did not lose your head, however. I did smile when you asked where your pants were. For future reference, wear shoes to protect your feet and wear pants to protect your reputation. Your video resides in my "favorites" file. Thanks.
WOW!!!!! vortexva That was a wicked tornado!!! I love the inflow on the right the roar and the long lived dramatic rope out Thats worth a thousand words!!! Not sure what the F-scale rating is but by the speed of the rotation that has to be an EF5 for sure. Thanks for uploading.
WOW! That was amazing footage, I even watched it twice. I live in New England and we don't get too many here and would love to see a tornado but only if it's in an open with no threat to people or animals. Thanks for sharing!
I'm very surprised the tornado was rated an F2, with the size and intensity of the tornado, and the fact that it roared loudly, I would say the tornado could have had winds in excess of 250 MPH for a short time
Наука
Probably the greatest Tornado video ive seen... and the couple filming were amazing! "Susan, go get my pants!"
He had been out of state on business and had just arrived home from the airport in Omaha. He was changing his clothes when he first saw the tornado and grabbed his camcorder and started recording.
I like how the video starts with him so calmly saying "Well, this don't look good."
In terms of videos from homeowners (home video), this definitely is one of the best tornado videos ever recorded by someone who isn't a chaser. Incredible roar, stunning storm & funnel structure, crazy rotation, & good nerves of steel from the couple!
I'm a storm chaser, and have seen many tornado videos by chasers and people who were in their own home. This is by far one of the best videos I have ever seen. Very incredible footage.
I don't think ive ever heard better audio of a tornado roar on youtube
How very fortunate for that family that the tornado "roped out" and dissipated just as it approached their farm!
That was intense! This is one of the closest encounters with a tornado I've seen. Wonderful shooting and nerves of steel. Well done!
Make-Make Thank God it missed them
I can't believe this doesn't have more views. It's the best footage I've seen.
NEVER have I seen a tornado recede into the clouds as quickly as that one did. Holy moly!
+Rachel Paquet agree, oppsite from small to big was Joplin took like 30 seconds to go to mile wide
Justin Turczak Whoa!
"Awful damn windy" Gotta love understatements!
Its as if the tornado just sat there in that one spot because it noticed you filming it and was posing for you. Absolutely beautiful footage.
"Lost a few more shingles again"...you're very lucky to have not lost a lot more than that. That was almost like winning the lottery. One of the best tornado videos out there.
It's funny how when the tornado started roping and the wind died down the birds started chirping again!
This is THE best home shot video of a tornado I have ever seen! It didn't seem to move at all, until the end! Good quality video as well!
Lol.....I said the same thing you did!
Susan get my pants! priceless!
First thing out of this guy's mouth is the biggest understatement I've ever heard. Still, takes a spine of steel to sit there and film it. Well done!
This video never gets old, HIDDEN GEM!
that is unbelievable footage for 1998
We've been treated to some great tornado videos in recent years by professional storm chasers, but I have to say that I've never seen anything like this. It is absolutely superb!
If it looks lie the tornado is not moving u better take shelter cause that mean this monster is moving towards you
7:30 lololol
This is top notch footage though, especially considering the date. You really don't tend to see such great detail in tornado footage, and this had a pretty ideal combination of factors to allow for that, between it being shot from a home rather than a vehicle and being so stationary for a solid chunk of time. And of course, thank goodness it started to weaken as it drew closer cause about the time he heads downstairs I was thinking to myself that their home might be gone by the end of the vid. Glad to see they narrowly escaped annihilation! Also, the end bit where he captures the funnel roping out from basically directly beneath it was stellar. Soooo good! 👍🏼👍🏼
Indisputably the best tornado audio I have ever heard, and one of the 5 best tornado videos I have seen. Awesome, awesome footage.
Awesome video!! How could 5 people dislike this?? For the technology of the late 90's, this guy did a hell of a job on this! One of the best tornado videos I have ever seen!
Okay guys this is my second posting regarding this video. To be perfectly honest; I think this is a Pulitzer Prize winning video!! Again, I have NEVER seen a video of a tornado with so much depth, noise and fine detail. I am facinated with the weather and watch tornado videos daily. THIS tornado video is what we visualize and puts fear into all of our hearts when a tornado siren goes off!!!! This guy has a heart of steel,...even with no pants on!!!!
This has to be the clearest and best tornado video I have ever seen. Props to the family recording it for recording the actual sound of the tornado.
I've looked at a ton of tornado videos, and really this is one of the most insane, amazing videos I've seen of any of them - not to ruin it, but the way this thing breaks up right at this guy's doorstep is just a fluke of nature - literally. Amazing how the dry slot avoids his place, sends the funnel up for a bit, then it re-forms downwind of his place. This family is freaking blessed!!!
downright amazing.
