Storm Chase Log 8 May 2005

[Guest ChaserUK]

Following is a report from Paul Sherman.

[Paul Sherman]

Left Gainsville (Tx) @ 9am and drove North on I35 towards OKC. Drove 120 Miles to Oklahoma and headed west to Clinton on Interstate 40. The forecast was for the Storms and cloud cover from Saturday to clear away east and we would await clear skies and an approaching cold front and dryline to form. Clear blue skies now visible to the west of Bridgeport (OK) we now have temp's in the 80's and Dps near to 60. Convection spotted at 1pm about 70 miles to the South. Drove to Cordell stopped and waited for initiation. Action kicked off about 35 miles to our South East towards Lawton (OK) Headed off at 4pm east along Highway 152, drove to Anadarko where storm was dead ahead with visible Hail shaft, Hail to 2", we then went east on highway 62 to try and get ahead of the storm which was looking like Supercell status on radar. 2 cells have now merged and are giving off Cg bolts. Was stopped dead in our tracks by a trooper in Verden for breaking the speed limit, after a ticking off and pleading ignorance we were off again. Drove between Lindsey and Maysville an pulled over to photograph lightning, small pea sized hailstones started to hit the car. 2 Meso's were now detected on the Baron's radar system, decided to core punch and chased straight through the Meso's (Thanks guys for throwing me straight into the action) As light faded at around 830pm we were treated to an awesome lightning show, with Lightning across the front of the setting sun and a few Plasma bolts. Finally got to Suplhur (OK) and took refuge in the Super 8 Motel, roads are completely flooded and we are now watching Spider Lightning from the decaying anvil. So no funnels or tornadoes but some pretty good sheer and Mammatus today. Looks like the action may be further east tomorrow but will have to look at models to be sure.

Paul Sherman

PICTURES

Picture One - the Storm Chase Team waiting for initiation just outside Clinton, OK.

Picture Two - 1st signs of Convection from todays storms

[Paul Sherman]

More Pictures from 8th May 2005

Picture One - Big Updraft

[Paul Sherman]

More Pictures From 8th May 2005

Picture One - Classic Plains Sunset with T-Storm in front

Picture Two - Updraft detatched from Main Storm

Picture Three - Mammutus

[Guest ChaserUK]

Here is a picture of the Baron's system in full swing. It enabled us to pick out the best cells in OK, head towards them and view a very decent display of CG and numerous towers. We also had pea sized hail (or indeed slightly larger) and booming thunder. The best thing was the fact Baron's picked up a MESO which we were able to head towards. In the following picture you can see our location as the white car shaped 'brick'. Not only were we underneath the main hail core (as denoted by the large purple blob of >60dbz above our heads but the MESO is the round red circle - now how close was that for a first go!

Inflow winds into the storm were coming up from the S. At our location under the meso the winds were clearly from the N. What Baron's had picked up was this inflow based shear and not storm rotation but exciting all the same!

[Kent Snow]

Wonderfully interesting chase log chaps.

That Baron system looks...Class.

B)

[Paul R]

Early days, but some good development already.

[kold weather]

Hello Paul,talk about throwing you in the deep end.Having punched a hail core before it isn't exactly the best thing to do,esp when its throwing large hail down at you!

seems like the action is mainly over eastern Texas and more so Lousina,although i'm not quite sure where i'd place myslef mind you.

storms at present over Lousina,not that strong in comprasion to some off the cells that are chased,but they are still potent and there is still lots off time for strong devlopments later in the day with tops reaching about 40,000,with the northen cells being strongest due to the greatest amounts off helicity present.

[kold weather]

Here's another radar image showing the cells,now fairly potent in nature and fairly poorly spaced out with their anvils are probably interacting and so are probably disturbing the inflow off the cells and so any storms will be messy I suspect in nature,still they are on the potent side,still i wouldn't cahse them,mind you keep watch off these cells though,they may get stronger as daytime heating and dew points increase:

[Paul Sherman]

Hi Kold, Yes the storms south of Dallas on the 9th never really reached Supercell status and only dumped large hail, we have positioned ourselves further North in readiness for Tuesday over Nebraska.

Paul Sherman