T-T-T-T-That's All Folks

I wish that some of you could have analyzed the data yesterday morning. We could not find a hint of a low. In fact pressures were in a high with values over 1015mb. No flow at either 850 or 700 mb with an actually weak anticyclone. But a jet at 250 across CO/KS hinted at thunderstorms that might be severe. Since we are here to chase there was no way we could pass it up.

Amazing things that the atmosphere can do. I think the reason storms worked better was that they were not strongly forced. There was not a lot of cell interaction and cold pool generation that we saw the last few days with the strong OFB's left behind. So these storms had the ability to develop a nice strong mid-level circulation.


We had no target so in all fairness much was luck. But some "better" moisture was left behind in SW KS. Storms seemed to be pretty big windbags in CO. As we were just north of Johnson City KS the tornado-warned storm (OH COME ON!!!!) came into view. Very high-based to say the least. And it too was outflow-dominant. But a storm formed a little to its southeast in some better dew points (upper 50's). Ths storm put out outflow that created a big dust plume that in essence killed its predecessor. This storm however started to get its act together. We headed to get south and east of it and were soon treated to a pretty good storm. The low-levels were pretty lame, but the mid-level exhibited a large circular structure displaced to the south of the rain core by some distance. Radar confirmed this quite well.

As we moved south we heard reports of 2.75" hail. This correlated with a very large BWER with the southern end of the mid-level reflectivity circle over our heads. The 250mb winds were more westerly than days before or I fear we might have found more large hail! We headed south and another storm formed to its southwest. The lack of gasoline and time precluded us staying with it any more.

Overall, a good chase. We are headed home now with no tornadoes but many supercells. And stories. And a slightly dented vehicle.