MikeUpjohn

Thanks for this! Really useful ta

Day 4 was the big day for Tour 3 this year. Woke in Lubbock, TX to an ENHANCED Risk for all severe threats down in the Trans-Pecos and Permian Basin of Texas and down towards the Mexican border. Headed South early in the day, stopping for a quick gas up on the North Side of Odessa, TX before heading on down the Interstate to Monahans, TX for a quick grab and go lunch. The first storm, which would turn out to be the cyclic supercell depicted for several runs on the HRRR initiated just before noon to the West of Fort Stockton, TX - a place which in previous visits has not been kind to us. Grabbed lunch and headed South and East to Imperial, TX through the back roads as the storm and associated wall cloud organised. The storm went severe-warned early on and then tornado-warned as quickly again. Continued to head South and East towards Girvin, TX stopping a mile from SW of town, and watched the storm which had now passed a couple of miles North of Fort Stockton, TX. It's here we caught sight of the multi-vortex wedge tornado that briefly was visible. Continuing South, we were barraged with C-G lighnting from the front of the storm. In fact the lightning on this storm was monstrous with positive CG's pinging around us, even 15 miles ahead of the storm - one hit in the verge next to the car leaving blown out dirt and black smoke, and the biggest gunshot thunder I've ever heard! Continuing South and East, we joined the I-10 and headed East in front of it, stopping at an exit with a further South. The storm was tracking along the I-10 ESE at this point, but beginning to turn South East, so headed South East to a viewing point of the SR2886. Watched for 30 minutes or so as the storm came closer and closer, still this barrage of C-G lightning across 180° in front of us, and various lowerings trying to produce tornadoes. As the storm closed in, headed on down and stopped further along the road, as the hook passed us by on it's South East course. Here, another brief tornado on the hilltop, later confirmed by the SPC off of our photos and date stamps. Continued the chase, stopping along the road to Sheffield, as the storm was in front of us to the North and North East, sliding by on it's SE course. Got some more brilliant lightning on an otherwise grungy looking storm, with outflow from one storm, mixed with inflow of another, golf ball hail rattling around on the roads and all sorts. We finished up the chase in Sheffield, TX as the storm turned hard down towards the Mexico border, still several tornado warnings. 3 tornadoes for the day, and a brilliant chase. Finished up with an amazing sunset, and dinner at a steakhouse in Odessa, TX, ahead of a more marginal day for Day 5 tomorrow.

Also, if anyone ever did look at the Netweather T&C's for storm chasing, and saw the bits about all the creepy crawlies that you need to watch for, here's one of them. This guy (who was already dead), is a Tarantula Hawk Wasp, who has reportedly, the second most painful sting on the planet. It's otherwise harmless, but apparently, not something you want to mess with. Did not put my hand next to it for scale, just in case, but this one was around 3 inches across on the ground.

Day 3 of Tour 3 started in Portales, NM, with a target for a tiny SLIGHT Risk in the TX Panhandle around the Lamesa, TX to Lubbock, TX area as a boundary sinking South could produce a couple of severe and possibly tornado warned storms. SPC had issued a SLIGHT Risk with 5% tornado risk, 15% wind and 15% sig severe hail risk. After lunch at Jason's Deli in Lubbock, TX, where it was raining when we went in, but steaming roads with broken clouds when we came out, we headed out to Lamesa, TX and held out for an hour or so in the gas station there. A small storm went up, and straight over the top of us taking a baking 84F down to 65F in minutes, but to experience torrential rain but it still be red hot is something else. As quickly as the rain came down (with a little thunder), it had dried again, showing you the power of evaporation out there. Got onto a storm that breifly looked tornadic, which happened to be the storm that went through Lamesa, TX as a general storm. Wrapping rain-curtains were noted along with inflow tail and a low rotating wall cloud. This became obscured by rain and hail, and ultimately died out, though it did try and hang on for as long as it could. We sat watching another storm from the road side North of Vealmoor, TX. Ultimately the boundary crashed through and did not interact the way it was expected, and by 7.30pm, storms were dead, leaving just blue skies. Back North with a couple of other chasers to Lubbock, TX for dinner.

