AudMun

It isn't a T-Bone but it is the 72oz monster they have on show each day. - In all its glory - Some of the other parts of the meal that have to be eaten at the same time - An idea of the size Stewart

Beautiful scenes & pics, Big Texan steaks , Big Texan beer , a damn good laugh........ and I'm here, it's grey and wet and I'm back at work (GRUMP) Stewart

It's the equal of driving from London to Edinburgh......... and then back again!! That's some going!!

Dang boy, that's some walk you got there. - 850 miles to Amarillo, give or take but boy is it worth it! :lol: Stewart p.s. The airline food was outstanding and made you feel like you had never left....

Would that be Billy Bob Bear??!! :lol:

Hi guys, We've both just got home now. Slightly delayed at the airport and a little bit of a bumpy ride but no real problems. We were fortunate enough to get a sort of beginners guide to/test of storms as we left DFW! CU fields, TCU, Orphaned anvil & lastly a wonderful looking storm around the Springfield area (It was probably only a single cell as it topped out around 34000 feet but the IC lightning was wonderful to watch from above and it adds a whole different perspective looking at it from that angle.) From the looks of the SPC outlook for the next couple of days the likelyhood of significant storms is defintely there. If anyone can find them it will be you two so happy hunting! Stewart

One thing to remember over here is that the most amazing photos come just when you aren't expecting them. Some of the best photos that we've had have been on the days when I thought nothing would happen. And of course our first friend of the day.........

My first high risk day and it amazed me how many people suddenly arrived to chase the storms. No end of traffic jams and cars just stopping anywhere they could to watch the storms develop. With officials closing roads in some areas it made movement difficult sometimes but still some good photos including some significant tornado damage in Claflin.

Some serious damage photos from just outside Greensburg. Some of these shots are quite graphic and show the devastation a tornado can cause.

Going to leave Ellsworth (Ks) in a little while and head west on the I70 & Then drop south through Dodge City going towards the Panhandles for later, Paul is taking us this way to avoid all the Tornado Damage into Central Kansas, currently have a Severe Storm about to hit us. Stewart

Some fantastic photo opportunities. It was fascinating to watch the 3 storms develop and see the different stages each went through.

It just seems unreal sitting here at nearly 8:30 the following morning, watching the devastation on the Weather Channel and knowing the Tornado warning has only just finished for a cell we watched develop yesterday afternoon. Stewart

A few to add to the mix. Better late than never. Not sure if this will work........

It has been recommended to me by an experienced member of the Net-Weather team B) that Tena Lady is very effective! PP, perhaps you could persuade someone to take a second case? Stewart

You're packed!!! I'm just hoping that I get to see the bedroom floor at some point in the very near future. As for the camcorder thing, we are taking a laptop but I have no experience or knowledge of how to transfer video. Sorry. Stewart

Nick Thank you so, so much. I have just spent the last 3 weeks trying to find something that I can understand but being unable to and you have created exactly what I was looking for. A very, very grateful Stewart

I'm sorry SF but I have to strongly disagree. I haven't checked the statistics but I would have thought that something along the lines of skydiving, rafting or any other active sport would potentially equate to the same or greater risk level than storm chasing. It isn't a competition to see who can get closest to a tornado, should you actually be fortunate enough to see one. As someone who genuinely knew nothing about this past time until recently I don't for one moment believe that I can pretend that I have a strong grounding for what I am saying. I do however believe that if it were truly that dangerous no company would offer any insurance for anything less than a small mortgage! If it were much more likely that there would be a claim made then would surely 'Storm Chasing' would be covered by something far more stringent than a 'Hazardous Pursuits' clause? By going to the USA you are taking a risk, whatever you may be doing, due to the extortionate cost of healthcare. If you were to go the somewhere such as New York then there is surely a far greater chance of being mugged! At least I know that I will be there with a group of people who do have some interest in my continued well-being as it is so closely linked to their own. Stewart

I must admit the golfball, marble thing confused me for a bit there until Áine 'suggested' the reason to me! <_< Here we go then....... MP3 Player/Mobile/General gadget - Headphones Laptop - 2 batteries & charger - Card Reader Canon EOS 400D - 2 Lenses - Polarising Filter - Wired Remote - 2 batteries & charger - 1 GB & 2 GB memory cards Sunglasses Airline E-tickets Passport Currency Travel Insurance Stuff 2 plug converters Sun cream Clothes (Not that I shall get many in with this lot & my packing skills!) Last Will & Testament (Just in case you come good with that ‘Rain-Shrouded Core Punching’! ) Stewart

Is it usually the case that an Omega pattern like this would be moved only by a substantial cooler weather system coming from, for instance, the SE or does the Omega system itself act like a bumber and prevent any other low pressure entering the area and will only disappear or move as it degrades with time? Stewart

Sorry for being a little behind with this post but could someone tell me if I am on the right track here. Omega is basically a way of describing the movement of air. Low level hot air with driven cooler air above will create a 'shear' effect and if this warmer air has moisture in it as well then it will allow hail and rain to be created once the moist air gains sufficient height and therefore enters a cooler region. This process will cause extra heat to be released again aiding the further heating of the surrounding air, that had begun to lose any upward movement due to the cooling process, meaning that the cloud will continue to grow. In this case the high pressure area is causing the 'Omega Block'. Having the high pressure system running diagonally through the center of the country at the moment will mean that this cool air is not allowed in so any air movement will only therefore be vertical. This is what is being referred to as the 'Death Ridge'. One thing I can't find an answer to and that is what causes the revolving storm air to head for and ultimately reach the ground thereby creating a tornado? I do hope that I am somewhere in the region of right here but please can someone be kind enough to point me in the right direction if not. Many thanks Stewart

Bear's Cage..... Bear's Cage....... I know I saw that round here somewhere....... ahhhh, here we go Bear's Cage [slang], a region of storm-scale rotation, in a thunderstorm, which is wrapped in heavy precipitation. This area often coincides with a radar hook echo and/or mesocyclone, especially one associated with an HP storm. The term reflects the danger involved in observing such an area visually, which must be done at close range in low visibilit ooooh, that could be a little interesting Stewart

Thanks NL. It woud be amazing to even have the chance of seeing something as beautiful as this! I just hope that I can also appreciate what has happened to create it. Who knows, maybe I will even be able to learn a little of the dialect to help me understand some of what Nick and Paul are saying. Stewart

WOW!! I mean just........ WOW!!!!! Stewart

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Thanks Nick.