Good day all,
May 25 was a pretty interesting chase day for me, with interception of an LP storm near El Dorado, Kansas, THEN a long range intercept of the long-track violent tornado from Solomon to Chapman, catching the most intense phase of that storm's end of its 90+ minute on-the-ground lifecycle! What a day, and here's the long-awaited log for this chase day below...
1). May 25, 6:00 PM - Interception and observation of a severe thunderstorm near El Dorado, Kansas in Butler County near Highways 254 and 77. This storm was an LP supercell storm, with an impressive "barber pole" updraft, and striking visual appearance despite its small size. The storm core was small and probably had 1" hail, but was not penetrated. The storm undergone downscale evolution and basically evaporated after a couple of hours. Conditions causing the storms were surface heating, a dryline, low pressure trough, and upper trough. A 2009 Ford Escape SUV was used to chase the storms. Documentation was HD video, time-lapse, and digital stills. A tornado watch was in effect for the area until 9PM CDT.
Above: Low precipitation (LP) supercell rotating hard near El Dorado, Kansas on May 25, 2016. This storm weakened via downscale evolution and essentially evaporated in a stronger cap. Attention turned to a distant tornadic supercell in the northern fringes of the target area for the day.
2). May 25, 8:30 PM - Long-range interception, observation, and indirect penetration of an extremely severe and violent cyclic long-track thunderstorm from near Abilene, Kansas and I-70 in Dickinson County. This storm was first observed from a 100 mile distance, with an overshooting top (probably to 60,000 feet) and a long-range intercept was done given the fact that is was in a great environment for tornadoes, despite SPC outlooks. When the storm was finally intercepted east of Abilene, a large and violent wedge tornado, up a mile and a half wide, was observed at close range west of Chapman and crossing I-70. This was an extremely powerful tornado, which was supposedly on the ground for a staggering 90+ minutes! Damage observed was trees debarked and ground scouring. The tornado did extensive damage to anything it hit. In addition, 70 MPH winds, tennis ball sized hail, frequent lightning, and horizontal rain was encountered with this storm. Conditions causing the storms were surface heating, a dryline, low pressure area, and upper trough. A 2009 Ford Escape SUV was used to chase the storms. Documentation was HD video, time-lapse, audio, and digital stills. A tornado watch was in effect for the area until 9PM CDT.
Above: Here is a picture of an overshooting top, probably 60,000 feet high, from 75 miles distance of a tornadic supercell storm currently near Salina, Kansas. This was the storm that will have a tornado on the ground for nearly two hours! I am heading north (after being "suckered" south to a dying LP storm) for a long-range intercept.
Above: RFD clear slot and violent tornado from 5 miles away, and to the ESE of Abilene, Kansas approaching I-70.
Above: Violent wedge tornado near Interstate 70 and not far from Chapman, Kansas. This is about a half of a mile away, close enough to FEEL the roar of it!
Above: Wedge tornado at its most intense crossing the ENE jog of I-70 and headed just south of Chapman, Kansas after being on the ground for 90 minutes. The white streaks falling are hail stones to tennis ball sized. The object in the highway to the lower left is a large turtle crossing the road!
Above: Tornado now over the Interstate. Traffic stopped and police creating a rolling roadblock so no one drives into it. Incredible motion. Wedge tornado now about to graze the south side of Chapman, Kansas. This tornado was rated at LEAST EF-4, with winds strong enough to bend railroad tracks!
Above: A pile of debarked mangled trees swept up the embankment on the south side of I-70 near Chapman, Kansas. Also note the grass is almost gone and the ground has been scoured to bare dirt.