Illinois Tornado April 9, 2015 - iPhone filmed
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- Опубліковано 9 кві 2015
- *For Licensing/Usage, please contact licensing@viralhog.com*
Very close encounter with the tornado that rolled through Northern Illinois on April 9, 2015. My boss and friend Sam Smith took the video and sent it to me soon after. Sam is not a storm chaser and was on his way to Indianapolis from Minnesota. He was visiting from North Carolina on business and had never had any experience with this type of weather.
He didn't even sound frightened; just very inconvenienced.
Probably like, "really? Come on..." I hope he's got full coverage, too.
ignorance can be bliss sometimes. at least for a little while.....
Apparently it's a phenomenon known as "rotational hypnosis" or tornado stuck. The mind and body not in sync due to witnessing an event that you cannot make sense of because of having no other experiences relevant to base it off of. Like, I guess if you had once had a sky scraper spinning like a top running you down before than you would instantly recognize this experience as something akin to that and know "this is bad... M'kay, like drugs are bad, M'kay.." then take evasive actions to remain free of its killer destruction. Like a deer in the headlights. It has you yelling "STUPID ANIMAL! WHY DIDNT YOU MOVE????" for 5 miles down the road after spraying the 250 pound wild beast into pink mist all over you're white car. Hopefully a mustang or something. You mustang drivers.... or a charger. The new ones.
I'm more scared when racoon is this close to me
What do they feed him with!?
Sounds like me during hurricanes at this point 🤷
He simply didn't understand the gravity of the situation. He was about 50' from losing his life.
probably more like 10'...
Tornado: "You're just gonna sit there?"
Vigilante I chose tornadoes, I've done it for many years. I found myself in a similar situation when the storm moved in a different direction. I was blocked from going east by lots of 18 wheelers and cars sitting under a bridge waiting for this storm to pass. As you can see, it's still not safe as the winds coming from behind him could have lifted his truck and it could have been worse. It sound like he had a child with him and 1st that moment he did what felt safe and right. With tornadoes, many times it can be unpredictable if your that close and can't decide on a last minute option. In my case we got lucky the tornado was in a field off to the left of the highway moving east then crossed the highway a few feet from where we sat. 2 18 wheelers were flipped and a town hit. My rule is make sure you have miles between you and the storm so you have time to get further away if it turns. Know the roads, make sure your not on muddy roads where you can get stuck. There are some rules if you do chase
The rules are called stupidity. Lol
This guy has balls the size of watermelons.
***** Meh he is just dumb as shit
***** no hes just calm when others would panic. and do something stupid hes prety much powerless
xXEliteCastXx "dump as shit" lol oh man you can't make that shit up.
Brent Schmidt haha sry " dumb" english is not my mother tongue
xXEliteCastXx You're right, it's not. I can tell cuz it's all over my dick. Sorry, I had to.
For anyone watching this:
If you see a tornado but can’t tell which direction it is moving, that generally means it is moving toward you.
If you are caught by a tornado in your car and cannot escape it’s path, it is generally recommended to abandon the car and lie in a low ditch, though ducking down within your car is recommend by a few people. Do not take shelter under an overpass.
You're right. A car or a mobile home is the worst place to be. It's like taking a chance on being in the worst car accident you can imagine, only you'd have like 10 collisions before you come to a rest.
WoAh rEaLLy
Thanks Dad.
you really mean the safest thing to do is lay in a ditch and let it pass over you ?!? hell nah im racing it in my car
Just leave your race car and lay in a ditch
Me: GOT TO GO FAST
U-Turns, they're wonderful things.
he wanted to not break the transit rules until the end of his life.. :)
"Oh no, I've never been in a tornado before. This is crazy.
Any second now I'm gonna be in a tornado. This is crazy.
Here it comes. Get ready. This is crazy.
I'm such an idiot. This is crazy."
