SEPTEMBER 11, 2026 MINNESOTA: A GREAT TORNADO TO END THE CHASE SEASON!
Supercell developing a nice flat base and strong updraft ahead of the cold front near Herman, Minnesota.
Beautiful storm with rock hard updraft and thick, moist inflow streaming into the base as it matures north of Chokio, Minnesota.
Scud underneath the base organizing, condensing, and being pulled into the updraft. Had the look it might actually do something interesting here!
Enjoying the structure here and the whole dynamics going on with this storm.
Funnel cloud tightening up underneath the storm base and updraft at 7:18 p.m. Never did touch down. Great structure!
A short while later at 7:24 p.m. a new funnel cloud quickly formed on the wall cloud. Love this shot of the funnel directly underneath the new updraft tower going up right above.
This was shortly before we made the decision to bail this storm and head south towards another storm that was intensifying and about to merge with our cell. Mergers do some crazy things and we had to be in position on the southern storm to get a look.
After punching through the edge of the core just west of Morris, MN, encountering some hail in the process, we went through Alberta, MN and positioned just north of Artichoke, MN to get a great view of the new storm action area as it was merging with our original storm. This was at 7:40 p.m.
BOOM! We have a developing tornado right in front of us. This wall cloud tightened up and started rotating like crazy.
Just awesome with the tornado, strongly rotating mesocyclone, and entire storm base moving around like a merry-go-round.
Wider shot of the base of the supercell with tornado ongoing. The golden colors nearing sunset were incredible. What a scene!
What a gorgeous beauty of a tornado, the colors, structure, and EVERYTHING!
Although the tornado appeared to lift after a few minutes, it was still down underneath this large rapidly rotating wall cloud as there were debris swirls and whipping rain curtains underneath for several minutes after the condensation funnel lifted.
One of my favorite shots of the day with the wall cloud and tornado still ongoing underneath as it was being pulled into the occlusion on the north side of the mesocyclone. Near Artichoke, Minnesota.