This is THE BEST tornado video i have seen YET! And I have watched MANY MANY videos. Thanks for sharing!
Man the sound of that tornado alone scares the crap out of me
Got to say this is the best footage ive ever seen, the guy filming deserves a film award for that exceptional footage.No lie if I would have looked out that window and saw that tornado I would've been in the basement!!!
The roar made me shiver in fear. It's really eerie.
I remember this tornado. I was 5 when it happened and my family went out chasing it. We came over a hill and it was right in front of us. My family freaked out but I remember laughing. To this day I still love tornadoes. Yes, they're destructive and deadly, but they are an amazing force of nature.
This guy keeps so cool its amazing....the roar is one of the evilminded roars ive ever heard....wonderful video
It's when you can't see it moving that you have to worry. Means it's either going directly away from you or directly towards you.
Just the sound alone makes this video so incredible!
By far the best videomof a tornado ive ever seen!! The sound and power of it is rare. Camera man gets extra props for keep the monster in sight , you got sir!! And this is the first time ive ever seen a tornado transform!! Guess it was F4 all the down to F0. So cool
Every time he said it was just sitting there , i was literally thinking ''it's coming right at you , you fool ! '' lol I would've ran for my cellar a lot sooner than he did.
Fantastic video! All I could think of when the man said "it's just sittin' there" is an old tornado rule from my childhood that said "If a tornado does not appear to be moving, but appears to be getting larger, it is heading straight at you!" LOL
Incredible footage. Perhaps in the top 3 videos I've seen
This eventually touched down again, and hit our house. We all lived though. Blew all the car windows out and every south, west and east window. A tree went through one of the walls of the house. I saw it coming, told my mom and family I saw it, no one believed me, lol. Eventually we went in the basement. The door to the basement had a door that led outside a few feet away. Both flew open and I saw trees flying by.
Wow! You mean, that after this monster roped out, another one touched down, and hit your house? Talk about some bad luck! But, it was good, that none of you were hurt or killed! This video is best tornado video of them all! It's incredible!
This may be the best tornado video ever! I've never heard the sound captured better than this!
If I had to guess, I'd say a cold and/or dry RFD saved his ass. Something dried the hell out of that circulation and weakened it considerably in a matter of seconds.
Absolute magic video. Superbly captured and no histrionics that you get when a lot of the pros film tornadoes
I watch this again a year later. One of the best I've ever seen. The video guy keeps his cool, holds still, and reacts more calmly than I would. And that sound!
Wow! A monster wedge coming right at you, and all you can do is watch. What suspense! Then it suddenly starts to die, and ropes out right above you. This is GREAT footage.
To me, it sounds like a distant fighter jet with all of its afterburners on in addition to the engines. That loud, deep rumble is so loud that you can almost feel it roaring inside you. It's hiddeous!
Superb, particularly in showing the life stages of a tornado and showing why people in different locations in a tornado path see radically different tornadoes.
Great video, very well documented. Amazing how it just sat in one place the whole time. Very rare. I was getting nervous for the homeowners while watching and am glad it worked out with a safe ending. One for the tornado hall of fame!
Up here in NewJersey, I freak out when there are 50mph+ wind gusts. I wouldn't know what to do if I saw a tornado, especially an intimidating one like in this video
God I love the birds at the end of the video chirping again!
I cannot believe how calm these people are . Talking like it's just a passing shower . I would be running for cover !!
Awesome video! My new favorite tornado video. My new favorite line during a tornado video..."Susan, get me my pants!".
I keep coming back to this video. It's the best! This video has it all..., the sound, the visual, the tornado roping out at the end.., yeah!
Calm under pressure or what?! I admire these guys. Superb footage...and proper softball sized hail - the first I've seen despite watching countless videos saying it was! Listening to that roar and those loud thumps on the roof was scary, even from my safe chair in the UK. I'd have run for my car. Would love to see one, but from a safe distance, thanks!
I have seen a lot of tornado videos on youtube but this one is one of the best! Just to hear the roar from the winds and how it went from a mountain of a tornado then appears to break apart into a elephant trunk funnel. The last part of the video where it was roping out was great too, at times you could see inside the funnel! Glad you all were ok!
That tornado just didn't want to die... I'm no expert but it seemed to really keep persisting. Very good video showing a lot of the structure and I would think of interest to experts. Thanks for sharing on You tube.
I remember this storm! We took shelter in the basement. The roar was so loud we thought our roof had blown off!
So incredible to see a natural process of that scale moving with that much speed!
