Bennington, KS — Travis Farncombe — Highways & Hailstones

Published on May 28, 2013

May 28 2013 had a ton of potential and the chase target was clear: Salina, Kansas. I was out with Silver Lining Tours, and we sat under blue skies all day waiting for the cap to break. Finally an updraft burst upward just west of the town of Bennington and quickly became a tornadic supercell. We positioned out ahead of the storm to let it come towards us, and it did not take long for a large, cone tornado to form.

The cone tornado became a stovepipe and then a wedge. It experienced multiple downdraft interactions, wrapping in rain and then reemerging from the curtains. We sat in awe watching this absolute monster, which was anchored. It just grew and grew in size as sirens blared from the town behind us, but it was completely anchored in place and so made no progress at all in our direction – or Bennington’s. This was a blessing for the town which would have been in the path of the tornado had it progressed forward.

The tornado was on the ground for 45 minutes before it wrapped in rain for the final time, failing to reemerge. It had been almost completely stationary and, in an extremely rare occurrence, actually did a tight loop in place which meant it crossed it’s own path at one point. Luckily few structures were impacted and the town of Bennington avoided disaster.

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.

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