Tuscaloosa Tornado (Complete

This shows everything I captured about the formation and movement of the terrible tornado as it moved across Tuscaloosa on 4/27/11.

[@martimasters7704]

This is, by far, the best video of the Tuscaloosa tornado. So sorry to hear that Michael passed away in November 2019. He was the type of storm chaser all the others should aspire to be: humble, compassionate, and an talented videographer with knowledge of the weather and safety.

[@dannyllerenatv8635]

This video is amazing, this man witnessed and captured the dead man walking into Tuscaloosa. What a crazy year 2011 was for severe weather. Michael was an incredible storm chaser and videographer for sure.

[@highplainsgospel6783]

Not to mention, he also asked for God's protection over the people of Tuscaloosa. Yeah, every storm chaser should take notes from this guy. Not ashamed of Christ. Michael, may you dwell in the presence of the Lord!!

[@atheistinalabama4206]

Man, do i remember this monster!!!! I live in Huntsville & this thing was devastating, no power for 4 long days, lost 3 coworkers & still can't believe the damage!!!! We've had season tickets to Bama games for years & I still think of this every time we're in Tuscaloosa!! Many towns in Alabama destroyed that day but we always help one each other & come back stronger than ever!!! Anyone who's lived through one of these could care less about someone expressing their religious belief & just be thankful we all lived to see another day!! GREAT JOB, THX FOR SHARING!!!! ROLL TIDE ROLL🐘🏈

[@BrandonS55]

I live in Gordo, which isn’t too far from T-Town. We were all up in the TV watching fox 6 I think it was😂 definitely wont forget that day😔

[@boogitybear2283]

Huntsville is so different from 30 years ago! I bet you would never imagine the growth it’s now getting! It may be on track to be the largest city in Alabama!

[@heywoodfloyd9]

Be quiet, rib.

[@belajardirumah8525]

I'm not religious by any means, but when I hear people pray for someone else's safety, whatever the prayer's religion, I only hear kindness in them...and I found myself pray with him even tho I'm not a Christian. I hope everyone survive this monster would be strong and find a better and happier life after this...

[@gabrieltaunton6923]

Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship, a friendship, with Jesus, God the father God the son and God the Holy Spirit, and when you believe, it's a feeling of freedom, for all you have to do is confess that Jesus is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised Jesus, His only Son from the dead you will be saved, Jesus died on the cross for you, for this entire world, cause he loves us, so that we would have a second chance, so that we could tell others about him, for without him, we would all be dead right now, in Hell, but God wants us to be with him in Heaven all we have to do is what he tells us, so trust me when I say it is not a religion, trust me when I say you won't regret the decision to follow Him, all you have to do is believe, and have faith, and love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor/others, as yourself.

[@gabrieltaunton6923]

The Bible is true

[@BCuniverse-ce4ih]

It is true

[@truehistory261]

@@gabrieltaunton6923 how is it true ? That book is allegory. it says it yall need to read more.

[@gabrieltaunton6923]

@@truehistory261 definition of allegory......A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Now what does allegory mean in the Bible?..... allegory in the Bible means that Interpretation of the Bible is an interpretive method (exegesis) that assumes that the Bible has various levels of meaning and tends to focus on the spiritual sense, which includes the allegorical sense, the moral (or tropological) sense, and the anagogical sense, as apposed to the literal sense, and if you don't believe that the Bible is true, then maybe you should do more reading and look at the world today. God says it's true.

[@bigbill810]

8:15 Listen to that electrical arc from the destruction...chilling!

[@deepsouthredneck1]

You can't respect these things until you see,and hear them in real life.

[@dreemsnake1]

Not sure I believe that. Watching reactions of various people on KZbin, many respect but many don’t. I don’t believe that my experiences have caused me to respect them more.

[@kimberlyh.1090]

Never seen one in person, never been in one; I respect them plenty. I'll marvel at them from a (miles away) distance, and they can stay the fuck away from me.

[@zakkholguin3942]

Really puts into perspective how quickly things can change on a high risk day like this. One moment you're experiencing some light rain and a bit of wind and seven minutes later one of the most notorious tornadoes to hit the state of Alabama is forming right in front of you.