Crispy famous last words
Fuck u
🤪🤪🤪
This man is doing literally everything you shouldn't be when there's a tornado near you
Yep. Pretty much. He could've easily turned around and punched out of there, too. I don't think he knew how much danger he was in. The way he said, "I've never been in a tornado before." Like, he thought it would be a little windy, but not much more. He got lucky.
Just a big dust devil is all. "This will be fun to feel the truck gently rock to and fro! It might even shake a bit if I get lucky!" Seems like a person totally unaware of the potential danger and extreme energy tornados carry. Or, another individual hypnotized by a twister. Dont ask me why done just stare at them until it's to late.
He was being neive and probably did not know where to take shelter in the video you can hear him say that he's going to backup under a bridge
"Under a bridge" is where those that know tell us no safety is to be found from tornadoes. But my instincts tell me to climb the incline then wedge my body into whatever crevice was there.
That part where your truck almost got sucked in... That's called the inflow jet. Where you were (Under an overpass) only accelerated it. You got lucky as all hell to survive being under an overpass in the inflow jet of an EF-4 tornado. You should play the lottery.
mattxr2i Also. If that had hit the overpass directly... You would have become a projectile... I hope that you read some of the more intelligent comments here that talk about the actual physics of the tornado and what could have happened to you if A,B, C, would have happened. Disregard the ones saying you are dumb and the really awful ones wishing you got hurt. They have nothing to offer. Hopefully, you will do a bit of research on tornadoes and how they work so if God forbid, you ever find yourself in this situation again, you'll be better prepared and know what to do. I don't fault you for not being a meteorologist and knowing the dynamics of a tornado. You lived through this. Make it a learning experience.
mattxr2i All you said is true, but wasn't he remarkably lucky? Didn't you have the urge while watching that to race ahead? He would have been hit directly if he had. Based upon results he made some good choices and he got an amazing video out of it to boot.
HappyQuails I can agree with that. I'm not at all talking down about him. He even said he has no experience with storms like this so he did the best he could at the time and luck played it's part.
HappyQuails No, he made a terrible decision. When he first saw the tornado, he could have just punched it and he wouldn't have been close to the tornado. It wasn't that massive of a tornado and he had plenty of time to drive forward and get away from it. He backed up and got under a bridge, which is one of the worst places you can be during a tornado. He got lucky cause the tornado barely missed him.
mattxr2i ohh so thats why its bad to go under pass
"the truck feels like its gonna lift up off the ground. im not lyin'." trust me, we believe you man
Dang, man! I just passed out the award for calmest driver in a tornado. I didn't see this video first or you would have won. Glad you're safe, and thanks for the upload!
That's the closest recording I've ever seen, that wasn't an unmanned probe with cameras.
The windshield wipers kept the truck down for sure...
lol
I can just hear people screaming through my computer screen ''BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK THE FUCK UP!!!''
Doge If you saw the original footage, you'd see that he did indeed back up under an overpass
Becca Taylor Another unsafe spot that can get you killed.
Doge Honestly I think I may have opted to go forward and have been hit.
And why didn't Sam get blown away? Because he was weighted down with big huge BALLS OF STEEL, that's why. BOSS MODE.
I love his communication with his family ir whoever is on the phone..the end though where he asks "I dont know if its going to come back around or not?" Was so innocent and calming.
You sir... have balls the size of mountains.
'A little bit scary'.... my screams would have been pure profanity.
I could talk all day about how taking shelter beneath an overpass was a dangerous move (you're supposed to lie down in a ditch or a similar low-lying area; hiding under an overpass puts you at risk for being sucked out by the accelerated winds), but I'm just glad the guy made it out, especially since he didn't know what to do. The footage was pretty incredible, too.
I cannot even believe you were able to keep your cool like that! Terrifying, but SO glad you could get it on camera and live to tell about it!
To all the idiots bashing him: He was not chasing this he was caught
jmanmarcus He wasn't "caught" all he had to do was continue on his way and he'd have been past it. He decided to stop and look.
