Saturday, June 30, 2012

BIRTH OF A TORNADO

Incredible live stream recorded footage of the birth of the tornado on Tuesday. This 28 minute video includes the huge circulating wall cloud starting at 7:00. At around the 22:00 mark it shows strong circulation above us then moves the pond right beside us. Gunjan Sinha is seen wearing his hard hat, then Greg Johnson and the media circus go right passed us. The video ends as it seems like the storm is done but it was only just reorganizing.




Video streaming by Ustream

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Next Series Of Outbreaks - > First Week Of July!

OMG. I just quickly checked the long term forecast models. Sunday. Monday. Wednesday and Friday of next week, all going to be active in Saskatchewan for severe weather. No time to play. #2012 (someone wanna confirm this? I am gonna lie down now...)

EPIC! Tornado Chase In Saskatchewan [HD Quality]

Album options ▾ June 23 to 26 - Epic Storm Tour (slideshow)

Beginning in Saskatoon with a riverboat cruise. Then off to Cypress Hills to wait for storms to emerge where we ran into thick fog. Southern Alberta produced nothing until midnight besides antelope and a nice sunset. Things took off earlier on Monday as we chased the first big supercell through the Badlands of Alberta with intercept south of Oyen. Following it back to Saskatoon, we got to core punch west of Kindersley, confirming golf ball size hail. The next day went completely as planned with 3 major thunderstorms including the tornadic supercell at Hodgeville starting after 3pm. A squall line and once in a lifetime type mammatus cloud formations just west of Regina to get me home!





All this from    the Blackberry Playbook, now to go through everything on the main camera, LOL! Timelapse works and a full length  HD video still to come!

Two Tornadoes West Of Moose Jaw


I'll post more videos after some sleep, its been a long 3 days of chasing and I've got a lot of footage to go through yet. Antelope in Alberta on Sunday and a midnight supercell. Outrageous structure on Tuesday through the foothills and chasing from Oyen, Alberta to Kindersley, Saskatchewan. Golf ball size hail and incredible colours of all sort of wild clouds there. Then to add to the tornado action, I still have to put together several timelapse videos including the most incredible mamatus show on Earth just west of Regina to bring me home. Our timing was absolutely perfect on Tuesday. Truly a once in lifetime chase. It took me personally 10 years to catch a tornado this close!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Tons of footage coming

Just finishing the most epic day of my life with amazing mamatus!

Tornado




Monday, June 25, 2012

Core punching Kindersley now!

X





Ustream Event

Testing of the ustream is complete and we will be broadcasting this evening during this severe weather event into south west Saskatchewan. Follow us on twitter @jaredmysko for updates and show times. Click this link to go to our ustream channel.


Waiting outside Bow Island AB




As the warm front came over top of us, the sky took on some life very briefly. Now waiting here for initiation. Next update from PSPC should be interesting. Watches are up and chasers are ready for action from Taber to Medicine Hat and south west Saskatchewan.

Supercell south east of us now!

We are at a motel in Bow Island, between the blue cell and pink one. Could set up a nice sunrise at 5am! That is the spot we waited at all day. It seems to be stationary so it will be a perfect set up for tomorrow at noon.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Sunset

Near Foremost, Alberta right now, preparing to intercept cells coming in from Montana!

Alberta storm chasing











Eye on the train #abstorm

Chase Day Today

PSPC is confirming our mapped out risk area. They are saying south of the Yellowhead highway will be the main risk area on Tuesday. Talk in the storm chasing community is pretty much settled on the Regina area as the focus for Tuesday. Prairie Storm Prediction Centre also says is will be a dangerous situation. As for today, my chase team is getting ready to head out in the Shadow Hunter. We want to target the Maple Creek to Medicine Hat areas for this afternoon. We are not expecting too much, however we must take some time to test equipment and communications before the big show starts tonight and into Monday. Please refer to the previous post for the general risk area and we will post as we go, photos and current conditions. Feel free to discuss on the twitter list, Facebook group and commenting on this page. Links are in the side bar further down on this page. The live chase link will show the location of other chasers on the map.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Storm Chase - Sunday threw Tuesday

I've made the map up for the next 3 days since I won't have a chance to work on the home pc. Storm chasers are all heading towards southern Alberta for Sunday's start of a 3 day storm chasing jamboree! This one will be especially awesome since I get to try out the new BlackBerry PlayBook and stream parts of the chase LIVE on ustream! I'll post the link once its up, here is our forecast and rough guide to where and when its all going to happen:




Thursday, June 21, 2012

Busy Week, Baby Storms

As the long term forecast models came out last night suggesting an outbreak next week, we were treated to a fiesta of pop up thunder showers, funnel clouds and small hail this week in Regina, topped off with a beautiful display of a thunderstorm sunset that took on the appearance of a pyramid. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday next week could be active from Alberta to Saskatchewan. The forecast will be updated as the time gets closer. Damaging Supercellular TwisterStorms will be on the menu next week. Goodbye spring, hello summer. 





Hail Storm Hits Regina!

Funnel Cloud Over Regina!