Good storm overnight here in Reddish about 2.20am, with one very close C-G, flash and bang together. Bright pink/purple lightning this time, intrigued as to what it is that dictates the colour - my last overnight storm, lightning was sandy orange! Sat in the back garden now and oppresively hot and humid. Feel today is only a matter of time before another one! Mike.

Sorry for the massive delay! For a so-called "quiet period" of weather, Paul and the Neatweather team, absolutely nailed it, and we chased every single day in the end on Tour 3. So just catching up now, all my photos are in one place! Day 2, saw us start in Burlington, CO and an early get away South into the Texas Panhandle and then Eastern New Mexico, for a SLIGHT Risk for severe weather and a 5% tornado risk, plus sig severe hail and wind probabilities. Storms would initiate behind a morning MCS clearing the Texas Panhandle, and there was a decent chance at some tornadoes, before the storms became more linear later and the risk transitioned to strong winds. Headed South from Burlington, CO, and with roadworks and other stuff, down through Lamar, CO and a late lunch at a gas station in Dalhart, TX, as the last of the MCS cleared out. Some good bolts of lightning and thunder rumbling around from the gas station here, but most importantly, it was windy and felt humid, ripe storm conditions. An MD followed by a Severe Thunderstorm Watch was soon issued, but today would be poor for structure, as even the weak MCS storms were creating mini-haboob like conditions across the OK Panhandle. Stopped on a dirt road as storms got themselves going North of Clovis, NM, before targetting a supercell that was near Grady, NM, which was only a few miles away but obscured by the blowing dust. Zero for structure until you come up on the wall cloud (see pics below). This supercell really had it's act together and nearly produced the goods, but not quite, and another one behind us also looking well organised. Headed South to more supercells blowing up behind it, and treated to several severe-warned and tornadic storms, but no tornadoes for us to. We finished the day further South towards Elida, watch an LP supercell, and then treated to an epic C-G barrage at dusk (again see pics below). Finished in Portales, NM with the same line of storms crashing past the hotel and some epic structure, with one or two suspicious lowerings as it past. All in all a brilliant day. Love these days where you end up in the hotel with the storm crashing past after you've checked in! Mike.

Started in North Platte, NE amongst sunny skies, but feeling cool and fresh. Today was an ENHANCED wind-driven Risk on the CO/KS border, with minimal to no tornado risk, a 30% hatch sig severe wind risk and 15% hail risk. Headed from North Platte, NE down to Colby, KS and Twister's bar for lunch after meeting Paul and the last two guests who had overnighted in Limon, CO. After lunch, and gas for the cars, headed West to Goodland and South, and watched storms for a good couple of hours develop, and almost not move at all off to the West. Areas round Burlington, CO really got their quota of rain and hail today! In contrast to the models and HRRR which shows a linear mess with huge wind risk, storms initially stayed semi-discrete, which was promising, and barely moved for the first couple of hours. Played about with the storms for a few hours before it ultimately did line out, some good lightning, marginal hail and a very good chase. After a trip to a second Wallace, but this time in Kansas, headed to Cheyenne Wells, CO and up to Burlington, CO for dinner at the Dish Room, with a decent storm rolling over us while we ate. Finished in Burlington, CO for an early-ish night, before another significant chase tomorrow! Pics below, enjoy! Mike.

