Well NAM 00z (June 1)is not as optimistic as today’s 12-18z runs (May 31). It does keep the warm front with backed surface winds, but weaker through all levels. Surface winds are showing 5-10 knts but they are not much weaker above 925mb though the run has weakened them some what. There could be to much convective feed back from upstream, only time will tell. The models still show some isolated convection out ahead of the main precip on Tuesday b/w 21-00z along the warm from near the IN/MI border in SW SC MI. The CAPE is around 1000-1500j/kg but barely breaching the border into MI. Still something to keep an eye on as it is close to home and i am free at the 21z time frame. Based off of the 12-18z I would have seen SPC place the slight further north for Day 2 tomorrow. Looking at this 00z run I would leave it were it is but nudge it closer to the border of MI and IN.
First I’ll post some pictures from the second. This was the last day I could be out west. Chased with Amos Magliocco and Nick Grillo one last time. We intercepted a cell west of Denton shortly after noon. We took a route that turned out to be a route for a bike marathon. We continually encountered this route as the storm continued to weaken. We then tried to get to the SW side of Fort Worth and encountered gridlock traffic near the race way. This was an indicator of how the day would turn out. We were able to intercept a severe warned storm with a nice hook and 1 inch hail near Crosset, TX. The storm speed made it impossible to keep up with as we tried to navigate the road network and southern suburbs of Fort Worth. Nick and I had broken off from Amos and since we had to head back home to MI we got out ahead of the squall line. Stopped at airport b/w FW and Dallas and caught some hand held shots of lightning.
As we continued out ahead of the line i felt we could stop and get some food in Sulfur Springs. The line caught up to us and it was not till Hope Arkansas till we finally reemerged from the storms. That was some intense driving for about 2 hours. I was able to capture this shot in motion.
Now to yesterday:
May 13. I was not able to leave Grand Rapids till 2:30pm EDT. I was hopeful for a secondary target of northern IL near Kankakee on west. I drove to Chenoa where i had witnessed at F2 May 23, 2004 Which yesterday reminded me off some what. As I approached Chenoa from the east a severe warning went out for Eureka IL Just like the 23rd. I could see the anvil and so i waited there in Chenoa. As the base approached you could see that it had at one point had supercell structure. Something just did not look right however, as the base looked eroded and looked like it was starting to die out. The Cap won the battle and the storm petered out soon after it passed by.
I had hoped for redevelopment. I wanted to meander north some but i noticed a data whole in Central IL for data through Alltel. From 10 miles south of I-80 b/w I-55 and I-39 to just north of Bloomington/Normal that you cannot get data without roaming through Alltell. Well anyway I headed north and went through Streator and to I-80 where i finally established connection again. It looked liek everything was lined out by then so i headed back to GR hoping for some lighting along the lake. While I saw lighting but it was not as frequent as what the NWR was mentioning nor was it very visible. It was very embedded in the rain making it hard to acquire photos. So Yesterdays chase was a bust was not able to leave early enough nor did I capture any lightning. I thought the storm near Chenoa might have it in it to continue but the the Cap and lack of instability proved to be to much to over come. My buddy’s Bob, Bill and Derek caught the Kirksville, MO tornado. Wish I could been there. Oh well you can’t see um all. Sorry for typos don’t have much time to edit today.
Just got home from a long drive from Dallas to Detroit to Grand Rapids, MI.
Will post the account later when time allows for now here are the pictures Click to enlarge.
Each shot in this series was shot with my 15-30mm sigma lens on a Nikon D40x
(images are closer than they appear)
Shot was taken south of Weinert
Redeveloping weak rotating wall cloud south of Rule. Shot from route 6 and CR 463. Will post time lapse tomorrow.
Began getting sporadic golf ball size hail south of the wall cloud. Eventually 4.25 inch hail fell recovered by other chasers.
Shot 1 mile north of the intersection of 6 and 283 looking north
Nick and I met up with Amos Magliocco and Dave Fick
Rainbow from the death of the Haskell supercell.
We caught the death of the Seymour supercell
Headed to Seymour for supper and then back down to Throckmorton to check out the new development but decided to head for Denton.
And so now I am home in MI and may not be able to go back out west this year. Came away with some nice structure and lots of large hail. Will see if the local area can manage to drop some tornadoes this year.
Just pictures for now will post a more detailed account later.
Click for larger images:
This was the base taken 1 mile west of Butler, OK We then headed south out of Butler across Foss Lake
Time Lapse
More to come later.
Will be chasing today a much higher potential for tornadoes today. Watch my spotter network page to see my location.