Jason Persoff
EF3
Stuck to the forecast target as did Bill & John. Several of us (including a motley crew of us: Bill Hark, Robert Balogh, Chris Kridler, David Lewison, Scott McParland, and more) started in ICT and picked the obvious target at the tail end of the line that formed at the convergence of the dryline in W KS. We had no expectations and thus today, in retrospect, was spectacular in its vision of what chasing means to me.
We met up with several chasers including my first ever meet-up with David Hoadley as the day unfolded. Visually, the southern-most storms continued to show spectacular low-level appendages, but I was consistently troubled by their anticyclonic-appearing rotation, and invariable evolution into outflow/shelf. Eventually the storms congealed into an arcus, but the build-up Cbs at the southern end continued to impress from a purely artistic standpoint. They were jaw dropping at times in their beauty, but nothing prepared me for the sunset, or for the fact that the storms were so leisurely (laughingly, I calculated that our mean storm speed today was 7mph to the ENE (!)).
As the last RFD pushed passed us, crystal clear blue sky with recurring healthy cumulonmbi in some of the most intense oranges and yellows sprinkled with anvil zits and terrific anvil crawlers lasted until an hour past sunset. It was breathtaking. All the while, we chased somewhere from around 1330 today until 2130 tonight, all within 60 miles of where we woke up. I set a new personal record of 225 photos taken today, most leading up to the last RFD passage and into the sunset. Meanwhile, we had a leisurely time, spent most of the chase outside of the car in an almost zen peace that wholly embodied chasing. And every chaser today was curteous and friendly.
The evening ended with us eating pizza next to Tim S's and Tony L's group (sorry I didn't say hi, Tim--I was distracted by Tony's iPhone's flash photography that clearly was designed for maximal retinal damage).
Unfortunately, en route back to Wichita for the night, I managed to slam into a deer at 70mph, essentially totaling the chase vehicle (yes, I'm insured). I was uninjured and the 2011 Ford Flex rental vehicle did an amazing job of protecting me and all my equipment within. Through sheer courtesy, my chase partners Chris Kridler and Robert Balogh stayed by my side while we went through the drill of emptying my chase vehicle, interfacing with Sedgewick Cty SO, and awaiting the tow company. The process took hours, and not once did either of them do anything but offer me unfettered help. The deputy who came out was funny and friendly. Topping off the comedic end of things, my rental car was taken away by a towing company called "Happy Hookers". When I asked for a card, the guy told me he'd be back in a jiffy, and instead furnished me a torn-off piece of paper and a phone number listing "Happy Hookers" on it. He didn't scrawl "towing company" on it. Try explaining that piece of paper to your wife--it was a hoot.
So, while one of the worst scenarios that can occur chasing, and perhaps the biggest chase risk of all--that of colliding with wildlife--it was within the chaser community that I was provided help and friendship. I'm fine and plan on being set-up to go again by tomorrow afternoon (likely to met up on Rocky's farm, not chasing), hopefully in a new Ford Flex. I'm insured for everything including damage loss waiver stuff and even more meaningfully appreciate how this hobby and the people within it have affected me so much. Today was the "non-tornadic" side of chasing, and it was at its best.
We met up with several chasers including my first ever meet-up with David Hoadley as the day unfolded. Visually, the southern-most storms continued to show spectacular low-level appendages, but I was consistently troubled by their anticyclonic-appearing rotation, and invariable evolution into outflow/shelf. Eventually the storms congealed into an arcus, but the build-up Cbs at the southern end continued to impress from a purely artistic standpoint. They were jaw dropping at times in their beauty, but nothing prepared me for the sunset, or for the fact that the storms were so leisurely (laughingly, I calculated that our mean storm speed today was 7mph to the ENE (!)).
As the last RFD pushed passed us, crystal clear blue sky with recurring healthy cumulonmbi in some of the most intense oranges and yellows sprinkled with anvil zits and terrific anvil crawlers lasted until an hour past sunset. It was breathtaking. All the while, we chased somewhere from around 1330 today until 2130 tonight, all within 60 miles of where we woke up. I set a new personal record of 225 photos taken today, most leading up to the last RFD passage and into the sunset. Meanwhile, we had a leisurely time, spent most of the chase outside of the car in an almost zen peace that wholly embodied chasing. And every chaser today was curteous and friendly.
The evening ended with us eating pizza next to Tim S's and Tony L's group (sorry I didn't say hi, Tim--I was distracted by Tony's iPhone's flash photography that clearly was designed for maximal retinal damage).
Unfortunately, en route back to Wichita for the night, I managed to slam into a deer at 70mph, essentially totaling the chase vehicle (yes, I'm insured). I was uninjured and the 2011 Ford Flex rental vehicle did an amazing job of protecting me and all my equipment within. Through sheer courtesy, my chase partners Chris Kridler and Robert Balogh stayed by my side while we went through the drill of emptying my chase vehicle, interfacing with Sedgewick Cty SO, and awaiting the tow company. The process took hours, and not once did either of them do anything but offer me unfettered help. The deputy who came out was funny and friendly. Topping off the comedic end of things, my rental car was taken away by a towing company called "Happy Hookers". When I asked for a card, the guy told me he'd be back in a jiffy, and instead furnished me a torn-off piece of paper and a phone number listing "Happy Hookers" on it. He didn't scrawl "towing company" on it. Try explaining that piece of paper to your wife--it was a hoot.
So, while one of the worst scenarios that can occur chasing, and perhaps the biggest chase risk of all--that of colliding with wildlife--it was within the chaser community that I was provided help and friendship. I'm fine and plan on being set-up to go again by tomorrow afternoon (likely to met up on Rocky's farm, not chasing), hopefully in a new Ford Flex. I'm insured for everything including damage loss waiver stuff and even more meaningfully appreciate how this hobby and the people within it have affected me so much. Today was the "non-tornadic" side of chasing, and it was at its best.