classic tonganoxie split

almost got another tornado last night. a guy we just met (and were over at his house down the block) turns to me when it got really still just before the lightning started firing up on both sides of us (from the north and the south) and says "looks like a classic tonganoxie split, i'm going inside", referring to a native american chief that was supposed to have put a curse on the area of Lawrence to not see any rain (a pox on the white man for his deeds) and people have turned it into a myth that relates to tornadoes where almost any tornado goes north or south of it - sometimes just smacking the edges, but occasionally it hits the lake and splits to go around. it still causes severe thuderstorm damage in the middle. just no turnado. lots of damage to our cars from the hail bigger than golf balls pounding us. sounds like everything is going to smash in. next time i'll take a picture.

this one isn't mine. it's from an article in the LA Times about storm chaser tours in the plains here taken by Robin Rauzi. i just liked it. i can't wait until i get to say to someone, "looks like a classic tonganoxie split" to their surprise.