You do know tornadoes can be like a mile wide and move faster than it looks ;) he was determining if he should go for it but could not tell which way it is going.
rc01010101 He couldn't tell which direction it was going in, until it was too close to really get away from. If he had driven backwards the way behind, it was going that way anyways. He didn't have enough time. Staying under the bridge was a good bet
Charles Neatherlin He had plenty of time to judge its path, there was no sideways movement so it was obviously growing larger or smaller. He could have easily driven past it or turned around in the worst case. The only reason he is alive is the tornado was a few hundred feet short of him. If it went over him it would have been game over.
rc01010101 Keep in mind the tornado was a mile wide, and was on top of him within 60 seconds. "Gunning it" would have had its own risks (hydroplaning, high winds, other travellers who are likely to do very stupid things such as stopping in the middle of the road -- which means you can't just go 100 mph).
He would had less then a minute to clear that tornado's mile wide circulation, and it could have jogged in a direction that would have meant he would have had to clear even more distance to be safe.
Bottom line, he was just a man conducting his own every day business in the wrong place at the wrong time, made a spit second life and death decision, and was very lucky it was the right one. This could have happened to any of us.
It nearly happened to me a few years ago on I-94. Brief tornado in what didn't look like that remarkable of a thunderstorm. Even if you've read all the tornado material out there and should know what to do -- being in the actual situation is different. You forget things. Things become uncertain. Rain and hail (the road was literally an ice rink which I came upon with virtually no warning [I didn't see it until I was on top of it] and came close to skidding at 70 mph!) are also distracting you and making it much more difficult to see what's going on. At the time I didn't know whether to pull over at the shoulder (and risk a collision from someone coming up behind me) or to press on -- I pressed on and lucked out.
Bottom line: he survived, and that's all what matters.
At first I thought Matthew McConaughey was caught in a tornado LOL
For anyone wondering that tornado was rated an EF-4 and at one point in its cycle had winds estimated at 200mph making it a high end EF-4 -It was rated accordingly a few days after it had unleashed some severe damage ( Rochelle/ Fairdale IL. ) and killed at least 2 people. This guy was very very lucky indeed.
you ever heard of clem schultz ? the old guy who recorded this same tornado coming right towards him and he actually was inside of it when it tore up his house
The tornado is stunning but what's more stunning is how calm and reserved you remained. I DID question your motives for just sitting there and not taking off in the other direction BUT your behavior clearly shows that you knew what was going on. Great video + very brave of you. Thanks for the footage o.o
Sam Smith should probably learn basic storm spotting. He's lucky he's alive.
Im suprised he used alternatives to profanity in such a situation, if that was me:
F%$CK, SH^%T, B$#CH, etc.
Spiritdove lol both of you guys are right
Wolf Man Lyken YOUNG SHECK WES AND IM GETTIN REALLY RICH
From the eerie and seemingly oblivious calm of his voice I thought for sure that the noise was his heart beat not the wipers... WOW
I know the guy who recorded this video. We used to attend the same church several years ago before I moved. Let me just say this. 1. He is from NC and we don't get tornadoes like that here. As he said in the video, he didn't know what to do in his first experience with a tornado. He was only in Illinois for a business trip. 2. He was more calm than some would think because he has 18 years experience as a police officer, and also because he was on the phone with his kids and he wanted to remain calm for them. 3. His lack of curse words during this experience is a reflection of his Christian values. And i truly believe that angels were watching over him. So glad you are OK, Sam Smith!
Sounds right! :)
This guy remains calm, got to see the middle of the tornado going from all on the ground to multi-vorticies ... He basically got in the tornado itself or at the very least only 5-10 feet from where his car would have been tossed to the right.
I don't think he's a storm chaser, but clearly doesn't know how powerful these things can be. Thinks it is a dust devil ..
BEST tornado video I've ever seen ... hands down.
U saw the baby tornadoes to I see
"This, is a tornado. It's coming right towards me. Aww crap."