A bonus chase day on 29th May 2023, for those already in Denver, with a nice small SLIGHT Risk from SW to Central Nebraska, with 2% tornado risk, and 15% hail and wind risk. A chance of a brief tornado, with some large hail, but gusty winds the main threat with storms becoming outflow dominant later. We headed out from the good old Days Inn on Tower Road, Denver about 1230, and blasted up the Interstate into Nebraska stopping for a quick grab and go lunch at Julesburg. Storms were already coming off the Rockies to the North, and paralleled against us along the Interstate. Continued East to North Platte, NE but storms were really struggling, with virga evident everywhere. A storm to the West on the CO/NE border went severe warned just before 6pm (magic hour!), so we headed back West, and picked it up, near Sutherland. Stopped at a couple of points South of Sutherland on the US-25, and were treated to a huge shelf cloud, regular powerful lightning and moody skies. A mini haboob type feature from the outflow, quickly caught us, as we watched it race across the fields at us, before heading South to Wallace, NE and then East out ahead of it. Really strong outflow winds, made it a job for cars to stay on the road. Eventually, turned North as the storms started turning to the NE, and went straight through North Platte, NE as the storm rolled into town with bright pink positive lightning bombs. Watched it move away to the NE just North of town before an Applebee's dinner together. All in all, a brilliant chase day, overnighting in North Platte, NE. Mike.

Cold and blustery here in Macclesfield/Manchester with frequent light rain showers. Feeling chilly in the rain but Spring is definitely fighting back.

Tour 3 this year, but flying out 3 days earlier on Thu 25th May to Phoenix, AZ with Angela (also T3), and driving up via Grand Canyon and Monument Valley over 3 days to arrive in Denver, CO on Sunday night

Another day and another ENHANCED Risk tonight with 5% Tornado Risk, 15% Wind and 30% hatched hail risk, around Central Texas and North of the DFW-Metro and up about as far as the Red River Valley. Not to mention that Tuesday D3 has a large split ENHANCED already. Very busy start to Spring 2023! Mike.

Another 15% risk gone in for Wednesday 22nd now too. Seems to be an almost weekly occurrence. I wonder if we are stumbling into an active year for bigger events?

Tour 3 for me, and thanks for the heads up on this. See you all stateside!

Distinctly thundery look from Macclesfield this morning. Car reading 19C on the way down to town. Mike.

Also been watching this on the Netweather radar. Very intersting. Also someone above mentioned the Tesco Inverness roof collapsing, and there are couple of videos circulating on Twitter now, ceiling tiles falling in and raining indoors for sure. Glad everyone is safely out of the building.

You should really try chasing with Netweather then. Tip of the iceberg that storm from 2 years ago

Think these were the early hours of Weds 12th Aug 2020 if memory serves. This torched a house on the Tytherington Estate in North Macclesfield. Grabbed from video recording...

Looks like they are popping. Torrential rain in Maccleafield now out of nowhere.

Tom. Absolutely brilliant time! And great driving by all in testing conditions!

Today is a down day and we are based in McCook, NE and a nice steakhouse later. Some of the guys have popped to the cinema, some of us lounging around the pool and in the sun. Chance at astrophotography later, so we want the skies to stay clear tonight! Nice to stop after a crazy 8 days plus a bonus chase day, and eat something that isn't a burrito out of the gas station!! Day 10 our last chase day looks really good for supercells again and another SLGT Risk around our area tomorrow. Mike. PS. If you stop in McCook, try Sehnert's Bakery on the main street

