Tornadoes at Dodge City, Kansas. May 24, 2016 — Travis Farncombe

Published on May 24, 2016

Best storm chase of 2016 as tornado-fest unfolds at Dodge City

I will never forget this storm chase. On the morning of May 24, we woke up in Plainview, Texas, after catching an unbelievable series of after-dark tornadoes near Northfield the night before. I targeted the town of Meade, Kansas, just east of the dryline and near to where I expected a lingering outflow boundary to establish itself.

We raced north and arrived at my target just as storms began to fire, then continued east and north to near the town of Minneola, ahead of an explosive supercell that was quickly becoming dominant and showing signs of rotation. Within half an hour the first tornado of the event touched down just to our northwest, and for the next two hours we witnessed the series of powerful, long-lived and photogenic tornadoes that sliced through the area around Minneola and Dodge City.

In hindsight (20/20) I probably could have gotten us a little closer… But, at our location we were totally removed from chaser traffic, we were safely positioned and out of harm’s way for the entire duration of the chase, and we had stunning views of tornado after tornado that we just stood out and watched!

Perhaps what made this unforgettable chase the most special was sharing it with Mike, as well as Anne, Mackay and Scott, some of my best friends… and now kickass chasers. And, to top off an already unbelievable day, mother nature threw in the most stunning mammatus display I have ever seen. What a day.

Travis Farncombe

I am the founder Highways & Hailstones. I live with my family in Toronto, Ontario - about 2000 miles from Oklahoma City and the heart of Tornado Alley. Every spring and summer, I travel down there, to the American Midwest, to witness the most awe-inspiring weather on the planet.

The first time I chased was ten years ago; I signed up as a guest with a storm chase tour company, and joined that group for a week on the plains. I saw my first tornado on that trip. It was a silhouette on a dark Kansas night, betrayed by strobes of lightning flickering in the distance. While the rest of the tour guides and group scanned the storm to the south, a lingering flash drew my glance to the north, and there, unmistakable, was a backlit cone. It was serendipity. I yelled cone tornado!, and a storm chaser was born.

After chasing for a few years as a guest with Silver Lining Tours, I gradually began to spread my wings and chase on my own, having learned enough from Roger Hill and other veterans to chase safely and responsibly. I became a guide with SLT in 2015. Now, I am a certified spotter and chase locally in Southern Ontario, as well as down in Tornado Alley. I am always meeting new people, always learning, and always humbled by the power of nature.

Best storm chase of 2016 as tornado-fest unfolds at Dodge City

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