Daily Chase Account 080504

[Guest ChaserUK]

Here is where I should be heading today. Unless something changes dramatically of course!

EDIT - Changed my target area to Yankton, SD. There is better 0-3km helicity here. Decent CAPES >2000 j/kg and the cap is not as strong and should be easily broken - hopefully quite early on too!

[Paul]

Thanks for posting the map mate, very useful .. Good luck today

[Paul]

Looking here - http://www.net-weather.co.uk/usachase2004/...chase2004.shtml there seem to be several areas of interest springing to life now, could be an exciting few days. Look forward to catching your updates Chaser

[Paul]

Severe storm warnings have now been issued either in or very near to the area that Chaser is heading toward:

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF  

   

         EASTERN MONTANA

         WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA

         NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA

   

  EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 235 PM UNTIL

  800 PM CDT.

   

  HAIL TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70

  MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

   

  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 85 STATUTE MILES

  EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 60 MILES NORTH OF WOLF POINT MONTANA

  TO 80 MILES WEST OF PIERRE SOUTH DAKOTA.

   

  REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE

  FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.

  PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING

  WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE

  WARNINGS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE

  TORNADOES.

   

  DISCUSSION...FAST MOVING S/WV TROUGH MT WILL AID IN DEVELOPING

  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ERN MT INTO WRN DAKOTAS WHERE AIR MASS HAS

  BECOME SUFFICIENTLY UNSTABLE WITH STRONG HEATING.  STEEP LAPSE RATES

  COUPLED WITH 40-50 KT OF DEEP LAYER SHEAR SUGGEST PRIMARY THREAT

  WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AS STORMS MOVE INTO WRN DAKOTAS.

   

  AVIATION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT

  TO 1.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60

  KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM

  MOTION VECTOR 24035.

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF  

   

         CENTRAL AND NORTHERN IOWA

         NORTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

         SMALL PART OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA

   

  EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 345 PM UNTIL

  900 PM CDT.

   

  HAIL TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70

  MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

   

  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 50 STATUTE MILES

  NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 85 MILES WEST OF NORFOLK NEBRASKA

  TO 45 MILES NORTHEAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA.

   

  REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE

  FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.

  PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING

  WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE

  WARNINGS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE

  TORNADOES.

   

  OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 162...

   

  DISCUSSION...VERY UNSTABLE AIR MASS IN PLACE VICINITY E/W FRONTAL

  ZONE.  FRONT LOCATED FROM CENTRAL NEB EWD ACROSS CENTRAL IA AND

  MOVING LITTLE. RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED

  NEAR FRONT AS MUCAPE HAS INCREASED TO ABOVE 3000 J/KG WITH A

  WEAKENING CAP. DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS MARGINAL FOR

  SUPERCELLS...HOWEVER DEGREE OF INSTABILITY SHOULD SUPPORT ROTATING

  STORMS ENHANCING LARGE HAIL POTENTIAL

   

  AVIATION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT

  TO 2.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60

  KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 550. MEAN STORM

  MOTION VECTOR 27025.

By the looks of it further warnings may be issued soon - things seem to be getting pretty exciting!!

[Guest ChaserUK]

12:00

Leaving base camp now. Temps in the high 80’s with a good DP of 64F at the moment. The frontal boundary is already around this area and is expected to move NWDS. We are currently on the I29 heading N towards Sioux City. Already signs of instability in the atmosphere but it does look pretty capped around here at the moment.

15:48

NWS have just issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for a number of counties around the area including the one we are in, Dakota County in NE Nebraska. Temps holding at 84F and DP’s currently 61F.

18:00

Currently in Sioux City had to check into a hotel to get data as mobile connection just won't work - at least I have got free wi-fi! Anyway, currently things kicking off all around. Some echoes to my SW developing in my direction. Also, a severe squall line over to my E near Des Moines. The front is not moving so it would well be that storms will fire and re fire all around here. Skies looking pretty dark to my S.......

[Paul Sherman]

Looks like your in for a busy night Matt, hopefully you can get some lightning shots away from the rain band.

Stay Safe

Paul Sherman

[Guest ChaserUK]

right, heading south on the I29 - looks like some nice storms are developing and if I leave now who knows what I might catch.....

[Guest ChaserUK]

19:16

Just South of Sioux City. We are watching an awesome severe thunderstorm and a severe thunderstorm warning has just been issued. This thing is getting well organised at the moment, CG all over, very large and scarey.

19:23

Currently heading along a dirt track with lightning and rain drops getting larger all the time. May have to seek shelter in a moment or two…

20:10

Still following this storm. Lots of CG all over – amazing skies to be honest. Lots more developing to our West now.

We continued to watch this storm put down lots of lightning and as the sun went down the sky turned an eerie brown with lightning behind and around a rainbow. Some very very close CG – almost felt like it was right over the car. There was also spider lightning shouting out underneath the anvil of the cell but obscured by a layer of lower level cloud caused by rain cooled air – it would start as a small flash in the distance and over the space of 10 seconds or so would ripple across the sky and suddenly put down a CG in a totally unexpected place. Not a bad day – more tomorrow – pics to follow

[Guest ChaserUK]

23:15

Weathertap shows a nice cell to my SW heading in this direction. I can see frequent lightning and hear distant thunder. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issed for the counties just to my SW also......

[Guest ChaserUK]

NWS has just issued a short term weather forecast and lighting and CG has just started almost overhead - this is looking severe. Expecting warning very shortly....

[Supercell]

Thrilling stuff Matt. Its just like watching the storm chases on Discovery Science channel! Only here we are getting up to date reports!

[Paul]

Morning Matt, looking at the reports image on the chase page ( http://www.net-weather.co.uk/usachase2004/...chase2004.shtml ). There were some tornados reported yesterday, were you anywhere near them?

[Guest ChaserUK]

No I was a little far out W for that - I heard that 3 'nadoes touched down SW of Des Moines. I am gonna post some pics of yesterday in the next few minutes....

[Paul]

Cool, look forward to it

[Frank]

Hi Chaser

Many thanks for your posts, its sounds magnificent :shock:

I would love to have a go at what you are doing but do to limited cashflow and home comittments its just not possible.

Would just like to say though,you are providing us all with excellent feedback

Sounds fantastic mate

Keep up the good work and most importantly...STAY SAFE