5/26/2004 REPORTS: OK

[Angie Norris]

Jo Radel and I left Norman about 6pm yesterday targeting the cell near I-40 and got in postion on 92 between El Reno and Union City. We watched as the cell put down some close CGs and as it struggled to cycle. It finally did put down a decent funnel about 7:30pm which lasted about 30 seconds (by the 50% rule, you could call it a tornado, but that would be pushing it...we'll just leave it as a funnel). We repositioned briefly on 152 just outside of Mustang (along with the doppler, a couple of the chase tours and a bunch of others) watching the cell continue to fight to stay together before heading back into Norman. Total distance...about 70 miles...not bad 8)
Oh, yeah, think we also might have made a WF sighting :roll: ...anybody know if he was lurking about yesterday?

Angie

 

[Jeff Snyder]

John, just so you know, none of your pictures are working/viewable...


I pretty much have the same story as others who were on the El Reno to Mustang storm. Got out there about 6:30... saw a few attempts at a wall cloud, but mostly disorganized stuff... As the storm weakened, the strcture remained incredible... Despite not seeing much in the way of signs of tornadic activity, the awesome structure more than made it for me...

 

[Mike Peregrine]

Doug Kiesling and I played the dryline yesterday with a target west of Lawton, near the Texas line ... met with Tempest and saw Blake Naftel and Brian Morganti's great video of the beast in NE Kansas on the 24th - wow! They were headed up to the frontal boundary, but I just don't get much opportunity for Oklahoma dryline chases and wanted to take advantage of the possibility (and I've had my fill of warm fronts lately, to be quite honest).

The dryline finally went a couple hours before sunset with one of the most beautiful storms I've chased in a long time ... great structure ... circular, rotating updraft against a terrific downdraft curtain. The colors were just amazing as the sun set against the backside of this storm moving over the Wichita mtns. Reds, blues, whites - just gorgeous. Loved every second ... will post pics after I have time to work on them following the trip. Headed down into TX today - hopefully I can get there in time.

Best,
Mike P.

 

[John Diel]

Hotlinking issue?

Seems like there amy be a hotlinking issue with pbase.com even though I found no problems with two different internet connections. That's ok.

Got to: http://www.pbase.com/okie34/storm_photos to see the photos. They are the one's titled "storm1.jpg, storm2.jpg, etc.

Sorry for the inconvenience!

John Diel

 

[Blake Naftel]

Brief post as usual; now on the Tempest Tour vehicle laptop (hopping computer to computer these days)...

Had an excellent chase day on Wednesday, May 26. Targeted the Enid to Purcell area along/south of the WF and ahead of the surface low. Was tempted by the early I-40 convection; but Bill and I stuck to our guns. While sitting in Fairview; I was thrilled to see an area of enhanced CU 10 miles to our E purcolating; following the TOR watch being issued. S/SE winds increased significantly behind and S of the enhanced CU; soon CB'o'genesis occured; followed by some incipiant sup'O'cell action; then topping it all off; the cell went tornadic. Can I be cocky and call this the perfect storm?

Was stopped by a train briefly in Enid; before proceeding E. Excellent convergence transpired directly to our E; and the wall cloud/meso really got it's act together. Following this; the wall cloud rephased and waited until we stopped E of I-35 on HE412 S of Red Rock (near Sooner Lake). The backlit meso wrapped up; and rapidly produced what Bill dubbed as "Red Rock the inferior" (in reference to the 26-April-1991 "I gotta get this just once in my life Bobby P/Gene R. wedge). The tornado persisted for 8 minutes before lifting.

Bill and I shot excellent tripoded video of the entire lifecycle; some of which has been airing on TWC most of Thursday. The guests on Tempest (a meteorology class from Illinois College in Jacksonville, IL) were estatic; still on edge from Monday's "ubernadoes" in S.CEN NE and N. CEN KS.

I personally feel spoiled and wonder how this weekend will fair. Chasing in the plains until Monday; returning to Kalamazoo at that time and will make random marathons now and then as per ususal.

Update on today; May 27; Ummm... jibber jabber near Cisco. Currently in FTW; down day most likely Friday. Gearing up for the weekend.

..Blake..

Blake W. Naftel - KC8VPG
[email protected]
www.mammatus.com

 

[JR Hehnly]

Similar story to others who were on the storm west of Oklahoma City.
Pictures are posted at:
http://www2.okstorms.com:8080/2004_chases.htm#20040526

 

[Dan Robinson]

Completed final log with video captures:

http://wvlightning.com/may262004.html