If KS/OK/TX do turn out to be out of the running for major outbreaks due to the aformentioned EML causing stronger capping in the region, there is a distinct possibility that the real outbreaks could be farther west and north than normal this year. They've migrated farther north the past few years (to Kansas/Nebraska/The Dakotas) but really all the action has been in the eastern parts of those states. Draw a line from Colby to North Platte to Pierre and the majority of the tornadic outbreaks have occured east of this line. The Great Plains have got all the good stuff, while the High Plains have, for the most part, missed out entirely. Colorado's eastern plains and southwest Nebraska/northwest Kansas have had a few days of interesting severe weather, but we haven't had a day with multiple tornadoes in the Tri-State region since May 17, 2000 and most of those developed from HP supercells rotating around an area of developing low pressure centered over Bennett so they were all rain wrapped.
Chasers with any sense punted Colorado HP tornado chasing and were out in southwest Nebraska after the isolated classic supercell which produced the spectacular Brady tornado. Here's to a blockbuster northeast CO/NE Panhandle outbreak; a real, honest supercellular tornado outbreak.
Nothing like chasing tornadoes on your own turf! 8)
Seriously though, I have much sympathy for all of you in the extreme drought regions; now you know what Colorado and the West went through in 2002! That year was hell, and we had many, many grassfires that summer, some that burned in excess of 10,000 acres within ten miles of our farm. That was a little scary. :shock: Not to mention the forest fires in the mountains which claimed hundreds of thousands of acres. Also 90% of the crops statewide were wrecked, and dryland and irrigated farmers were in the same boat because what little of the irrigation water was there was diverted to keep the city water supplies from drying up. That year caused the near extinction of the small acreage dryland farmer, and my dad will probably never fully recover financially from that hellacious year. Here is to record breaking early spring snowstorms and rainfall in the Central and Southern Plains, followed by wickedly insane tornado outbreaks to make up for last year's mostly pathetic chase season (yes, I acknowledge there were some great chase days, but for the most part tornadoes were few and far between until about November, when they occured in largely unchaseable terrain and when most everyone had no time to chase them.)Anyway, here's to 2006, and may the chase season keep us on our toes from April to July! :twisted:
Sorry for getting off topic.