[@jdollinter]

9:00 That is one monstrous octopus.

[@QuadiePoo]

I will never forget that day. Scariest day of my life.

[@nevercomplicated1901]

Quade Carter From Tuscaloosa?

[@QuadiePoo]

Yep

[@frankvandendool882]

Leave your religious shit at home.

[@tarheelblue63nc25]

Frank Van Den Dool leave your bs at home.

[@michaelboyer9798]

Mike Wilhelm was an incredible chaser and documentarian as well as a great human being.

[@mandelbro777]

The Lord remembers His own. Mike is in safe hands.

[@fuzedcorn]

All those vortices flailing around are terrifying.

[@TheShiftersMusic]

God, that SOB was a BEAST!!! It was hauling ass too!

[@flashy5150]

This is the most awesome video and tornado that I've ever seen. It just has everything and the contrast and definition is unbelievable. People hate this, but I always think of Medusa and her hair of snakes when I see this tornado. It has more horizontal vortex's that are in perfect definition than I've ever seen and they do remind me of snakes and how evil a tornado is towards mankind. This one was a work of art. I do hope everybody has rebuilt their homes and onto a regular life again, but damn, you guys were the part of the worlds sexiest tornado if you ask me.

[@held_muffin5472]

Thanks for the kind words. Our city has been fully rebuilt here in the year 2020, well besides the usual road construction. It is a pretty cool looking tornado despite the devastation, but that's nature for you.

[@juliekolosso5591]

I miss him! Such an amazing chaser…

[@randyrosser8499]

Probably THE best video besides the one at University Mall!!

[@RT-qd8yl]

I remember this day vividly. I was so proud to be a firefighter and to serve my community when they needed me. Things sure change fast.

[@Koakoa45]

My aunt and uncle drove from southern MS back up to Indiana on this day. They called when they got home and said they saw 6 tornadoes that day and one chased them through Tuscaloosa. Said it was most terrifying trip they ever took. Literally running for their lives as the tornado formed behind them and was heading towards them.

[@christinawillson8363]

my birthday is April 27 i'll never look at that day the same way again :( my heart goes out to those people

[@amarasalzman9358]

omg

[@jasonlindsey694]

Christina Willson same

[@jasonlindsey694]

My birthday is this day :( *prayer for the people of tuscaloosa

[@jennyjoe798]

This is so intense!!! So Beautiful, but SO terrifying!! My heart goes out to everyone affected by this...and to all those lost!

[@tracyjoyce]

Best Tuscaloosa video no doubt. The view of the tornado at around 10 minutes shows just how dangerous and vile this was. Tuscaloosa getting hit on April 15, and then this for the tip of it all, it's just sad how this happened.

[@JamesShelnutt]

Best part is at 11:00 when the power blows & O'Charley's sign goes out!

[@jasonlindsey694]

James Shelnutt RIP

[@jjstratford]

Jason Lindsey to O’Charleys?

[@2and26]

Sadly, that O’Charley’s just permanently closed.

[@marcellussims4831]

11:55 ...que in the band!😂😂

[@304lilh]

I was in Birmingham AL when this happened. Thank God we were safe.

[@ashleykrick857]

Miss Michael's chases. Wonderful young man

[@mandelbro777]

Wow, that was the perfect position to film it tear through while also remaining safe. What carnage this caused.

[@stephaniewoodson7655]

I could not even imagine seeing with my own eyes something that ominous. I just cannot imagine.

[@truedonblue3949]

You have got the best I have seen so far, and I have watched many many of this tornado, thanks.

[@rizzorizzo2311]

This tornado was a god damn beast. One of the most violent looking tornados caught on video.

[@stephenhagen234]

Why was it damned by God? Sin in the world affected everything, including the weather.

[@CristianSanchez-cd4jp]

9 years ago and still haunts me everytime I hear it rain, I was in the dead middle of the path of this thing my father was building a deck at the time for no reason it was because of that deck that a huge tree falling onto the bathroom where we all were slid off the deck post and landed on the bedroom instead of the bathroom where 5 of us were God was with us that day

[@crocodile1313]

Excellent video, thanks for sharing! Probably the best tornado video I have seen taken from inside a large city during the event.

[@823Gabrielle]

This is probably the best video of the tornado.

[@PoppaBlue59]

Amazing footage. I have never seen a tornado that looked like a living, breathing monster, like this one did. Thank you for posting.

[@jonathanbecker8935]

No kidding. It's more ominous than any tornado over seen on YT. The way it creeps across the landscape, causing power flashes is terrifying

[@ezera7616]

It's insane to see how quickly the updraft cleared the precipitation from its base as the inflow band forms around 4:00 . Yes, the video may've been cut but you can see a stout difference in how organized this storm was. The scud rising as the updraft churned just solidifies how volatile the environment was that day...

[@7477238]

Damn that tornado formed so fast.

[@TJ89741]

Dashcam Dumbasses it had formed long before that. It just came out of the rain curtain

[@Tarheel13]

Best video of a tornado I have seen. God job. 👍

[@kylethefloridaman]

Imagine being on that highway and seeing that shit show forming in your rear view i would haul fucking ass with no regard for the speed limit.

[@Sharon-pb7so]

ditto

[@HenryBemis1]

Kyle Delcambre Me too

[@michaelstoudt6417]

Kyle Delcambre agreed

[@jbrumit1919]

I remember that day..the same tornado that came across northwest Ga area ! Heard the winds were over 175mph a strong F3-F4

[@sideskraft]

Thanks for having the forethought and patience of capturing this storm as it grew. This footage will live on in infamy as one of the worst storms to hit the southern US.

[@drewper73]

It was as if that thing was a living breathing being crushing everything in its path. And those small funnel clouds that constantly shoot out from the tornado are like its little antennae. Nature can make you feel very powerless. I went to the University of Alabama for a few years and I cannot fathom something so destructive and deadly coming through Tuscaloosa one day. I can't imagine it now either.

[@frankvandendool882]

Looks like you need to go back to school then xD (

[@F5Storm1]

Horizontal vertices caused by intense rising and sinking motion in and near the tornado

[@sherrisRN]

The suction pressure of this thing had to be just massive. I am so grateful to those who filmed this and risked their lives in the process. Actual Images are so powerful versus radar !!

[@arcturysprime8462]

Wow... just look at how fast that thing developed in a mere 60 seconds, between 7:00 and 8:00. By 11:00 that monster was really hauling ass.

[@superslim121]

Arcturys Prime it was on the ground well before the condensation funnel was visible or debris cloud

[@PelicanGuy]

@@superslim121 The first tormado actually lifted a few miles southwest of Tuscaloosa. Then the storm spawned the one that went through town.

[@SaphTheShark]

Wow three years later there's another tornado, praying for my home state

[@megan8765]

dang if i was one of the drivers on the highway id honestly try to find a free lane and then floor it

[@Rebel9668]

The cars were already going way faster than it was. You could watch a dozen or more cars pass by every time it was in frame.

[@waynehall7753]

Seems like yesterday. I live around Atlanta and this system came through that night and oh what a night. Tornadoes all over. I still feel your pain from this tragic event.

[@MarkGamein]

I think i actually remember this

[@shaungibson23]

I will never forget this day, scariest day of my life. I had family living throughout alabama and I didn't know if they would make or not. Thanks to God, they did.

[@Anaelien]

I have never seen such an intense tornado... beautiful yet so destructive. My prayers go out to all those affected by this storm and all the others.

[@jamesbrady5583]

I recall watching this on radar in Georgia and I told my wife Tuscaloosa was getting hit hard. This was not your normal radar image every storm cell within 100 miles was circulation around it. This was a big big storm system.

[@williamchildress256]

Amazing video. Thank you for sharing, and praying for those in the path of this monster. WOW, what a storm!

[@paulmarsh972]

Excellent footage regardless of whatever views on religion might be held. At least we didn't get the usual conspiracy theory comments.

[@spunbearing65]

Sorry I been busy. George Bush,Barack Obama,& Donald Trump were responsible. Once they saw it had a big pecker in front of it,they changed their minds and tried to get a warrant for its arrest. Penis envy makes people do some weird things.

