Minden Iowa Tornado Entire Sequence | April 26th 2024

SKYDRAMA.NET | On Friday, April 26th an outbreak of damaging tornadoes struck the Great Plains, with noteable tornadic supercells in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas. Colin Davis ‪@donkeysanddownbursts‬ and I documented 8 to 10 tornadoes from multiple cyclic supercells during the outbreak. One of the most dramatic scenes of my weather career unfolded near the small town of Minden, Iowa between 5:30 - 5:45 PM as a large and extremely dangerous tornado developed and moved through the southern portion of Minden. This tornado will be featured in a full-length storm chasing VLOG along with the rest of the tornadoes that we documented.

[@christopherscragg7018]

The roar is unreal.

[@divinestarxz]

I have video around 1.5 miles from Minden on a hill by this house in the southwest. I'm the assistant for Trip one of the College Of DuPage storm chase field studies. Both vans were SILENT when we heard that roar.

[@AndrewPritchard]

That tornado was an entire presence.

[@Razortine]

This is some biblical nader footage, man. Last third of the video started to look almost like some kind of behemoth four legged animal walking around. A true ghost wolf. That's a display of power from nature I'll never forget. Keep doing what you do, Andrew🌪

[@AndrewPritchard]

Thanks for watching. Definitely a sensory experience I’ll never forget. That roar was haunting.

[@BlakeNaftel]

Wowzers! Excellent documentation. The vortex morphology was reminiscent of the later stages of the April 10, 1979 F4/F5 Wichita Falls, Texas tornado and eerily, early/midway on, that of the F4/F5 Dunlap, Indiana tornado of April 11, 1965. Violent tornado indeed. I cringed at the property damage strike and can only imagine from my own past experiences how gut wrenching that scene was to witness while recording this. Thanks for sharing this video, Andrew.

[@Kathleen.]

I love your videos, Andrew. I love how you explain the structure of a storm and the magnificent beauty of the cloud structure of a supercell.
I’m aware that as I watch this video from the safety of my home, I’m witnessing an event that changed people’s lives. When I heard you say, “Oh no”, you brought that reality into focus for me. Thanks for your compassion and the gentle reminder to be respectful as I watch. Take care and stay safe.

[@AndrewPritchard]

Thanks so much for watching and your kind words, Kathleen. It is a lot of things, all at once.

[@CentralILWx]

It's wild how fast it was rotating at the beginning of its lifetime, and then once that thing planted it got strong fast

[@AndrewPritchard]

Seemed like it got together right as it went into Minden :(

[@CentralILWx]

@@AndrewPritchard can tell by the damage, always hate to hear

[@davidkaminski615]

That thing was a monster! Helped out a friend clearing debris today in KS. Never seen such an active start of the season like this past week. And we got more coming possibly next week too!

[@KaileyB616]

5:48 I never get sick of seeing the "carousel" stage of that tornado, it was just so cool to see all of the multiple vortices like that!

[@Brandon-jv4wp]

This one had it's act together for sure seemed like mother nature was stretching her legs a lil with this one and sulfur Oklahoma

[@lucillerose-davis7666]

Damn. I don’t know what else to say…😨

[@dannyc6166]

That was incredible footage of that multiple vortex grinder that hit Minden head on. Wow!!!

[@paratwisted]

No words suffice! Your adrenaline breathing around the 9 min mark says it all. Congrats Andrew for documenting this! 👏

[@AndrewPritchard]

Thanks Cam!!

[@chrisbraysstormlogs]

Heart racing and heart breaking. Well documented

[@AndrewPritchard]

Thanks Chris!

[@drummer1965usa]

This is absolutely heartbreaking to watch. Minden is 8 miles from where I grew up and was hit by a tornado on June 26, 1976. Tragic that this community, a population of just a few hundred, has to go through this twice in a span of less than 50 years.

[@AndrewPritchard]

WOW. I had no idea about the 1976 tornado but you sent me on a little journey researching it. What terrible luck.

[@jonahlange_]

Absolutely insane

[@AndrewPritchard]

Glad to share this one with ya Jonah

[@Phil-li9qd]

Great 👌 video!👍👍👍

[@cowboystormchaser]

Astounding.

[@StormTracker998]

7:58 slow it down for a dead man walking

[@Shophotfashions]

yikes

[@tedfelsberg5322]

I have to agree with some of your other commenters.
Excellent work documenting this powerful storm!

[@celeno31]

majestic!

[@Brandon-jv4wp]

Does anyone know if this got rated at high end ef4 ? One of the better looking tornados of the year violent Motion

[@KaileyB616]

I think they rated it an EF-3, even though I saw videos of several "homes" that were just a bare foundation afterwards 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@ZackSansing]

@@KaileyB616 It is EF5. It was violent like Parkersburg from 052508

[@spencerdant]

So well composed. Perfectly played

[@AndrewPritchard]

Thanks Spencer!

[@tylerabbott8899]

Incredible footage, Andrew!

[@AndrewPritchard]

Thanks, Tyler!!

[@TheBrookian]

For a minute there it looked like a split vortex (dead man walking) tornado. Incredible!!

[@AndrewPritchard]

Definitely took on a lot of wild shapes!

[@DanielMHussey]

What strength this thing end up being recorded at?

[@AndrewPritchard]

Still being surveyed today.

[@divinestarxz]

Preliminary EF3

[@sahebplays3589]

EF3 (160 mph max DI), although peak winds with DOW radar at 224 mph at the ground, crazy!

[@rjb1115]

Damn…I have been through this little town

[@KaileyB616]

@@sahebplays3589 yeah I don't understand the EF-3 rating