One word could explain how the crew of Vortex2 felt after the tornado intercept.

"Finally"

These graduate students were elated to finally have intercepted a tornado for the first time this season. BUT Some of their other team members intercepted HAIL.

"We easily softballs maybe larger, downdraft driven, just destroyed our anemometer, got dents all over the car roof trashed and our window is gone there is glass all over the inside of the car."

Thats right demolished. Look at these still images from inside of the van.

What did it sound like?
 
"Amazing, it was so much fun, there is nothing like watching a hail stone this big just slam into the window."

"Oh my gosh look at that dent."

While some people would not be too happy about getting caught up in this type of hail, Shawn was more than happy to do this to help the cause.
 
"We got some great data actually i think it was really worth it."

Speaking of getting great data, Dr. Josh Wurman was equally pleased with the historic intercept.

"It was probably the best intercept of any tornado ever, we had more instruments on that tornado for a longer time than has ever been done before scientifically."

Some of the data they received will take years to sift through but the goal of the mission was completed. Intercept a tornado and be there far ahead of time to watch it from birth to death, and be recording the whole time.

Look at the reflectivity images from the storm. You can see the classic hook and velocity couplet which shows winds in the storm. As a matter of fact one of their radars recorded this spectacular view of the storm that almost looks like the eye of a hurricane.

The entire group of 100 scientists obviosuly very happy with the outcome.

So this Goshen county Wyoming tornado will now probably be one of the most famous tornadoes because of the future papers, textbooks, and dissertations that will discuss this tornado.

"This will probably be a data set that is looked at for 10 years or longer. I think for years students and scientists will be looking at this as one of the best data sets ever in a tornado. "

When you think of it that way, its pretty amazing and makes all the time spent driving, staying in hotels, eating gas station food, and living out of a suitcase all worth the while.

While this tornado chase season is over scientists will spend the next 11 months looking at the data, and gearing up for next May and the next Vortex2 tornado chase.