Tornado Tim

Tornado Historical Photos​

Was Benjamin Franklin the first US storm chaser? It has been documented that he chased tornadoes on horseback in 1754.

	To the left is a drawing by Benjamin Franklin and his understanding of water spouts. Benjamin Franklin was a student of severe weather and theorized about how storms formed. Representation of waterspout accompanying “Water-spouts and Whirlwinds” by Benjamin Franklin. This paper was republished in “The complete works in philosophy, politics, and morals, of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin ….”, 1806. Volume II, p. 26. Library Call Number PS745 .A2 1806.  Image ID: wea00342, Historic NWS Collection
	Exploring the upper air with a weather box – Kite released at Drexel Aerological Station Continuously read temperature, wind velocity, pressure, altitude, and time In: “The Boy with the U.S. Weather Men”, 1917, p. 172. Image ID: wea01101, Historic NWS Collection Location: Drexel, Nebraska Photo Date: 1915?
	Weather kites were used to bring recording instruments to high levels Temperature, pressure, humidity and winds were observed from kites. Image ID: wea01100, Historic NWS Collection Location: Fort Whipple (Fort Myers), Arlington, Virginia Photo Date: 1894?
	Launching a pilot balloon Women’s first opportunities in meteorology occurred as a result of WWII Image ID: wea01117, Historic NWS Collection Photo Date: Ca. 1944As a storm chaser I have been able to see a few of these launchings, it is always interesting to witness the work of the NWS.
	Talk about a scary looking sight. If you ever see something like this heading your way you had better get below ground in a storm shelter or basement. This tornado had an incredibly wide debris field. Remember to have a severe weather safety plan in place. From Historic NWS Collection. A massive tornado Image ID: wea00216
	An area I have storm chased in many times is  Manhattan, Kansas. This was a very ominous site to the local residents in 1949. Hopefully everyone made it to safe shelter before it hit. A narrow tornado does not mean it is weaker. It may have a smaller surface area in contact with the ground, but the wind speeds could still be very deadly. Tornado at Manhattan, Kansas Image ID:, Historic NWS Collection Photo Date: 1949 May 31
Deadly Twin Tornadoes Rare Twin Tornadoes	Two major tornado outbreaks have taken place on Palm Sundays.  Palm Sunday outbreak II happened on March 27th 1994 while this incredible twin tornadoes photo was during the Palm Sunday outbreak in 1965. Indiana and was one of six Midwest states to be raked by deadly tornadoes. In all, 47 tornadoes killed 271 people and injured over 1,500. This is a rare twin large tornado photo taken by Paul Huffman.   Image ID: wea00217, Historic NWS Collection Location: Elkhart, Indiana Photo Date: 1965 April 11 Photographer: Mr. Paul Huffman
	An eerie looking tornado this photo entitled “A funnel within a funnel”. You can chase and photograph tornadoes your whole life and never see all the variations possible.  Each year, each chase brings a  new look, a new tornado unique to itself, just adding to the wonder of these spinning demons. Image ID: wea00218, Historic NWS Collection Location: Near Jasper, Minnesota Photo Date: 1927 July 8
	Most storm chasers would love to see one of these, a waterspout. Similar to its cousin the tornado, waterspouts can move onto land and become a tornado, but usually die off quickly when coming ashore and do little damage. Multiple waterspouts off the Bahamas Islands Image ID: wea00313, Historic NWS Collection Location: Bahamas Islands Photographer: Dr. Joseph Golden, NOAA
	Huge waterspout observed from aircraft accompanying North Atlantic convoy during WWII. In: “Wenn die Elemente wuten” by Frank W. Lane. P. 49. Library Call Number M15 L265eg 1948. Image ID: wea00344, Historic NWS Collection Photographer: Archival Photograph by Mr. Steve Nicklas, NOS, NGS Credit: Royal Air Force Photograph
	Chasing tornadoes in the flat plains of the united states makes it easy to spot and photograph tornadoes. The wide open spaces leaves little to interfere with your view and allows fantastic photos like this one titled “Tornado in farm country “. Image ID: wea00213 Historic NWS Collection
	Tornado at Lebanon, Kansas, from the collection of S. D. Flora. In: ‘Monthly Weather Review,” July 1919, p. 448. Image ID: wea00246, Historic NWS Collection Location: Lebanon, Kansas Photo Date: 1913 October 09
	NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) “Rope” or decay stage of tornado. During “Sound Chase”, a joint project of NSSL and Mississippi State University. Image ID: nssl0056, National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) Collection Location: Cordell, Oklahoma Photo Date: May 22, 1981
	This photo taken in Lebanon Kansas in 1902 Photo from Copyright 1902. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.
	Photo from Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

DJI equipment is the best way to go if you want the amazing images when recording historical events.