Meso Maidens

07/26/2025

Thunder on the Prairie 🌩

Harris, Kansas - 7/25/2025

06/19/2025

Dust & darkness. ⛈️🌪️

We chased this tornado warned storm near Anthony, KS on 6/17/2025.

06/17/2025

🚨🚨 If you live in Kansas, your NOAA weather radio WILL NOT WORK tomorrow (6/17) if you are in the coverage areas below, due to a scheduled update to the transmitters.

Please find other ways to stay weather aware for tomorrow's severe weather risk in Kansas. Tornado Tacklers Weather Alerts is a great resource for up-to-date warnings and info, and we will be out chasing!

This is important to share with other folks please.
NOAA Weather Radios in this region will not work tomorrow(June 17, 2025).
So if you, or anybody you know is counting on a NOAA Weather Radio for warnings tomorrow... you/they will not get that warning. There is a scheduled update going on that happens to hit at the same time as a significant severe weather risk.
If you, or anybody you know uses the NOAA Weather Radio for their storm updates, make sure that tomorrow you/they/whomever is aware that NOAA Weather Radio will not provide warnings tomorrow(June 17, 2025).

06/10/2025

Stayed out of the action this weekend, but we were able to get a few shots of storms that popped up in southeast Kansas before they raced south. 🌩

06/08/2025

ON THIS DAY IN WEATHER HISTORY:
June 8, 1966 - Topeka, KS 🌩🌪

The record for costliest tornado was shattered - as well as locals' belief that topography would protect them from tornadic weather - when a powerful F5 tornado barreled over Burnett's Mound and through the capital city. At the time, the Weather Bureau (NWS) Office was outfitted with nearly unusable WWII-era WSR-3 radar and the setup for that day prompted nervous forecasters to deploy storm spotters from local media, radio clubs, volunteer agencies, and law enforcement to keep an eye on the brewing severe weather conditions.

Around 7:30 pm, a young Bill Kurtis delivered his famous "For God's sake, take cover!" WIBW broadcast that undoubtedly saved countless lives; however, observations from spotters in the field like John Meinholdt and Ed Rutherford were CRITICAL in sounding the sirens for a 13 minute lead time. In all likelyhood, there may not have been ANY lead time without the local tornado warning and preparedness system developed and implemented by Richard Garrett - Topeka's then-Meteorologist In Charge - who also pressured local officials to provide the community with tornado awareness education and organize a network of volunteer storm spotters.

Topeka has been spared from storms of this magnitude for 59 years, and locals like us often hear the phrase, "We won't get anything; it always goes around us." But on the plains, it's never a matter of IF it will happen again, but WHEN. Severe weather education and preparedness is not fear-mongering or overreaction; take advantage of all the free resouces out there and get a plan in place for whenever your town's streak is broken.

🌪

06/01/2025

🌪️ Remembering El Reno 2013 💐
📸 Photo by amateur storm chaser Richard Henderson (via The Oklahoman)

Just minutes before losing his life to one of the most historic tornadoes on record, Richard Henderson captured this haunting image. He sent it to a friend—unaware it would be his final message.

Alongside him, three highly respected professional storm chasers also perished:

🌪️ Tim Samaras, founder of TWISTEX

👨‍🔬 Paul Samaras, his son

🌩️ Carl Young, their longtime chase partner

🙏 On May 31, 2013, the El Reno tornado tore through central Oklahoma with an unprecedented width of 2.6 miles, making it the widest tornado ever recorded.
It was a violent EF3, with wind speeds measured at 296 mph—among the strongest ever recorded by mobile radar. What made it especially deadly was its unpredictable path: it looped, changed direction multiple times, and rapidly expanded in size.

In total, eight people lost their lives, including these four storm chasers. It was a heartbreaking reminder that even the most experienced can be caught off guard by nature’s fury.

🕊️ Our thoughts and prayers remain with their families, friends, and the storm chasing community. Their passion helped save lives—and their legacy continues to inspire.

05/21/2025

Some of the damage in Plenva, KS after it was struck by Sunday night's tornado. I started to feel like I was exploiting these people's misfortune, so I only snapped a few underexposed photos before putting my phone away. I'm unaware of any casualties, thankfully. Our hearts go out to this community. I hope the woman who was looking for her dog, Duke, was able to locate him.

04/24/2025

Hopefully this will resolve the amount of "Why is the tornado siren going off?" posts in our local groups.

The new policy now allows the county to turn on the tornado sirens in the specific area of the county the tornado warning is in.

04/24/2025

Scud paradise. 4/23/25. Not a chase, just heading home from work. 🫠🤘🏼🌩

04/20/2025