2/28/07 NOW: OK / KS

[Chris Hayes]

Thought I would start a now threat with the tornado watch for KS and OK, and initiation taking place east of ICT.

 

[Ben McMillan]

2/28/2007 NOW: KS/OK/MO

Tornado Watch #36 issued for southeastern and east central Kansas, as well as northeast Oklahoma. Initiation is trying to take place along the warm front in Elk County and Greenwood County, KS.

 

[Chris Wilburn]

Thanks for the heads up Chris. I am sitting here just south of Pittsburg, KS waiting for something to happen. Will be a night event, but our group will be out and about. Severe warned cell in northern elk county in Kansas starts off the show. Storms should picked up in coverage and intensity esp. as the upper level winds pick up later.

Chris Wilburn

 

[Jordan Hartley]

Got a great view here the towers just took off in the last 15 min. Svr warning for Greenwood Co. Towers not real impressive but hey its better than the cu field ive been staring at for 1 1/2 hrs.

 

[Andy Wehrle]

I'd say initiation *has* taken place what with severe thunderstorm warnings for said areas. Dews still a little low for tornadoes (low 50s) and the two small cells are booking it to the northeast.

 

[Jordan Hartley]

Im seeing 2 supercells trying to develop on radar. Oh I wish I could chase this, im only 23 miles away

 

[Michael P. Morris]

Recent satellite images show that initiation looks less and less likely in north-central Oklahoma as the Cu are rapidly eroding. I would be concerned as well with the storms that just developed east of Wichita as they look to be headed into a region of very dry air (per the latest surface obs courtesy of UCAR).
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[Jordan Hartley]

3rd cell really taking off right around the El Dorado, Ks area. This cell will develop into a supercell as well already good structure and no precip yet.

 

[Brian Stertz]

Nice storm tower developing to my south near Olathe-S. Overland Park...has got some nice vertical development. Looks like the leading edge of deeper moisture.

 

[Kenny Drake]

RUC is progging a very concentrated area of precip by 7pm near Tulsa. Of course, these are precip forecasts so you shouldnt swear by them. However, for those of you chasing in NE OK I would definitely watch it and maybe grab some dinner near Tulsa if you're hungry. Convection should take off between 6 and 8pm as the entrance region of the 500mb vorticity maximum reaches the area (cooling mid levels, eroding CAP). Tds are currently in the mid 50s in and around Tulsa and should rise steadily as the sun sets and the LLJ kicks in. LCLs should lower, and taking everything else into consideration initiation in Oklahoma should happen within the next few hours. Also interesting to note that from IR sattelite imagery there appears to be a decent dust storm across SW OK and NE TX. Even looks like there might be a few grassfires given some enhanced areas showing up on sattelite.

EDIT: I just realized after posting this that I was in the NOW thread, and this is more of a FCST.. oops.

 

[Dick McGowan]

Darin Brunin and Doug Mitchell are in Iola KS preparing for an intercept. Hopefully this cell can get cranking before sunset.

 

[Jordan Hartley]

Looks like the 2 cells in E. Ks are trying to merge. Im seeing a low topped storm to my east and its a monster for sure. Man is that a big storm or what.

Edit: The storm has now seperated itself from the line that is begining to fire and might try and take a right turn. This storm is starting to rotate.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Storm just NW of Iola is now tornado warned. Trained spotter reported a funnel 12 miles west of Neosho Falls.

 

[Gerrit Gulden]

Darin Brunin and Doug Mitchell are in Iola KS preparing for an intercept. Hopefully this cell can get cranking before sunset.

Iola looks like a perfect spot for interception right now. Both areas of the storm on the right have Meso Indicated with POSH 1.75".

Looking forward to a Reports thread once the weekend comes.

-gerrit

 

[Jordan Hartley]

If this storm holds together which it has the potential to do it will affect the KC Metro in the next couple of hours. This has all the right setups for a long tracking supercell. Its all on its own and has freed itself from the line that is firing across SE KS. Also the cell to the north of Tor Warned storm looks like its trying to wrap around a meso as well and in the last 2 frams a small area of rotation has appeared with that cell to the north. KC Metro needs to watch this one.

Edit: Took a look at the Topeka NWS radar and the precip on the north cell is wrapping around a meso.