Outrunning a Tornadic HP Beast| June 3rd, 2025
- Michael Thornton
- Oct 25
- 6 min read
On June 3rd, 2025, the Storm Prediction Center issued a Slight risk across southwestern Oklahoma and Northwestern Texas. Storms were expected early in the afternoon across both NW/SW OK, with activity spreading across NW TX later in the afternoon. The SPC HREF really keyed in on SW OK/NW TX being the play for the day. In addition to model data, real-time data was also supportive. The 6 AM sounding from Norman showed instability around 1,900 j/kg, shear around 45 to 50
kts, and LCLs around 900 m, limited by a weak CIN around -18. This meant that profiles were primed for severe weather later in the day in Oklahoma. Comparing the 6 AM Fort Worth sounding, there was 1,600 j/kg evident, with -40 CIN and 150 - 200 SRH. Both soundings supported late-day supercells capable of 2-inch hail and isolated tornadoes.
What's Interesting about this day is that I knew a severe weather setup existed; However, I didn't plan to chase because I had an interview for an Emergency Management position in Custer County, Oklahoma. Additionally, at the time, I was also the Emergency Management Director for Tillman County, OK, and if there was severe
weather forecasted, and I was concerned about it impacting the county: I was not going to be chasing. After crushing the interview and receiving an offer, I crossed paths with a Severe Thunderstorm south of Cordell in Washita County. It was a beautiful storm, so I had to pull over and take a picture. Not long after, the Storm Prediction Center issued a
Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Tillman County and the surrounding counties in SW OK. They also added a Tornado Watch for all counties in NW TX. I issued an alert to the county over CodeRED and told Ethan Cowan, my then Deputy Director and best friend (You'll learn more about him in a future disaster blog) that he'd be handling severe weather operations until I made it back into Tillman County. Spoiler
alert, that kid did a great job as always. I made it back into the county around 3 PM, where I was greeted by Purdue University, Central Michigan University, and DOW units who were all researching a storm that was moving into the county. It was such a cool thing to experience because that is what I wanted to do as a kid, research severe
weather dynamics. Not surprisingly, the storm lost its momentum and rapidly decreased in intensity as it moved throughout the county. This scenario had been forecasted by hourly HRRR runs. As soon as this storm began to die out, I noticed another one developing near Wichita Falls, TX, and said, "What the hell" since I knew nothing else was going to
develop behind the county. As soon as I crossed into Texas, the storm exploded. The storm was now showing 80+ mph wind gusts with Vertically Integrated Liquid showing hail sizes around 3 inches. Nonetheless, I continued South into the heart of the storm.
I came across six utility poles that were knocked down by these intense wind gusts while on US-281. Since the National Weather Service had yet to receive this information, I chose to inform them. Later, the Wichita County EM Director thanked me, as he had yet to be informed, too. At the same time, I noticed that I needed to head directly south or else I was gonna be in a dangerous spot to intercept the velocity that was starting
to tighten near Archer City, TX. I made it to Windthorst, TX, just after 5 PM, where I paused to watch the storm on Munchcraft Road. I had an absolutely perfect viewpoint of the rotation and storm as it came in from the northwest. I started noticing a wall cloud with the storm and rapid rotation occurring less than a mile from me. Soon after, the storm became Tornado Warned and the sirens
sounded. Residents started stopping next to me as they saw me monitoring the storm and asked questions about their safety. At 6:22 PM, a funnel began to develop right over the small town. While I had the perfect view, I was really hoping it would not develop in that area. Thankfully, not much long after the funnel deteriorated.
As the rotation crossed HWY 281/CR 174, I began to notice another funnel developing. This time the funnel was even lower to the ground; However, it too failed to maximize its potential. Noticing the transition from low precipitation to high precipitation, I blasted east on CR 174. While doing so, I observed a wall cloud hidden deep behind the rain shafts.
Six miles east of Windthorst, TX, I felt like I had finally gained enough distance between the storm and myself, so I pulled onto South Myers Road. The once low precipitation supercell had now become a high precipitation supercell, and she was moving east fast. Radar data was gone due to cell coverage. Given my experience, I chose to
continue monitoring the storm. Given the fast-paced movement of the storm, it didn't take long for the rain shafts to be less than a mile from me, and that is when I chose to book it east on CR 174. As soon as I did this, I noticed wrapping rain curtains overtaking me, a very dangerous sign that you are too close
to rotation and a possible tornado. I reached the intersection of CR 174/148 after driving 4 miles and had to quickly make a decision. Do I go south or east? With no radar data and no visual cues, one would think to just go south, especially if there had been an eastward progression previously. Well, unfortunately I did not have time to think this
through because there were nearly a dozen storm chasers behind me trying to make that same decision. As I continued east on CR 174, I began to slowly gain distance on the high precipitation monster. That's when several other storm chasers behind me ran into our next problem. There were no Southbound roads for miles. When I finally came across a southbound road, it was red clay and gravel in thick forested hilly terrain. An absolute nightmare scenario for a storm chaser, especially with no data. This is due to not being able to see any visual cues of the storm and not having access to radar data. Essentially, in this moment, I was completely blind. What magnified the danger of this was on a one-way road out in the middle of nowhere, I just happened to run into somebody who was driving the same way as I was. However, they were going 10 mph. With the supercell traveling well in advance
of that, I was watching for any clear signs that I may be in danger. For a very brief moment, I gained access to radar data, and I noticed that the storm had made a southeast turn right over HWY 148. From a safety standpoint, I had made the right decision to go east because had I turned south on HWY 148, I would have been overtaken by a high
precipitation tornadic storm. After 6 miles of driving on red clay and gravel, I had finally made it to HWY 59. From here, I booked it south towards Newport, TX. Even though I didn't have radar data, I noticed the storm had lost a lot of its punch visually. Somewhere in between Newport and Jacksboro, I found a hill with a very good clearing and monitored
the storm from there. My suspicions that the storm was starting to lose its strength were confirmed when I felt cold outflow, indicating that the storm was, in fact, dying. I decided to drive south into Jacksboro, where I grabbed an apple, water, and gas, and ended my chase. A brief rain shower passed over and presented this amazing sunset to end the night.
About the writer: Michael Thornton graduated from Rose State College, majoring in Emergency Management. Currently, he is the Director of Warren County Emergency Management and an Oklahoma Certified Emergency Manager. In 2024, he was awarded the OEMA Innovator Award for his severe weather operations in Tillman County.
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