After having a very hard time finding a good view of this fine young supercell in the hilly Western Crosstimbers country, Steve Corfidi and I pulled up an open-gated driveway toward a hilltop house with people watching the storm, to ask if we could use their high vantage. Not only could we, but the residents welcomed us with cold drinks and standing room in their west-facing garage, while we all observed the supercell organize and produce the F1-rated Duncan tornado. Nothing like Oklahoma hospitality! In this wide-angle slide, the forward-flank core (at right) extended nearly overhead with one of the most clearly audible hail roars I’ve heard. This was Steve’s first tornado, and occurred in a tornado watch that he issued on the day shift. It also marked the first instance of a forecaster verifying his own tornado watch as a direct eyewitness.
4 WSW Velma OK (25 May 97) Looking W
34.4473, -97.7339