7/13/09 REPORTS: NC/NE/SD

[dmckemy]

Mods: I know that there is an active day expected across the upper Midwest, so feel free to edit the title to include those states.

Earlier this morning a severe line of storms came through the Raleigh area, and brought some nice gusty winds with it. As far as I could tell, I didn't see any wind damage, but I know there was some reported back before the storm came to Raleigh. I was able to get some pics of a nice shelf cloud approaching the area, and pics will be up later this afternoon once I get a chance to upload them.

**Update! Photos are up

 

[Dan Cook]

I was on the Valentine, Nebrasks supercell with the COD crew. We got some massive amounts of inflow winds and some amazing structure.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

The Valentine storm was what I'd say was the meanest supercell I've ever seen. Just an incredible deal down that highway. Low, like on the ground, fat nasty beavertail formed. This thing was trucking west, as inflow winds raged at who knows what speeds. I was certain the trees near me were going to fly apart. This just the inflow winds. That fat beavertail was slamming west under a big bowl/saucer. Not sure if I was watching a tornado north of Valentine when the one was reported or not. Looked like it had a big cone in there. Really for the most part, if the storm was producing a tornado, it would not have been hard to see.

The 10mm focal length was almost required to get the structure, unless one wanted to go test out the sand roads. The lightning coming into Valentine was absurd. Never seen such a persistent and focused cg barage. Seemed like every 3rd second one was hitting the same spot, for several minutes.

Will post some pics eventually(currently in Thedford on slow laptop). It appears the days of isolated July chases in the sandhills are over. Felt like May or June out there with all the chasers around.

Here are a couple I through online. They don't convey much of the story, but give one an idea.

Several I know are blurry because the camera was mounted to my window and the wind was rocking the car way too hard. Eyes were getting severely full of dirt, which is always a blast.

 

[Wesley Luginbyhl]

We didnt make it down to the Valentine storm till the NE/SD border but it was worth the drive. The inflow was gusting over 50 mph, if not higher and when you stand outside in the sand hills = sand blasted. I could barely open my car door at times. Biggest ground scrubbing inflow I have ever seen. Before we got wrapped up in storm, we saw a small tornado right where the massive inflow was entering the storm @ 9:18pm, which was on the ground for about a minute. Video grab is below with a structure pic.

 

[Tyler Allison]

From the posts above it looks like we were south of Mike and Wesley by just a smidge.

Full Flickr Gallery

Birth of the Valentine Beast back in WY

Picture of the only time it looked like it might go TOR, before it went into Valentine, NE

Picture of before it entered Valentine, NE

[ it's a back road, so no snide remarks about standing on the road, I was acting as safety officer ]

Video of Inflow that Wesley is talking about after it exited Valentine. I ended up with sand in my eyes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/allisonhouse/3719860708/in/set-72157621297775811/

Our view from south of Mike/Wesley

 

[Charles Kuster]

We also chased the Valentine, NE supercell. We started the day in Leadville, CO, so we did not get on the storm until it was near Parmelee, SD and we were still on the back side of the storm. While dropping south on a county road, we experienced strong winds, some small hail, and heavy rain, the strongest winds occurring in St. Francis, SD where a few ~3â€￾ diameter tree limbs snapped off.

Finally, just south of Valentine, we got ahead of the storm and were treated to amazing structure including a huge beaver tail and some broad anti-cyclonic rotation that we observed for several minutes (~8:55pm CDT). Inflow winds were also very strong and I ended up with sand in my mouth and eyes on multiple occasions. Due to the HP nature of the storm, we were unable to see the tornado south of Valentine, but it was still a very impressive storm and great chase for July! Congrats to all who were on that storm yesterday!

 

[Dean Baron]

Congrats to everyone who was on the Valetine monster. Just curious to what roads anyone took who followed it south out of South Dakota? I tried but didnt see any good (not dirt) roads to chase, but then again I was on the east side of the storm so that's probably why I couldnt find a good road. If anyone followed it south of I90 in SD please PM me becuase I'm really interested to find out how I could've followed it.