Nice to finally see a high quality, digital copy of this video online. Thanks for posting Roy!
Wow! One of the best most dramatic tornado vids I've ever seen!
This tornado doing all kinds of things, what a show! First a violent wedge, then a stove pipe, then it jumps, and then strings out over him.
Some of the most amazing footage I've ever seen..
One of the best videos I've seen in a very long time. Absolutely phenomenal.
I have to agree with everyone else, this is one of the best videos out there, truly amazing footage and beauty of this monster storm.
Bravo. One of the best tornado videos I have ever seen. Easily
So you are about to loose everything you own, and possibly your life. Did you spend time gathering valuables and hiding in the basement? - No, you grabbed a video camera and captured the most impressive tornado footage that I have ever seen. Thank-you sir!
Great footage. I love some comments too "grab my pants" the only time he sounds scared is when it's sidewinding not when it's a multi vortex EF 4 or 5. I'd quit chasing if I could see three different tornadoes in one like that omg wow.
When you see a tornado that looks like it's not moving from side to side, chances are high that it's coming right at you as seen here. If it gets big enough where you don't have to zoom in, that's when you TAKE SHELTER and stop your filming, your life is worth more than a full length video of something that can and WILL kill you if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.
One of the best videos out there!!
Best tornado video I have seen! I grew up in Nebraska and I actually miss feeling the shift in the weather with these types of storms. :) Thanks for sharing this. His shots of the 'tail' as it weakened were actually quite beautiful.
Wow. That is incredible. One of the best videos I have seen that show so much workings of a tornado. 3:30 it shows some great RFD and inflow tail/horizontal vortexes coming together, you can already hear roaring early 6:20 roaring dramatically increases, I cracked up at telling Susan to go get your pants...'cause if you are going to get hit by a tornado, pants are important, the footage at 8:40 is insane! Long but a worthwhile watch.
Nice view of the ropeout
6 days later... I was born. :)
Terrifying, yet beautiful. The fury of nature. An excellent video.
MAJOR rotation on that baby WOW!!
At first he is in disbelief, then denial, thinking it'll just stay there, then his wife reminds him that that means it's comin tight for you. "Oh shit..." One of the best vids out there, and this guy is damn lucky too, if it didn't rope out, he woulda been flyin with the angels. I'm glad they were OK though; I'd have needed a new pair of pants too, but not cause I was changing my business clothes....
That was a frightening tornado. I would have soiled myself if I saw that
This is some of the best storm video on the web.. ..thanks for sharing it..
7:29 "Susan get my pants!" Didn't quite expect to hear that xD But in all seriousness, this is really good footage. I would have needed new pants xD
If I saw something like that coming towards me I'd need a change of pants and underwear. Good video. Thanks.
This has to be one of the most impressive tornado videos I have seen to date.
THANKS a classic video from the heart of the beast. The best I've ever seen.
It probably would have been rated F4, possibly F5, had it gone through a more populated area.
Absolutely incredible footage
Phenomenal video.
best audio ever good job
This is amazing footage! Thank you for sharing!
What a capture! Huge, classic sound, violent, dangerous hail, and uncertain anticipation. It took guts to video this tornado knowing that it is creeping closer to your home. I could fell your anxiety. You did not lose your head, however. I did smile when you asked where your pants were. For future reference, wear shoes to protect your feet and wear pants to protect your reputation. Your video resides in my "favorites" file. Thanks.
Great video. Nice to have footage like this without the shouting from the professional chasers.
WOW!!!!! vortexva That was a wicked tornado!!! I love the inflow on the right the roar and the long lived dramatic rope out Thats worth a thousand words!!! Not sure what the F-scale rating is but by the speed of the rotation that has to be an EF5 for sure. Thanks for uploading.
WOW!! That was an exceptional tornado video... it had everything!!! Spectacular rope-out too. Very nice!!
Amazing footage - thanks a million for posting it... I don't think I would have had the courage to do what you did...
Thanks again
One of the best tornado videos I have seen, great job.
scary and wonderful at the same time.
This is probably one of the best tornado videos I've seen. Amazing.
WOW! That was amazing footage, I even watched it twice. I live in New England and we don't get too many here and would love to see a tornado but only if it's in an open with no threat to people or animals. Thanks for sharing!
I'm very surprised the tornado was rated an F2, with the size and intensity of the tornado, and the fact that it roared loudly, I would say the tornado could have had winds in excess of 250 MPH for a short time
Amazing video! I don't know that I'd be that calm facing that thing down! He really captures the different features of the tornado's life span.
This is a totally amazing video. Just incredible
OMG! that was the most intense sound I have ever heard from a tornado video.... thanks for posting! amazing!!