Bill Tabor
EF5
Chased 2 separate storms in 2 different storm complexes this day:
I started this day near Stamford Tx and intercepted the supercell approaching from the southwest with GR3 showing rotation. Rotation area passed south of Stamford and then crossed between Avoka, and Leuders. In the meantime I hung out south of Avoka on a back road and watched as it approached. At one point extremely loud / close CG bolts were raining down nearby. Somehow I was in the target zone. As I shot video west a CG hit in the field in front of my about 150 yards away. It made me jump, and a big plume of dust and smoke shot up about 30 feet in the air. Amazing! I took this as a hint to back off to the south - which I did. I headed down near Leuders and allowed the rotation to pass a bit to my ENE as I tried to determine my next move. To the ENE a mile or so away and partly obscured by precip on the north side I saw what appeared to be a funnel - dark with the base also in a bit of precip. Couldn't verify a tornado but it looked intriguing. Followed east all the way to Lake Ray Hubbard / Breckenridge and realized my storm had turned to crap and was a sucker storm now. I corrected back west, and was lured by my brother and law to go check out if his ranch near Stamford got any rain. It appeared they got lots and needed it. Fields and creeks were flooded. Wasted a bit of time with this and grabbing a snack as storms began forming in the SE Tx panhandle about 90 miles away from my original position. Once again I had liked the Childress region and shot north from Aspermont up 83 toward Paducah. Tornado warnings / reports were coming from the storm as it was west of Matador and I knew I was likely missing out. As I headed north a wisp of moisture SW of Gutherie was neaded NW and appeared would merge with the Matador/Paducah tornadic cell. Determined that the merging cell had the best chance to tornado so I positioned myself between the two. I made it as far north as about 5 miles south of Paducah. Snapped some photos of the cell merger, and began to notice soon afterward the southern merging cell showing more rotation to my west and southwest. It began looking fairly earnest and as the area of rotation (Threatnet showing shear markers up to 126 or so) was just to my west I took FM 143 west about 2.5 to 3 miles. At this point it looked like the end of the world. It was literally the black abyss to my west and along the immediate road to my north (right side of vehicle headed west). The dark rainfree base region was overhead and to the south (left side) the sun was still out providing light. The fields nearby were red/orange lit by the intense weird sun angle / filter. I couldn't believe how dark the storm was. It was almost pure black and I have never seen one that dark and I have seen quite a few storms in my day. I felt like I was living on borrowed time. To the west and north I could see lowered areas. It appeared to be a wide wallcloud that was almost touching ground. At one point I had a funnel that didn't touch down almost due north. Precip and wind started and I realized the sky could literally 'fall' on me with giant hail and I would be smashed like a bug (been there...done that). The storm was also now left turning / strengthening and at the same time propagating further to the SW. I realized I had to get out of there while there was time as I still had to make it east a few miles to the N/S road. I busted east quickly and avoided the 'teeth'. Next I backed off to the south. From here many time I stopped photographed the storm and ran video looking for a tornado to touch down. There were numerous locals coming up parking and asking if it was ok to proceed through the storm to Pahducah. I thought that was kind of a silly question as it was tornado warned - had a history of producing tornadoes (before the merger) and likely had hail at least as large as baseballs. It was black as night to the north. Silly non-chasers. I told them to stay south of the storm. There was also a couple of guys from Pennsylvania that were down to help out Channel 11 I believe in Lubbock - turns out it was the same station Drummond worked for and I believe they knew him. They knew very little about storms but I proceeded to inform them and show them the radar. We hung out for awhile numerous times being chased further south as the storm continued to propagate / back build and turn right. Later - once dark, we got just south of Gutherie which had just received a tornado warning and we could hear the sirens running previously when we were north of Gutherie. Anyway most of the time to the north of town we had outflow. However just south of town for a time we experienced fairly intense inflow as the rotation on radar approached from our NW. Very light mist appeared and we could see a wallcloud. We backed off some more to the south and watched the wallcloud pass over Gutherie. I later logged it via Spotternetwork.
That was about it. Surprisingly out of these really incredible, exciting two storms I chased in two different areas I got 0 tubes! Amazing. Oh well...I had a great time. This day reminded me of why I chase. The amazing power of the storm, the dynamics, the surreal, unbelievable beauty, a bit of danger and intrigue and good fellowship with others fascinated by the storm and a chance to share it.
