A Perfect Spinning Circus 2000-2002 Storm Chase Adventures by Shane Adams DVD * 2000-2002 * 112min * R for language * $20.00 S&H Included This one has something for everybody. Ride along with me as I experience amazing storm structure, beautiful tornadoes, crazy hailstorms, and intense high winds. Features several obscure events that weren't widely chased or documented, including the Manitou, OK white-out hailstorm, the infamous "Yield sign" video from Eldorado, OK, beautiful backlit tornadoes in Wyoming, and a rare October tornado event in OK. A well-rounded video that even features a surprise or two.

 

February 22, 2000 This unique event is featured on the opening segment. After failing to see a brief tornado just across the Red River into Texas, we follow the storm back across the border into Oklahoma, where we encounter a ton of hail up to golfball-size. But the highlight of the day is still ahead, as after stopping to take shelter from the larger hail, we drive upon a large area north of Manitou that's been so clobbered by smaller hail, it resembles a Winter Wonderland. With white as far as the eye can see, visibility to near zero, and a thirty-degree temperature drop, we negotiate our way through the most incredible hail dump I've ever witnessed. An even so special, it's one of only two ever included on one of my videos that doesn't feature a tornado.

 

March 7, 2000 One of my most classic clips of all-time is featured in this segment. After driving southwest to meet a storm, we get out, set up, and are positioned perfectly to see a brief tornado form a mile southwest of us. After it dissipates, inflow winds become strong, raising an area of red dirt as it trains itself northward. Eventually, the dust cloud gets too close for comfort, and we bail into the vehicle for protection. As the winds approach, they shift out of the west, accelerate, and blow through us up to 70mph, ripping down a Yield sign just feet in front of us.

 

March 22, 2000 This segment features my deepest chase ever into Texas. An early season system lures us to west Texas, where we drive and meet a supercell storm right at dusk. Despite the fact it's growing dark, we continue our pursuit. As we sit watching in the near-darkness, a dusty tornado forms north of us, illuminated by lightning. No other chasers witnessed this tornado.

 

May 16, 2000  This segment features one of my most beautiful tornadoes of all-time. After driving all day, we end up in southeast Wyoming, just an hour before sunset. A supercell storm looms west of us, and we find a high spot west of Ft Laramie to watch the action unfold. Eventually a large funnel develops, and briefly touches down as a tornado. After it dissipates, an RFD rips through the center of the rotation, creating twin funnels spinning opposite directions. The left funnel evaporates quickly as the right one stretches down towards the ground, all in front of a near-setting sun backdrop and highlighted by time-lapsed video. The resulting tornado is one of the most beautiful and classic I've ever witnessed.

 

May 25, 2000 A rare non-tornado event is featured on this segment. After realizing the tornado potential is lost for the day, we throw ourselves in front of the beast and wait for impact. As we sit waiting, the leading edge of a severe thunderstorm line hits us full-force, with winds up to 80mph for a few minutes. Once the winds subside, we notice a road sign that has been bent by the force of the wind, another testament to the power of Nature. A land-locked, two-minute version of a low-end hurricane!!!

 

May 4, 2001 A tough day of chasing is featured on this segment, as we go after a very tropical setup. With amazing shear but no cap, storms fire everywhere and begin to rotate. We drive west to meet them, fishing for a diamond in the rough from all the grungy mess. Moving north along with a tornado-warned cell, we spot rotating rain curtains, and follow them into the notch. After a few moments, a large rain-wrapped tornado appears, still semi-cloaked inside the heavy rain. We stop to observe but the tornado disappears again in just seconds. Continuing north with the storm, we're swallowed by a new circulation that develops southeast of us, wrapping us inside a thick wall of rain, putting us inside the hook. We race north to try and get away from the rain, and eventually witness a second tornado out the back window as we're racing north to escape. A great example of successful "grunge" chasing.

 

May 6, 2001 A true backyard chase highlights this segment, as we're only a few miles from home the entire time. Starting west of Norman, we set up and observe a wall cloud develop near Newcastle, from a tornado-warned storm. We follow the storm east across south Norman, where it produces a wispy, multi-vortex tornado in the woods along the Norman/Noble city limit line. After the tornado dissipates, we continue east, as yet another circulation forms just to our south, and produces a funnel that teases for a few moments but then vanishes.

 

May 20, 2001 Another tough chase day is featured here. After a day of chasing our tails, being just minutes behind all the tornadoes, we finally get our consolation prize in the hills of eastern Oklahoma. After fighting for a decent view as we near the storm, the hills give way for a few miles, as a brief tornado forms to our north. It only lasts a few moments, but it's a victory against some of the worst chase terrain in Tornado Alley.

 

May 29, 2001

 

June 3, 2001

 

June 5, 2001

 

August 6, 2001

 

October 9, 2001

 

May 5, 2002

 

May 24, 2002