Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

Spectacular tornado photos from Michigan
Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 1:22 PM GMT on October 22, 2007 +3
The tropical Atlantic is quiet and none of the reliable computer models forecast formation of the tropical cyclone in the Atlantic over the next five days. However, some of the models are predicting a subtropical storm could form in the Mediterranean Sea by Thursday this week.

Last week's tornado outbreak was one of the largest ever recorded in October, bringing as least 78 twisters to the U.S. beginning October 17, 2007 and continuing into the early hours of October 19. Hardest hit was Michigan, which recorded three deaths and 11 tornadoes.

Since I live in Michigan, friends and family frequently send me photos of weather events in the state. A rare gem landed in my inbox Friday. The photo (below) was undoubtedly the finest one I've ever seen of a Michigan tornado. The tornado formed at about 5 pm EDT just southwest of Black Lake, Michigan, in the northern Lower Peninsula. The twister was rated an EF1 with winds up to 94 mph. It destroyed one barn just north of M-68, leaving a sporadic damage path up through Black Lake about 1/8 mile wide and 10 miles long. When the tornado crossed over Black Lake, Nathan Krinsky took these spectacular pictures from the back deck of his home. The sun was setting at 5:25 pm EDT when the photos were taken, and if you look closely, you can see a rainbow, thanks to the spray kicked up by the tornado.




Figure 1. Black Lake tornado of October 18, 2007 (top) and storm-relative velocity (bottom) from the Doppler radar in Gaylord, Michigan just before the Black Lake tornado crossed over the lake. The characteristic signature of a tornado is evident just southwest of the lake, with an area of strong winds blowing towards the radar (blue colors) right next to an area of strong winds blowing away from the radar (red colors). A classic hook echo is visible in the radar reflectivity animation (330 Kb) of the storm.

Alas, I did not see the Black Lake tornado. I've never seen a tornado, and it has always been a dream of mine to see and photograph a beautiful tornado--literally. In a recurrent dream I've had at least 50 times since I was a boy, I see and attempt to photograph a spectacular tornado. The dreams have two common features:

1) I'm always ABSOLUTELY SURE it is not a dream, and I really am seeing the tornado this time.

2) Something always happens to prevent me from photographing the tornado. Usually, I can't get to my camera, the camera is out of film, or I have go wait in line at the store to buy film while the tornado passes by. My favorite frustration was when the tornado got too close, and tore off the screen door of my house. The latch of the door snagged my camera strap and yanked the camera out of my hands just as I snapped the picture. I watched forlornly as the camera and screen door spiraled up into the tornado, forever lost. In the last few versions of the dream, I haven't even bothered to try to photograph the storm, since I know it is a futile cause. I'll just have to enjoy the photos taken by such lucky people as Nathan Krinsky!

Jeff Masters
Black Lake, Michigan tornado (JeffMasters)
Tornado over Black Lake, Michigan, during the October 18, 2007 tornado outbreak. This tornado was rated EF1 with winds up to 94 mph. Damage consisted of a barn destroyed just north of M-68. The sporadic damage path up through Black Lake was 1/8 mile wide and around 10 miles long. Some tree damage was seen around Black Lake. The photo taken by Nathan Krinsky from the back deck of his home on Black Lake in northern Michigan, 15 miles southeast of Cheboygan. The sun was setting at 5:25 pm EDT when this photo was taken, and if you look closely, you can see a rainbow, thanks to the spray kicked up by the tornado.
Black Lake, Michigan tornado
Black Lake, Michigan tornado (JeffMasters)
Tornado over Black Lake, Michigan, during the October 18, 2007 tornado outbreak. This tornado was rated EF1 with winds up to 94 mph. Damage consisted of a barn destroyed just north of M-68. The sporadic damage path up through Black Lake was 1/8 mile wide and around 10 miles long. Some tree damage was seen around Black Lake. The photo taken by Nathan Krinsky from the back deck of his home on Black Lake in northern Michigan, 15 miles southeast of Cheboygan. The sun was setting at 5:25 pm EDT when this photo was taken, and if you look closely, you can see a rainbow, thanks to the spray kicked up by the tornado.
Black Lake, Michigan tornado
Categories: Tornado
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Reader Comments
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351. UYA 1:04 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Shen:


WHILE FLOW FROM THE ATLANTIC MAY INCREASE COVERAGE
AND INTENSITY OF RAINFALL OVER PORTIONS OF THE CAROLINAS AND MID
ATLANTIC BY WEDNESDAY. THE SLOW MOVING UPPER LOW OVER THE LOWER
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY SHOULD KEEP SOME RAIN OVER THAT REGION THROUGH
THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
352. koneofdeath 1:07 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
great pix ! please send waves
Member Since: June 15, 2007 Posts: 0 Comments: 35
353. ShenValleyFlyFish 1:09 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Ok about to take my first pop quiz. StormW you get to grade.

