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Tony Gilbert

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Posts posted by Tony Gilbert

  1. Most of the action so far has been well north of what the earlier models were predicting. Looks quite nasty out there and I don't think it is over yet. A good number of the tornado reports line up very well with the track of the Triple Point. Though given the prime core of the jet stream overlayling the best instability I am not yet writing off some action central east Alabama on 'Tail End Charlie' :lol:

  2. Tornado warnings coming in thick and fast at present for NASHVILLE/MEMPHIS and WESTERN KENTUCKY

    Yes Dog, things could get going today much earlier than anticipated. The region at risk of severe weather will cover many states and not just the risk box that I have shown above. This includes the distribution of tornadoes. Though from a virtual chase perspective the best chances for the strongest tornadoes should occur primarily Alabama after 19Z. Though as always that is a personal opinion :o

    I would like to add further detail to this interesting outlook, hopefully a bit later this evening!

  3. I'm taking a maybe different stance to the SPC ATM regarding prime region at risk. Whilst a tornado watch is in place for Oklahoma ATM, it is quite possible that any vigorous convection will be capped off for a couple of hrs yet. RUC place an impenetrable cap over much of the region. For now this can only serve to amplify the moisture advection toward the NE.

    0-3km shear is very strong and should be enough to compensate 0-1km shear. Conditions look to be in place for the development of very large hail and isolated tornado reports across SW Arkansas 22Z-03Z. Which is very bad chase country!

    The overall risk of severe weather may not be as widely distributed as what the SPC risk boxes are suggesting due to continued capping IMO. The set up nevertheless warrants a serious risk of strong tornadoes developing in a lined cluster. My virtual chase puts me on the state border between OK and AR around DeQueen Highway 70 now.

    There will be 2 to 3 major supercells in a back building motion (almost cyclic in nature) . All capable of producing tornadoes. I Wll take the last cell to the south which will likely utilise the strongest shear potential.

    There are no guarantees when making predictions but thats my best shot ATM

  4. LOL

    What I meant was pay for your Months Subs on the 8th May for 1 Months Usage, that way you are covered until you return Eg Run it from 8th May until 8th June 2009

    We have paid for the 2nd April until the 2nd June making sure we get the 2 Months Subs In our allocated 35 Days, As our 1st Chase day is 27th April we did not want it running out on the 27th May when we would still have 4 days of Chasing Left :)

    I am surprised they said you could not pay though, what Company would NOT Want to take a payment.

    Paul S

    Ah, got ya Paul. Yep she was a bit rude too! Strange cos they have usually been so helpful in the past. Prob a bad apple :):)

  5. Tony if you tell em you are a Uk Visitor and Seasonal Subscriber they Should waive the Activation Fee (They did for Us) and just charge you the Months Fee, which has NOT Gone Up!

    Hope this helps

    Paul S

    Called XM radio today. Sadly they were not willing to waive the activation fee and were not willing to allow me to pay for my usage fee upfront? :) Blimey Paul did you flutter your eyelids at them or something? :)

  6. Hi Tony and Gorky....

    When do you two guys fly out there...

    And how long are you planning on staying in the States. :lol:

    Hi Dog,

    18th May-3rd June! :lol:

    PS. Regarding Travel Insurance; My bank account supplies me with free all year travel insurance as a bonus!...I decree for insurance purposes; I am going touring across the USA as my vacation. Though alas this period tends to be rather stormy across that part of the USA. You should then be covered for any stated eventuality, including weather related. Why complicate things? :o

  7. Thanks Tony, what I was considering is similar to that. I'll use the 4 way converter for everything else. I guess I can always test in my own car here, and if I blow the laptop up, I'll probably be able to return it as it's new :)

    Hi Gorky,

    Most US hire cars or vans have atleast 3 cigar lighter sockets. The last van I was on had about 5!

    Another mistake I made years ago was using a multi socket extension lead from one lighter socket. They just can't take the load and pretty much melt. I do prefer to make that effort to charge all my electrical gear overnight in the hotel room. In fact it is the first thing I usually do when I open the door! Only got to worry about the Baron and laptops on the road then. :)

  8. Choose your power inverter carefully and test it well before you leave. I blew my power unit on my laptop on the firsty day last year and had to buy a new laptop out there. Unknown to me the inverter was set to reverse polarity.

    This year I have got a standard plug in 12 volt 75 W adapter which processes 220 volts to my laptop. A bit more safe.

    PS. I hate dragging around the big breeze block type inverters which are much too bulky. Worth giving this one some consideration. Me thinks

  9. An accurate severe weather forecast remains questionable within the models. Pre frontal MCS continues to saturate the atmosphere ahead of the cold font with rain cooled air. Focus for the best convection within the cold front will rely on a speedy recovery of surface temps. One tornado just reported southern MS though the cold front looks to be a very linear feature ATM. Though if we look at the combined potential instability to be released and the exceptional helicity values tornadoes remain a strong possibility over the next few hrs close to any bowing line segment. Prime positioning ATM looks to be specifically central Alabama between 21Z-00Z.

  10. I have never chased that far SE in the US but if it is anything like the Gulf coast of Texas it will consist of poor road networks and bad visibility due to patchy folage!...Though having said that if there was nothing else to chase in the USA whilst on vacation then I would probably still venture that way. :rolleyes:

    Today's outlook gives a different perspective from each model. Hopefully things will look clearer later on today. Storms will be ongoing throughout today along the SE Gulf Coast States along the outflow boundary ahead of the cold front. By early evening we have a significant chance for stronger storm development Central Alabama through to central west Georgia as the CAPE recedes back toward the coast. Very strong upper jet enhances storm cell development with the added risk of an isolated strong tornado! Certainly one to watch for later!

  11. Don't forget your anti-glare night vision glasses. Some night driving automatically goes hand in hand with US storm chasing. They will not give you night vision but they will stabilise the constant glare of oncoming cars!...well worth the small fee off EBAY. :D

  12. Yes agreed!

    When the jet stream dips this far south it will utilise the best possible warm moist air feed from the Gulf. Even though early season, this has all the hallmarks of being an interesting set up (virtual chase). SPC priorities Triple point for the most potent risk of tornado development. Current forecast synopsis delivers the TP into Louisiana by early evening where very strong CAPE values are being predicted by the RUC , which is well beyond what the NAM model had suggested earlier. Contrary to common belief, it is not always the front left exit region of the jet stream that can develop the best upper lift. On this occasion the 'RIGHT' exit region fans outward creating lift within the diffluent zone. This is timed in nicely with the northward 70 dew point plume and strong CAPE.

    Whilst wind veer looks rather weak at surface the dynamics from mid levels look to more than make up for this discretion. Given the level of deep layer shear we have the potential for supercell development where tornado genesis relies less on the environmental shear and more on the vorticity produced by the downdraft of the storm itself. Certainly one to watch for if you can manage to keep awake till the early hrs tonight. :lol:

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