I don’t know what is more thrilling, when you intercept a tornado – or when one of your long-time friends and past tour guest intercepts a tornado. The latter happened today when I received a text message from Nicole saying there was a wicked storm in the Denver area and she was going to head out an “see what she could see”. Well, what she ended up seeing was a pretty incredible tornado event in the southeastern suburbs of Denver.

She just sent in the above photo taken with her iPhone (Photo taken near E-470 and Smoky Hill Rd), but as any good storm chaser does – she was carrying her Nikon with her and took several great shots from it. Just as soon as she gets in from her drive back, we’ll get her complete chase account and her photos posted here on the blog!

Congratulations Nicole!

UPDATE: Nicole has sent in more photos, along with a narrative of her chase account today. StormChase.com is posting her account in her own words, which (disclaimer) may not reflect the views and opinions of StormChase.com, it’s owner, or team members and/or channel partners

Before posting Nicole’s chase accounts and photos, I wanted to also include this photo of an early morning forecasting session from 2007. Pictured from left to right: Brian Barnes, Marcie, and Nicole Nowlen.

Here is Nicole’s chase account:

I must start out by saying I have gone on 2 tours with 2 different groups, learned a lot from both, and have just been teaching myself. I don’t go out much because: 1) I don’t have the money. 2) I don’t have a partner. 3) My work tends to get in the way. I “armchair chase” more than anything else. With that being said…..

Today was a Moderate risk day and I figured everyone and their brother would be out in NE/KS/IA/MO. I left central Denver around 1:15-1:30pm with big rain drops and actually some small hail. Anyone who lives around here knows storms with wind, rain, lightening and some hail is not uncommon this time of year. I headed towards the south suburbs to home and noticed behind me (to the north) that it was really, really dark. Hopped on C-470 and headed east for the heck of it. Shot a text to Brian about storms. Not long after, radio gave out Tornado Warning for Denver County. All I could think of was “holy crap!!” (When I was 5, my mom and I were not allowed to leave a Target in Littleton because of funnel clouds. We used a pay phone to call my dad who said he was looking out my bedroom window at said funnels. Flashed through my mind today.) They said storm was moving due east at 15-25(ish)mph. Being south of it, I figured what did I have to lose? I could head east on 470. It turns north before crossing I-70 which runs east and west. I had every intention of heading east, then north on 470 to get to I-70 and go east. As 470 turns near Smoky Hill Road, I caught this coming out of sky.

Pulled off the road and noticed many people still passing me. Was concerned that it would cross 470 many miles in front of me, and those people just didn’t get it. I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing here, not because of the city, but because we are so close to the mountains! Started out as a small, pencil shaped funnel, then got a little bigger. You can make out a slight condensation funnel at the base near ground.

I made the mistake of thinking it had passed. Attempted to keep going north (which now I think about it, it was really dumb. I was driving into the core. Wanted to get off 470 and had to get up to next north exit.) Encountered hail that sounded 4″ in diameter, but it was more like 2″. Pulled off under overpass with many others. Noticed in the sky outside of overpass in front of me that there were small things floating in air. Garbage, paper, limbs etc. Once hail passed, I had to go north to get off 470 still. Pulled over at one point because it was hailing again, but not as big. Was on phone with Brian, when I noticed in my rearview mirror a stove-pipe shaped tornado, and realized it was behind me. (Plus had passed close to that overpass.) Later found out mall took pretty good hit. Got off 470 and took some back roads to get east of Aurora. Took various roads east, then south. I say this because I was navigating off of Google Maps on my iPhone with GPS. I just didn’t want in the precip again. Out in Elbert County I caught this funnel at the top of a hill.

Few paved back roads later, I pulled over. Air had gotten very cold and blowing south. My first thought was outflow dominant, it’s pooping out. Brian helped to confirm this. Snapped this picture of storm, and some very pretty clouds.

Ended up helping lady look for her blind bloodhound named Darlin’ (not making this up) who I had seen on road. I never saw dog again, but hope she found her. By this time, I was on Hwy 83 between Elizabeth and Kiowa and decided to head home.

On a weird twist of fate, I am moving next week to Parker. I marked it on the map. My new balcony will face east. I would have seen tornado that was in my mirror from this balcony.

All in all, interesting day. Cars a little dirty. Did almost end up in ditch once when I went on to slightly (wet) gravel road. Monitoring one of my tires from said ditch. Might have a slow leak.

(As I write this, SPC isn’t showing many storm reports from tornadoes in the mod chase area. 5 reported tornadoes/funnels came from this one storm today!) All you Mod chasers, eat your heart out!!!

Here is a Google map of locations where photos were shot from: http://www.tinyurl.com/denvertornado

Tags: news, photography, storm chasing tours, tornadoes