Gotta Chase The Dew!

Chase 13 June 24th 2011 Wyoming to Nebraska, Shelf to Shelf

2011-07-24T01:03:00.005-06:00

Waking up to Lucky Charms in the morning, mmmm mmm. Becca and I blasted oldies satellite radio style as we trecked north I-25 to Douglas area. Our forecasted area around Lusk was our target for structure and possibly a quickie tornado :) Reaching just south of Douglas hwy 20 intersection, we pulled off watching a severe warned cell pushing off the mountains. The base was lowering way in the distance but these were scuds giving us teasers. Looking north though did not look good as it was beginning to show signs of shelfing. This was not helping support the main show. Otherwise we watched the impressive shelf beginning to dominate and drop strong cg's. We began to start driving east as towers from convergence showed its face in the distance towards Lusk area. As the shelf chased us down, Becca noticed it was beginning to break down a little bit and weaken. We were nearing Lusk, Wyoming and Becca looked back and saw an impressive green colored meso nearing this bluff. Quite beautiful. Will post timelapse later. We watched it slam into us bringing a gust front, than I gave the camera to Becca and as she was recording out the window, I was beginning to the windows up...thankfully I stopped when she was yelping and screamin. Poor girl. She was all good though, she just laughed. Continuing east this storm continued on into Lusk. Becca and I grabbed some quick Subway waiting for some new cells to blowup in our target area, but the shelf was reformulating. Funny moment, Becca was like hey wanna eat outside on this picnic table. I was like ok. The minute I said ok, a bolt a mile away made us look at each other and talk in our heads and agree with nodding to get in the car instead, lol.
Becca made a great nowcast decision to continue taking hwy 20 to Chadron, NE. Along the drive which is quite beautiful, we were able to enjoy more attempts at mesos with bluffs to make the view memorable. Just short of Chadron, we drove south to punch the core as it would plow right over us from west to east. We headed into only pea sized hail and lots of rain. My favorite was the greenbluish color sky. We arrived in Scottsbluff. At this point we started talkin like rednecks and had funny accents from bein in the south. Becca kept sayin we needed to get to the river. Very hilarious. So we stopped at the river. Becca knows her Hydrology :) The North Platte River if I'm correct was definitely overflowin, flooding was prominent in the Scottsbluff area. Lastly, we reached Kimball, a cop pulled over to my vehicle as we were watchin the storms developing. They searched the vehicle for drugs and weapons, was a big scene. I was clean of all of it. The reason for the whole thing was the Kimball police department had a huge drug bust right in the area that I was in. My car is pretty ghetto and so I could see their reasoning. But all was clear and good. I was angry cause I got into the situation, but now that I look back on it. I was thankful for their politeness and respect even if it doesn't make sense. All in all Becca and I drove back with a beautiful glowing pink sunset. But I kind of wished we hadn't left cause when we got back home their was a tornado warned storm headed for Kimball, NE. I guess I did know something, but that's what happens when you get distracted. Oh well. Next.....

Chase 12 June 23rd 2011 Drivin' To Cheyenne.

2011-07-22T21:46:00.004-06:00

A warm solo afternoon, I took off to get ready to go out chasing for the next day starting in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Leaving Greeley, I was watching convection trying so desperately to structure and survive as convective towers rose from the foothills. One caught my attention to the west in the way it was able to cycle through mesocyclonic bases. The anvil on this thing was linearly sheared killing any chance of strengthening as it came off the mountains. From observance, it was very Colorado given this time of year. Continuing on up to the great Cheyenne Ridge on hwy 85 severe weather was popping near Larimer southwards near the Colorado/Wyoming border moving slowly eastward towards Cheyenne. As they neared Cheyenne though, very light rain along with lots of lightning set the atmosphere to go out and shoot some lightning. I went by Shep & Becca's place and we all went out to a tall hill to watch some lightning. Weather is weather in any way, shape, or form.

Chase 11 June 19th 2011

2011-07-22T20:59:00.002-06:00

Today was forecasted for McCook area. 4 brains, 4 options, 4 ideas, 4 styles, 4 experienced chasers, I learned is not easy. With that said, everything went wrong in my opinion. I have very faded memory of bust, but this one was a full circle twice. I'm embarrassed that I didn't contribute well enough to the collaborated nowcasts. Sitting in Akron, CO, I honestly had given up and didn't care. Thankfully Shep and Chris Yates were still holding on passionately, we went north and northeast toward the tornado warned supercell moving out from Nebraska. When we intercepted it was full of shear but had fallen apart beginning the rainout stages. There were other cells forming from Yuma, Colorado moving towards Holyoke turning severe tornado warned. Collectively, we budge away from chasing after something that we would never catch in time for structuring and enjoyment. We postioned ourselves in front of this storm about to hit just a little east of Holyoke. It was nice to watch for moments some structure before it started golfball quickly turning pea sized hail. After this we intercepted one more cell at night time getting some quarter sized hail, I went outside and enjoyed a little pounding just to be thankful for these moments. Soon after we watched a colorful cc and ic lightning core. Than we stopped again on the way home to Cheyenne, WY for another severe cell that dropped some cg bolts. We stopped in Sterling at a hotel for dinner all alone, all quiet, all fixed in our worlds of how this day was not exactly the way it could have turned out.

Chase 10 June 17th 2011 Palmer Divide

2011-06-25T18:12:00.010-06:00

It was noon. The Rockies were convective from early morning heating and cells were pushing of the Rockies through Denver. I was getting out of the hospital and was ready to leave for a chase once again. A nice rain shaft blanketed Denver as I was packing up the car. Today was going to be awesome because of the conditions and Palmer. I was able to find someone to go with me because I really do enjoy company while chasing. Paddy Fowler was getting off work just in time for some Palmer magic action. A frontal boundary was pushing off the Rockies so at first it was linear so I had time to wait for Paddy to show up. I was ancy, but patience is something I've learned. Paddy and I departed after the linear stuff converged further east creating the first severe thunderstorm just south of Byers. We drove through the core getting some awesome hail on I-70. Pushing forward there was another developing severe thunderstorm developing and moving northwards behind it. We sat around and watched this develop with a long inflow tail wrapping into the long meso. It was a beautiful view to be in between two cells. One to the north and one to the south parked just southwest of Agate, Colorado. Watching the convective towers beginning to form on the east in the direction of Limon, it was time to head in that direction to be there for the 3rd convective severe thunderstorm. We get to Limon parking just south of town and watch a beautiful meso outflow cell with a wall cloud rooted deep into the core. It was simply amazing. We could see yet another cell developing east of Colorado Springs moving NNE, so this would set us up for the 4th best severe thunderstorm with supercell structure for a brief time as we arrived. The mesocyclonic structure on this severe storm made this worth the whole day of excitement that we had just already experienced on the first 3 cells prior. With the knowledge of all the storms prior going outflow, we knew time was limited before this moster cell would go outflow. Soaking all the green sounding skies along with the base meso, it was great. We saw dust getting kicked up out front which signaled this thing was heading eastward. No hope of this thing restructuring as it folded over. Looking on radar we saw yet another couple of cells were making their way out of C Springs turning severe. So we bailed out and headed a little west. At this point we are waiting just outside of the town of Punkin Center. I just had a feeling we needed to wait this girl out, yea storms can be girls too lol. We noticed along convective line from roll clouds were becoming quite impressive as it would come into an area of greater moisture from the backside of the 4th passing cell. A beautiful long shelf parallel hwy 71 north and south moved with intimidation eastward. This was very impressive and gorgeous. We drove north on 71 punching yet another hail core finishing off with very photogenic sun crespecular rays piercing through the leftover cu towers. All in all, 5 well noted cells and with good timing to each of the severe storms, makes this a great chase experience with Paddy. Glad we were able to make up for the bust day :)

Chase 9 May 28th 2011 The Forgotten Bust :)

2011-06-25T18:00:00.005-06:00

The forgotten chase, BUST! I rolled down to Aurora, CO on a Saturday with a 'SEE TEXT' hoping to see convective towers develop off the Palmer. I picked up a long-time friend whom I hadn't been chasing for almost 6 years. May 10th 2005 to be exact in Nebraska, this was a good day. Anyways we met up and took my VAD car to just a little west of Aurora Reservoir and just waited around for something to fire. The conditions were a little too chilly during the day and a strong cap lead to nothing during the day to chase. I was hoping for no evening convective towers as I suspected would happen. We had a good time just observing from our spot, despite seeing cirrus and sunny skies along with a cumulus' trying hard to our east to poof up. Anyways, Paddy and I called it a day and watched on radar that night as a severe thunderstorm moved east of Colorado Springs. I'm glad we didn't chase it, cause both of us didn't want to chase for an hour than come home. A good bust day all in all, cause I'm not in Kansas looking at blue skies. Till next time.....