Day 8 began with us in McCook after last nights storms rolled away. Can't think of a trip so far where we've had more overnight lightning storms roll over the hotel than this year! Today was a warm front and surface low which would spark off South Eastward moving supercells, before they would line out and possibly become a derecho later. A late start from McCook, and headed North East for a late lunch stop and gas up in Imperial, NE before hopping back into MDT once again and gaining an hour on the chase. Headed up into the edge of the Nebraska panhandle, and found a severe storm near Chappell, NE coming in from Brideport, NE and moving South East. We followed the storm, constantly keeping ahead of it and stopping to look back as it became surface-based and started to rotate. We kept heading South and East back towards McCook, and as rotation increased, multiple gustnadoes were seen on the front edge, and finally, 2 brief landspout tornadoes. Some of the other guys have got video, but I couldn't capture it in time as it was so quick! One of the tornadoes, was barely 200 metres away in the field to our front right, with a small white funnel cloud above. Continued with the storm South and East as it rolled down into Southern Nebraska and eventually off into Kansas. Stopped in Benkelman, NE eventually for a loo break and watched a severe storm that briefly looked like it could produce another tornado, pass us by to the North with so much strong outflow, it was hard to open car doors and the canopy and roof of the gas station was rocking. Finally watched a storm to our East pass over Atwood, KS and Oberlin, KS watching an area of interest with a TVS marker, but no tornado or funnel this time. Reports then came in of large hail smashing windows and cars in Oberlin, KS and by the time we stopped their to gas up an hour later, large 2 inch plus hail was still on the ground. Headed North for food and back to the hotel in McCook, with another storm briefly popping up on the way, and hail fog along the road from the departing storm system. Early finish (relatively...) in McCook, with an 11pm finish in the hotel for some beers together. Enjoy the pictures below. Tour 3's tornado count: 3 Mike. 20220607_205740.mp4

Here is a late addition to Day 2, of the baseball sized hail storm. Watch late on in the video on the right hand side for the windshield breaking.

Day 7 saw us start in Enid, OK after a night of elevated storms rolling through and on South and East. Today featured a chance for a mix of multi-cell and supercell storm modes coming out of Eastern Colorado and into Western KS, before rolling off to the South and East. We headed out of Enid towards Woodward, and Braum's stop for their ice cream, before heading on up and stopping to gas up in Sublette, KS. Storms started firing West of us, so headed out towards Johnson City, KS, and then up on the Kansas side of the Colorado border, as storms got their act together and rolled across East all around us. Some good lightning, cloudscapes and hail shafts. Some of the storms became severe for a while, with the chance of landspout tornadoes, and we did witness a couple of spin ups. As we followed one storm North which became dominant, and had another storm merge with it, it became surface based, and as we pulled over, saw a funnel cloud North of us over the road ahead of us. Video below. Drove up and into the guts of the storm as it moved away but the funnel was brief and didn't touch down. Ended with a really close C-G, and then stopped for lightning pictures as a new storm blew up in Eastern Colorado and rolled towards us. Ended the day in McCook, NE watching storms over 100 miles away roll away from us. Mike.

A couple of videos from the storm rolling through Enid, OK about 2am.

Day 6 saw us start in Colby, KS with a large ENH Risk across much of South Central KS and into North Central OK. Forecast wording was for severe storms, possible tornado risk, before growing upscale, and a possible derecho as the storms shot off to the SE into Oklahoma. We drove from Colby, KS down to Dodge City, KS for some lunch and waited around the area for storms to fire somewhere around and South of Dodge City, KS and move off to the East South East according to HRRR. Our first stop looked very flat for convection but clearing and towers to the South ultimately broke the cap and kicked things off just before dusk. Hung around for a final time near the big train in Kinsley, KS and then headed South towards the OK border. The storm that we ended up on fired off NW of Medicine Lodge and started moving South East. Straight away, the lightning was positive and you could head tornadic thunder (a sort of explosive deep booming thunder rather than the crackling rumbling), and the lightning was all smooth channel (pics below). We tracked with the storm keeping an eye on it's wall cloud at the back all the way down towards Waynoka, OK, where the structure of the developing squall line was stunning, with a mix of shelf cloud and stacked plate supercells. As we watched lightning was jumping out from the top of the storm over and behind our heads, one hitting a wind turbine in the wind field behind us. Followed the storms to Enid, OK, where we got ahead of the line of now severe warned storms with hail and strong winds, and had dinner (at 1.30am :D). Got checked in at the hotel, and let the same line of storms which was now outflow dominant, roll over the hotel about 2.30am, before finally heading to sleep. Enjoy the pictures and videos below!