Incredible footage! You filmed so smoothly! You stayed so calm throughout the event, I would have thought you had been through several of these things before!
Thank you for posting. I've always been curious about tornados and have watched videos from stormchasers. This video scared the bejesus out of me. Thank goodness you made it out ok!
Not surprising this one holds his phone vertically to take a video...
Ryan Kelly I have to say, it actually makes me laugh that videos that are shot that way bother people as much as it does.
I think the bigger problem is the people who lose their minds over videos being shot this way than the people shooting videos this way.
Ryan Kelly You really think he gave a crap which way his phone was positioned at that very moment? His life was literally on the line.
twimoonclips Amen! Whenever I see a video that's shot like this, no matter how serious the subject is, there is always at least one person who HAS to comment that it was shot this way.
Forget the fact that there was a Tornado all around this man, and the fact that he almost died. No, instead let's focus on making sure the person that shot this video shoots his next video the "correct way" next time. No matter what tragedy may be unfolding around him.
Jeez people, chill out. He's not from a tornado area- He's from the south. He's not a storm chaser- and this is just when the tornado was being born. He doesn't' know what to do and frankly probably just didn't think clearly. Cut him some slack, acknowledge this is not what you do and be happy the guy survived. Again, CHILL OUT.
Just so you know, the south has a lot of tornado weather. In fact, Oklahoma is known for it.
SpawnQuestGaming Talking about Southern, Illinios!
BEWolfe You don't have to live in a 'tornado area' to know that you don't stay in your vehicle.
Vic Morrow Chick I thought he was going to get out, observe the oversized dust devil, then have a picnic.
Two things amaze me here: first, and obviously, how calm and brave this man was. Second is how dreadful some people can be in commenting about it.
From what I could gather (also found an interview with him), he could not back up further because there were vehicles behind him who were also trying to wait things out under the overpass. It may be common knowledge to those of you in the Midwest never to do this, but as was said in the video (to his son, who was on the phone) this was something he was entirely unfamiliar with.
To Sam: what you've captured here is absolutely stunning. The only thing more amazing than the footage was how calm and collected you remained throughout the all-too-close encounter. Take good care.
That man is calm as hell. Wow.
Tornadoes are just like bees and dogs, as in they can actually smell fear..... so this guy obviously had nothing to worry about.
I'd say that tornado had a pucker factor of 10!
Crazy footage man!
I must salute you, the way you calmly conducted yourself throughout this whole ordeal is something I can only describe as supernatural. This is a horrible situation that could happen to anyone, even with all the information constantly at our disposal with modern smartphones.
The calmest first timer I think ive ever seen, love it. Its a good thing you didnt keep going, things would have been much, much worse.
Comments are opened back up!
Aaron Rooney Judging by the comments by all the "experts" here..may be time to close the comments again, sir!
David Cenci Anyone with an ounce of storm chasing knowledge, knows what he did was stupidity. I wouldn't say most of the comments are experts, but I will say that we have special vehicles for getting as close to that as he was. They are called Tornado Intercept Vehicles (TIV). This man is lucky to be alive.
Aaron Rooney You are brave and SO CALM! I would have freaked out. Glad you made it out safe. I can honestly say you got some awesome footage.
OneSkiWonder How does this affect you? Why are you so angry and critical? Just appreciate the video ffs.
Aaron Rooney Need to make a couple of corrections. I tracked this location down and it is I-39 under the Ivy Road overpass facing south. The driver intentionally pulled to the side of the interstate under this overpass. A video of a flight over the tornado path shows the tornado did track at the surface to the south about one-fifth of a mile south of this location, based on scouring of the surface seen in the video. The tornado was likely stronger at this point than the apparent winds (of perhaps 60 kt) because this video shows the outer circulation, not the core of the tornado. At 1:23 you can see an oncoming vehicle being flipped and tossed across the interstate.