Chase 8 May 30th 2011 "Wiggity" Wiggins, Colorado vicinity

2011-06-06T19:16:00.010-06:00

Storms I expected, but nowhere near the timeframe that I anticipated these storms to begin. I was watching an intense movie on AMC when I randomly decided to look at my phone radar. My jaw dropped and I couldn't believe things were already happening. I was in my pjs and ready to go back to bed for a nap, lol.
My heart went into frantic mode and I was out the door in one minute with everything that I needed. I even stayed in my pjs!!! I headed east 34 to intercept the severe storms moving towards Wiggins, Colorado. As I was going to my car it looked as a cell had already passed to the northeast moving north from Greeley. That is a problem with living in a closed apartment with very little internet. As I was driving eastward through the cowyard just east of Kersey, Colorado, the roads were piled of hail from the first wave of cells that moved northwards earlier. At this point, I felt I missed everything. There was still a chance just to enjoy the outflow show and the new cells converging northwards to Wiggins. It was good to get out east and enjoy a Colorado severe warned storm. Some rotation was seen in the outflow. To the south, looking towards Denver, I could see some meso bases and lowering at times. Everything eventually lined out and weakened with no upper level support to keep these storms afloat and long tracked.
My respect to all soldiers and those whom served to protect our way of life. Memorial Day
Here are tons of photos from the afternoon :)

Reports:
Pea-sized hail

Mileage: 59

Chase 7 May 24th 2011 EF-5 Wedge El Reno, Oklahoma

2011-06-05T17:10:00.006-06:00

It was a beautiful morning in Elk City, OK the dryline receding from yesterday’s storms and a cu field scattering western Oklahoma. Today in the forecast was for a similar but better setup for supercells all along the dryline of Oklahoma. Brad Duncan really wanted to come, but had to stay home for his daughter’s t-ball game. Stephanie Baker still was able to ride along for what was about to be a long evening of intense action. Waiting at initiation just a little south of Clinton, OK, we watched cells explode moving northeast converging into the first severe thunderstorm of the day. We followed this north and east for a little while until I realized we needed to get south to the second tornado warned cell in yesterday’s area that was beginning to report tornadoes. Meteorologically I was twisting my head because I should’ve known and forecasted what I call the STAIRCASE CHASE METHOD. The one that we were chasing was also tornado warned too, but had my heart set on the second southern tornadic supercell.
Shep did an amazing job navigating us all the way down there, while I was on top of my game driving through intense lightning and heavy downpours at times. We were near I-40 again way to the east near Oklahoma City just north of Hinton, OK. It was dark and very ominous! Adrenaline kicked in when we reached a clearing and could see a wedge was on the ground in the distance moving in our direction. When I say distance, there was plenty of time to get south and be in position as it moves northeastward into the El Reno, Oklahoma area. As we drive through Hinton, OK we get to a road that drives south and east at the same time. Shep and Stephanie at this point were watching and photographing what was a good sized tornado moving northeast towards Hinton. I pulled over and looked to see the meso and below immense rotation in the distance at it was passing to the north of us. Most incredible rotation I’ve ever seen close to the ground. It wasn’t even fully condense either. I saw the roping stage unfolding when parked watching it pass by. Now in my meteorological sensing I’m sure this energy of rotation fully engulfed into the wedge that dominated most of what was on the ground as it kept tugging along northeast towards northern El Reno and northern Piedmont, Oklahoma. Maneuver driving was engaged just to get back to the northeast to catch up to the wedge. I made some bad decisions on my driving in order to get a better position, but with safety concerns for other people with us. It was for the best. We got to 81 and headed north to El Reno where we ran into chaser convergence following behind the most intense backside rotation of a tornado passing over the road. The rain horizontal and power flashes up ahead made for an exciting but bittersweet moment. This tornado was damaging to many lives.
Piedmont, Oklahoma, a town I’m the biggest fan because I grew up in this town and found what I wanted to do with my life. We were able to go north to see that my neighborhood just east of the town of Piedmont was still intact. To the north though, not so fortunate.
Everything was getting blocked off, which was great work by the emergency response teams. So hats off to them. I hope for speed recovery and hope for those not fortunate of this disaster.

We began back to the east to get to I-35 so we could catch up with a supercell moving through Norman area heading east on I-40. We again drove through the intense updraft, anvil where hail fell ahead of this monster super cell. Again Ryan Shepard, thanks to him for navigating us through to get in position for possible structured supercell. We arrived in Shawnee, another funny, Stephanie Baker who lived there through her college career just graduated from this town with the intention of never coming back. WELL SHE WAS WRONG! LOL. So we pulled in to get gas and saw the Roger Hill caravan following the similar ideas that this was all that was close enough to enjoy. We drove north of Shawnee and I looked over and moved over slowing down quickly. There was our third tornado of the day. A beautiful rope tornado just to our west. The storm began to outflow but in the rising updraft area was this tornado that many others were much closer to have a better vantage point. All in all an amazing day once again. Shep and I talked to cows for a good 5-6 mins too while standing out watching the cell moving northeastward towards Tulsa area. Don’t have this footage, but will get it when I can :)

Reports:
Wedge Tornado
Trunk Tornado
Rope Tornado
Golf Ball Hail

Mileage: 367

Chase 6 May 23rd 2011 Oklahoma Classic Supercell Hail & Funnel

2011-05-31T14:43:00.008-06:00

Let me start with this. Unforgettable chase by far in my season, not because of tornadoes, but instead close to softball sized hail and my closest friends. Leaving around 4AM in Greeley, we had lots of ground to make up for today’s chase day in Oklahoma with Brad Duncan and Stephanie Baker.
Skipping all the parts of the drive we reach Canadian, TX and see towering cu’s along the dry line in western Oklahoma. It was only a matter of time when we would reach Elk City to pick up our Oklahomans ;) Shep and I were cutting it close and hoping for another hour and half to get in position. The cell in northcental OK was beginning to come together and was going to make for a long afternoon. We get to Brad’s house in anticipation and head on our way to Clinton, OK.
Getting to Clinton, OK, I was getting discouraged because I knew the cells were good, but we were in for catch up the whole time. Seeing cells strengthen on the dry line to our south, Shep and I decided to see if this would collectively merge into a nice supercell. In fact as we drove south we could see the updraft was impressive and it was very uplifting. Finally in position, I get out of the car and play around in the marble to golf ball hail. The hail stone that told me to stop was this massive first hailstone of the day, half of a tennis ball. Putting on my helmet cam and Skinner personality kicked in. I loved it! Just sitting out there and watching hail fall outside. As we waited we could see some structuring looking south on the cell we were sitting underneath. As it began to create this base, we knew we were in for a show!
I got back in the car and wanted to get south before it started to rain too hard on the north side. Pretty much there was no hurry for anything, so the chase was just perfect timing in every aspect. As we drove closer to the base, the hail furry began. I drove through it and decided to go back to get some hail samples, which I fail to do a lot of times because a lot of the times I’m always in a hurry. So we drove back into the white hail streaks and softball season started! Watching individual baseball to softball fall on the road and flat wheat, dirt field was something I’ve been waiting for my whole chase career. The sound banging on the car and the road is something I’ll never forget.
With my helmet ready to go, I witnessed Brad getting out of the vehicle and grabbing a softball sized hail stone just outside his door. Joy and laughter. I was so excited to watch all the hail bouncing outside and they kept getting bigger. I ran outside around the car to the grassy ditch and grabbed a handful of baseball, hen, softball sized hail. My adrenaline was kicking soooo hard, best feeling ever, specially when a softball sized hail stone smashes into the side of the vehicle while picking up monster hail. I was hoping to get hit by one just to have a wound of some sort to show off :) Yea, I’m passionate crazy!
Jumping back in the vehicle, I totally lost breath from all the excitement. Than I took deep breaths and we were at it again watching hailstones falling more and more. It was beautiful to see white stones slowly getting smaller but with more frequency falling so violent happy.
Now turning around to get back into the SE quadrant of the now supercell structured storm, we watched the dark base create some intense backside RFD creating massive gustandoes. The base was rotating but there was no signs of funneling just yet. The supercell was now taking a SE direction therefore sucking up more of that wonderful warm moist SE flow. Another favorite moment as we stood there watching its birth. Stop and drive, stop and drive, stop and drive until we got near some hills of Oklahoma, the meso base and clear air notch was trying very hard to tornado, but leaving instead with a beautiful funnel in front of us. We watched and marveled as a group, as it began to break down and weaken. This is where Shep told me to pull over to get what I think is an award winning photograph! This would be the end of our wonderful chase as things dwindle leaving behind an outflow boundary for tomorrow’s setup :)

Reports:
Half Dollar, Golfball, Tennis, Baseball, Softball Sized Hail
Funnel

Mileage: 757

Here is a Video of the whole chase journey in full! Very Fun to watch!

Chase 5 May 20th North Central Kansas Outflow Beauty

2011-05-27T17:35:00.007-06:00

Driving down the muddy road with nothing to look at in front of you but a nice big green tractor is by far the best way to start your day. Shep and I woke up with the intention of driving home the following day, knowing full aware we had severe weather setup once again for the area over our heads. After Shep got the call of being off work for the night, we both looked at each other and said so we’re chasing today too. Driving west we watched cu’s towering towards the Russell, KS area. We stopped for lunch in Russell and knew we were going to be at it again. The environment was favorable for possible supercells in central to north central Kansas today. The conditions looked much better in the south, but didn’t want to drive down there when cells were already converging to the north.
After lunch, Shep and I ran into the Weather Channel Tornado Hunters just on the outskirts of Russell. Pretty cool to watch meteorologists Mike Bettes and Dr. Forbes oogle over the convection to our west and east. We booked it out to get north as the convection was converging. The towering CU’s were quite phenomenonal to watch in Kansas as always. We watched and hoped one would go severe, but we chased some pretty intense lowering clouds as it was converging, but learned it was beginning to rain out. This in turn produced a marvelous feeder cloud feeding into an already developing cell to our south back towards Russell again. Choking looked to be the game today if this pattern kept up, as any storm that produced would outflow or be choked by super cooled rain air feeding the storm.
Looking southwest we watched the slow moving cell moving towards Lucas, KS. As it was maturely turning into a professional outflow dominant HP storm. We headed south on 232 driving around Wilson Lake watching the beast swallow and precipitate lots of rain. This would be the end of our chase, as the severe thunderstorm to the south near Great Bends, KS was just out of our reach. It was a gorgeous day of scenery and outflow convective storms in Kansas. Now it was time to descend homebound to Colorado.