After looking at Stormw's shear map am going to hazard a guess that system over NEGOM is going to send majority of moisture moving out of NWGOM to west of SEUS drought.
Member Since: September 9, 2007 Posts: 36 Comments: 4684
354. stoormfury 1:19 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
with the cold fronts now beginning to to move into the gomex and wind shear values extremely high , it is very possible that we might be coming to an ealy end of the 2007 atl hurricane season
Member Since: August 22, 2006 Posts: 0 Comments: 2304
355. TampaSpin 1:20 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Shen,
You got rain coming.
Member Since: September 2, 2007 Posts: 175 Comments: 19747
356. Floodman 1:23 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
335. NRAamy 7:15 AM CDT on October 23, 2007
Fire Update from Calif:

The fire nearest me is only 30% contained...my bags are packed and I'm ready to evac...Santa Ana winds are gonna kick up again today, which means more fires....



Hang in there, Amy
Member Since: August 2, 2006 Posts: 10 Comments: 9919
357. Floodman 1:24 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
354. stoormfury 8:19 AM CDT on October 23, 2007
with the cold fronts now beginning to to move into the gomex and wind shear values extremely high , it is very possible that we might be coming to an ealy end of the 2007 atl hurricane season

That's just what they WANT you to think LOL
Member Since: August 2, 2006 Posts: 10 Comments: 9919
358. TampaSpin 1:28 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
The cold fronts have not made it into the tropics yet. Not wishcasting just facts.
Member Since: September 2, 2007 Posts: 175 Comments: 19747
359. Floodman 1:28 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Good morning, folks, by the way!
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360. stoormfury 1:29 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Floodman explain the statement 'that's what they WANT you to think'
Member Since: August 22, 2006 Posts: 0 Comments: 2304
361. TampaSpin 1:30 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
360. stoormfury 9:29 AM EDT on October 23, 2007
Floodman explain the statement 'that's what they WANT you to think'


LMAO
Member Since: September 2, 2007 Posts: 175 Comments: 19747
362. TampaSpin 1:32 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Morning FloodMan....can't wait to hear this explantion.....lol
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364. BajaALemt 1:32 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Mornin folks...nice and quiet this morning
365. TampaSpin 1:33 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Looks like the Florida Panhandle under the gun today with possible bad weather
Member Since: September 2, 2007 Posts: 175 Comments: 19747
366. TampaSpin 1:34 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
JP your correct.
Member Since: September 2, 2007 Posts: 175 Comments: 19747
367. HIEXPRESS 1:34 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Let me guess. "They" are the 'canes. Be careful, "they" hate it when you anthropomorphize them.
Member Since: October 13, 2005 Posts: 4 Comments: 2153
368. TampaSpin 1:34 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Morning Baja
Member Since: September 2, 2007 Posts: 175 Comments: 19747
369. hurricane23 1:35 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
The western caribbean is an area to watch according to some models.The lastest EURO run shows light upper level winds over the area.

Joe B is also calling for something to develope in the next 5-7 days.

Personally i give it a 50/50 chance. Adrian
Member Since: May 14, 2006 Posts: 8 Comments: 13277
370. ShenValleyFlyFish 1:39 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
UYA and TampaSpin

Thanks for responses. Hope you guys are right. This is one quiz I'd be happy to fail.
Member Since: September 9, 2007 Posts: 36 Comments: 4684
371. NEwxguy 1:39 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
367. HIEXPRESS 1:34 PM GMT on October 23, 2007
Let me guess. "They" are the 'canes. Be careful, "they" hate it when you anthropomorphize them.


GM,all,I see your making run to the dictonary early today,anthropomorphize?
Member Since: September 6, 2007 Posts: 816 Comments: 13132
372. BajaALemt 1:44 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
TampaSpin 1:33 PM GMT on October 23, 2007
Looks like the Florida Panhandle under the gun today with possible bad weather


New Synopsis..


000
FXUS62 KTAE 231328
AFDTAE

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
925 AM EDT TUE OCT 23 2007

.SYNOPSIS/DISCUSSION...
AMPLIFIED UPPER PATTERN ACROSS THE CONUS THIS MORNING WITH DEEP
TROUGHING ACROSS THE PLAINS AND MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND RIDGING ALONG
BOTH THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC COASTS. LARGE CLOSED UPPER LOW HAS
FRACTURED FROM THE TROUGH AXIS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WITH THE
MAIN SHORTWAVE ENERGY PUSHING EAST THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION.

AT THE SURFACE...COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY PUSHING EASTWARD OUT OF THE
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ACROSS AL/THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE.
REGIONAL RADAR SHOWING A THIN BAND OF SHOWERS/EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG THE JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THESE SHOWERS WILL BE SLOWLY
PUSHING INTO THE EASTERN FL PANHANDLE AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA DURING
THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT
IN SHOWING THIS LINE STRUCTURE BECOMING A BIT MORE DIFFUSE AS IT
CONTINUES EASTWARD DURING THE LATER AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING
HOURS. A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL LIKELY TO MOVE
INTO OUR WESTERN GA ZONES AND THE FL BIG BEND LATER IN THE DAY
ALTHOUGH NOT EVERY PLACE WILL BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE THE RAINFALL.

LOW CIGS ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF THE AREA WILL BE SLOW TO BREAK UP
TODAY ALTHOUGH SUNNY BREAKS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS. TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON RISING AHEAD OF THE FRONT INTO
THE MIDDLE 80S AND UPPER 70S TO NEAR 80 BEHIND THE FRONT FOR OUR
FAR WESTERN ZONES.

SCATTERED SHOWERS/ISOLATED STORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT THEN
MOVE INTO OUR EASTERN ZONES DURING THE EVENING/OVERNIGHT HOURS WITH
A FEW LIGHTER SHOWERS/SPRINKLES STILL POSSIBLE FOR THE WESTERN CWA
CLOSER TO THE LARGE SCALE DYNAMICS OF THE UPPER LOW AND MID LEVEL
COOL POOL. LOW TEMPS FROM THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 60S OVER THE EASTERN
ZONES CLOSER TO THE FRONTAL ZONE AND FALLING INTO THE MIDDLE AND
UPPER 50S ACROSS THE FAR WEST WHERE COLD AIR ADVECTION WILL BE MORE
PRONOUNCED.


373. Floodman 1:49 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
You know, the Black Helicopter crowd...ooops, wrong blog; that was for my "Insane Conspricy Theory" blog...
Member Since: August 2, 2006 Posts: 10 Comments: 9919
374. ShenValleyFlyFish 1:54 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
371. NEwxguy 9:39 AM EDT on October 23, 2007 GM,all,I see your making run to the dictonary early today,anthropomorphize?

"They" don't need a dictionary. All THEY need to know is they're being talked about. THEY are paranoid.
Member Since: September 9, 2007 Posts: 36 Comments: 4684
375. BajaALemt 1:58 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Antropomorphize storms...Gal names, guy names *laffs* THENNNNNNN refer to them as 'he' ....'she'. *smiles*
376. HIEXPRESS 1:59 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Member Since: October 13, 2005 Posts: 4 Comments: 2153
377. ShenValleyFlyFish 2:06 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
373. Floodman 9:49 AM EDT on October 23, 2007 You know, the Black Helicopter crowd...ooops, wrong blog; that was for my "Insane Conspricy Theory" blog...

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean THEY aren't out to get you. Ever since the Good Old Days when we said "this S-tuff as got to quit. Things have got to get better" I can spot an under-cover or a nark wether THEIR there or not. It keeps me on the straight and narrow.
Member Since: September 9, 2007 Posts: 36 Comments: 4684
378. NEwxguy 2:09 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
hmmm,kind of answers the question am I smarter than a 5th grader,Nooooooooo
Member Since: September 6, 2007 Posts: 816 Comments: 13132
379. BajaALemt 2:20 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Mornin NE (nice to see you)

You see the homework they're giving these 5th graders? :O
380. jpritch 2:52 PM GMT on October 23, 2007    
Speaking of cold fronts spawning things, looks like the circulation that crossed into the BOC yesterday is still there this morning at the tail of that front: Quikscat
Member Since: June 28, 2007 Posts: 0 Comments: 291

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About JeffMasters
Jeff co-founded the Weather Underground in 1995 while working on his Ph.D. He flew with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters from 1986-1990.

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