Fortunately for us, the El Reno/Piedmont wedge tornado of 2011 took a slight leftward jog as we drove southward. Shortly after we pulled safely off the road, the now-gigantic tornado started wrapping again in precipitation. Its deep, carnal rumble unmistakably was heard and felt across the intervening 1-1/2 miles. Even crouched low with one foot forward, I barely could stand in severe inflow wind and a drenching firehose of heavy rain. Somehow I managed this shot, right as a small satellite tornado buzzed around the south and southeast side of the mesocyclone. This was the main tornado’s second satellite vortex, having merged with another that we saw in poor contrast to the distant southwest, near El Reno. For many reasons, I felt very fortunate to get any photos of this. My satisfaction was tempered, however, when I later learned of the death and damage the tornado wrought, even though it passed mostly over open country. Nonetheless, this monstrous event truly could have been much worse. The same path, displaced merely 15 miles east across the west and north sides of Oklahoma City, would have yielded devastation exceeding that of 3 May 1999.
5 SW Piedmont OK (24 May 11) Looking WNW
35.6050, -97.8162