Reports:
None

Total Miles: 186

Chase 4 May 19th Kansas MUD Tornadic Supercell

2011-05-27T14:46:00.004-06:00

Yes I actually had car engine light trouble, my car wanted OIL!!!!!

Bound for central Kansas target for tornadic severe weather, Shep and I were delighted to be chasing in the VAD - Velocity Azimuth Doppler, my car, for gas price reasons and nobody else was able to go. I was really excited to be smelling the Kansas dewpoint, and just chasing (period). We got to Oakley, KS and could see convection beginning to pop along the boundary, but remaining capped. We began heading south hwy 83 to Scott City to drive east to Great Bend, where we finally intercepted a developing linear embedded cell along the line of convection. It was impressive only for a short period of time when it was all dieing as they would rain out moving north northeast. Shep watched the tornado warned cell up north of I-70, and both decided since it had an easterly component and was the only thing worth of notice to chase. We drove up and intercepted some crazy looking shear along with greenish skies along the rolling hills of north central Kansas. We played around coring the storm as it was going through pouring rain cycles.
Following this cell as it continued to spawn tornado warning, we enjoyed ourselves in some flooding and impressive backside updrafts. In Lincoln Center, KS we drove through some rising waters and than headed east on hwy 18 to get in front of the cell again. Finally getting in front we saw it regaining potential and the chase caravan initiated once again driving north on 106 towards Minneapolis, KS. We could see ahead of us mesocyclonic structure with wall cloud attempts, mostly scuds.
Once arriving in Minneapolis, KS, we began driving north to intercept a very well pronounced meso moving slowly eastward. I remember only because of the video we captured the dialogue of our conversation as we were about to enter into a state of unknown vulnerability. Passing unknown decisions back between Shep & I, we still found ourselves driving east on a dirt road called Oxbow to get to hwy 81. At least we thought we would get to hwy 81. While driving on Oxbow Road, it was a steady dirt road, just a little wet from normal precipitation, but as we kept going it only got worse. Boating mode was set on my Saturn from this point forward. Just as we reached what seemed to be a bridge my Saturn was beginning to lose rear traction causing me to slide to the right. And into the cropping ditch I went sliding to officially get stuck. The backside precipitation was following us as is was wrapping into the meso moving northeast. So we had to wait till we could get outside to attempt for what would be 3 to 4 hours outside trying every idea that we could come up with until it was hopeless. Thankful my car didn’t die after so many attempts driving back and forth in the mud to get to the center of the road. Attempts to call Triple AAA, but with these conditions, it was helpless. My only concern at this point was the lack of oxygen since I wear oxygen now when I sleep. Stress, anxiety, and extertion are not very helpful in this situation so I just stayed in the car and did what I could as Shep went out and attacked the wheat, mud and Kansas river forest. My appreciation for him doing everything he could to get us out. It was than he got back in my car around midnight that we would have to wait it out till morning. An MCS was heading our direction which would bring more rain and lots of lightning all around us as we slept the night stuck in MUD. It was actually very soothing to hear through the night, and I was able to rest somewhat which was another blessing. The next morning Shep called Josh Wiest, the savior of the situation. He used Google map to look up houses around our vicinity to see if they had a tractor since we were surrounded by beautiful wheat fields. Josh was able to contact a farmer who willingly drove the tractor easily down the deep enriched muddy road. Thanx Josh. Once again "what an ordeal."

Reports
Flash flooding

Total Miles: 563

Chase 7 teaser.....

2011-05-25T13:09:00.002-06:00

Chase 3 May 18th 2011 Denver Funnel & Hail

2011-05-21T18:03:00.003-06:00

Leaving the hospital in Aurora, I was in constant communication with Shep about the massive rotating mesocyclone over Denver. This produced a very scenic funnel almost making it to the ground. Shep in Commerce City had the perfect vantage point since he was working there filming LaCrosse tournaments. I was a little south but with my eagle eyes looking through I could see but wasn't able to photograph the main themed that stole the show.
My friend Aragorn giving me a ride home to Greeley both decided to do a little chase in Denver. Traffic killed timing. We finally made it to 104th on I-25 and headed east to 85. In Thornton, 1-3 inches accumulated on I-25. On 104th, we punched the redeveloping cells popping from the south moving northwards. This was great because it hailed again pretty good. We both enjoyed the thrill of pea sized hail while coring the storm. Once we got far enough east to 85 the base of the storm was outflowing. To the south towards Commerce City, I rolled down my windows and could still hear the tornado sirens going off. This apparently was another round of rotating outflow meso, creating fast moving scuds and funnels. I was able to look at the right time to my south and see a large funnel out front of the outflow mess. All in all, temps were rapidly decreasing and the storm was losing upper level shear quickly due to the lack of mountains to keep forcing and organization. Therefore, producing a long band of outflow moving eastward.
This was a great way to start the freedom.

Stay tuned for more updated blogs soon from Kansas.....

3-22-11 Wind Chase

2011-03-23T12:50:00.000-06:00

Chase 2 March 22nd 2011

2011-03-23T12:30:00.005-06:00

(click on school bus picture & if you look closely you can see the 787 plane)

March well known for WIND! High Wind Advisory for Downsloping areas (Northern Colorado) all up and down I-25. We were aiming to target the Cheyenne Ridge to get some gusty wind action! Shep and I stopped pretty much near the border on the Wyoming side. We parked out this nice grassy hill. When trying to get out of the car, we were in for a ride of strong constant winds. It was so FUN! We watched trucks on the interstate swerving like mad and finally stopping at the exit, when they should've stopped before leaving Cheyenne to Denver. Most of the trucks were weighted down thank goodness. The neatest part which is shown in the video was when we were standing in the 65+ Gusting winds and a train came out below from the tunnel. We couldn't hear ourselves which was why we laughed after we saw we didn't understand each other outside. Trains & planes were daring themselves in an incredible High Pressure Gradient. We left the target and drove back to Cheyenne where we watched I guess from what Becky Elliot said (by the way it is her birthday today, so a shout out to her) a 787 Dreamliner. They were practicing how to land in chaotic HIGH WINDS :) I guess if you were parallel to the wind it wasn't bad, but crosswind, oh man!

Reports
65+ Gust
30-40 mph constant winds
All this from sfc obs reports, no I don't have money to own a Kestrel sorry.

Total Miles: 57.5

Chase 1 March 13th 2011

2011-03-14T00:52:00.003-06:00

Today I left Evans, and headed southwest towards the foothills to watch some growing convection with only dynamic forcing as the winds blew in from the NE as High Pressure stabilizes the upper atmosphere. Orographic lifting helped some nice convection along the front range. With upper level ridge and zonal flow, the rest was all too weak to keep the convective building cu's support they needed to break a little cap. It was enough to keep me entertained as I drove very close in my backyard and enjoyed some teasing cu field along with the main show on the foothills. Everything that went up eventually dissipated which put quite a show since it condensed as the parcels of moisture reached very low to the surface.
Temperatures only got to the mid 50's in areas of Greeley south into Denver, and the dewpoints peaking in the 30's. If any warmer, I would've been surprised to have seen any convection at all. The only guess to the reason for so much moisture available, would be from the day before March 12th. Reports of some rainfall, low level clouds helped play a role in the available potential energy in store. In fact, very little CAPE showed up on the models, but it was a factor.
I look forward to a better trough, shortwave to help some of these convective towering cu's to punch through and do what they do best. Till than....p.s. tonight although cool, you can smell spring in Evans, Colorado!

Reports:
Virga Rain

Total Chase Miles: 42.7
Solo

Spring Break 2011

2011-02-28T01:36:00.002-07:00

GFS 200-300 hrs out is always quite the teaser as far as a good possible first Colorado/Kansas March setup....keeping a very close eye on the week of March 12-19th.
I should expect to be out and about chasing the last of Winter season!
Forecast models appear to show the trend of sinodual upper level jet developing surface Low Pressure Systems in the NE Mexico, SE Colorado, & panhandles of TX & OK, which is typical seasonally. Till than will follow up....
Some pics of a frontal passage system creating some rapidly rising convection on February 20th, 2011

Tis the 2011 Season....

