7/3/06 NOW: WY

[Mark Farnik]

A beautifully isolated, potent supercell has formed in east central Wyoming. It has a top over 60,000 feet, stunning radar presentation and is currently tornado warned for a public reported tornado spotted near Blue Hill Reservoir, which is between Casper and Douglas on I-25 in central Converse County. The storm is moving southeast at 25 mph. The well defined hook shows up very prominently on base reflectivity and should be passing over I-25 any minute now; hopefully if there is a tornado on the ground with that cell, it will be visible enough that everyone will have got stopped in time to let it cross the interstate. If this supercell holds together and continues on its current trajectory it could be northeast of Cheyenne about 8:45 p.m. MDT and into northern Weld County, CO around 9:30 p.m. MDT. It could be very interesting as it is moving into a moisture laden, favorable environment as it pushes southeast.
Just thought I would point it out, since no one else has probably noticed this storm even exists.
What I wouldn't give to be near Douglas, WY right about now...

 

[Andrew Khan]

Yes, that storm looks pretty great on RAD...with dBZ spiking 74, must be some monster hail in that core. Likely 2.50" in hail...via GRLevel3. VIL is also a very large quantity of 57.5 KG/m2...no dount heavy, large hail...This storm is exhibiting a nice low-level rotation couplet on low elevel scans and mid level. It's moving around in a dynamic environment, therefore, I am uncertain as to if the rotation will become occluded, or as to if it will keep on moving. (It has a reverse hook echo, possibly indicating anti-cyclonic rotation...?)

FYI: KRIW for now, is providing a much better view of the storm, via RAD......

 

[Kiel Ortega]

This one looks like a copious hail producer. Biggest report SHAVE has gotten so far is 1.25", however we just got a report of dime sized hail piling up into 4"-8" drifts.

 

[Sam Dienst]

Preliminary SPC report says a tornado was spotted by a pilot.

 

[Andrew Khan]

Hmm, I wonder why it still has a tornado warning on it. It is now looking deploringly unimpressive on radar, its dBZ values have dissipated and its VIL values have decreased dramatically. It could perhaps be because of the severe, transition of environment, that the storm, rather quickly moved into. I am curious as to what the tornado looked like, and how long it was on the ground for. I also am surprised that was the biggest hail report...I would have atleast thought baseballs...guess I thought wrong. I wonder if the reason it is looking so weak via RAD, is because of it's distance from the KCYS station....thus rendering a weak reflectivity image...

Also, the low-level mesocyclone has gotten weaker per the latest SRV scans....but..the couplet is STILL managing to hang on.