Beneath a nicely structured supercell’s rain-free base appeared two suspicious-looking, tilted pillars in the distance. It didn’t take very long for this experienced eye to recognize those features for exactly what they were: not tornadoes or debris clouds, but smoke plumes being drawn into the updraft. This storm had been extremely active for lightning strikes from its downshear anvil, for around half an hour before this shot, in the process igniting several fires in fields of harvested wheat and other dry crop stubble. An extended zoom lens further affirmed their nature.
Perth, KS (20 Jul 9) Looking W
37.1713, -97.5105Southern Kansas “Smokenadoes” Supercell
Beneath a nicely structured supercell’s rain-free base appeared two suspicious-looking, tilted pillars in the distance. It didn’t take very long for this experienced eye to recognize those features for exactly what they were: not tornadoes or debris clouds, but smoke plumes being drawn into the updraft. This storm had been extremely active for lightning strikes from its downshear anvil, for around half an hour before this shot, in the process igniting several fires in fields of harvested wheat and other dry crop stubble. An extended zoom lens further affirmed their nature.
Perth, KS (20 Jul 9) Looking W
37.1713, -97.5105