2011-02-09T16:38:00.005-07:00

My lack of blogging is part due to making this a place to document full events, chases and forecasts for 2011. Another is due to other opportunities opening up in my life with video production. Now, did I just write an entry that says I'm not chasing. NO WAY! I just won't be chasing solo on long endevours, and if I am to be chasing this season it will be with others interested in wanting to go out and experience storm chasing. I look forward to taking my friends, and being with my friends this year during this 2011 Severe Weather Season!
I have a lot of my pics on my facebook weather page. Usually there are a few images here and there, specially during the snow season...so till than I look forward to blogging with you this chase season.
Skinner

pic taken during intense CAA following snowstorm in Aurora, Colorado
(hot water released into -16 degree F air, condensated quickly before dissipating...very fast cloud ;)

6 YRS CHASING TIMELAPSE 2004-2010

2010-12-23T12:34:00.004-07:00

IT IS FINISHED! WITH MY GOAL OF HAVING 2009 & 2010 DONE, I DECIDED AGAINST GOING INTO DETAIL THEREFORE, TURNING MY CHASE CAREER FOOTAGE INTO A TIMELAPSE UP TO 2010...

THIS NEXT YEAR WILL HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT GOALS IN CAPTURING STORMS. I LOOK FORWARD TO 2011 AS MANY OF US ARE ALREADY :)

TILL THAN ENJOY THIS VIDEO

P.S. AGAIN I'M THANKFUL FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN MY LIFE THAT HAS BEEN APART SOMEWAY OR ANOTHER THRU THESE 6 YRS CHASED THUS FAR....

2010 Collage

2010-12-14T23:37:00.002-07:00

It's been great looking through the pics and throwing them in paint. As a piece to the puzzle in creation, this is what the result turned out to be for 2010. I look forward to this 2011 season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.
Enjoy the updated blog thus far.....

California 2010 Trip Moab Moment

2010-12-09T23:06:00.003-07:00

Going through test and trials with this new photo editing application with Puppy Linux. Will be making changes soon on blog once all is configured and created.
2010 year is wrapping up nicely with Christmas around the corner and the New Year. I'm looking forward to finishing off these continuous Christmas commercials that's for sure.
Moab is a place of beauty and wonder. If any of you have the opportunity to go and experience this amazing National Monument. DO IT! Anyways I will post the lenticulars from Nevada once I get around to them.

Teaser part of California 2010 Lenticular Moment

2010-12-03T01:32:00.002-07:00

This taken in Reno, Nevada.....more to come!

Will post the rest of the parts to California 2010 trip when I return to base.

Part 3 & 4 California Trip 2010

2010-11-29T12:32:00.007-07:00

http://www.yoloberryyogurt.com/dance.html
It was a drizzling morning in Davis, California....we headed out to get breakfast where they saw chocolate lasagna.

Course I got the french toast action which sounded more edible to breakfast mode. Dann Cianca txted me a message of activity making its way into Davis. A "see text" outlook was in the forecast and my eyes were open to anything bound to happen in the Sacramento Valley. Rain was imminent today! Hoping for a little daytime heating in the afternoon as the morning rain settles, we were set to get some convection. We went to an amazing yogurt store that had an amazing variety of 101 toppings. MMMMMMMM good- Being a wimp I only had samples of the yogurt because it was already cold outside, and this was CALIFORNIA....grrr rain.
I had me a handful of toppings to enjoy, which was better than staring all 101 toppings down.
Dad and I than went on our way westward once again on I-80 towards San Francisco. With smooth sailing traffic all the way, we actually made good time considering this to be insane when it comes to traffic congestion.

As we made it 16 miles to Vaccaville, CA, the sun began to come shining through allowing the convection near each of the hills in each valley to force up some convection. Cali Convection was something I thought I would miss, but it turned out to be just on time. I snapped away carefully knowing full I would have to be very aware of what was happening on I-80. With consuming traffic, my awareness level went to Mach 6. Enjoying but bewaring. I caught some amazing convection with the sun creating those crespecular rays shining through into the valleys.
The funny thing was I had this scheduled route that would leave me taking another route. I was supposed to turn south, but instead decided to punch the core. Making our way into the core of the city of San Fran we saw the San Francisco bridge in the distance along with convection over the bay.

This active cumulus tower created a horizonal roll near the base of the cloud. Very exciting. Once again having to be very aware of the chaotic traffic. Pictures can be obscure, but they are unique in moment. This was an amazing drive to our destination of Palo Alto, CA south of San Francisco. The last hoorah, would be getting on the south end of the convective building and watching the sunset over another bay. As it passed over the sun on the backside refracted a beautiful rainbow over the street to our resting destination.

The uncles and cousins of the family shot:

Waking up Sunday, this was a casual day of relaxation in a store called Fry's. lol.

This heavenly electronic store provides everything a guy wants realistically or in dream world mode. Ebay and Amazon are in this store. It was a good day.

Part 2 California Trip 2010

2010-11-27T00:06:00.004-07:00

After a slow start, but with no intention of being in a hurry, we enjoyed some continental breakfast. Why is it called continental when there are just bananas & cereal? lol. Frosted Flakes (they're grrrrrrreeat). Heading west across 400 miles of Nevada territory, we saw the aftermath of the blizzard affecting half of the state leaving the rest slowly turning into a snow shadow. Some very beautiful scenes were made for what can be potentially boring when driving in hot and normal conditions. Snow has very unique characteristics as far as depth, shiny ness, and direction of wind frozen at the tops of snow that was melted than frozen again as a day came and passed.

Winnemuca got a good portion of what looks to be the heaviest snow amounts that didn't get determined by flat windy conditions. This town located in a tight valley with miny sierras (extending from Sierra Nevadas lol). Pretty artificial looking as if it was a set backdrop.

Reno was in an inversion as downsloping winds kept conditions cool in the valley and smog surronded the casino city. Observational moments occurred all across the upgrade and downgrade of the Sierra Nevadas on the border of Nevada and California.

High Pressure breaking down over the Sierra Nevadas left cirrocumulus to give off cirrus iridescence to peak refract through the skies.

Another round of rain is making its way into Northern California bringing chances of rain and thunderstorms to the Sacramento Valley.
Now we have made post at Davis, Califoria with family & will wait for this system to passerby. Goodnight.

Part 1 California Trip 2010 Thanksgiving Day

2010-11-26T01:07:00.005-07:00

Initiation Salida, Colorado. Having to wait out the massive blizzard that hit western half of the United States, my dad and I were now ready to take the grand adventure. My eyes were open to any meteorology, first off we saw evaporation all across a lake. This evaporation was quickly condensing due to the extreme cold temperatures trapping the vapor trying to escape upwards all across the lake known as the Blue Mesa Reservoir between Gunnison and Montrose Colorado.

As we drove further valleys varied in the amount of snow received based upon how orographic nature played a role in snow totals. The canyon just before coming into Montrose was really beautiful.
FAST FORWARDING.....
Just north of Price, UT I saw an opportuned beautiful shot of steam rising from plant in the canyon lit up.

Driving the canyon, we went from Price, UT @ 22 degrees to the top of the pass at 7742 feet with 9 degrees
This would not be the coldest temp recorded though.....after Salt Lake City, we began our descent westward to Cali on I-80 where watching the temp, it went from 16-17 degrees into the depths of the mouth of Salt Lake where it got to 8 degrees. The Salt Flatts area was surprisingly warmer....oversight of course lol. 14 degrees on the Salt Flatts still sucks. And oh did I mention the sun went down starting at Price, UT. Anyways just enjoying the meteorological aspects of this trip and sharing.....now we rest in Wendover, UT not West Wendover a block away in Nevada! lol
I'm thankful to share this with you as my Happy Thanksgiving :)

"Storms That Have Been Chased:" August 15th Lifting Mechanisms

2010-11-21T23:16:00.004-07:00

It was quiet. On a dirt road just a little east of Nunn, Colorado. The time was 3ish. Hot and humid filled the surface air. Standing out looking northeast, the only cell for as far as the eyes could see had moved beyond my interest therefore dieing out. A rainbow phhhhed out this Colorado northern plains cell. It was at this point I turned my interest in convection coming off the Rockies caused by orographic lifting soon dwindling into the upper level high pressure system soon to meet fate. With the conditions of weak upper level shear, anything that convected off the mountains couldn't uphold to continue through the eastern plains. I made what I could of this beautiful Colorado day. Following and watching convection produce southward than dieing, producing, dieing, it was obvious I would be capturing unique moments of cumulus congestus with the sun slowly setting as time progressed. All in all, I got some nice shots. They are worth this blog post. Enjoy!

Next blog post will be the following day, a boundary day indeed with more upper level support near the Cheyenne Ridge for yet another cell but this would reach the northern plains to soon to become super enough :)

Another Round of Freezing Fog

2010-11-21T00:16:00.003-07:00

Today as the fog receded west along the mountains most of the skies broke open from daytime heating. As soon as midnight struck, the surface rapidly cooled once again fog at an incredible rate raced over the north section of Denver. In Aurora, it would be round 2, but south part of Denver was having trouble producing fog conditions. A warm front from the south creeping over the Palmer Divide most likely kept the fog from fully condensing leaving a form of stratus tending into fog as it progressed further north. Only took a photo from tonight, and I don't have a Nikon or expensive camera to really play with cool effects in fog. A favorite is people walking in the distance with that dense fog pushing around them.
Looking at the B/W Satellite imagery, you can see noticeable stratus/fog layered on satellite reaching parts of Northern WY, Nebraska, Kansas, and parts of the Oklahoma panhandle.

Here is the wonderful surface KDEN plot, showing freezing fog, warm front, and more fog.

