2012 Storm Chases

  • November 10, 2012 – Bust in Southwest Kansas (559 Miles)
  • October 13, 2012 – Severe Storms in Oklahoma (396 Miles)
  • October 12, 2012 – Hail and Tornadoes in Hale County Texas (742 Miles) 1 tornado witnessed1Largest hail observed2.50″1 Spotter Network report1
  • September 26, 2012 – An evening of storms producing some spectacular lightning here in Central Oklahoma (305 Miles)
  • June 15, 2012 – Severe Storms in Southwest South Dakota on the Pine Ridge reservation. (1069 Miles)
  • June 14, 2012 – Severe Storms in Western Kansas (646 Miles) 1 Spotter Network report1
  • June 12, 2012 – Southeast New Mexico Chase (533 Miles) Highest wind observed50 mph
  • June 11, 2012 – Severe Storm near Graham, TX (443 Miles) Largest hail observed1.00″Highest wind observed55 mph2 Spotter Network reports2
  • June 10, 2012 – Severe storms in Southeast Nebraska and Northeast Kansas (886 Miles)
  • June 9, 2012 – Bust in North Dakota (1295 Miles)
  • June 6, 2012 – Shelf Cloud in Southern Oklahoma (175 Miles)
  • June 5, 2012 – Severe Storms in Southwest OK (290 Miles)
  • June 3, 2012 – Northwest Oklahoma Supercell (418 Miles)
  • June 2, 2012 – Severe Storms in Southeast Colorado and Southwest Kansas (554 Miles)
  • June 1, 2012 – Outflow dominant storms near Dumas, TX (798 Miles)
  • May 29, 2012 – Monster hail in Oklahoma City Metro (386 Miles) Largest hail observed1.50″
  • May 27, 2012 – Severe Storms in Kansas and Nebraska (729 Miles) 1 Spotter Network report1
  • May 26, 2012 – Bust in Nebraska (687 Miles)
  • May 25, 2012 – Cyclic tornadic supercell near LaCrosse, KS (543 Miles) 5 tornadoes witnessed5Highest wind observed50 mph2 Spotter Network reports2
  • May 19, 2012 – Severe Storms in Western Oklahoma along a cold front. (377 Miles) Largest hail observed1.50″
  • May 17, 2012 – WDT Storm Chase in Southwest Kansas (714 Miles)
  • May 6, 2012 – Severe Storms near Jacksboro in North Central Texas (408 Miles)
  • May 4, 2012 – Thunderstorms near Ardmore, OK (249 Miles)
  • April 30, 2012 – Medford, Oklahoma Tornadoes after dark. A long-lived slow moving tornado on the night of April 30, 2012 narrowly misses the town of Medford. (337 Miles) 1 tornado witnessed1Largest hail observed1.25″Highest wind observed80 mph7 Spotter Network reports7
  • April 29, 2012 – Supercell with Baseball sized hail near Lubbock, TX (519 Miles) Largest hail observed3.50″Highest wind observed65 mph1 Spotter Network report1
  • April 28, 2012 – Insane Lightning and Tornado near Aspermont, TX (481 Miles) 1 tornado witnessed1Highest wind observed60 mph
  • April 27, 2012 – Brief tornado near Council Grove, KS (758 Miles) 1 tornado witnessed1
  • April 19, 2012 – Severe Storms in Grady and McClain Counties (142 Miles)
  • April 14, 2012 – High Risk Tornado Outbreak in Central Kansas (881 Miles) 6 tornadoes witnessed6Largest hail observed2.25″5 Spotter Network reports5
  • April 13, 2012 – Norman and Saddle Mountain, OK Tornadoes (357 Miles) 4 tornadoes witnessed4Largest hail observed1.50″2 Spotter Network reports2
  • April 12, 2012 – Cap bust in Western OK (260 Miles)
  • April 9, 2012 – Tornadic Supercell bust near Seiling, OK (395 Miles)
  • April 2, 2012 – Severe Storm in Northwest Oklahoma (406 Miles)
  • March 30, 2012 – Bust in Southwest Oklahoma (227 Miles)
  • March 18, 2012 – Incredible sculpted supercell with tornadoes near Willow, OK (486 Miles) 3 tornadoes witnessed3Largest hail observed2.00″2 Spotter Network reports2
  • February 3, 2012 – Marginally severe storm along the Red River (342 Miles)

