Tornadoes are the ultimate catch for storm chasers and the ultimate piece of any severe weather season. But they’re rare — which is another thing all to itself.

If you are in the midst of a developing tornadoes, here are some things we look for to indicate a storm is about to produce a tornado — also a relevant safety tip from this specific example that should be noted for anyone who wants to ‘get close’.

A few relevant tips:

1)Any area of persistent/strong rotation should be watched for tornado formation. This is especially true with laminar/lowering funnel clouds.

2)The clear slot is a prime indicator a storm is trying to wrap up to produce a tornado. This doesn’t always mean a tornado will occur, but it does mean ‘heads up’ as storms cycle through their processes.

3)Just because you think you are in a safe place, if you are underneath a rotating mesocyclone in a storm, you may or may not be safe. In this instance the tornado actually forms ‘behind’ the funnel cloud, which could be a deadly mistake if you are thinking a tornado will form directly underneath a funnel.

Stay safe out there friends…