Fog After Midnight in Aurora, Colorado

2010-11-20T02:32:00.003-07:00

A late one only to look out my window and see FOG. I was researching on fog forecasting, and had a long discussion with Dann Cianca about this. Ironic because neither of us, I'm sure said hey there's gonna be fog tonight. Only an hour after Dann left around midnight, fog busted out! With low winds calm, moisture leftover after a small frontal passage earlier the day before, and temperatures reaching the 20's created the opportunity for a cloud to be created at the surface. I went outside to play in the cloud, and it was cold. This is excellent for waking up.
Here is the timelapse video clip: (P.S. I now realize I named it Fog "at" Midnight when it was just a little after Midnight)

my friend Rob enjoying the fresh cloud air

The Sunrise, The Lenticular, The Cirrus Iridescence

2010-11-18T21:07:00.007-07:00

Today's phenomenonal November Colorado day gave way to some astonishing meteorological waypoints. It would be the first to be able to directly stare at the sun without it burning my eyes out. A wave cloud dominating over most of the front range created for some amazing photo opportunities.

If you want to check out the grand finale, check out Dann Ciana's sunset pics clink link: http://blog.bigskyconvection.com/2010/11/catching-wave-sunset-surfing-in-denver.html
for video timelapse click link:
http://skinnerchaser31.blogspot.com/2010/11/sunset-over-denver.html

~Sunset over Denver~

2010-11-18T19:12:00.001-07:00

Gust Front Video

2010-11-17T00:52:00.000-07:00

Gust Front Plowing through Denver!!!! Just Awesome....

2010-11-16T20:10:00.006-07:00

Today was an epic day of Colorado weather. What seemed to be a casual day, would soon to be surprised by many going about their business.
I got a text from Shep to capture radar and satellite for him. Me doing my thing questioned what was going on. I look to see a monster front moving southeastward towards Denver coming off the mountains.

I left my room to go to the north side of the building to see the dark ominous skies lurking over Northern Colorado. It was coming.

I set up for a timelapse capturing some amazing dust kicking up creating
a very powerful gust front.

Very awesome!

Watching this blast through,I got back to the southside of the building only to catch the beginning ofviscious snow pounding through the air. It was still to warm for any of it to stick to the ground.

Snow fell for a good 10 minutes than tapered off quickly. This storm was powerful and quick.

Reports:
Winds exceeding 40-50 kts
Snow

"Storms That Have Been Chased:" May 16th 2010 No Gas $ = Stay Close To Home

2010-11-15T20:10:00.006-07:00

This was a typical Weather Outlook day with chance of thunderstorms on what I call the leftover side as a surface Low Pressure System is spinning happily over the three corners. With moisture leftover giving dewpoints in the mid 40s and temps at mid 60s along with shear profiles stood chances for weak isolated cells near Greeley. Knowing what a forecast and being able to chase a forecast is really hard to swallow, specially when your poor! I know many know this feeling. This was one of those days. I had a electric magnetic field perimeter set around Greeley, and I had to obide by this or my car explodes. Well Not Really! I don't have trees with money.
I woke up and checked radar seeing cells were developing parallel highway 85 moving slowly east.

They weren't impressive, but they kept trekking along.

As they got east of my apartment, they matured enough to develop some rainbow action.

I went for just a tiny weeny bit drive to get some snaps of the development.
The lake was nice to watch from just on the brink of town.

Than returned back knowing full well I couldn't chase these which would become an isolated dieing supercell. Oh well :(
For the backside of this supercell put on a nice demonstration of mammatus. Very nice to sit in my lawn chair and watch in a field just behind Sam's Club. It's the little things I have to appreciate from a meteorological standpoint.

My car enjoying the Mammatus view!

Yippee Kay YaHorseshoe Vortex north of Denver!!!!

2010-11-13T22:50:00.004-07:00

From my window looking afar, convection bands forming off the Laramie/Cheyenne Ridge moved into NE Colorado with conditions to produce congestus cumulus in season of FALL/WINTER. I gittied over the phone with Dann Cianca when there some nice convection happening up north. While on the phone, instantaneously, "Holy crap there's a horseshoe vortex," Dann responded, "picture now, pic that," final words, "bye." I only had my phone to take a quick pic, and it being in the distance, it would take some enhancement to really catch a glimpse of the HORSESHOE VORTEX.

It was pretty much awesome, cause I've never seen a column of air loop out that big above cumulus congestus converging.
This system converge immensely giving off 35-40 dbz on radar while moving towards Byers and southeastward towards Limon.
More convection occurred as the convective line enhanced convection back to the west over Aurora. This being where I captured some stills with the dawn skies.

"Storms That Have Been Chased:" August 3rd, 2010 What's in Wyoming?

2010-11-05T00:31:00.013-06:00

It was dark. Highway 85 at 2 in the morning can be beautiful with stars beaming in the night sky. Just as you get to the Cheyenne Ridge bordering Colorado and Wyoming, you start to eye out the wind generators along the ridge. Eventually I spotted some close to the highway, and Cheyenne began to beam in the distance with its city lights. I drove into town where a friend of mine works at the NWS, where Shep and I gathered to do some forecasting for the next day. We watched a massive historical flood that hit Cheyenne back in the day. Pretty astonishing to see it on tape.
Driving back to the apartment to get some rest before leaving for Wyoming, we slept in just a little too late. We left around 9ish, when we needed an earlier start to this potential tornado target. My eyes focused on northern Wyoming near I-90 close to the SD border. On our way, we were excited to be out and about on a chase close to home.

Driving north I-25 north of Cheyenne, WY, storms began to brew off the mountains, due to the storms already severe up north at our target area for tornadoes, we both took interest in what we had in a timely fashion. Some evaportrasporation made for a nice base in the mountains and continued proprogating toward the town of Douglas. We continued on north on highway 59. As we edge closer to our target area, the skies were clearing and it was becoming clear that the supercell of the day moving through the Rapid City, SD area was way too far ahead of us.
We stopped driving north and had lunch at Subway in a very small town called Wright. There we laughed at a motel sign that I put up on Facebook...good moment.

We tracked back south to go east to salvage anything that may develop from outflow northeast of us. Beautiful undulated cumulus skies were left as the boundary moved eastward.

Bust in the area made us turn back south to Cheyenne. We drove south watching on
radar another skim of cells turning severe southwest of Lusk, WY. This would be where we pulled off on a random dirt road that would lead us to many amazing areas of Wyoming. Our goal at this point would be to catch lightning on any storms that would give a chance to do so. Beautiful countryside indeed along with scorched trees from recent fires made for awesome photo opportunity.

After driving wherever the road went, we made our way to Wheaton. Nighttime was by far the most amazing part of the whole trip. Convection off the mountains led to amazing stritation formation lit up by lightning flashes. Cloud to ground strikes lit up very close to where we watched the whole storm pass over us.

These next two shots were the closest CG's I've ever captured on film.

This equaled awesomeness! This by far was a great chase with Ryan Shepard. We both enjoyed the experience of Wyoming as a whole. Even though we didn't grab those naders in northern Wyoming, it was comforting to know it was in our target area. Timing was earlier than expected.
Radar Archives:

This radar image shows the mini tornadic sups producing the first tornadoes of the day in Northern Wyoming.

This shows the Bow Echo forming off the mountains west of Wheaton, Wyoming.
IR Satellite:

This was the early morning tornadic cell in northern Wyoming producing 2 tornadoes.

Dominating Supercell blowing through South Dakota

Reports:
None

"Storms That Have Been Chased:" May 15th 2010 A NoCo kind of Day

2010-11-02T00:27:00.013-06:00

Last episode took us through Oklahoma, but this will be a great episode being in NoCo(Northern Colorado). With moisture available from the previous upslope moisture pouring over Northern Colorado the day before, dynamics of potential cells could be severe with possible isolated tornadoes. I was excited to wake up with temperatures beginning to rise fairly quickly even with the rain the previous night. By morning daytime heating kicked it off early. Development began to cover along a Byers to Wiggins line, and continued on up to WY/CO border along I-25.
I began driving to Wiggins, CO to catch up with a cell that developed to the south, but reports of funnels were already being reported on that storm too early. This making it not reasonable to drive down there when new storms were firing up to the north where I was going to be near Wiggins. A friend of mine I dragged along to enjoy a day out in the plains, noticed a base to his south while I was looking at the cu field and blue skies above with an anvil that seemed to have formed from the southern cell progressing northwest.
The wind shear was definitely there; it was a matter of whether or not there would be enough lowlevel shear and whether these cells forming would line out becoming no longer discrete rather embedded.

Ben Heckel my copilot was left in charge with mapping and listening to weather radio, while I go run around the fields watching the slowest moving cell.

This cell began to structure very nicely and a meso formed along with lowering at times from the evaportransporation of the rain falling on the backside of the isolated cell. The main cell to the south was still on my mind, but it was of no concern since it would have been pointless. I received a phone call from Corey Green who lives in Bennett, CO and has parents who happened to witness the funnel cloud near Byers that Corey ended up reporting to the National Weather Service. Thanks to Corey Green, he sent me a couple photos via email. :)

With this positive report I became excited for our chances to see this type of funneling or strong rotation to say the least. We saw rotation, not strong, but wasn't enough in time before the cell was choked up by the cell to the south.