[@vickycrewfuller]

Glad you are ok. Unbelievable footage.

[@richeyrich]

Very good. A lot of detail about the development and life of this tornado. And lucky for you that it wasn't rain wrapped and that you didn't get large hail during any of it.

[@crambone20002000]

Thank you Mike for your humility. Through your humbleness to the Almighty, you saved a lot of souls that very day. Jesus showed his Glory through your prayers.

[@dreemsnake1]

Not to say that those who died deserved to, right? I know you didn’t mean this but it’s rough enough to lose someone without reading that God’s grace did not include them.

[@stephenhagen234]

@@dreemsnake1 Only Holy, loving, God knows their heart and their relationship to Him. If they have trusted Christ Jesus as having paid their personal sin debt owed to Holy God then they are with Him for eternity. "[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge and recognition of the [divine] truth." --1 Timothy 2:4 Amplified Bible

[@hiblacom]

This film is evocative: so many narratives. The oh so skilled photographer, having selected a place of fantastic light for a dramatic image, and in more ways than one being overwhelmed by the situation. Thank you. To edit would be to destroy the ImageSoundStream.

[@tammymcc-n7652]

Thank you for praying, it was an appropriate response to the situation. Thank you for your faith.

Talk to all the people who were in that path of that monster!

[@MrJohnlennon007]

If prayers worked, people wouldn’t die

[@Amanda-Renee]

@@MrJohnlennon007 then you don't understand how the world works. Satan rules it until Christ comes back again, so we live in a fallen world. Death, destruction are his MO! Eventually we won't have to live like this anymore, but until that day you must understand why these things happen. God answers prayers, especially in situations like this! Just ask all of the survivors....

[@stephenhagen234]

@@MrJohnlennon007 Not true. God can bring good out of evil, or what appears to be evil.

[@thundersnow93]

Sadly the author of this video passed away recently. I do miss bamawx!

[@libertylost8286]

thundersnow93 oh no, what happened? I like his calmness and his eye for a good view.

[@itsnotthesamething]

RIP Mike Wilhelm. He was a good man. I truly believe he is in God's arms now.

[@DarcyLingenfelser53]

The realization that any one of us could go at any time. Mind boggling.

[@mda037]

Wow! That was some great footage of this monster tornado. That is about as close as you would ever want to get to something like that.

[@umbercinders]

All I could say throughout this video was Oh My God. It got so big so quickly! Within about one minute of touch-down it was a full wedge! Were the sirens even a fast enough warning for these people?! D:

[@dragonrid3r570]

Kosmo Khaos you should have seen the Joplin tornado went from little rope dancing in a field to wedge in less than 30 seconds.

[@streetslayinggto2505]

There's something else that also gets so big so quickly

[@tayloryetto]

Kosmo Khaos no and they hardly ever are. Since the 70s we’ve only went from a few minute warning to 13 minutes warning.. we don’t yet understand why some thunderstorms produce tornados and why some don’t. And only 10% of supercells produce a tornado. Until we can understand why, our “lead time” will be short. Lead time is the time between warning and touchdown

[@GravyHucker]

The unfortunate bit is that sirens are of no good to anyone that is not outdoors, and even then it's WWI Air-Raid technology and is woefully outdated for the needs of weather warnings nowadays - especially considering how populations have increased since they were installed. I do not know of a better option for outdoor warning, but you can not rely on hearing a siren to save your life - that's just not practical. @Sassy Angel there's an interesting discussion going on about lead times now in regards to what is "too much" time. For the "average" unconcerned person if they got an hour warning that a tornado is coming, there is thought that they would then think they have plenty of time and ultimately not make the right decision to protect themselves based on the thought that they can do certain things before they take shelter. Interesting thought at any rate.

[@dallascowboysnumberonefan4863]

this outbreak cause 324 tornadic deaths,with like 280 deaths in Alabama alone,very violent tornadoes wreck havoc in very populated areas very terrible

[@TheGrandDame27]

It’s also crazy watching this video and seeing how the bridge is completely different now vs back then.

[@Spritespitfire]

Just watching it grow is horrificly amazing.

