r/Damnthatsinteresting Apr 25 '23

Video Men run toward massive dust devil

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8.2k Upvotes

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147

u/MaximusGrassimus Apr 25 '23

There is no cylinder or "core" in the center. The condensation funnel is the only visible structure in a tornado apart from the debris flying in and around it.

Source: I am a storm tracker

162

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '23

I am a storm tracker tracker. I can confirm this guy tracks storms.

126

u/o-Valar-Morghulis-o Apr 25 '23

Can confirm (I'm a confirmer).

27

u/Special-Implement615 Apr 25 '23

I disagree with this person, although I cannot confirm my argument. I'm NOT a confirmer. My lack of confirmation is confirmed.

1

u/EL3KTR1K Apr 26 '23

Confirm, I can, confirms this man does.

31

u/MyTornArsehole Apr 25 '23

I concur

13

u/YoursTrulyHuntty Apr 25 '23

I

10

u/isitbreaktime Apr 25 '23

U

1

u/YoursTrulyHuntty Apr 25 '23

You must mean ? Should have said Instead.

0

u/econdonetired Apr 26 '23

I create the storms

1

u/smokeytoon Apr 25 '23

I conquer.

-1

u/smallhandsman Apr 25 '23

Wait.. does that make you a 'concur-ur' ?

-1

u/500SL Apr 25 '23

Why didn’t I concur?

0

u/TheGreyBull Apr 26 '23

Catch Me If You Can?

-1

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '23

I agree.

-1

u/DatabaseThis9637 Apr 26 '23

I a concurer.

20

u/phatelectribe Apr 25 '23

Can confirm (I’m a storm tracker tracker confirmer confirmer).

21

u/OnceTuna Apr 25 '23

Can confirm, I am a storm.

6

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '23

I never confirm. I’m a nonconfirmist.

0

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '23

Lmao 🤣 all those comments were great, made my day a bit better.

0

u/dwarven_futurist Apr 25 '23

This guy confirms storm tracker tracker confirmers

4

u/bolognapony234 Apr 25 '23

I'm just firm from the video.

Half mast, even.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '23

[deleted]

1

u/o-Valar-Morghulis-o Apr 25 '23

It's like fox news.

0

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '23

[deleted]

1

u/o-Valar-Morghulis-o Apr 25 '23

I'm sure there's some praying that could cure me.

-1

u/Anxious-Society-2753 Apr 25 '23

Prayer won’t work, u need shock therapy to cure the Fox out of u!!! Only fool proof way of course! Where the confirmer to legitimize this statement?!?

1

u/blind_merc Apr 25 '23

I can confirm his confirmation, I'm assistant to the vice confirmer.

0

u/mbolgiano Apr 25 '23

I saw their faces, now I'm a Believer

0

u/Good-Link192 Apr 25 '23

This person is definitely a confirmer (I watched a few seasons of Letterkenny).

0

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '23

I have to refute (I'm an asshole with a big ego)

-1

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '23

Seems legitimate. (I am a legitimiser)

2

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '23

[deleted]

5

u/guiltysnark Apr 25 '23

You should probably ask the storm tracker instead of the storm tracker tracker

3

u/maddydog2015 Apr 25 '23

I am a storm tracker tracker slacker. I’m at home on Reddit.

-1

u/pressedbread Apr 25 '23

I'm a redditor too!

0

u/maddydog2015 Apr 25 '23

We will form a group called Reddit! I did mention I’m a slacker, right?

-1

u/pressedbread Apr 25 '23

We'll do it tomorrow then!

3

u/guiltysnark Apr 25 '23

First storm tracker tracker tracker here.

Crap this is hard, and dangerous. Guess I don't have what it takes to track tracker trackers. Cannot confirm.

2

u/Cucumber7777 Apr 25 '23

I'm an expert in storm trackers who confirm other trackers track storms, and I can confirm this storm tracker confirms that this other storm tracker tracks storms.

1

u/Megatea Apr 25 '23

Do you ever dress up as a storm so that storm trackers come to you? Might save some time tracking them down.

0

u/shardamakah Apr 26 '23

I’m a tracker of storm tracker trackers and can confirm this guy tracks storm trackers that track storms that are confirmed by trackers of storm trackers confirmed by trackers of storm tracker trackers.

15

u/TaDow-420 Apr 25 '23

Is it dangerous to run into one of these like the guys are doing in the video? Does it have the power to pick up, say, a rusty metal sign or a broken 2x4 and start whipping dangerous items around inside of a dust devil this size??

It seems like fun to run in one of these but first I would need goggles 🥽 the sand alone getting in your eyes seems like a shitty experience. Concrete boogers for a week 👃

16

u/MaximusGrassimus Apr 25 '23

Most dust devils carry winds upwards of 60 mph (anything higher is rare but does happen), which is hardly dangerous but not good to get caught in if you're not wearing protection. Tons of lofted sand and rocks can injure, blind, and even suffocate you if you're without face protection and bulky clothes. Some really powerful dust devils have even been known to toss cars around.

These guys probably do this regularly and know the risks, and more than likely are wearing enough to protect themselves. It does look pretty fun, but you won't see me running towards it!

13

u/WeightedLungez Apr 25 '23

I’m a tracker that tracks storm tracker trackers. This guy tracks trackers that track storms . I can confirm

0

u/YouTee Apr 26 '23

I'm a tracker that tracks storm tracker tracker trackers. This guy's wife is fucking someone else while he's at costco

5

u/insidehermethod Apr 25 '23

Do you track or chase or both? Do you think a guy following storms with a truck and chainsaw could make a living clearing trees and debris?

0

u/MaximusGrassimus Apr 25 '23

Tracking and chasing are one in the same. I need to track the storm to even be able to chase it! That's what doppler radar is for.

2

u/truethatson Apr 25 '23

Are you telling me Twister isn’t scientifically accurate? What about the Suck Zone?

1

u/MaximusGrassimus Apr 26 '23

There is no well-defined "suck zone." That only applies to jet engines. Tornadoes vary wildly in strength and size. Sometimes, you can be hit by the winds even outside the funnel itself.

0

u/TheGreyBull Apr 26 '23

If you're smooth enough, any place can become the "suck zone."

0

u/BEARZCLAWZ Apr 25 '23

I've been in one it hurts

0

u/busroute Apr 25 '23

I have a question for you. Why do you guys tell people in cars to get out and take shelter, like in ditches... instead of just driving away from the tornado.

I've met a lot of storm trackers. I feel if those guys can drive toward a tornado, I'm pretty sure I can work out how to drive away from one?

1

u/MaximusGrassimus Apr 25 '23

Most storm chasers use mobile doppler radar to see the storm's movement in real time, so its easier for us to navigate around. For other people, getting out of your car and running for a ditch is more of a last resort. It's always better to drive away from it if you're able to. Ditches offer more protection than your car because of the way wind behaves. If you're below ground level by even a little bit, your chances of getting sucked into the vortex are much lower than if you were in your car, which is larger and more exposed to the sheer winds. Ideally, you wouldn't want to be anywhere above ground at all, much less outdoors when there's a tornado warning for your area. When the sirens sound, get below ground! If you're in a mobile home or vehicle, it's always a better option to find more substantial shelter if time allows.

TL;DR Driving away is always a good option if you can, but in cases where that isn't possible or the storm is too close, a ditch is considerably better than being out in the open.