I have taken a lot of flak over the past 24 hours in regards to what unfolded yesterday while chasing. I met up with some other chasers after chasing on Friday in Bossier City for dinner at Ihop. We decided then to hit the road east. I wanted to go to Vicksburg, MS because I felt that is where we needed to be for the next day.

We woke up pretty early, after about 3-4 hours sleep, and then headed up 82 north. Connor McCrory and David Reimer joined us in a 3 truck caravan. I got pulled over near the site of the tornado on our way north. I got a ticket for speeding.

We then proceeded north and then realized the tail end charlie was looking better, so we bailed back south after that cell. This is the one that would eventually cause the Yazoo City tornado.

We had plenty of time to bail south and stay safe. Maybe some of my frustration from the previous 2 days was coming out, but I wanted to play this one aggressively. I was well aware of the dynamics and how stupid this was. I knew everything would be rain-wrapped and moving at a billion miles per hour. I didn't care, and I told Connor/David and the others that they were welcome to follow me, but multiple times I let them know that I was making decisions in my truck for the occupants of my truck (which was only me) and that if they felt unsafe I wouldn't care if they bailed on me. They continued to follow me.

At some point we saw the same cop that had written me a 79 in 55 speeding ticket. He had someone else pulled over directly in the path. I stopped to let him know that he needed to get out of the way.

We bailed west on a road, I was hoping to get a closer view. It turns out there was only trees, so I went back to the main road and started bailing south at a rapid pace so that I could get in front of it. I managed to drive right into the circulation. I realize that there should be a human 'oh crap' switch that goes off, but it didn't.

I dropped a spotternetwork report icon right away, which lead to Jackson, MS issuing a Tornado Emergency before this storm went to Yazoo City.

JAN: Unverified/Non-NWS Report -- from Ben Holcomb (via spotternetwork.org) @ 11:46 AM CDT -- (S) Tor -- -- Spotter is 1 miles N of Hardee, MS (Issaquena county) [32.602/-90.852] -- Big tornado possibly wedge just at our location 2-3 minutes ago (SN#5272)

1141 AM TORNADO 1 S VALLEY PARK 32.62N 90.87W
04/24/2010 ISSAQUENA MS STORM CHASER

STORM CHASER REPORTS LARGE WEDGE TORNADO CROSSING US
HIGHWAY 61 NEAR VALLEY PARK

438
WWUS54 KJAN 241648
SVSJAN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1148 AM CDT SAT APR 24 2010

MSC055-125-149-163-241730-
/O.CON.KJAN.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-100424T1730Z/
WARREN MS-SHARKEY MS-ISSAQUENA MS-YAZOO MS-
1148 AM CDT SAT APR 24 2010

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1230 PM CDT FOR YAZOO...
EAST CENTRAL ISSAQUENA...SOUTHEASTERN SHARKEY AND NORTH CENTRAL
WARREN COUNTIES...

..THIS IS A TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR THE WARNED AREA

AT 1147 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS AND STORM
SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE WEDGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HOLLY BLUFF
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
HOLLY BLUFF BY 1155 AM CDT...
SATARTIA BY NOON CDT...
TINSLEY BY 1205 PM CDT...
TINSLEY AND LITTLE YAZOO BY 1210 PM CDT...
YAZOO CITY AND MYRLEVILLE BY 1215 PM CDT...
MIDWAY...BENTON AND EDEN BY 1225 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO WARNING MEANS THAT A TORNADO IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. YOU
SHOULD ACTIVATE YOUR TORNADO ACTION PLAN AND TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTION
NOW.

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. THIS
STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES. IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY!

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR MISSISSIPPI.

LAT...LON 3277 9084 3293 9060 3293 9045 3301 9045
3303 9043 3303 9035 3294 9017 3273 9012
3251 9087
TIME...MOT...LOC 1647Z 240DEG 46KT 3266 9077

CME

Connor and David almost hit a semi head on, and landed in a ditch. Luckily I finally got to use my tow strap and I pulled his truck out with little difficulty.

I took video, but my video camera was not set to record, so while I sat there and held the camera up, it was not recording. I don't have any video from this event really.

I'm crazy, and I realize that. If I had to do it again I would, but I'd make sure I was recording this time. You didn't see me on all the networks yesterday bragging. I didn't sell any video. You also may or may not see me out on this next weeks system. I had 3 days of chasing hell, and I'm not sure I really care to relive them.

I took a 3 screen shots from GR3 as things were progressing. I had good radar data the whole time, and saw the massive couplet. There was no 'loss of radar data' or 'poor roads' or 'bad visibility' excuses from me. I knew what I was doing, and I guess that makes me a bad person for doing that.

With that said, I am glad David and Connor are alright. If something would have happened to them, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself.