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Just before the tornado dropped

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May 6, 2008 Tornado (Great Bend, KS)

by ProPhotos (Subscribe)

Posted on: May 20, 2008 at 1:13 AM CDT

Channel: Weather

Location: Great Bend, Kansas

I followed the storm from the minute the clouds started rolling in. It seemed like it may just be a heavy rain and some wind and that would be all. For hours I walked around outside taking picture after picture watching the changes. On the north side of the sky was dark with hail clouds and clouds going all sorts of directions, which told me that this wasn't just your everyday spring storm. I warned my neighbor (who was hanging out with me) that this wasn't going to be good. She of course asked all sorts of questions. Before we knew it the giant wall cloud had come in faster than our eyes could adjust to, and I took a total of 853 pictures that day. I've captured it all. With the last picture I took, I yelled to a woman holding her new baby against her chest and her 2 year old by the hand, with jaw opened in awe of the massive clouds, to run to the shelter now. She turned to walk towards the shelter, when all of a sudden the sirens sounded. I ran as fast as I could, rain and hail pelted me. I made it to the shelter, where tons of people were already at. The sirens ended, just for them to go off again in a few minutes, along with police sirens and fire trucks. It was an adrenline rush for sure. Scary and exciting all at the same time. I have submitted 3 of the BEST photos from my event. There are lots of amazing photos, but these are the best to describe what we were seeing. Enjoy!

Edie H from Pratt says ...

On Saturday, May 24 at 3:49 AM

Commenter

Fabulous pics! That has to be an awesome thing event to witness. Glad everyone was safe!

Kirsten - KS to AK, and not missing storms :) says ...

On Monday, May 26 at 11:58 PM

Commenter

WOW. Almost a year to the day of Greensburg. I remember those nights LOL I'm missing thunderstorms right now up here in SE Alaska, but not THOSE kinds of thunderstorms. Great shots.

Kay - Oklahoma says ...

On Tuesday, May 27 at 3:34 PM

Commenter

WOW - what amazing pictures. Scary looking clouds - think I'd taken shelter long before you did. Thanks for sharing.

OWNER of the above photo says ...

On Friday, Jun 6 at 4:54 PM

Commenter

Kirsten, you are my cousin..haha ok, and to Kay, I took shelter just after the last shot. I always stay till the threat of danger is to close for comfort. They said that if the tornado had come into town we would be been wiped clean of the town.

Lizzie says ...

On Wednesday, Jun 11 at 8:01 PM

Commenter

HOLY CHEESE! That is awesome and spooky at the same time! It's like, wow and AAAAAAAAAA!

Audrey says ...

On Wednesday, Aug 13 at 3:26 PM

Commenter

Awsome pics - I grew up south of Great Bend & I really miss all of those storms, it is way to quiet up in NW KS - the clouds don't do much

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