Ben listening to NOAA heard tornado warnings were issued for towns near the border of Wyoming and Colorado. At this point, being in Wiggins we were out of position to go back up northwest towards the mountains. I decided to drive back to Greeley to at least catch up to the tornado warnings that were being reported NW of Greeley.

The storms at this point had lined out and produced an outflow pushing towards us just before getting into Kersey, CO just east of Greeley. We watched to our southwest, just before lining out a very strong meso base was apparent.

Radar Archives:

This radar capture shows the isolated cells along this convective line.

at a later time, we see that cells from Wiggins to Byers have lined out, and while driving back to greeley this was the cell with the strong outflow boundary
Fact 1: This outflow is the trigger to a continuous fluid play of outflows that would trigger the Oklahoma City, OK (baseball,softball hail mega storm on the next day May 16th 2010, Click on link to watch the amazing hail:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFv2W7Duqiw

500 mb Vorticity Archives:

These two vorticity maps show the vital reasons for tornadoes reported on the border of Colorado and Wyoming near I-25. An area of vorticity max can generate enough energy to support a very unstable atmosphere connecting to Earth.

All in all, it was a nice day to be close to home on a chase.

Reports:
None

Your 500 mb Vorticity Chart for tomorrow! Wow!

2010-10-18T15:18:00.003-06:00

Oh Arizona!

Storms That Have Been Chased: Continuation Day 2 May 19th 2010 Oklahoma

2010-10-17T17:29:00.010-06:00

Slowly waking up from a short sleeping period, May 19th 2010 was in store for big things. The forecast models resembled a beautiful westward tilted stacked low pressure system drawing in plenty of moisture for the state of Oklahoma. The boundary setup west to east parallel to I-40 early in the afternoon, would bring a promising severe weather outbreak.
With the intention of chasing with Brad Duncan, he would be busy for the afternoon which put me solo once again for today's setup. I liked initiation to begin in between Clinton & Weatherford, OK.

The cumulus field is always pleasing to the eye knowing moisture was in place and all was needed was the dryline to get one of these exploding. Sitting around Weatherford, the first supercell of the day to dominate most of the afternoon would begin just NNE of Elk City and Clinton.

I began driving north of Weatherford to get a better view of the now tornado warned supercell, but I wanted to chase in the south where later would be more development near I-35 starting near Chickasha. This was my target forecast.
I knew the area up north was just as prominate for tornadic development, but I also knew the entire spotter network population would be chasing this first supercell of the day. I watched as it looked to have what I thought gone HP and producing a nice shelf cloud.
The minute I got back on the road to go south back to I-40 to head SE, I saw a multitude of chasers driving north to intercept this tornado producing supercell. It is at this point, I become bitter and sweet. Something wasn't settling well with me for the first time I realized that there were more chasers than I could ever imagine. I was here, but I was just there. Passion and love for chasing got turned off. I kept driving south hopefully to catch a developing supercell in my target with the hopes there would not be a gazillion chasers.

I reached El Reno and began working my way south towards Chickasha. I parked out in the plains dirt road on highway 152 to wait.

I sat there, and realized my feeling of being out here were for the wrong intentions. I really wanted to see a tornado since 50 million chasers just scored on tornadoes up on the north cell. I kept focus and just enjoyed
the hot humid air of Oklahoma. Towers were shooting up southern Oklahoma moving northeast towards Oklahoma City. I shot down south to got on the SE side of developing cell #2.

There was rapid motion in the base above as in the background a clear slot gathering up the falling rain and began wrapping up the energy developing a mini meso with a wall cloud. I watched this for a little while in Chickasha waiting to get back on it as it would continue to move NE towards I-35.

At this point, I hadn't seen a large crowd of chasers until I started getting on the storms tail I was consumed by thousands of vehicles all trying to punch through the blinding RFD that was beginning to form. I was dissappointed cause I got behind and wasn't going to drive blindly just to get east of the cell.

I became very bitter and just fell apart at the end of this chase. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually I reached a moment I don't ever want to experience again. This chase ended and I went straight to get some Sonic.
I parked out in a field to watch the sunset illuminate the cells firing parallel I-35putting rest to this chase.
I would say that I learned a lot about myself in my career of chasing storms.

Reports:
None

Storms That Have Been Chased: May 18th 2010

2010-10-15T21:08:00.009-06:00

May 18th 2010, waking up with the intention of chasing in Colorado mostly, this would be a day to accept being at the wrong places at the wrong time happen. Going solo,I would be targeting potential of development along the front range starting where the DVCZ would set up nicely along the Palmer Divide and front range. Leaving Greeley, CO late afternoon, I began driving south Kersey road working my way south to I-70 into Bennett, CO. Arriving in Bennett, upper level clouds were slowly dissipating giving clearing for daytime heating along the front range. The first cell to punch through over Denver would try hard to survive only to end up falling apart until moving NNW to NNE up into Fort Collins and Greeley. I watched the cell billowing and produce a promising wall cloud early in its mature stage until outflowing giving off teaser scud clouds.

Prior to leaving, I had every intention of also working my way to Oklahoma to set up for the next day's chase opportunity. So I needed to begin heading in that direction since it would be a long drive. While driving east on I-70 cells in the east developed along a line of convergence all the way south of Limon, CO into Texas.

A supercell on radar was making its way near Lamar, CO moving NNE giving off tornado warnings. Another cell along this line became severe with tornado warning moving towards Burlington, CO which was my chance to at least get on one tornadic supercell for the day. Meanwhile, while watching radar, I noticed back at home tornado reports were being reported all around west and north of Greeley. This hurt! The conditions were perfect for tornadoes there I knew, I just had hoped there wouldn't be potential. FAIL. I could only keep driving towards Oklahoma or better yet
Burlington, CO just to enjoy something along the way. Watching the cell moving north I could see the hail core. So I drove a little south of Burlington 385 to get hit by some quarter to nickel sized hail.
This along with heavy rain gave beautiful coloring as the sun tried to beam through the clouds giving an orange coloring. At this point, the sun was setting and I still
had a long haul to Elk City, OK.
That night while driving I would drive through a bow echo spawned from the supercell coming from Lamar, CO moving into KS. Driving south on 83 towards Hill City, KS, it was a heck of a lightning show with wind gusts! After a little rainfall, onwards towards Liberal, KS, I was coming up onto another tornadic supercell and I could see the intense outflow it was producing while driving south towards this thing as the supercell was moving from west to eastern Kansas. I had to stop to let it pass, so that I could continue southwards. I got out to pee in the outflow
intense winds came from the supercell. The coolest moment though was when I was sitting in my car looking out to see the base meso cluttered into the anvil as a split anvil bolt went from the ground upwards to the anvil. I so wished I had my camera to film the moment. Dead battery. Of course. My only film I had was from my laptop filming my reactions.
As it finally passed, I was able to make my way through the Oklahoma panhandle into the Texas panhandle into Perryton. This will be a moment to recon. Coming into Perryton there was a massive heavy rain flooding the main streets. This would be where my windshield wiper would began to crumble on the driver's side. Perfect. I slowly creep through the flooded streets with my helmet intact to look out the window while driving. I stopped at the familiar gas station to fill up what could be a long night's drive in heavy rain going into Oklahoma. Recon. The rain
begins to let up and starts to put down CGs west of Perryton.

I got my radar running loops, LOADING, outside as I'm filling up my gas tank a loud crack bang flash puts out the city lights for Perryton. Meanwhile, I got just enough gas to get to the next town cause the gas pumps were dead. I got back in my car and realized this is not good. I looked on radar and saw there was a developing tornadic supercell heading towards Perryton, I was in position! Ummmm....wait, I was in the path. I immediately got the wiper to work just for a little bit to get me on my way
south towards Canadian, TX. I get back on the road and face the nastiest wash out blasted by the supercell I was punching in the face. God had my back cause there was another truck that I could follow. It worked out great, than as I reached Canadian I was south of the cell, behind me was a mesocyclone lit up by the CC's illuminating the supercell passing NE Canadian, TX. At this time it was close to 3AM and I was exhausted with another hour or so to Elk City, OK.
Arrival close to 5AMish Elk City, OK. Sleep sounded beautiful. 4 total storms was enough for me in one long day :)

Reports noted:
Nickel Hail
Heavy Rain

CornLeaveSwirly

2010-09-25T20:57:00.002-06:00

On the way to a wedding, I drove upon this sweet surface pressure gradient spin-up. High Pressure is fun when your in the right place at the right time :)

Welcome Fall

2010-09-20T02:40:00.002-06:00

Here is a website to bring up 2009 tornadic activity statistics
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/?report=tornadoes&year=2009&month=17

Enjoy the change in season....

Lacking there of....."Storms That Have Been Chased" Blog Posts coming soon

2010-09-06T02:28:00.003-06:00

Chases from May, July, and August will be put up eventually
Right now my main fall projects are to work on putting up the seasonal vids from 2009 & 2010 seasons....
2009 season is almost done, but still tweaking
2010 season ummmm haven't started

Hope all is well for everyone!
Here is a pic from the 2010 Chase Season

Unintentional Chasing

2010-08-05T00:11:00.003-06:00

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 :)

What Does This Mean?

