Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,611
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    NH8550
    Newest Member
    NH8550
    Joined

Ian/Ellinwood/WxWarrior Chase Thread


Recommended Posts

thanks. we played it really well after the initial blunder on the first cell. probably would have tried for it if we did not end up south of it on the initial road... seemed like most people played it generally how you did.

kinda wish it went to town a bit earlier as of course nighttime tornado shots leave something to be desired.. but oh well. it was a rush for sure. makes today a bit more of a letdown, lol. been ignoring the long range but wonder if we'll even have much after the first week out here.

Congratulations on the supercells and the tornado. The pics are great!

Long range is probably not the best, but you can still get some slow moving, easy-to-chase beauties on those high cape / low shear days when you can get the cap to break!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 110
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Hatched hail from SPC KS/NE. When it isn't my car, I love good hail video. Never has been my car.

The Mayfest storm, my parents were considering a roof job, just because it was 20+ years old and needed it, Allstate waived deductible if they used Sears roofing, that hailstorm saved them from paying for a roof job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hatched hail from SPC KS/NE. When it isn't my car, I love good hail video. Never has been my car.

The Mayfest storm, my parents were considering a roof job, just because it was 20+ years old and needed it, Allstate waived deductible if they used Sears roofing, that hailstorm saved them from paying for a roof job.

Just our luck - we had replaced the roof by refinancing, then 2 years later we had golfball size hail during spring break. Ate the deductible but put in a better 30 year roof.

We've moved since then. I'm hoping for a hailstorm...in about 10 years. :guitar:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Steve! Though looks like we're leaving TX shortly .. can't not run to the 5% tornado area. ;) We might be back though...

Funny, we're all starting to look forward to a down day at this point. Given this May I guess we've lucked out to have action nonstop so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice write-up and great pictures in the fading light.

finally put together a post on the chase friday.. there are more photos but this will do for now and covers pretty much everything.

http://www.ustornado...12-storm-chase/

Good luck today. Wednesday looks more active, but today might be easier to chase. Originally from the Plains, I'm homesick!

:underthewx:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First chase with action we basically totally missed. I guess it happens to everyone but it hurts. We certainly weren't alone today.

Better luck next time! Though you guys have been wildly successful already, so it was bound to happen.

Any idea on where you'll be the next few days?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Better luck next time! Though you guys have been wildly successful already, so it was bound to happen.

Any idea on where you'll be the next few days?

We'll probably chill somewhere nearby Amarillo tomorrow--not going to go to east Texas or something like that. Worth it if coming west but not really from here. May drive somewhere close tho not any major signal for Friday either yet it does not seem. Could be some general storms in this area or maybe upslope? Moisture is still pretty lacking. By Saturday might start getting a bit better moisture back. Based on the NAM at least would be tempted to still chill somewhere in the general area, perhaps up to western KS / E CO. Honestly was too caught up in the last week to really keep looking at the future in depth. If nothing else it at least looks like a SW flow will re-establish heading into next week.. perhaps focused on the central/northern Plains? Will have to bother Mark to look as well tomorrow..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First chase with action we basically totally missed. I guess it happens to everyone but it hurts. We certainly weren't alone today.

Yeah, days like this are far from the hardest to take because the huge majority of folks out missed out too. Plus, I don't think any of the tornadoes were spectacular or high-contrast, though I've yet to see pics. I gave serious consideration to heading SW down I-44 instead of the I-40 to Shamrock route, but gave in and made the oldest mistake in the book: hedging your bets between two highly-disparate targets (SE Panhandle vs. SW KS/NW OK). Could've still recovered, but those cells that fired between Memphis and Pampa ramped up just long enough to keep us preoccupied past the point of no return, especially given the lower LCLs and strongly-backed flow in that zone. (Given how quickly they turned hard right and took on a mothership appearance, I can only imagine what might've gone down had the zone of instability been 80 mi. wide instead of 25...)

The only thing that does hurt about today is that you easily could've nailed it simply by blindly following the Almighty HRRR. Rare is the day when a fairly consistent signal from its 13-17z runs doesn't verify in a general sense, but it can be hard to go all in on it when it looks a lot different than all the earlier guidance (and therefore your preconceived notions).

BTW, might be worth checking out Palo Duro tomorrow if you want a break from driving. Should certainly be prime hiking weather. :axe:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I was bummed for a while but upon further reading/learning seems the main show missed was just the giant storms rather than any good tornado.

I kinda thought we saw you yesterday but I haven't seen any recent pics of you except that dark on in front of a tornado that I remember. Did you chill on that measly LP behind the line?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I was bummed for a while but upon further reading/learning seems the main show missed was just the giant storms rather than any good tornado.

I kinda thought we saw you yesterday but I haven't seen any recent pics of you except that dark on in front of a tornado that I remember. Did you chill on that measly LP behind the line?

Oh really? Yeah, took a brief look at that around McLean before bailing east for the uber-mega-historic derecho (lol). I was having major technology issues yesterday (first data problems, then inverter blew the fuse to my cig lighter outlet so laptop ran out of battery) and wasn't able to follow SN for much of the chase. I was in a blue Civic with some friends following along in a black Subie.

I'll try to hunt you down and say howdy if I see your icon nearby next time. Actually figured I'd run into you Tue given the more focused target, but then saw you guys started up on the northern storms and weren't nearby until mass chaos was underway. Then thought maybe I'd PM you about meeting for dinner or something, but the after-dark storms led us straight home and I was exhausted by that point. Fingers crossed there will be more chances soon...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh really? Yeah, took a brief look at that around McLean before bailing east for the uber-mega-historic derecho (lol). I was having major technology issues yesterday (first data problems, then inverter blew the fuse to my cig lighter outlet so laptop ran out of battery) and wasn't able to follow SN for much of the chase. I was in a blue Civic with some friends following along in a black Subie.

I'll try to hunt you down and say howdy if I see your icon nearby next time. Actually figured I'd run into you Tue given the more focused target, but then saw you guys started up on the northern storms and weren't nearby until mass chaos was underway. Then thought maybe I'd PM you about meeting for dinner or something, but the after-dark storms led us straight home and I was exhausted by that point. Fingers crossed there will be more chances soon...

Was one of the other group a girl? I can't remember what the second vehicle was now but if it was you we pulled up right behind on a side road in a red ford escape for a bit. Car in front was a civic. I thought it was you but wasn't sure enough to call out. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice vid. I got to admit, I kind of wish you wouldn't edit out though...or at least keep it as edit free as possible. Unless, of course, you edited Ian out while he was screaming like a high school girl as the tornado dropped. Then that is ok.

:lmao:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to ask a legit question. If there was a potential big tornado day, say in North Carolina like April 2011, would you haul arse east?

Yeah probably. Fortunately that's pretty unlikely by this time of year. But overall I'd rather chase high based supercells here than even a solid tornado threat in the DC area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...