6/20/08 REPORTS: CO/NE/WY/KS/TX

[Tim Stoecklein]

I was chomping at the bit to be in northeast CO this morning, but I knew babysitting my son would keep me very close to home today. We were pleasantly surprised when cells started popping around CO Springs. NWS Pueblo was asking for anyone with eyes on the cell that popped just east of town around 1pm, so I loaded up the gear and my son for a quick peek.

While the original cell still bared some attention, a new cell fired on the west side of town, and it rapidly developed as it moved SE at around 20mph. I split the two cells headed south on Hwy 24 to Hwy 94, then went east a bit for a vantage point on both cells. By this time we had activated a WX net with the local Skywarn group.

Shortly after 2pm a funnel formed, and was quickly confirmed to be touching down in the vicinity of the Security/Widefield area along I25. From my vantage point I could not confirm the touchdown, but PUB received quick confirmation from our spotters on the ground. Luckily it spent a relatively short time on the ground, and I have yet to hear of any damage.

We followed the two cells, both TOR warned to the El Paso/Pueblo county line before calling no joy. An interesting, albeit quick, chase close to home. I'm happy to say I've bagged my first tornado since moving to the high plains/front range area. Sorry, no pictures of high enough quality to even share...

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

Nothing real exciting for me just some cool looking convection, though this was the very first time my new car has seen rain and or hail. I was also able to intercept a storm while working today, I was working in Colon NE and noted a storm developing to my NW, I moved just West of town as it was on my way home, about 1-2 miles W of town there was enough hail to cover the ground, unfortunately I did not have my cameras along. Later after getting off work I went out to check out the scenery, here are some pics of the towers around the area and my new chase ride, an 08 Mercury Milan I just picked up Tuesday!

http://severechase.com/6-20-08.html

 

[Cameron Redwine]

Nothing really to write home about, but fun nonetheless. Observed two brief tornadoes today on an unplanned chase across the Palmer Divide area this afternoon. Had my friend in from out of town; she and I planned on a night on the town this evening, but made a "short" detour starting around Byers and ending up in Boyero.

Being that I left work downtown around 4:30 PM, we didn't leave town until about five. I received a well-deserved ticket from CSP on my way east on I70. Not proud of it, but hey, I earned it so I can't really complain.

At least thirty minutes after a tornado warning had been issued, we observed a lowering and brief funnel just east of Byers along US36. Continued east and observed a brief touch-down. The funnel did not condense to the ground, but we were very close to two small circulations that passed us in a field to our east. There was definitely rotation aloft, and a dust tube extended close to the cloud base.

We went south and east and watched the storm for several minutes. Lots of rotation, but not terribly organized. Made it to Limon and started south on 287, then turned around and went east again on I70 to be closer to the area of interest. Impressive structure persisted from west of Limon. East-bound on I70, we observed a tornado just NW of Genoa, which we reported to NWS. Once again, the condensation funnel did not condense to the ground, but strong rotation aloft with a well-defined and persistent dust cloud at the ground lasted for about 3-4 minutes.

Finally went south towards Hugo and watched impressive structure and a wall cloud with moderate rotation. Really, the structure from this thing as it turned HP was much more impressive than the two brief tornadoes.

Finally dealt with a bit of hail near Boyero on the way home, but had to get back to Denver. All in all, a very rewarding backyard chase with a friend who had never been out before.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Well, I really didn't think I was going to be chasing today. I sat around the house looking at convection way up in Colorado and Kansas. Finally, about 8ish, I noticed a cell that had tracked all the way from Colorado. It was now in the northern TX panhandle and it was strong. I booked it up hwy 60 to Panhandle and went north on hwy 207 and stopped about 10 miles south of Borger. I saw probably the best striated shelf cloud that I have ever seen. It almost went from horizon to horizon. I snapped a few photos and slowly drifted south staying in front of the storm. I made it back to hwy 60 and tried to get in the hail core to sample it for the station. I didn't get much more than quarters. I then went south out of White Deer and eventually went west on 1-40 to Conway. I got gas and set there for a while watching radar. I noticed a cell blowing up NW of town and I went for the intercept. I got to Amarillo and the cloud to cloud lightning had a blue green tint to it. Almost like power flashes in the sky. I had never seen anything at night like that. I then made it to Bushland and got quarters along with an occasional ping pong. I went south out of Bushland and got into zero visibility about 5-8 miles south of Bushland. I eventually made it to Canyon and did a phoner with Dave Oliver off an on for about an hour. The chase pretty much ended in Canyon. For those still wondering what NW flow can produce, here are the results.

This video is of a flooded street in Canyon, TX

zero visibility 6 miles south of Bushland, TX

 

[Steve Miller TX]

I was on the same storm as Jason. A nice little surprise cell that moved from Spearman to Pampa to complete my seventh straight day of good stormchasing in the Texas Panhandle...all under NW flow aloft.

A few of the pics from my full chase report.

 

[Brian Emfinger]

Mods: please add Ark unless want moved to own thread.

I haven't been posting my local chases of insignificance but I got enough ok stuff today that I am. I intercepted storms in the early morning and the afternoon.

Lots More Pics - HERE

Morning storms near Van Buren, AR

Afternoon storms near Ozark and Paris, AR.

 

[jason kissam]

was storm spotting in security widefield area in el paso county. nice storm forming overhead. began to see rotation and then. i had to move to to the funnel was right overhead and coming my way.

2nd tornado seen, 1st one to get on camera for me