2010-07-22T20:59:00.003-06:00

So I just found out last week about this double rainbow stuff! and by now it has become the comedy central for anyone who spot these pretty remarkable refractive phenomena. If you have yet to see this don't worry your not missing much other than a guy who realized a double rainbow exists on Earth. Youtube (double rainbow) if curiosity leads you to know what many are talking these days. Only 6 million people have seen this video! Tonight was a treat over Denver with a descent rain shower that dissipated to the east giving off an amazing rainbow/sunset show!

With monsoonal, yes monsoonal season underway....there will be numerous chances to just stay put in Colorado wherever you live to see some sort of action. Wind, a cloud or 2, evaporative hail, lightning, and quick spinnies caused by boundary action! Plenty to do for the rest of summer, go for a swim, eat lunch, go to Walmart than drive home to see a thunderstorm everyday brewing off the mountains. Not gonna waste gas, unless it's a nuclear bomb or it's just time to drive somewhere!

I've many stories to share once the fall season rolls around on another season of "Storms That Have Been Chased"

Happy 4th of July Teaser Severe Cell

2010-07-04T21:03:00.001-06:00

Wishing everyone a Great 4th of July coming up.....

2010-07-01T02:45:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone has an awesome Fourth of July! Get in the pool, chase, or launch fireworks at each other....oh and don't let the rain stop you, just find the lightning show!
Happy 4th,
Skinner

Father's Day Chase June 20th 2010

2010-07-01T02:30:00.005-06:00

It was a Father's Day that I will never forget- Was it a grand Kansas monster LP supercell that grazed the plains...NO. In fact it was quite the opposite. It was a bust based on bad timing.
My target for chasing would be near the triple point of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. This was the second day of chasing with my dad visiting me for the weekend.
Leaving Greeley around noon we got to Fort Morgan to wait low cloud cover break up. While waiting in (FoMo), my dad loves dollar stores so I figured it was his day and we had time to kill.
My dad was also kind of celebrating his 65th bday in this weekend as well since his birthday was just a week before Father's Day. After touching everything in the dollar store, we checked radar to find that a dominating supercell had merged off the Rockies up in Wyoming. This would be the cell of the day. There was a large threat for severe weather up in SE WY into western NE area, but I wanted chase the Palmer stuff. Cells began to fire near Limon moving NorthEast to our location just east of Last Chance, Colorado. This would only please us as it would dissipate into upper levels as the warm air aloft would choke up any development. The low level clouds (fog) in Northeastern Colorado would create a feeder inflow into the long lasting supercell moving through Southeastern Wyoming. At this point I was dissappointed but confused at the same time. Out east a long line of severe weather in Kansas would dry things out as it would take all the moisture available from the southeasterly flow giving us dry outflow into Eastern Colorado.

So we just sat enjoying the low dissipating clouds as they convected and
evaporated in the dying cells out of Limon. It was around 6PM and blue skies ruled eastern Colorado. Time to head home, we reached Yuma, CO and to the west were little pops trying to stay alive on what appeared to be a boundary over Fort Morgan into Sterling parallel I-76.

We began to follow this from Brush heading Northeast. This would leave us with a great ending to what could have easily been a bust. Beautiful outflow stritations with an amazing sunset and some CGs (Cloud to Ground) lightning worth noting.
All in all, my dad and I enjoyed the lightning like we were watching a fireworks showing. Great times. To conclude The boundary continued into late night hours causing a constant line of severe weather all the way to Wray, Colorado continuing into Nebraska and Kansas.

Prechase for Father's Day Teaser

2010-06-19T22:42:00.002-06:00

My dad and I went out and about east of Greeley and caught some nice looking Garden Variety Thunderstorms. Fun day!

Full Write-Up June 11th 2010

2010-06-15T02:18:00.011-06:00

In the case of the last two days very similar patterns of severe weather seemed to follow the same pattern. Looking at the storm reports this would turn to be a very long day! The reports that came in were all through the night given activity in NE and KS.
Colorado would once again start off the show given its spectacular mountains for lifting and forcing mechanism. I would once again only get to see the start of the show and would miss another classic supercell. This supercell would not be another LP but instead an HP formed given the increase in moisture from the leftover storms the day before.
Honestly I think on June 10th following Highway 36 was just too slow for supercells to follow. So for today as the two severe cells popped north of Denver and another farther south just east of Colorado Springs it would decide to take both I-76 & I-70.
The pics above show the developing supercell that actually developed in the mountains and finally moved off creating amazing shear meso skies over the city of Denver. This was not the main interest if a tornado were to develop because to the north was where the greatest concern of a wall cloud would be as it came off the foothills into Thorton.

I could only make out fun little scuds as it moved NEasterward towards Brighton than following I-76.
In summary this was one HAIL OF A TORNADIC CELL. The reason why this storm would continue to be tornadic is due to the remaining HP rotating meso.

As these two tornadic cells dominate the Interstates, I got a phone call from Corey Green another friend also a meteorologist. He called to excite me with the severe warned cell moving into Bennett, CO, his home town. As the cell went over his house, he sent me a pic of hail which is quite humerous as he measured it with imagination.

This velocity grab was pretty sweet given multiple mesos grinding up the shear with hail wrapped up inside giving a phenomenal green nasty color looking sky in the supercell.

This satellite imagery is fascinating given the non-moving supercell in Kansas sitting and convecting over Hoxie, KS. This would result in numerous tornadoes reported in the area.
All in all, again congrats to all that had an amazing day this day!

Full Write Up for June 10th 2010

2010-06-15T01:00:00.011-06:00

This would be the first severe thunderstorm facing south towards Littleton that would eventually merge with another severe thunderstorm north in Thorton. Switching sides often I kept an eye on rotation from mesocyclone development. These storms were very low precipitated which gave me an indication that development had intense inflow and updraft to keep these storms long lasting and non-precipitating. As these cells merged east towards Byers they converged into what I have seen from other chasers blogs and pics a beautiful classic LP supercell. One that many dream of specially with tornadic development. It was tough watching this on radar and not being out there, but life goes on. I congradulate all that were able to enjoy this wonderful opportunity that happens only every 5 years. The last supercell of that magnitude that I remember was June 2nd 2005, but no tornadoes were reported which makes this day even harder to get over.

Seen in this picture is intense updraft shear and rotation on the south side facing the north cell over Thorton moving east towards Brighton.

Notice the very low precipitation as you can see the sunlight all the way to the north.

This radar shows the two severe cells making their way out east on the Palmer Divide along with another cell up farther north along the Wyoming/Colorado border.

I am very thankful that a friend of mine Jon Meyer called me that day to be a part by nowcasting for them. They drove down from Rapid City, SD to catch some action in Nebraska, but things weren't turning out the best for them. I did my best to bring this bust to a fun chase day. Before the cell popped along the Wyoming/Colorado border, I saw an area of moisture convergence as very weak development was popping along the Cheyenne Ridge, but not fully converged. I told them their best chances would be to drive west and intercept clouds in all reality. This convergence was bugging me though looking at Mesoscale Analysis, I told them to drive to Kimball, NE as they were waiting in Sydney, NE. Just down the street (I-80). Let me clarify, Jon Meyer is a meteorologist and is very knowledgable. They just lacked radar because laptop could not get plugged in due to a broken power converter in the car. Fuses suck. He knows what he is doing....so I just kind of guided them that's all.

As they were driving towards Kimball the severe cell finally developed in Weld County, Colorado and began moving towards Kimball. While they sat just north of Kimball some cells fired up along the frontal passage but quickly lined out as it sheared out.

Here is a photo from Jon's cell sent to me.
This was the point I warned that the cell down south had gone tornado warned and I told them they had plenty of time to get down there. Pretty much I said go now! They left to intercept the cell south of Kimball moving east parallel to the Wyoming/Colorado border.

This made the day all the more greater as they intercepted and I was able to be a part of just a little thing called nowcasting. Again another cell pic was sent and all I could do was smile.

This summarized the north tornadic cell which was eventually choked off by the dominate tornadic cell to the south which lasted for hours following highway 36 parallel putting down 2 tornadoes and gave a very photogenic day. Breathtaking to say the least.
Back in Aurora, CO another cell popped off the mountains producing a beautiful night thunderstorm.

Teasers for June 10th & 11th

2010-06-12T01:25:00.002-06:00

I will have full updates on these in future to come....

The rest of the CG Clan from June 8th

2010-06-09T21:47:00.003-06:00

It was fun to hear the faint thunder grow bigger and bigger as it grew closer and closer. Enjoy them....

A little taste of CG lightning today in CO

2010-06-08T23:39:00.003-06:00

This is one of many still captures I got from the video. Amazing CG's cored south of Denver. This eventually grouped into a nice looking severe storm which eventually went to tornado warned east of Kiowa as it moved southeast in between Limon & CSprings. Will post the rest of the lightning in a little bit....

Chase Recap May 12th Oklahoma

2010-05-31T22:56:00.003-06:00

What an amazing day this was with a grand spectacular wall cloud tempting a tornado on the first tornadic warned cell. Than finishing off with the second tornadic high precipitating supercell running pretty much parallel with I-40 in Oklahoma.
Chasing with Shep, we enjoyed what would make up for the crazy first 2 days of chasing we had May 10-11th 2010 having ended in ways not to crave our need for supercell deprivation. We were both able to come away after punching a very powerful RFD, watching full process of wall cloud development to cold air choking, and catching an amazing pregame HP Supercell Cloud to Ground Lightning show.

