May 14, 2008 - Hamilton Texas Supercell

[Tom Stefanac]

These things are crazy and look very scary at night! Especially when your radar goes down!

http://www.vaughanweather.com/tornadoalley/img_0139.jpg

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[DarkSky]

Excellent vid. Yah even around here I don't like chasing at night. About 10yrs ago myself and a buddy went out around 1am after a tornado warning was issued on a meso passing through the area. We were out in Niagara on the Lake (rural - no street lights) and it was pitch black except for non-stop flashes of lightning. Then the wind went from gusty to absolutely incredible, and we could make out a dark front-lit funnel about 1/8th of a mile from us in the field. It was pouring rain, huge winds, non-stop lightning, and a possible tornado that could have been approaching us and we couldn't see anything.

After that experience I rarely go out at night anymore, unless it's for an LP lightning storm, simply to shoot lightning. Just too darn scary not being able to see what's happening around you.