Thursday, August 5, 2010

Unintentional Chasing




Today I was driving down to DIA to pick up my mom to drive her back to Salida, Colorado. A boundary setup along the Palmer Divide would quickly begin to grow tower cumulus congestion, but with no shear to self sustain they elevated quickly. After 4pm enough energy in the mountains blew up to send a line of convection along this boundary with a little short wave to enhance the dynamic support once it reached the plains.
My mom and I got to Castle Rock and watched an amazing cell in the backside of the ongoing eastward convection. CG lightning triggering left and right in the mountains and high spots, very sheared skies continued to support an amazing base full of convection and cold pools. Rain wanted to fall, but continued to sustain itself for a good 45 minutes until it was all said and done or began raining out!
This continuance frontal boundary pushed itself southeastward spawning storms to our south into Canyon City, Colorado. A great day all in all unintentionally chasing and to be with mom through it :)