[@Magnificent-qr4rn]

I truly love Nature and her Awesome Power's...and that's FACTUAL 💯

[@christianellis8376]

Blemen heck never seen a tornado that size in my life jesus

[@csm242000]

There are no words to describe the footage you have here is nothing short of Amazing. Nature got caugth this time. Wow a lot of people will study this.

[@orlandojohnson5742]

An absolute beast of a tornado!!!! "And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it... Day walker!!!" "Well that's what Frost said ?!" Helium voice! Thanks for not talking thru the whole video! U could hear the tornado as well?! They appear to be an alive entity those small cloud/wedged funnels circling around the main heart of it!!! The darker the scarier they appear/become!!!

[@chriswarwick5454]

Wish I could find the video of the college students who got caught at the edge of it as they were driving near woods and water.

[@bocobob]

Amazing footage, really horrifying

[@klk1900]

So I chased this day, it was my 12yr chasing and providing aid. But I was nervous like it was my first day. I lost cell signal which was running (grlevel2ae) i got in some trees and literally had the tornado dart out behind me like a deer! It was comical in the moment just how close I came to getting mowed down. Normally you laugh it off because you don’t wanna acknowledge the predicament. I had been close to countless slow plains monsters but I had never really been within a mile of a Dixie alley monster, until that day! I’ve been doing case studies of past work. Dixie alley is intimidating because; the trees, poor signal, poor radar coverage (beam overshoots), and the forward speed across the ground. Also the tornadoes get wrapped in a fog. I think it’s the low pressure condenses the moisture available from trees. I’ve chased HP supercells rain wrapped like joplin. But in Dixie alley even on a classic supercell the tornado wraps in a fog bank - I’ve noticed the Fast movers tend to carry less debris. Compared to the slow 14mph plains monsters. But the terrain driven shear and speed makes up for it.

[@2DSTORMS]

Amazing amount of "positive" bolts from this supercell....the kind that changed my life forever.

[@morganmorrell7824]

the only thing I with a lot good to go with a good

[@bunt1691]

I've never seen so many anvil bolts in my life.

[@crocodile1313]

Arguing about this is pointless; we will never change each other's minds. You have the right to believe what you want, and I the same in America.

[@Roncollinson]

awsome power.I wouldnt want to be you filming this.Good work.

[@dreemsnake1]

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a tornado siren in any of the Tuscaloosa videos.

[@kerbygator]

Great job making this video. Good vantage point, pretty safe.

[@myosick]

8:30 Holy fuck. That truck didn't even have it's headlights on.

[@cruzincondo3395]

Thanks for your prayers for divine intervention.... Thanks for the vid as well.

[@nicwilson89]

What divine intervention?

[@cruzincondo3395]

Ask the survivors.

[@nicwilson89]

...and the dead?

[@cruzincondo3395]

Ask their survivors.

[@CosmicStargoat]

Thank you GAWD for not killing me in the tornado that YOU sent. God can go micturate up a rope.

[@ecooper78]

Outstanding work...T&P's to all the victims and their families....

[@josephrandolphiii5649]

One nasty storm, indeed. I always think of the lives lost & Families involved. Living in the mid-west I am aware of the devastation.

[@claybarnett6350]

We miss you Mike.

[@exegaming7376]

9 years later this still haunts my dreams I had friends down there. They survived but I would've lost it if they died

[@bullock4211]

Scary how that Tornado went from 0-10 so fast

[@LSZocker2009]

Beautiful!

[@knightshade97]

Excellent video. Imagine if I used my film SLR like that. Click, click, click.. I'd be out of several rolls by then. I bet that was an adrenaline rush and at the same time heartbreaking. People lost their lives, property and jobs.

[@streetslayinggto2505]

And that's when rick knew. HE FUCKED UP

[@jayrob121]

You know it's weird when you see it from a distance like in this video it almost looks like it's spinning fairly slowly, even though if you are unfortunate to be under it or in it's path, you're having to deal with around 200 300 mph winds, possibly stronger. Much in the same way in airliner is traveling fast so when you look at it from the ground or when you're in the plane and looking out the window it seems like it's moving slow

[@mcewenthornton5958]

This was a scary day! I will remember it always!

