3 days ago
Radar astounds scientists, chasers as 'monster' tornado approaches city
It has been a stormy start to June across the central United States, and one of the strongest storms of the week spawned a large tornado on Thursday afternoon that stunned storm chasers on the ground and people watching events unfold online.
AccuWeather Meteorologist and Storm Chaser Tony Laubach filmed a large wedge tornado grinding through farm fields near Morton, 50 miles northwest of Lubbock, Texas. Meanwhile, research scientists from University of Oklahoma had set up its high-resolution RAXPOL radar nearby.
What the radar operators and storm chasers saw astounded them. A hurricane-like swirl with an eye appeared on the radar as the large tornado touched down. This is what a classic hook echo looks like in high resolution.
"You are looking at the best image of tornado that radar can show you in 2025," said Texas Meteorologist Collin Myers on Facebook.
"You can see the individual structure and circulation of the main tornado vortex and centrifugal bands emanating out from the common center. It looks like a mini-hurricane," he added.
Indeed, tornadoes and hurricanes are low pressure centers at different scales, both with a calm eye and dangerous eyewall where winds ramp up suddenly to unimaginable speeds.
"I knew this was a monster looking at it... there was no question," Laubach recalled. "I was just so glad this was out in the middle of nowhere, but at the same time, terrified for the city of Lubbock cause it was coming for them."
RAXPOL stands for rapid X-band polarimetric radar. The unit is similar to the nation's network of NEXRAD radars that you're used to seeing on TV and the Internet, but this one is mobile, higher resolution, and can be quickly deployed near a severe storm for research purposes. The radar images are provided in real-time on the RAXPOL website.
As it moved east, the storm rolled a semi truck near Whitharral, and one person was injured when a building was damaged by another tornado near Reese Center, Texas.
Fortunately for Lubbock, the last tornado appeared to lift just before it arrived, though wind damage and flooding were reported over the western half of the city.
The local National Weather Service office may survey the damage to determine the tornado's rating on the Fujita Scale.
