Outbrk

Tornado chasing simulator!

Heading off a violent tornado! While not massive in size, the trees and other debris surrounding this tornado lets us know of its destructive nature.

Outbrk is an early access game that's only recently come out where you have to follow wind maps and radar patterns to detect, follow, and report tornados. It's still got a lot of development to go, but I'm very much enjoying what's there!

Bakersville EF3

The day's storm chasing did not get off to a particularly good start. Cut off by awkward roads, rivers and lakes, the thunderstorms thus far only gave us a distant glimpse of a tornado snaking its way through the fields.

But with the storms moving north with plenty of energy left in their sails, there might be better luck along the road.

Our bad luck continued. As we headed northwards to chase a promising candidate, it dropped a tornado before we could get ahead of the storm.

Lamenting the missed chance to get a probe down to intercept, all the team could do was watch the tornado pass by from the roadside, gathering photos and videos.

The team decided hold back as the tornado was too close to the road to pass safely. A fateful decision: the tornado began to intensify: widening slightly and kicking up more and more grass and dirt into the sky.

We could hear tornado sirens in the distance as we returned to our cars - it seems our reports of this tornado had been picked up and the nearby town of Bakersfield was being warned.

As the tornado continued to strengthen, it began to uproot branches, limbs, and small trees as it moved through a small forested area. We set off in pursuit of the tornado.

AAAARGGHHHH! Despite trying to keep our distance from the tornado, a large limb from a tree tore through the lead vehicle as we raced towards Bakersfield - injuring the driver and rear passenger.

As the team stopped to tend to the injures, we looked over in dismay as the tornado passed directly through Bakersfield - the sight of roof tiles, bricks and timbers being thrown around by the violent winds churned our stomachs.

As we arrived in Main St, Bakersville, the destruction was significant. Between our injured crewmates, damaged vehicles and now the impassable roads, this would be the end of our chase today.

As the tornado moved away into the distance, the crew parked up the cars and began going building to building to help anyone that may have been caught inside.

After all, with multiple tornadoes reported across the county and the debris blocking the roads as it is, it may take some time for the emergency services to get here.

The siren that saved the town! Two story brick buildings reduced to one, shops reduced to shells, the damage to the town was pretty severe, but despite the devastation, the crew found no-one trapped within the rubble, and only a few minor injuries among the townsfolk.

The crew stopped to render aid with what we could - our supplies dwindled from tending our own injured.

A view of the velocity profile radar just after the tornado passed through Bakersville. The town's main street had taken a direct hit, but owing to Bakersville's unusual layout, the tornado went on to pass between the town's residential streets and the gas station without any further damage.

A look down the Bakersville's Main St. Unlike the residential areas, not a single shop or office on Main St remained undamaged.

The Bakersville Tornado would go on to be rated an upper-strength EF3 tornado, costing several million in damages and a total of 7 injuries, thankfully none serious!

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"Tornado warning: at 20:17, a large and damaging tornado was seen in the east of the county. The tornado is expected to pass through woodland area, generating significant debris in the air.

This is a dangerous situation. If you are in or near the path of this tornado, take cover immediately. Do not travel in and near affected areas, as there may be significant debris on the roads"

Clouds as far as the eye can see! Some high, some low, some will produce tornadoes, some wont - here's to another storm chase!

You always remember your first..... It took me a little while to get the hang of the weather maps, what patterns to look for that might spin up a tornado.

Following a storm that had been under Tornado Warning for some time, in the distance, dropping out of the low clouds, I got to see my first tornado in Outbrk!

Heading off a violent tornado! While not massive in size, the trees and other debris surrounding this tornado lets us know of its destructive nature.

Outbrk is an early access game that's only recently come out where you have to follow wind maps and radar patterns to detect, follow, and report tornados. It's still got a lot of development to go, but I'm very much enjoying what's there!

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