[@TheRivrPrncess]

Toward the last of the video, was that another funnel to the right, or rain? Good footage.

[@Frankeh]

Imagine being RIGHT in the middle of all of those bolts popping off before the supercell kicked it into gear!!!! The sky would be screaming for what felt like an eternity. I wish there was some video of how bad that lightning was to the people who were under it.

[@RTRbro]

You guys are wrong to bash what someone believes in. Live and let live. Come on guys seriously. I'm a Christian and I'm friends with people who are atheist. They don't bash me and I don't harass them.

[@tayloryetto]

Since the 70s we’ve only went from a few minute warning to 13 minutes warning.. we don’t yet understand why some thunderstorms produce tornados and why some don’t. And only 10% of supercells produce a tornado. Until we can understand why, our “lead time” will be short. Lead time is the time between warning and touchdown

[@richardswartz6561]

up here in the north people rarely look up when there's a storm.

[@ProAntiCrazyPeople]

If you have a spare evening this spring, check out the weather.gov website and search for your area and they will most likely have a list of storm SPOTTER classes that anyone can take to become a trained SPOTTER. I emphasize SPOTTER since they're not storm chasing classes, but if you chase and haven't taken the class, it's very useful! Safe chasing to all this storm season!

[@supertornadogun1690]

i live in Iowa. I have never seen a tornado on the ground in my life, at least the condensation funnel on the ground. The tornado was an EF0 2

[@AdmiralTMoya]

Hi Mike: Have you looked at enhanced video that you shot? The amount of debris is unreal and it looks like you got footage of some of the victims too. So sad.

[@icewaterslim7260]

Dayum look at the noodles around that mean thing! Good steady camera work. I believe I would've cleared right oughta there.

[@Bad2TheBone00]

I remember this on skyland when i was livin there jesus how time flys im almost 17 now makes me feel very old

[@colink7017]

you filmed this monster tornado very well. there's nothing you can do till it passes. its sad. but the closer u get to an ef5.. the wind alone will surprise you.

[@HipHopaaDoodle]

Have you ever even seen an f5? I bet not

[@loonar9174]

+Lick MaNutz You don't need to actually see one to understand it.

[@CosmicStargoat]

"Jesus, help these people in Tuscaloosa" Jesus = Troll Face. BAM!

[@kenperk9854]

@Joshua Rivers but true.

[@tarheelblue63nc25]

Ruthless Goat go away fool

[@emtrem100]

Jesus was looking the other way, AGAIN. Go figure. You’ll find he is absent for most disasters.

[@justqueen69]

Love the footage but maybe a mic cover to help with the wind

[@ChrisRacey]

Great footage. Good job! Pretty Crazy though....Wow!

[@iascoinc]

The most incredible thing in this video is shape-shifting 18 wheeler @01:32

[@ILoveOldTWC]

The thing I just don't get is why people are driving, especially in the other direction going right toward it?

[@markmatuga2595]

God bless each and everyone inTuscaloosa,Alabama as they are about to come into fact with the “ diamond “ anniversary of this life changing event.may they continue to know and receive both his love and peace in their lives.

[@wallyman292]

1:11 - All the bolts of lightning shown appear to be the thick, single bolts associated with a positively charged lightning bolt rather than the thinner, multi-branched bolts of a negatively charged strike. This, even though negatively charged bolts are far more common. Is this common for a supercell thunderstorm, or am I just mischaracterizing the lightning? ps: All the little "mini" sub-vortices dancing around the main funnel, especially at first, is just astounding. . . it actually looks to be alive somehow.

[@creekersquad2374]

I just read half the comments and it sickens me that yall bash a man for saying a prayer if you were in this tornado wouldnt you want people praying for you this is what is wrong with america these days YOUR VID IS AWESOME MAN DONT LISTEN TO THE HATERS. I would of loved to of been there for the view and the rescue effort great vid

[@frankvandendool882]

No, I don't want people to pray for me, It does absolutely nothing. It would help more if they warn me or get me away from there instead of watching with a camera and spout nonsense. I am with you on the point of people complaining about it. As you can see, religion is the problem area, it is the reason you found it necessary to post this.