Anyways, headed out by myself for what is by far the farthest chase I've ever done alone, and it was a GREAT learning experience for me to figure out my still of chasing while chasing alone. I got going a little late but got on the to be Valentine storm around 4:30. I didnt get real close since I had a pretty good view of it from about 15 miles away. Got off I90 near Stamford, SD and watched it for a while. It had a good base and there were lowerings hanging right on the ground, but I'm pretty sure they were not tornadoes. Tried following the storm south but the dirt roads in the area were horrible with lots of hills and curves. Decided to bail on it to go for the storm to the north since I didnt want to chance getting stuck plus I couldnt go more than 30 mph on the dirt roads. Sat the the I90/highway 63 junction south of Midland to watch the storm and get some video for a timelapse. After about 25 minutes I headed north as the base of the storm was just northwest of highway 63 and I knew I would have a good view of it. At the time time the storm wasnt much going on under the updraft, but followed it back to the interstate and by the time I got there the storm REALLY got going. Lots of motion, some rotation, and a wet RFD. Again, didnt follow the storm south of
I90 due to the dirt roads. Headed west towards Rapid City to wait for the stuff coming out of WY/MT, stopped in Kakoda. Waited a while, realized there wasnt a ton of TOR potential with the way the storms were looking on radar. Headed east to get in to position for Tuesday in Minnesota.

Again, a very good learning experience for me. I didnt have much experience chasing alone before, but now I realize how rewarding it is to bag something nice and know you did it by yourself. Pics and video below:
View of the storm that would go on to produce the tornadoes in s.c. South Dakota and n.c. Nebraska, view is looking east from Stamford, SD.

The Hanskon county, SD. Like I said earlier this storm wasnt doin a whole lot when I first got on it but all of a sudden it started raging. I'm also pretty sure there wasnt another chaser on this storm, which is definately pretty cool and something you cant say very often anymore. View is looking northwest on highway 63 3-4 miles south of Midland.

Pic of the base as it passes over I90 and highway 63. I wont call it a wall cloud as the lowering is displaced somewhat from the updraft. But either way it was pretty damn cool.

CLICK HERE FOR TIMELAPSE OF THE THUNDERSTORM/UPDRAFT-HANSKON COUNTY, SD

REAL TIME VIDEO-THUNDERSTORM BASE-HANSKON/JACKSON COUNTIES, SD

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Congrats to everyone who was on the Valetine monster. Just curious to what roads anyone took who followed it south out of South Dakota? I tried but didnt see any good (not dirt) roads to chase, but then again I was on the east side of the storm so that's probably why I couldnt find a good road. If anyone followed it south of I90 in SD please PM me becuase I'm really interested to find out how I could've followed it.

Guessing everyone took the same route as I did, by the looks of things at the time(people). Once south out of Kadoka it couldn't get much better for paved roads. I zig zagged with it from Kadoka through Norris, Parmelee, Mission and on to Valentine. It followed this network amazingly well. It was actually moving along quick enough one didn't have a ton of time to shoot it when they'd stop. You'd have some time to do so anyway, but not a ton. Then it gets to Valentine and looks to finally take a bad route for roads, then at the last moment turns right so it goes right down that highway too. At that point it was barely moving and right on the highway. I'm sure if you would have been on it at Kadoka you'd have done the same route and never had to even really consider anything not paved. I can see how it would be tricky for options over there on the interstate still. I almost stopped at Belvidere at first but wasn't sure that option was paved the whole way. Luckily had time to get over to Kadoka.


I added a couple more pics and larger on my front page for now: http://www.extremeinstability.com Not sure when I'll get to making a full account.

 

[Dean Baron]

Guessing everyone took the same route as I did, but the looks of things at the time(people). Once south out of Kadoka it couldn't get much better for paved roads. I zig zagged with it from Kadoka through Norris, Parmelee, Mission and on to Valentine. It followed this network amazingly well. It was actually moving along quick enough one didn't have a ton of time to shoot it when they'd stop. You'd have some time to do so anyway, but not a ton. Then it gets to Valentine and looks to finally take a bad route for roads, then at the last moment turns right so it goes right down that highway too. I'm sure if you would have been on it at Kadoka you'd have done the same route and never had to even really consider anything not paved. I can see how it would be tricky for options over there on the interstate still. I almost stopped at Belvidere at first but wasn't sure that option was paved the whole way. Luckily had time to get over to Kadoka.


I added a couple more pics and larger on my front page for now: http://www.extremeinstability.com Not sure when I'll get to making a full account.

Thanks Mike, sounds like my mistake was stopping too far east and never giving myself a chance to get east. I dont know if I could've gotten west of the core before it hit the interstate but that was probably the only way to follow the storm. Thanks again!

 

[Dean L. Cosgrove]

Several more pics of this very impressive supercell on the following page

http://chasetours.com/2009July13.htm

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

http://www.extremeinstability.com/09-7-13.htm

2 page image account now up there.

 

[Stephen Locke]

The Lakota Nation Supercell

Before it crossed the stateline and morphed into the Valentine Beast. Seven images.