Storm chaser's close encounter with deadly Minnesota tornado
Storm chaser’s close-up video of deadly tornado near Dalton and Ashby, Minnesota
The long-lived tornado in this video tracked through fields near Dalton and Ashby, Minnesota. I followed the tornado from the moment it touched down until it roped out. My chase partner and I called in reports to the National Weather Service when the first funnel formed. Credit: Melanie Metz via Storyful
ASHBY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Storm chaser Melanie Metz captured some incredibly close-up footage of the tornado near Ashby and Dalton, Minnesota from her vehicle.
"I can smell it," Metz can be heard saying at the start of the video, showing a tornado on the ground, swirling with debris.
A spokeswoman with the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office confirmed one person has died due to the tornado near Ashby. Tornadoes touched down near Ashby and Garrison during a tornado warning in parts of central Minnesota Wednesday evening.
According to reports on the ground, the tornado damaged crops and destroyed four residences, Ashby Mayor Tom Grover says.
“The long-lived tornado in this video tracked through fields near Dalton and Ashby, Minnesota. I followed the tornado from the moment it touched down until it roped out,” Metz said. “My chase partner and I called in reports to the National Weather Service when the first funnel formed. This allowed the NWS to issue a tornado warning very quickly. Unfortunately, there was some damage to property and one fatality.”
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