Sunday, June 17, 2012

June 17, 2012 #saskstorm (11 photos)More photos from Bill Allen

June 17, 2012 #saskstorm (11 photos)

More photos from Bill Allen

Today's Risk Map/Moderate Risk in South Dakota

Isolated severe thunderstorms my pop up in south eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba today while a Moderate Risk has been issued further south. South Dakota, Minnesota and a small portion of North Dakota is currently under a Moderate Risk situation. Conditions are ideal for the development of strong tornadoes and very severe weather in those areas while it will be mostly quiet on the Canadian Prairies today.


Saturday, June 16, 2012

Today's Risk Map - Cold Core Funnels Possible For Southern Manitoba


Conditions today in southern Manitoba are similar, yet slightly weaker as yesterdays tornadofest in west central Saskatchewan. Cold core funnels and weak tornadoes may be spotted in areas of the interlakes region of southern Manitoba. From Dauphin to Brandon, 300mb vorticity is off the charts at maximum strength but CAPEs are low with little heating available for major storms. Very concentrated localised tornadoes could occur but hail may be pea sized and downpours of rain brief if any.

Surprise Tornado Outbreak In Saskatchewan

Tornadoes and cold core funnel clouds were spotted across much of west central Saskatchewan Friday afternoon. From Biggar, Tramping Lake and Unity areas to Perdue and Asquith, all west of Saskatoon, spotters took videos and photos of all sorts of shapes and angles of tornadoes. One barn near Biggar was destroyed according to CTV. A video posted on CBC's website showed an amazing 3 tornadoes at once near Tramping Lake!


Tornado Near Tramping Lake, 2012 from Mark Mallett on Vimeo.


Tons of photos have been posted on the Facebook group "CanadianPrairieStormChasers" from Unity, Perdue and others, as the footage keeps rolling in. Some have said between 5 and 6 tornadoes have been confirmed but that number may rise or fall after an assessment from Environment Canada which could take a few days. Close to 100 photos have been posted at rough count so far but I would guess no less than 10 tornadoes occurred within the same area.























News articles:
Saskatoon Star Phoenix
CBC Saskatchewan




Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Slight Risk?

PSPC says slight risk for se sk and sw mb today, i doubt it. CAPES way too low for anything. Thursday Friday are a little better for southern Manitoba but nothing to get excited about, there may be a lightning strike or two but no big storms.

Not worth making a map today.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Latest Forecast - Long Term Looks Clear

Looking at the long term severe weather forecast, CAPE values (convective available potential energy) are low to nil until at least next Tuesday where south west Manitoba and south east Saskatchewan may get the next slight risk. So... no major storms are on the horizon for anywhere on the Canadian Prairies until next week. As the forecast changes, you will be updated here asap.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Southern Manitoba Storm Chasing - June 9, 2012



Storm chasers from across Saskatchewan made the trip on Saturday for early preparation of what is to be expected as the most active year for storms in our lifetimes. Well over 30 vehicles were seen following Reed Timmer and TornadoVidoes.net late into the evening. Our team kept ahead with great forecasting and spotting experience and the latest technology available. (Sasktel recently joined Manitoba's network for full coverage of the most active storm chasing area in Canada) Conditions were ripe for the activity on this day and we start this part of the video near Emerson, Manitoba as we move north east in the safest part of the storm while Reed and the reinforced Dominator vehicle took the core of the storm, pounded with golf ball or large size hail. (extended description on the video page)


HD Video (Recently Added)




























Saturday, June 09, 2012

On Target - Manitoba Tornado Safety

For a good week now we have been looking forward to Saturday for an outbreak of severe weather. However over confident, this will be my first chase of the year. My team is on their way to Regina and by morning we expect to be on route to southern Manitoba. Currently conditions seem to point towards a start point of south western Manitoba around noon and move towards Winnipeg by evening. The tornado risk is not great but is present. Large hail, high wind gusts and intense lightning will be the main risks, with honourable mentions to swarms of mosquitoes and inattentive drivers. There is a very high chance of great photography, cool winds and hot sunshine. The temperature gradient, strong south winds and presence of moisture in the ground and in the air makes for a fabulous combination that can cook up some very entertaining storm clouds.



In the event of giant sized monster beast type tornadopoliptic twister funnelling cyclones, take immediate tornado emergency precautions. If your ears pop, lightning intensifies exponentially, wind goes calm suddenly:

Note: These rules apply from generations handed down over the years of living on the farm. City people could learn a thing or two from this list. (from the only kid born in a city lol)

  1. If you have time, secure all possible flying debris, bring in lawn furniture, equipment such as rakes, hockey sticks, potted plants, bikes. Put all major livestock in the barn such as cows and horses. Dogs go in the house, cats stay outside. 
  2. Close all windows
  3. Lock and secure all doors, inside and out. Every bedroom, every closet, shut all doors.
  4. Put on a helmet
  5. Lie down in the tub (no running water during lightning) 
  6. Get to the safest room in the house (no windows, basement under stairs or inner most room)
  7. Hold onto something solid.
  8. Pray to God.
  9. Remember everything will be fine even when it looks like it will not.
  10. When on a highway driving, do not use overpasses as shelter! Stay on paved roads, keep steady, safe movement. Avoid grid/clay/mud roads. Time your travel with the weather radar if possible so as to avoid the core of severe thunderstorms. Do not impede traffic. Keep vehicle in a garage or underground parking lot during hail storms. 

If you have more to add to the list or just want to make a comment, please do so below.

Jared Mysko - New Storm Gear
Last year's first chase: