This historical day is most famously known for the F5 tornado that hit Greensburg, KS. I chased with Paul Robinson from CSWR. We spent most of our day hanging around that area, near Garden City along with a bunch of other chasers including the DOW trucks and the TIV. Along with all the other chasers, we chased a developing cell north of Hays, KS as the afternoon started waning under beautiful clear skies. Like many other chasers, we also experienced the feeling of being over an hour away from a historical F5 tornado.
In retrospect, though, I am glad I did not witness the destruction and suffering caused by the strong tornadoes that ravaged southern Kansas that day. We saw some swirly clouds, possibly a rotating wall cloud, and a brilliant lightning show on the way home as we headed west on I-70 just north of the violent supercells. We could hear the bone chilling warnings on the radio coming across without hesitation: "If you are in Greensburg, you must seek shelter. This is a deadly tornado." At that point, punching a core at night into an F5 was not on my list of things to do.
My sympathies go out to the community of Greensburg, to the people who lost their homes, their livelihood, and family members. I applaud the direction that they have chosen to move after such a devistating event. They have taken the green revolution by the reins and are making it a reality. They are an inspiration to all of humanity.
