Checked reel · 6 Oct 2026
It was captured on July 14, 2003, near Searles, Minnesota, by storm chasers Melanie Metz and Peggy Willenberg, known as "The Twister Sisters". They were trying to reposition out of the rain and did not realize the funnel cloud was forming directly overhead until it touched down right in front of their vehicle on the highway. It remains one of the most famous close-up tornado intercepts in storm chasing history. Everything shown in the clip is real.
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