2009 FEBRUARY 10: BELCHERVILLE, TEXAS TORNADO

   Kevin Peterson and I caught a tornado near Belcherville, Texas (4m west of Nocona on 82) at ~6:30 pm and saw part of what was reported as a wedge with the same storm as it crossed the river. This was the storm that killed three and did so much damage in Lone Grove and Ardmore. Our tornado was a tall and narrow white funnel that snaked around to the ground. With the naked eye we could see 4/5 of the funnel, but the VX2100 got the whole thing. Chaser Jeremy Wilson shot video of the snaking funnel on the ground at the same time as this image, producing damage we later passed on our way north to SR-82.

 Three grabs from yesterday, all around 0035z:
Narrow funnel we all thought had made the ground but it was very hard to see. This grab isn't much better, but we encountered damage too far south to have been caused by the big wall cloud, soon-to-be killer tornado.


Lightning illuminates the wall cloud that became a wedge later. Later we would see part of this second tornado from Highway 82 between Nocona and St. Jo as we tried to get north and take the small secret bridge across the river.


2009 Amos Magliocco