The claim that this person was unfamiliar with a tornado, in this day and age, and with the overdone media coverage that extreme weather receives, does not ring true. He clearly states he sees it is a tornado. Secondly, even if you didn't know it was a tornado, anyone with common sense should be frightened to see what is coming towards them. If it was a mac truck driving towards the car, you would move out of the way rather than get run over. So it was clear that this person saw the tornado was approaching and would cross the road, decided to film it at close range, had the idea of "being safe" under the overpass (an extremely bad idea), then pulled up a little because otherwise he wouldn't have been able to film it, later backing up just a little in order to be under the overpass once he could still have a clear view to film the tornado. At any time he could have backed up and turned around and driven to safety - and didn't. So this idea that this situation was due to unfamiliarity with tornadoes - that dog don't hunt. Now. Overpasses do not provide safety, and winds funnel through them. Cars are one of the worst places to be in a tornado, as they can easily be flipped and rolled, and picked up and dropped from a height. Windows and even doors are easily pierced by debris being moved by high winds. He was unbelieveably lucky that the base of the tornado crossed the road ahead of him and angled across the road, and he only experienced the outer circulation, and was not hit by debris - and that the car was not rolled or picked up. It also appears the vehicle only experienced weak winds at this point in time (it would be useful to know the exact time and location). This man is only alive due to improbable circumstances and luck. We think of this as a Darwin wannabe, or, as my friend put it, "In case you don't fully understand the process of natural selection, this video will shed light on how it almost worked."
I hope he takes the time to look at this image of a car destroyed by the Rochelle tornado: cbsstlouis.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/469131528.jpg
It would also be nice to label this video, "What not to do when a tornado approaches." In future someone may see this video and attempt a similar stunt, and may not be lucky.
What?? Dude! You are so blessed to be allive! I have to go change my britches now.
I'm not sure which is more awe-inspiring about this video: the power and beauty of the tornado, or the calm, cool insanity this guy had to have in knowing this tornado was headed this way, but thought parking was a better option than a U-turn and flooring it!
This video just cracks me up! I really don't think this guy realizes how dire his situation is. An EF 4 tornado coming right at you while your just sitting there in your vehicle is almost certain death and he's carrying on like it's not that big of a deal. This guy somehow just lucked out.
Wow... just wow. That was way way too close for comfort man.
The. Best. Tornado. Video. Ever.
Idk the one of this very same tornado destroying the guy who's filming its house, seriously injuring him and killing his wife is a pretty crazy video too
@@granddaddykaddy1788That video definitely crazier and still the best imo, even after all intercept videos tornade chasers made.
You're so blessed. I couldn't imagine being in this situation.
I'd be pissing my pants at that view! You're lucky as hell my friend. Glad you're alright, and shared this experience with us
He sounds like my friend"Tom Bodet" at motel 6 who keeps leaving the light on for people
this guy is a BADASS. Look at how he keepscalmed during that tornado passing right in front of his nose! He's at the same level as Captain of badassness as captain Sullenberger.
You are so lucky and the way you talked to yourself, it cracked me up! Nice footage
I love how this giant deadly beast whirls past your car and you seem so bored by it. "Oh my gosh... oh no...This is so crazy...yeah, that is completely crazy...I feel like my truck is about to be lifted off the ground, I'm not lyin..."
This would be exactly the reaction of every other New Yorker if it happened to them in the city
I doubt it.
I would be scared ASF
i loved how chill you were during this. i would've been screaming!
same here i probly would of shyt my pants lol
How do we know if he’s alive
@@brenne8030 What the fuck
You were seriously the most calm person ever. I mean *ever*. Wow. If you were terrified you sure didn't put that into your voice at all
After it crossed i39 highway it was coming straight for where i live in lindenwood illinois but it turned and missed our house it was in the field in front of my house maybe like 500 feet away the sound of this tornado i will never forget so scarey!!
any1 else turn their heads and didn't even know it?
Wow, that was the closest footage vie seen. glad you made it out alive.
Calmest response to a massive tornado almost sucking you in I've ever heard.