Tornadoes for 2012

  1. Mangum – March 18, 2012 – (34.95, -99.64) (EF-0)
  2. Willow 1 – March 18, 2012 – (35.07, -99.56) (EF-0)
  3. Willow 2 – March 18, 2012 – (35.13, -99.55) (EF-0)
  4. Norman – April 13, 2012 – (35.20, -97.48) (EF-1)
  5. Cooperton – April 13, 2012 – (34.90, -98.77) (EF-0)
  6. Carnegie 1 (Nocturnal) – April 13, 2012 – (35.06, -98.60) (EF-0)
  7. Carnegie 2 (Nocturnal) – April 13, 2012 – (35.02, -98.56) (EF-0)
  8. Sawyer Kansas – April 14, 2012 – (37.49, -98.71) (EF-0)
  9. Kingman – April 14, 2012 – (37.69, -98.11) (EF-0)
  10. Pretty Prarie – April 14, 2012 – (37.81, -98.02) (EF-0)
  11. Moundridge – April 14, 2012 – (38.18, -97.50) (EF-0)
  12. Hesston – April 14, 2012 – (38.20, -97.47) (EF-1)
  13. Lost Springs – April 14, 2012 – (38.42, -97.13) (EF-1)
  14. Council Grove – April 27, 2012 – (38.75, -96.44) (EF-0)
  15. Aspermont (Nocturnal) – April 28, 2012 – (32.98, -100.42) (EF-0)
  16. Medford (Nocturnal) – April 30, 2012 – (36.80, -97.72) (EF-1)
  17. LaCrosse 1 (Nocturnal) – May 25, 2012 – (38.53, -99.41) (EF-2)
  18. LaCrosse 2 (Nocturnal) – May 25, 2012 – (38.55, -99.31) (EF-2)
  19. LaCrosse 3 (Nocturnal) – May 25, 2012 – (38.56, -99.24) (EF-2)
  20. LaCrosse 4 (Nocturnal) – May 25, 2012 – (38.61, -99.17) (EF-1)
  21. LaCrosse 5 (Nocturnal) – May 25, 2012 – (38.67, -99.14) (EF-1)
  22. Hale County – October 12, 2012 – (33.94, -101.80) (EF-0)

Chase Statistics for 2012

  • Chase Days: 36
  • Miles Driven: 18,793
  • Number of States Chased: 10
  • Chase Days by State:
    • Oklahoma: 25
    • Kansas: 11
    • Texas: 11
    • Nebraska: 4
    • South Dakota: 3
    • Colorado: 1
    • Iowa: 1
    • Minnesota: 1
    • New Mexico: 1
    • North Dakota: 1
  • Spotter Network Reports: 24
  • Average Miles per Chase Day: 522.0
  • Longest Chase: 1,295 miles (June 9, 2012)
  • Windshields Replaced: 0

Convective

  • Chase Days: 36
  • Tornado Days: 8
  • Tornadoes: 22
  • Photogenic Tornadoes: 5
  • Largest Hail Observed: 3.50 in.
  • Highest Wind Observed: 80 MPH
  • Tornado Day Percentage: 22.22% ⓘTornado Days divided by Convective Chase Days — the share of convective chase days that produced at least one witnessed tornado.
  • Tornadoes per Mile: 0.0012 ⓘTotal tornadoes witnessed divided by total miles driven — a rough measure of chasing efficiency. Higher means more tornadoes for the driving effort.
  • Average Miles per Tornado: 854.2 ⓘTotal miles driven divided by total tornadoes witnessed — the same ratio as Tornadoes per Mile, just flipped into "miles per tornado" instead of "tornadoes per mile."
  • First Tornado of the Season: March 18
  • Last Tornado of the Season: October 12
  • Busts: 11 ⓘA "Bust" day: storms were expected and something did fire, but the setup underperformed the forecast — a weaker, shorter-lived, or less organized event than anticipated.
  • Blue Sky Busts: 0 ⓘA "Blue Sky Bust" day: nothing fired at all — clear skies despite a forecast that called for storms.
  • Kiss of Death Days: 1 (1–0) ⓘA "Kiss of Death" day: the SPC tornado outlook included a 15% hatched (significant) tornado probability within a Slight, Enhanced, or Moderate risk (Categorical Risk 1–3) — a favorable-looking setup that historically often underperforms relative to the risk level. Shown as days chased (with tornadoes–without).
  • SPC Risk Record: ⓘThe SPC Day 1 outlook risk where the chase actually was (states chased, within 200 miles of the GPS track when there is one) — not the highest risk anywhere in the country that day. Based on 36 of 36 convective chase days with a known risk (chases outside the US are left out).
  • Tornadoes by SPC Tornado Risk: ⓘThe SPC tornado probability right at each tornado's location, from the Day 1 outlook in effect when it happened. When no time was logged, it's estimated from the GPS track, or else assumed to be late afternoon (1 of 22 tornadoes). 0% means the spot was outside even the 2% area.
    • 45%: 3 (3 hatched)
    • 30%: 3 (3 hatched)
    • 15%: 1 (1 hatched)
    • 10%: 3 (3 hatched)
    • 5%: 11
    • 2%: 1
  • Tornadoes by State:
    • Kansas: 12
    • Oklahoma: 8
    • Texas: 2
  • EF Rating Breakdown: EF-2: 3, EF-1: 6, EF-0: 13
  • Storm Modes: Supercell – Classic: 1
  • Best Chase Day: April 30
Second Tornado near Willow
Second Tornado near Willow