Storm Chasers Hit by Tornado: 'Strongest of My Career,' Says Brandon Ivey (VIDEO)
A viral video of storm chasers being hit by a tornado head on in Smith Center, Kansas is making rounds on the internet, and the footage is unbelievable.
Pro storm chasers from Discovery Channel's "Storm Chasers," Brandon Ivey and Sean Casey, filmed themselves in their TIV2 (tornado intercept vehicle) as an EF3 or EF4 tornado ran right over them. Moore, Oklahoma was an EF5, the most destructive rating.
Classified as a wedge tornado, it reached wind speeds of 150 to 175 mph before the instruments were ripped off the top of the vehicle, the pairs' Youtube video says.
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"@BrandonIveyWX Just intercepted the strongest tornado of my career in TIV2. Large wedge NE of Smith Center, KS. #kswx #tornado pic.twitter.com/oZ5eqaytpO" he tweeted.
"@TWCMikeBettes - @BrandonIveyWX Did you question your own sanity during that tornado yesterday? Wild stuff," Mike Bettes tweeted at Ivey.
To which he responded, "@BrandonIveyWX - @TWCMikeBettes No, but I wouldn't want to intercept anything much stronger. That's our upper limit right there!"
How did these two survive this cyclone, some asked? The TIV2 has some very impressive specs.
"Built on the frame of a Cummins-powered Dodge commercial truck, the three-axle, four-wheel-drive hauler is enclosed in two-inch-thick armor, made of layers of aluminum, steel and Kevlar, with windows of inch-thick polycarbonate. The bottom skirts raise and lower to prevent storm winds from tipping the truck like a terrapin; the hydraulic stakes on either side stab the ground for additional bracing," Justin Hyde of Motoramic said.
On Twitter, Ivey said the storm ripped off one of the doors along with the instruments.
The Associated Press reported two homes were destroyed by that very twister, and there were at least four others in northeast kansas Monday night.
There were no reported fatalities or injuries.
See the video below.
