Twister Nearly Hits Storm Chaser in Wild Close Call

There seem to be more incidents like this happening as the number of storm chasers continues to rise. There have been a lot of opportunities lately as tornadoes are easier to find with better and better radar apps available to the public as well. One recently got too close to a twister and nearly paid a terrible price.

This storm chaser shared his video of a recent close encounter with a tornado that could have gone much worse. In the beginning of his video you can see what almost seems like a calm view of a tornado a little way down the road, and this view looking up into the storm cloud.

Then just a few seconds later things start happening very quickly. He jumps in his car and starts backing up as a tree comes apart just a few feet away. Then a power pole comes down on top of his car, destroying his Starlink receiver.

How far away is a safe distance from a tornado?

There really isn't a standard answer to this question. Tornadoes are all different, some move very slowly while others can move 60 mph. Some tornadoes are very strong, others are weak. You should take shelter from any tornado as their winds can move large objects from a mile or more away and debris can fly for miles through the air. It's always wise to remember that tornadoes are quite unpredictable, and you can be in danger in a split second, as this chaser learned recently. Fortunately, he lived to tell his story in what will hopefully be a teachable moment for others, too.