I started this day near Stamford Tx and intercepted the supercell approaching from the southwest with GR3 showing rotation. Rotation area passed south of Stamford and then crossed between Avoka, and Leuders. In the meantime I hung out south of Avoka on a back road and watched as it approached. At one point extremely loud / close CG bolts were raining down nearby. Somehow I was in the target zone. As I shot video west a CG hit in the field in front of my about 150 yards away. It made me jump, and a big plume of dust and smoke shot up about 30 feet in the air. Amazing! I took this as a hint to back off to the south - which I did. I headed down near Leuders and allowed the rotation to pass a bit to my ENE as I tried to determine my next move. To the ENE a mile or so away and partly obscured by precip on the north side I saw what appeared to be a funnel - dark with the base also in a bit of precip. Couldn't verify a tornado but it looked intriguing. Followed east all the way to Lake Ray Hubbard / Breckenridge and realized my storm had turned to crap and was a sucker storm now. I corrected back west, and was lured by my brother and law to go check out if his ranch near Stamford got any rain. It appeared they got lots and needed it. Fields and creeks were flooded. Wasted a bit of time with this and grabbing a snack as storms began forming in the SE Tx panhandle about 90 miles away from my original position. Once again I had liked the Childress region and shot north from Aspermont up 83 toward Paducah. Tornado warnings / reports were coming from the storm as it was west of Matador and I knew I was likely missing out. As I headed north a wisp of moisture SW of Gutherie was neaded NW and appeared would merge with the Matador/Paducah tornadic cell. Determined that the merging cell had the best chance to tornado so I positioned myself between the two. I made it as far north as about 5 miles south of Paducah. Snapped some photos of the cell merger, and began to notice soon afterward the southern merging cell showing more rotation to my west and southwest. It began looking fairly earnest and as the area of rotation (Threatnet showing shear markers up to 126 or so) was just to my west I took FM 143 west about 2.5 to 3 miles. At this point it looked like the end of the world. It was literally the black abyss to my west and along the immediate road to my north (right side of vehicle headed west). The dark rainfree base region was overhead and to the south (left side) the sun was still out providing light. The fields nearby were red/orange lit by the intense weird sun angle / filter. I couldn't believe how dark the storm was. It was almost pure black and I have never seen one that dark and I have seen quite a few storms in my day. I felt like I was living on borrowed time. To the west and north I could see lowered areas. It appeared to be a wide wallcloud that was almost touching ground. At one point I had a funnel that didn't touch down almost due north. Precip and wind started and I realized the sky could literally 'fall' on me with giant hail and I would be smashed like a bug (been there...done that). The storm was also now left turning / strengthening and at the same time propagating further to the SW. I realized I had to get out of there while there was time as I still had to make it east a few miles to the N/S road. I busted east quickly and avoided the 'teeth'. Next I backed off to the south. From here many time I stopped photographed the storm and ran video looking for a tornado to touch down. There were numerous locals coming up parking and asking if it was ok to proceed through the storm to Pahducah. I thought that was kind of a silly question as it was tornado warned - had a history of producing tornadoes (before the merger) and likely had hail at least as large as baseballs. It was black as night to the north. Silly non-chasers. I told them to stay south of the storm. There was also a couple of guys from Pennsylvania that were down to help out Channel 11 I believe in Lubbock - turns out it was the same station Drummond worked for and I believe they knew him. They knew very little about storms but I proceeded to inform them and show them the radar. We hung out for awhile numerous times being chased further south as the storm continued to propagate / back build and turn right. Later - once dark, we got just south of Gutherie which had just received a tornado warning and we could hear the sirens running previously when we were north of Gutherie. Anyway most of the time to the north of town we had outflow. However just south of town for a time we experienced fairly intense inflow as the rotation on radar approached from our NW. Very light mist appeared and we could see a wallcloud. We backed off some more to the south and watched the wallcloud pass over Gutherie. I later logged it via Spotternetwork.
That was about it. Surprisingly out of these really incredible, exciting two storms I chased in two different areas I got 0 tubes! Amazing. Oh well...I had a great time. This day reminded me of why I chase. The amazing power of the storm, the dynamics, the surreal, unbelievable beauty, a bit of danger and intrigue and good fellowship with others fascinated by the storm and a chance to share it.
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