If you're ever in this situation and you can see the horizon use trees, houses, buildings, power poles, or anything you can to scale which direction the tornado is heading.
I have been in a few tornadoes. It's one of my biggest fears. I will NEVER just sit and watch one come at me if I have the means to get away!!! This guy was so lucky 🍀
Gas it and gun it!!!
That video would have been so cool if he had of kept the camera straight. But i suppose that's the last thing on your mind when there's a tornado heading right for you haha.
Absolutely amazing footage. You're lucky your car didn't get sucked up, glad to see you dodged a huge bullet. The footage is incredible as well, don't get too many good tornado videos like this
Smart move. The overpass may have saved your life. I grew up in Oklahoma and survived numerous tornados. One sucked the asphalt out of our neighborhood street, but left the homes an curbs untouched. Great video. Thank you for sharing.
I’m a trained spotter and hobby chaser. Somethings a bit off here. What he experienced was not as violent as one would expect from a wedge tornado. Doesn’t line up.🤔
Go you!!! You did something right because you made it through to see another day. Thank you for sharing your scary experience with us. And don't worry about all the negative comments. They were not in your shoes therefore they didn't have to make any type of decision on what to do. Thank you again for being so brave and sharing this with all of us.
Wow! What an experience that must have been. Great footage!
I have to say this is one of the most jaw dropping tornado videos I've ever watched. I'm really glad to hear your friend survived this experience with little more than (I'm betting) vehicle damage (did anyone notice that debris sparking on the road at 1:25?) And the tornado's roar is exceptionally clear. Nightmare Fuel indeed.
What really strikes me is how quickly the tornado was on him. It looked like it was a respectable distance away at the start, but it only took nary a minute for it to come within striking distance. It was incredible luck that he made the right decision (it could have easily gone the other way), I don't think he would have been able to clear that mile wide monster's path if he had opted to make a run for it instead of backing up and hoping for the best.
we drove right past you just before the tornado hit on your other video (comments wouldn't work) and got caught in it. Our car is totaled.
well, respectfully, if you have any chance to drive away then drive. what you don't want to do is let it run over you. we're glad you're ok.
This guy is so calm, I can't believe it. How does someone do this.
I remember this tornado. It's 6 days before my birthday and there was a terrible thunderstorm for me because of the tornado.
y u no drive away
elusivellama LOL! Awesome comment! I don't know why it's so damn funny but it just is. It doesn't take much to amuse me.
elusivellama And he was parked the car under the bridge at that time.
Saitdark Asexual Which is something else you never, ever do. This guy and his buddy got very lucky.
Vic Morrow Chick causes you could get suck by the storm ?
CJAdams97 Yes. Don't get out of your vehicle to take cover directly under the bridge either. Find a ditch or another low lying area,lie down flat on your stomach and cover your head.
We call this a nearly successful attempt to earn a Darwin.
I saw your video on weather channel, we saw you at another over pass while it was hailing where vehicles stopped right in the middle of the road almost causing a pileup killing us all. We first stopped about 100 yards behind this overpass but looked like it was heading our way so I tried to drive around it but got caught in wind and debris so had to stop and tornado went right over us.
Wow, lucky he backed up. If not we would of never seen this crazy video! I'm so glad this man made it out alive and safe.
Taking shelter under an overpass is the WRONG THING TO DO. FYI. The wind speeds under them are stronger and can suck you out. Lots of things wrong here. To close, can not determine where it is going. You need to work on your storm chasing skills. Next time you may not be so lucky.
