May 8th - Mother's Day - Well I didn't really intend to chase this day as it is Mother's Day.
Fortunately since I headed to Childress the night before that put me hanging out with Mom that night
and early lunch with the folks in Stamford the next day. After that I planned on heading back to
Austin until the next round. Second thought maybe I should have stayed up there. Anyway I got as
far south as Brownwood and was getting tired so I grabbed some java from the Starbucks and found me
a nice broadband wifi connect. Low and behold there was a torn watch for south Tx as I fiddled; and
checking SPC's MesoAnalysis I saw that a lot of parameters were getting high along the developing
dryline mostly N/S through Abilene, etc. This explained the beginnings of towering cu I had seen as
I left Abilene to the west. Also there was already a storm a couple of counties southwest of
Brownwood...."hmm a diversion". But since I hadn't any luck the day before I felt I wanted to at
least see a storm. I might note that it appeared that while some supercell parameters were ok along
the dryline, the tornado parameters weren't too impressed. As I recall the 850 winds were the wrong
direction, and I believe the surface also (but I forget). Regardless the lower level SRH was not too
good in this area to generate torns. However, then again I started thinking boundaries and I
thought 'What the heck'. Actually I now recall the storm sw of Brownwood for awhile was showing a
connection to the westward boundary on doppler as it pulled to the east. This seemed to be causing
intensification and Threatnet was showing an area of rotation with I believe 92 mph winds. It did
appear however the storm was almost pulled free of the boundary so I was concerned I missed the best
opportunity on this storm.
I went southwest of Brownwood and took a farm road due west for a direct intercept with the area of
circulation. Soon I began seeing the base and I switched on the dashcam. Contrast was kind of poor
from the angle of sun and moisture in the air; however as I approached I soon found there was a very
large wallcloud and it appeared to extend all the way to the ground! I'm not really sure what this
was all about since I was still far away. By the time I got near the wallcloud - it still looked
nice but had lifted at least several hundred feet above the ground. It also had the nearby
downdraft pulling precip over in the direction of the inflow making a bit of a rain foot as far as I
could tell. This was a text book example. I shot some pics also. Anyway long story short, as I
feared, it appeared in fact that it had broken off from the boundary and that was weakening the
wallcloud inflow area. It continued to rise and diminish. I got out and took a number of stills on
tripod though shooting due west.
At one point I looked due north under the dark anvil I was under and in the distant blue I could see
another supercellular structure storm growing crisp bright white. I shot some pictures of it was
well. Then I started heading back east and for home. I got about 5 miles and Threatnet lit up the
county a couple counties north with a Tornado warning! Apparently that storm was really getting
after it. I pondered this as it was the wrong day and technically I wasn't even going to chase. Oh
well, I didn't ponder it long and set an intercept plot for Tuscola and Taylor county south of
Abilene where the tornado was supposed to approach. I made good time, and then going through
Coleman I was pulled over by the local cop as I exited town. I was apparently going 5 or so over.
I was perplexed because I know how Coleman is and the whole way through town I was very careful to
maintain proper speed. I think what happened was I thought the last sign I saw was the last one and
I was about to hit the 70mph sign and started speeding up in anticipation of it. I really didn't
intend to violate. Anyway, I explained all this and he asked where I was going, etc. I told him I
was a spotter headed for the tornado warning in Taylor county. I'm a chaser but technically a
spotter also as I do call in threats to the public if I see them. He let me go with a warning and -
I really appreciated that. Along the way to Tuscola / Lawn I shot some pics of the supercell out the
window as I drove. It was a really large supercell now, and sported some classic features.
Anyway that 5 minutes is 5 I could have used. I arrived at Lawn the same time the new warning said
the tornado was supposed to be at Lawn. I began seeing an area over the road initially 2 to 4 miles
distant that looked like a high base lowering but it had a yellowish / white extension from the
inflow area all the way to ground. Near ground it looked more intense with possibly some dust mixed
in. It looked pretty intense and not something you'd want to drive into. I didn't really
understand it though as it didn't look like a tornado to me and precip isn't really supposed to fall
from an inflow area typically. However it was in fact precip falling / wrapping the inflow area.
As I got closer I could see a lowered funnel / nipple shape extending above inside the "curtainy"
cloud of yellowish white precip. I couldn't make out a central funnel though extending all the way
to ground to classify any tornado. That is why I wish I had the extra 5 minutes because I
apparently ended up catching it right while it was weakening. Maybe there was a torn earlier - not
sure. If anyone was on this storm let me know. Anyway, there certainly wasn't while I was on it.
The yellowish white color was from the sunlight shining through the precip wrapped around the
circulation.
I shot some good pictures of this area, many came out pretty cool looking with blue above, white
cloud below, and the entire inflow area with circular banding tapering to the bottom. This was also
the storm they were showing video of last night on TWC with baseball size hail dropped. Not sure
who sent the video of the pea hail in - it wasn't me. Then there was video of someone holding the
baseball size stones in hand. After that I shot back south to Austin, and took some more photogenic
shots along the way.
I'd like to post some of the pics, but not sure if I will have the time with more stuff to chase. It
may have to wait for a dead week.
