LAURA JONES is a journalist, screenwriter, and novelist living in Madison, Wisconsin. She writes for the alternative weekly The Isthmus and Madison Magazine. Currently, she’s an MFA student at Northwestern University, studying creative nonfiction.
EL RENO WAS MASSIVE, the widest twister in recorded history. Due to its unprecedented wind speeds in excess of 295 mph, it was initially rated an EF5, the indicator used by the National Weather Service to forewarn total destruction. At two and a half miles long, it was the largest storm chasers had ever seen. By the time the vortex dissipated, the El Reno tornado was responsible for eight fatalities, 151 injuries, and an estimated $35-$40 million in damages.
Jennifer Brindley, a professional photographer and amateur storm chaser, watched the ominous structure form from the southeast.…