So everyone is saying how stupid this guy was and that he needs to take Storm Chasing 101...but no one is saying what Storm Chasing 101 would suggest you do. I dont get the feeling he was a storm chaser......just a guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am sure several reading the comments like myself that wouldn't know what to do could learn from someone providing some insight to this Storm Chasing class that everyone mentions.
nc1787 Using a reference like a tree or house or power pole, if the tornado is not moving left or right, it's coming right for you. He could have either continued driving and been well in front of it, or backed up a lot faster and a lot further and stayed well behind it. He had a minute and a half from the time he began recording to do either before that thing crossed the road he was on, and he only needed to move a quarter mile or so to be in a much safer position. Plenty of time. Parking under an overpass is one of the worst things you can do, as it creates a wind tunnel, making it even more dangerous.
nc1787 Thanks nc1787 I am certainly not a storm chaser and would have given anything but my life to not have been there then. I hope people will learn from the video and my mistakes.
Insight Training Thank you Insight Training! If it wasn't for your scary looking video and all these comments, I wouldn't have learned that hiding under an overpass is a bad idea.
Insight Training No problem man. Glad you made it through ok. Dont listen to all of these other Monday Morning QB know it all assholes. Not everyone is well versed in "how to dodge a tornado" etiquette. Especially those who live in NC. Aaron Rooney Thanks for sharing the video.
Matt Hunt Thanks for providing some constructive input. It is appreciated.
Without a doubt the calmest near death experience, experienced.
I bet 99% of the people who are bashing this guy and calling him an idiot never chased or been in a tornado not a day in their life yet they have time to sit behind a computer and gossip about it like immature little kids.. GROW UP!
Contrary to common belief...DO NOT GO UNDER AN OVERPASS DURING A TORNADO. The winds become more concentrated and create a wind tunnel effect with even stronger winds and have been known to not only suck out people, but vehicles as well. I think this was the Rochelle tornado, a powerful EF3 and you my friend, have a horseshoe up your a$$. If it came just 100 ft closer, your vehicle would have been picked up and thrown. You should have driven backwards away from it, or gotten out of the car and run in the opposite direction.
Glad you are safe. Your freebe is used now (says God).
+jonathan wright How does getting out of the car and running away from a tornado help? You will get sucked right into it right?
As someone who lived through the Alabama twisters a few years ago. ..I can quite honestly say that the man in this video did not take things too seriously. Quite frankly he was foolish. What nuisance. ..what craziness eh? No footage is worth your life . Next time you need to stare down a twister. ..get trained.
Mary Tullila u from yltuscaloosa
Mary Tullila tuscaloosa
He did EVERYTHING wrong and managed to survive without a scratch. Parked under an underpass and just sat there and let it come straight at him.
Dude...how did you not react at all on this? Like...geeze man...that was heart stopping...and you didnt even change the pitch of your voice. Does anything make you scared???
I say give the man a Storm Chaser badge and sticker and appreciate the footage he provided to all of us and curious scientists.
*This guy obviously has the common sense to know that the underpass is FAR SAFER than being out in the open.....DESPITE WHAT THE SELF DESCRIBED "EXPERTS" SAY.* I welcome all the armchair "experts" who are going to try and educate me while appealing to their authority.
No shit! Right? Looks to me he backed up just enough to escape death.
It takes all the right ingredients to form a tornado, to survive a tornado, and to die from a tornado!
+Ansley212 Ha ha good luck to be under overpass during ef4-5 tornado. This thing missed him and he was hit only by inflow jet that almost lifted his truck off the ground.
Назар Ильдаров
*If I had to, I WOULD seek shelter AGAIN from an F4.* I still remember the image of the dead woman in the ditch not far from that underpass. It's kind of stuck in my memory.
Meteorologists aren't "armchair experts." They went to school for this shit, and they are the ones telling you it's not safe. It's really not. You get caught under one in 250mph winds, and you're going to be fucked. Just because it worked in Twister, doesn't mean it will work in real life, cupcake.
fred fuchs
1) No..Meteorologists are not "armchair experts". But they are political creatures....and they are prone to error all the same.
2) No one said it is safe....it's not about that. It's about which decision is better than the other. *And when the chips are down, even the "experts" seek shelter under overpasses as opposed to ditches.*
FACT: Meteorologists have been lobbying to have future overpass designs made MORE dangerous, by removing the girders, and make the grades much steeper. *This is called a "self fulfilling prophecy". And it's evil.*
Fake, because vertically filmed.
