Storm Chase Log 24 May 2005

[Guest ChaserUK]

From our current position it seems wise to head due North into CO and probably end up in and around Limon, CO. Storms tend to initiate very early with upslope flow so we need to get going. A much better chance of tornadoes today with increased deep layer shear evident. :lol:

[Paul R]

Heres hoping for a great big lovely tornado today. :lol:

Seems your luck has changed very well.

[Gorky]

Upgraded to moderate chance of some action in Western Kansas / Far Eastern Colorado and SW Nebraska. Looks like the cells may start forming right above you if you are in Limon, although I'd personally park myself further west into Kansas and let them come to me :lol:

[Guest ChaserUK]

We are in Lamar, CO. There was no tornado because we core punched a monster supercell and arrived behind the MASSIVE rotating updraft - the most scarey and unreal sight I have ever witnessed. This thing had three inflow bands wrapped around and the convection was instant. However, the core we had just punched was moving S and just as it went tornado warned, the major hail core hit us and obscured the view. Not that we were worried about that as 2 inch and larger hail starting buffeting the car carried along in 70mph winds. The footage I have in crazy - we try and position our windows in a direction that meant the windscreen would not crack (even more that is) However by doing this exposed our side and back windows.

I don't know how we managed it but our windows remained intact and we had no option but to leave the possible tornado to our south and head back north out of the storm. We had no choice - it was just too dangerous and believe me when I say this was the most severe storm I have ever seen.

Amazing photos will follow of this unreal event.

As a side note on the way to Lamar a new cell formed just behind and lightning struck a pole a couple of feet from the car - the noise was like a gunshot - no other way to describe it - very scarey indeed.

On the way to the target today we stopped at an extinct volcano and took the road all the way to the elevation of nearly 8,000 feet (realised the town we stayed in last night already at 6,400ft). Anyway, road had no rails to stop you going of a shear drop - photos of that to follow too.

All in all, a very dramatic, frightning, frustrating day.

[Guest ChaserUK]

Pics from today. I only posted a few because I am feeling pretty knackered now.

Pic 1 - The view from the volcano.

Pic 2 - Nice updraft region with intersecting hail core.

Pic 3 - New updraft region developing over our location. At this time, tornado warned storms to our north started to decay as these, southern storms robbed their moisture - this is why you always play the southern most storms!

Pic 4 - What a menacing sky - auto contrasted to illustrate the severe day.

Pic 5 - When we came out from the hail and rain the first time, this is what we saw to our south. However, you should always see this from the South looking N or from the SW looking NW. We however are on the WRONG side and a VERY bad move for anyone who has not storm-chased before. We did discuss taking a s road underneath but quickly decided that would not be a good move considering the rapid rotation and convective uplift and let's not forget the 3 feeder bands wrapping around the meso.

Pic 6 - This is taken from Barons at the time. You can see us as the little white brick amongst the purple hail core with red rings to our S showing the MESO's. Not good.

Pic 7 - This is also from Baron's showing the intense shear in the storms.

[Guest ChaserUK]

Currently 10 past midnight and new supercell heading our way with new Severe Thunderstorm watch for our area now issued. MESO on southern end storm (current one that is) - heading for Lamar - oh that's where I am!

[Guest ChaserUK]

TVS and hook echo on cell heading our way right now - getting a little concerned.

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Good luck Chaser, and stay safe.

Those pics are amazing by the way.

[Paul Sherman]

Great Pics again, the Mothership is my Favourite

Paul Sherman

[Kent Snow]

Fabulous photos and chase account, mate!

[kold weather]

wow Matt,those pictures are truely amazing,esp number 5 which lookings like a MESO to me.

[Paul R]

Wahey, lovely pictures. Very atmospheric.

[SnowJoke]

Well what can I say about those pictures, simply amazing The 4th one looks like it's arrived straight from hell, it's so menacing.

Hope your able to intercept some more storms in the coming days, good luck guys and keep safe!!!!

[SteveB]

Great stuff Chaser, lovely pictures. Good luck, hope you get that tornado.

Edited May 25, 2005 by SteveB

[Paul Sherman]

SPC Have a Moderate Risk out again today 25th May 05, for West of Fort Worth near to San Angelo, so the reason we Have not heard from Matt and Co is probably due to them travelling to get into Position, the drive from Colorado to West Texas aint nice, at a guess I would say about 5-600 miles or 7-8 hours non stop if they attempted it!!

Paul Sherman