3/17/06 DISC: SW Texas

[Kevin Walter]

That cell got my severe blood churning. I've been watching the forecast for Friday for a few days now as sort of a dark horse candidate for that very reason. David is 100% right; a senior chaser once told me that "if the ob at Sanderson is moist and strong out of the east-southeast, get to that area as quickly as you can". With potential chases Sat and Sun, though, I decided not to pull the trigger either. In hindsight, I would have like to have been down there to see what it was putting down. That area is beautiful as it is, throw in the first hard convective tower in 6 months and you've got heaven! So what do you think, David, same area (*generally*) the next few days?

 

[David Drummond]

Well not to deviate too much into what should be (and probably will be) a new forecast thread, yeah, I am targeting MAF at this time tomorrow, and will further refine that in the morning, but I suspect it will be somewhere south of there. One thing for sure, I have been itching for a chase down there the last couple of years. I lived in that area for 10 years and love to chase down there for a number of reasons. Watching that today I was fully visualizing being there! Was impressive, and it ended early enough I could have turned in early for tomorrows chase.

This area is often underrated for chasing! I have seen some just incredible wall clouds in this area. I mean HUGE wall clouds!! And the terrain is beautifully rugged. I see some hail reports now, looks like someone reported 1.75", and I don't doubt that in the least bit. Biggest hail I EVER saw in my life was in the Permian Basin! A good 7" diameter! The mets at MAF will tell you that a good many tornadoes in the area probably go unreported because it is VASTLY rural, and they are often seen only by farmer Brown who most times doesn't report it. Those of you that have chased in Western KS might think that was pretty rural, but until you have chased out west of Odessa and Kermit and south of I20, you don't get the full effect of isolation!

 

[Kevin Walter]

I totally agree that the area is stellar. We were through there to visit Big Bend in January, and I vowed to come back for some convection. Tomorrow may be my chance. Agreed, not to get on a forecast thread, so we may run into you in or around Midland tomorrow. We will be hoping to test a new micronet weather station that we built through TTU Wind Engineering. Happy trails.

 

[David Drummond]

I split this off for a discussion of the day to make it more appropriate from the NOW thread. I see one of the Midland guys captured one of those HUGE wall clouds we were talking about! AWESOME!

 

[Daniel Christianson]

Matt Jacobs:

Great pics, i can see what them guys are talking about the isolation, on your possible tornado pic did you notice any roatation on the ground dirt being picked up, judging by that pic almsot looks like a tornado right there? id love to chase down that area sometime, its pretty awsome how low those clouds are its just like there almost to the ground to swallow soemthing up


ttyl B)

 

[Matt Jacobs]

Matt Jacobs:

Great pics, i can see what them guys are talking about the isolation, on your possible tornado pic did you notice any roatation on the ground dirt being picked up, judging by that pic almsot looks like a tornado right there? id love to chase down that area sometime, its pretty awsome how low those clouds are its just like there almost to the ground to swallow soemthing up
ttyl B)
[/b]

Daniel,
The picture is somewhat misleading. It appears there is condensation all the way to the ground, but the mesas in that neck of the woods hinder the view of the true horizon. For about 45 minutes small funnel like appendages would descend toward the ground. Due to the lack of roads we viewed most of the event from more than 10 miles away. We were to far out to verify a touchdown. We did not see any swirling dirt.

Hoping Sunday will bring more definite sightings.