5/12/09 REPORTS : TX, OK

[Jane Herbert]

Another 500km trip today got us under a jaw dropping stunning storm near the I-40 between eastern Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma.
2" - 4" hail west of Elk City, report of an 18-wheeler jacknifed and cars blown off the I-40 - don't doubt it..we couldn't see a thing and the traffic had slowed to a crawl.

Images & brief report here
http://www.stormchasers.au.com/usa120509.htm

regards,

Clyve Herbert & Jane ONeill (AUSSKY)

 

[Steve Rynbrandt]

I saw much of the same and ran into the V2 team (I think) south of Turkey, TX. Lots of neat surface based inflow features south of there, and then another cell built and passed over Turkey. I followed it past Estelline, then followed the line through Lawton.

My poor photos of the Estelline storm:

 

[Mike Mezeul II]

A few quick snaps from Tuesday:

Dirt being kicked up by a downburst SW of Turkey, TX.

High based outflow dominant storm approaching Memphis, TX.

Getting out ahead of the storm.

CG lightning really increased as storm exits Childress, TX.

Nice stacked plate structure as a storm approaches Vernon, TX.

All in all a nice chase today, ran into the Denmark chase team, nothing but a nice group of people. Also, did cross paths with the V2 team a few times out there, not a single problem with them...only an overwhelming amount of hand waves lol.

 

[Nathan Edwards]

I was originally on the Turkey, TX storm in it's earlyish stages, trying my best to make it look a bit more appealing by shooting it from the Caprock Canyons (it still looked ugly as hell at that point), but had to bail early to get into position for the following day up in IL. I drove up to the I40 though so I could follow the storms east, and was able to stay behind that one storm as it barrelled straight down the interstate for hours. Some great structure from the rear, impressive lightning which sadly I didn't stop to shoot due to the distance I was trying to cover, and the nicest mammatus field I've seen in a while. Witnessed a bit of wind damage as I drove up with a car blown off the road and a jack-knifed big rig west of Clinton. Only really booked a motel room to recharge equipment, got 3 hours sleep, then made the 11 hour drive to IL where I busted pretty much (Rain wrapped tornadoes do not count as a success for me )

A couple of pics from the 12th below:

 

[Scott Olson]

This is my proof of life....

I decided to chase this day. First off, the dynamics were impressive, with plenty of lift and instability converging during peak heating. Kinematic fields showed 50-60kts of bulk shear with good shear in the lowest 0-3km. The only downside for me was the lackluster moisture (resulting in MLCAPE of about 1500 j/kg). The farther west jog of the models gave me pause. Anyways, my intial target was Gettysburg. As I arrived the storms had already formed in Wyoming and were pushing into SW South Dakota. Against my want to not have to drive 350 miles back home, I pushed farther west into the nowhereness of western south dakota... I intercepted the storms near Faith, South Dakota as they had just begun to strengthen due to the increasing instability and shear.




I got as close as could be and then followed the storm east. Staying within 3 miles. It maintained about 55mph. As it was around 5 miles west of Faith it started spinning like a top and went nuclear, coloring the infinite sky above me. The torando warnings came out as expected and I tried desperately to find a strategy to see through the HP monster. The first meso cycled and occluded and I decided to anticipate the next one, I would push quickly east, stop and attempt to see into where I thought the next meso would form. As I came nearer to Dupree, I stopped and caught her, the condensation completely to the ground, then it lifted as I grabbed my camera. Wait no, it's back on the ground again.




As the mesocyclone and cycling process finally came apart (at least two cycles). The storm gave it's last display of strength.




I WANT YOUR WINDSHIELD!!!!

In the end, it would have only my rear-view mirror. Touche! The hail was inenvitable as I reached the Missouri river. You see, there are no grid roads, only highways and the highway turned north. I knew the storm was now to outflow dominant for a tornado risk but the hail was a risk I had to take... I turned against it and took the pounding.

After it was over, the sky cleared and the tranquility that always follows the devastation- was put upon the great South Dakota landscape.

 

[Ric Burney]

I was in the Childress area on 05/12/09 but arrived later than I wanted. Here's a link to my finds... Warning, my pics pale in comparison to the above posts.
http://www.geocities.com/numist/wx05122009.html