An outbreak of tornadoes occured across central Oklahoma on October 4, 1998. At the time, the event broke records for the largest number of tornadoes in the state in a single day. That record would only stand for seven months...as the infamous May 3, 1999 outbreak shattered it.Our first view of the supercell that went on to produce the Dover tornado was from a location two miles south of Dover. The storm had a classic supercellular appearence...with a bowl shaped lowering on the southwest flank. By this time...the storm had already produced a long-lived significant tornado near Watonga.
In a matter of minutes a cone shaped tornado developed about six miles to our southwest.
Over the next ten minutes the tornado moved northeast directly toward us.
The tornado continued its approach...as storm chasers Keith Brown, Brad Illston, and I photographed it. The above image shows Brad snapping a picture as the tornadoes funnel get's freindly with our party. This was the last frame we snapped before the debris cloud topped a ridge about a quarter of a mile to our west. We jumped in the vehicles and drove south to avoid becoming participants in the event.
We pulled off the highway again about one mile south of our previous filming site to see the tornado cross the road...at about the place we had just exited.
The last photo shows the tornado passing southeast of Dover a few minutes before it dissipated. Rain curtains can be seen beginning to wrap around the circulation...precluding its demise.
NWSFO Norman has a page dedicated to the October 4, 1998 tornado outbreak. You can veiw it here.
