We also ran into the "TIV"

I decided to follow one of the "stick nets" basically these are a group of NSSL minivans that deploy around a tornado to get readings of temperature, dewpoint, pressure, etc. I opted to go this route so I could get very close to the storm, well this time almost too close.

As I followed probe 1 we started getting very close to the storm which was rotating now. Before I knew it a tornado was about to form right in front of me, but before that could happen baseball size hail started beating down on me. It was at that point I said, ok I am not following Probe 1 any longer. I made a quick move to get out of the large hail and then position myself to get a good view of the tornado that had just formed just east of me.

Here is Probe 1's windshield.

I made it back to the main highway where I stayed and waited for it to cross over the highway. It was a great site. It was in a rural area, very picturesque, didn't see any damage. The Vortex2 crew was all over the tornado with pod deployment, radar scans, everything they practice for and finally they have a tornado this year. Hmmm what a coincidence, the first day I am with them its the first day they get a tornado... Hmmm... haha

The rest of the day was spent watching this cell TRY to produce again, but it never really did. Then it was on to the long drive we had ahead of us to get us in position for tomorrow's target!