Tornado Tim

Tornado Tim - storm chasing and tornadoes







Tornado Historical Photos​

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

Tornado drawing by Benjamin Franklin
Tornado drawing by Benjamin Franklin
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

The Boy with the U.S. Weather Men
The Boy with the U.S. Weather Men

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 historical photo
Weather kites historical photo
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?
 weather pilot balloon Women 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. 1944
As 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.

A massive tornado Image ID: wea00216
A massive tornado Image ID: wea00216
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

Tornado Manhattan Kansas 1949
Tornado Manhattan Kansas 1949
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
Massive Twin Tornadoes Palm Sunday outbreak in 1965
Massive Twin Tornadoes

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

Tornado A funnel within a funnel
Tornado A funnel within a funnel
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

Tornado water spouts
Tornado water spouts
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

Tornado water spouts
Tornado water spouts
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

Tornado in farm country Historical photo
Tornado in farm country Historical photo
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 1919
Tornado at Lebanon, Kansas 1919
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

Tornado crazy twist May 22, 1981
Tornado crazy twist May 22, 1981
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

Lebanon Kansas in 1902
Lebanon Kansas in 1902
This photo taken in Lebanon Kansas in 1902
Photo from Copyright 1902.
Prints and Photographs Division, Library
of Congress.

Tornado girl sits in rubble with cat
Tornado girl sits in rubble with cat
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.