This is one of the craziest videos I've ever seen. This guy doesn't sound alarmed in the slightest
Very lucky it missed you by a foot or so Sam. What a close call and what a wonderful video.
This video is a lesson on how NOT to chase. As a chaser myself, it's an embarrassing, black eye for the chasing community. Sure, it's crazy footage, but Sam Smith is lucky he's alive. Please: if you don't know what you're doing (like Sam Smith), then just stay home. Otherwise, Darwinism will eventually get the better of you.
John Meyer I wouldn't even say he's an actual chaser. First thing they tell you in Chaser 101 is to never park under an underpass. I screamed bloody murder when he said he was going to do that. He's just a dumb ass that got lucky with his life.
panicandfoblvr But the general public watching this video isn't going to make that distinction.
panicandfoblvr ....AND if it looks like it's not moving, GTF out of there b/c it's coming straight for you. That guy is an idiot!
Has it ever occurred to you people that he wasn't chasing the tornado? How can you be certain he wasn't just driving and noticed the tornado was on a collision course with him and he had to start figuring out what to do. Personally all of you storm chasers are imbeciles for even chasing after these damn things and when I was in Colorado on a roadtrip one of you lunatics actually told me happily that you were hopeful that a tornado was in the cloud right above my vehicle. Then a few miles later a tornado formed in the same area but I was long gone. But as I said not everyones a "pro" if you can even consider storm chasing a profession. Rant over
John Meyer Now in the description, it notes that he isn't a chaser. It originally did not say that, and yes I'll admit that I jumped to that conclusion because the video was making the rounds among us chasers. With so many amateur chasers out there with just their cell phones, that was my conclusion. With this new information, I'm still glad he survived.
To Colton Burris: I'm sorry you had a bad experience with one of the (probably amateur) chasers. But please keep in mind that many of the imbeciles who chase after these damn things have helped save many lives. Over the years, chasers have helped the NWS verify whether or not a tornado is in fact on the ground. This has helped the NWS become more accurate with their forecasts. Instead of county-wide warning, the warning box is significantly smaller and more believable. While not due to chasers alone, they play a large part. Be thankful for your professional stormchasers who are crazy enough to do what they do, in the same way that you are thankful for your volunteer firefighters who are crazy enough to do what they do.
I show this video in Meteorology classes to demonstrate what not to do in a situation like this. you are so lucky to be alive.
sir I'm so glad your ok I don't know you but God bless you
I was always told if your going to set under the bridge get out of the vehicle and get up toward the top of the bridge where underneath meets the ground if, because most not all, the bridge has a cut out crawl inside, never set inside your vehicle. The tornado is pretty much a funnel that sucks so it pulling air from underneath the bridge and its just as worse then if you are standing in an open field, say in the open field its 70mph, underneath the bridge would be 80mph. Pretty much like compressed air going through a small tube or sonething like that.
Glad you are safe, incredible power. Enjoy your day.
My sister was in that tornado she was in the storm shelter at grubsteakers. Shes terrified of tornados now.
That sound and that rotation is crazy. What a monster. And this one was the borderline ef5? It’s hard to believe they rated this thing lower but it’s a damage rating not a strength rating. So they know it was stronger. It’s a pretty one too. Not a huge messy blob. Man weather is awesome.
Stop name calling! He was from North Carolina and had no experience. If it's not what you would have done, just say that. You don't need to call people names. You never know what you'll do until you're in someone's shoes. Glad you're alive, Sam Smith, and thanks for your video!
333mbc tornadoes in NC are much more dangerous wtf
This is the craziest Matthew McConaughey car commercial yet.
And to think I crossed that location as well 3 times that day. What an incredible storm!
that's a crazy video. Thanks for sharing!
How is this already 5 months ago, I swear it feels like yesterday