May 11th WRECK WOODWARD DAY

2010-05-16T22:31:00.006-06:00

Great Photo taken by Shep

We drove 2 miles east just outside Elk City to an open field to wait in the hot humid air for initiation. The cell was gaining strength but wasn't looking organized on radar. I wanted to leave and get a little closer.
This would change everything.....

While driving down south towards this cell I was passed by another chaser. While a tractor down the road was pulling out to go northbound, the tractor boom got loose and swung out in our lane. The guy who passed me had to swerve off to the side therefore losing control and rolling onto his side than disappearing into a ditch.
Given I was able to slow down and avoid the boom by barely going off the road to get around the boom. This all happened so fast.
Shep and I reacted quickly. I called 911 while he went to help out the guy.
The guy was able to open the sunroof on the Jeep Cherokee and crawl out with no injuries. This was good.
People quickly stopped to offer help and make sure everyone was ok. Twistex team even pulled off the road to offer a hand.

While waiting for the police to show cells began to fire up north of Elk City, Oklahoma. While sitting there I happened to catch a horseshoe vortex which was pretty cool. We than finished the paper work and went on our way to get close enough to watch the Woodward, OK supercell as the sun set.

May 10th 2010 Write Up

2010-05-16T21:21:00.005-06:00

Well why didn't you see a tornado?

Leaving Elk City to position myself just north of Weatherford, OK, Shep & I waited for initiation along dryline as it slowly progessed into western Oklahoma. One of my favorite parts of chasing is following the whole process, but also being aware what the speed potential will be...so thinking ahead is the name of the game. Watching the towers firing up and come into an area of convergence to create the massive supercell was my planned forecast for the north central part of OK. Is this hard, no, keeping up with 50-60 mph moving cells is though.

Lets recap, watching the towers fire and slowly move towards us, I wanted to begin heading up to Enid area. On the way to intercept this developing supercell, I was going through a town called Canton and the next thing I see are police lights. The speed limit was 45 coming into town which I slowed to 40 as I figured it would go to 30 in town. Surprise there was a school zone which was 25 but no blinking light. I got pulled over and that was pretty much the BUST. Once we were behind the cells it was over.

To make long story short, we drove a whole rainbow across the state of Oklahoma. We ended up catching the supercell that hit Oklahoma City on the backside on the border of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Mammatus and lightning bugs/lightning.

The End.

May 10th 2010 Teaser

2010-05-11T00:39:00.001-06:00

Entraining KS/NE SVR WARNED CELLS

2010-05-06T19:55:00.003-06:00

Kansas Slight Risk

2010-05-06T01:01:00.004-06:00

Question remains as to whether moisture will lack or be sufficient when the time comes....

Plainsville, KS within my target area for a tornado/torn warned cell
http://skinnerchaser31.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-word.html
Now I just wish I could be out there.... :(

one word

2010-05-05T22:31:00.003-06:00

Plainsville

Mountain Wave Colorado Sunset

2010-05-03T20:39:00.001-06:00

What a beautiful night!

Confirmed Synoptic Scale Bump now CLOSED

2010-05-03T18:45:00.004-06:00

The GFS models closing in more detailed and with confidence as the shortwave trough sitting in the Pacific waiting to make its entrance along with a stream of major troughs. This bump riding along with the Tropical Jet gives me so much excitement and tends for me to be my main target and focus this coming weekend.

Expect me to be everywhere this next coming week as I venture out to the plains!

Here in CO I will be putting my attention on a front bringing some upslope action for the front range! Lots going on....very excited!

Today, a beautiful representation of a Lee Wave was seen over Denver extending all the way south. Satellite shows this very clearly. Enjoy tomorrow cause that will all change very soon.....spring/winter talk all over again....

Synoptic Scale Bump

2010-04-29T01:40:00.004-06:00

Looking over the GFS models, I am looking forward to a long opportuned chase week. In order to really have anything to be overly confident about as far as looking out a long ways a way. While starring at the loops of 500 & 300 mb heights, I am interested in a bump (shortwave) generated ahead of what should arise as the following trough. A high pressure will dominate the region first of May until this shortwave makes its way following with the Tropical Jet. Something about this energy gets my attention. Will be following this as models close in on the first week of May.
Synoptically we will enter into a troughing period after the first week of May.This is great for Vortex and other research teams going out this year because I don't think they really want to repeat a Death Ridge Nightmare!

A Day of Spring in Aurora, Colorado

2010-04-28T20:39:00.003-06:00

Today I went outside for a walk around the hospital to enjoy a day of spring. It's the little things we need to enjoy from time to time.

April 22nd Radar Images Archived & Video

2010-04-28T02:17:00.006-06:00

Wanted to throw down some archived radar sequenced from the first cell popping out from near Las Animas, Colorado to the Texas supercells
This is a timelapse of the cell that moved off the Mountains becoming Tornado Warned in SE Aurora moving NE. This cell produced one of two tornadoes out east as it progressed northeastwards.

April 18-19th Chase Vid & Report

2010-04-25T12:58:00.003-06:00

On April 18th, I was busy organizing my house as I had just moved into my new place. I was taking out the trash when I looked north and noticed the Cheyenne Ridge was taking in some action due to a boundary setting up. So I took a break and drove out next to the Greeley Airport and watched these towers mature until it created a monster cell moving very slowly but with some intense shear. I didn't see any hail accompanied with this cell. Lightning was a big factor as one reported a fire caused by the lightning as it moved just north of Wiggins after dark. It was a beautiful cell need I say close to home.

While sitting around looking at models another 'See Text' was looking to cover most of eastern CO up into NE south into NM. With the boundary setups looking prominent near ridges and divides. The moisture looked descent over Akron, CO with a SE component wind.

April 19th, I drove to get into position for anything. While out there I watched a cell trying to prompt out of Fort Collins and to my south cells were bubbling Cumulus Towers continuously. Once the boundary began to make its way to this area of bubbling towers, I knew that since I was sitting under a capped atmosphere for the moment, I ventured south on 71 from Brush to Last Chance. This was great to watch the exploding towers with immense shearing. A meso formed early on, but could not carry on due to the shearing happening therefore everything was falling apart due to not enough CAPE. It was incredible to watch the power though as it moved closer to Last Chance. This is when it fell apart just as it was about to cross 71. Hail fell like rocks. Usually cornsized hail doesn't hurt, but it did that day. Maybe I had sensitive skin that day or something?! lol
Meanwhile I was trying to get a hold of Dann Cianca to run into him, FAIL, we played around each other just to the fact how everything played out. I drove into Limon to get something to eat. Than turned back around to head back north since the boundary was firing off more cells near Deer Trail moving eastward. I got in front of these developing cells as they moved back into the area close to Last Chance.
The best part of the day was watching the dieing meso transfer. This was very unique. From the cell to the north looked to have moved east and the meso wrapped into higher altitude before finally dieing. To the far west where there still stood a large column of towering cu's surviving existed a meso. But back to the best part; seeing the bell shaped meso made the whole day that much better.

April 19th "Having The Boundaries of Mondays" in Colorado Teaser

2010-04-19T21:45:00.003-06:00

Again later I will post a full report on this storm...the best highlight was getting into cornsized hail....i like corn better than peas....

Backyard Sup Teaser

2010-04-18T22:59:00.002-06:00

Shot of the day!
Will update this later.....

CEDAR FALLS, IA Nowcast Chase

2010-04-07T00:32:00.004-06:00

At approximately 3pm MDT, I gave a call to my friend Dan Olsen to give him a heads up for a cell producing in between Ames & Marshaltown looked prominent to be severe warned. He was driving back into Cedar Falls back home. My concern were the inflow clouds producing a possible hook in later radar scans as it would move and mature closer to Cedar Falls.

The severe warned supercell would strengthen to produce a reflectivity value of 65dbz. This was surely to be an impressive hail storm given the tremendous forcing upwards to keep the hail roaring in the skies. Once it got into Cedar Falls, Dan texted me(4:00pm MDT) that he and his family were going to take cover in their downstairs due to the risk of tornado probability and the sudden wind shift. Constant thunder was another factor too....lol! As it calmed down I got another text (4:10pm MDT) that the skies were calm, no rain, which meant the base was passing over their house.

Quarter sized hail was finally falling! text @ (4:16pm MDT), presumably we are in the back of the precipitation shaft with hail falling with rain.

Thanx to Dan for making this day fun through his phone conversation and catching up. I look forward to chasing up in those neck of the woods just to be with friends! Good Nowcast Day!

Colorado Weekend Opportunity

2010-04-06T02:14:00.002-06:00

Living close to the mountains has its benefits. A weak small setup has caught my attention for a chance close to home for a spring thunderstorm. We will see how it plays out....

Cold Front Party in GREELEY!

2010-04-01T21:59:00.006-06:00

The boundary of moisture wrapped itself around the Low settling quite nicely along the front range giving mid 30 dews. As the front from the NW came roaring in convection bands formed along this front boundary. Daytime heating as well as easterly to northeasterly winds helped to support incredible dynamics. This front put on quite a show from Denver into Cheyenne with the support of orographic lifting and frontogenesis. Temps were as high into the 60s giving plenty of energy into the first wave of convection along the front.

I knew there was going to be development, but I did not intend there to be enough dew to pour into the band of convection. That is the beauty of the Rockies in the spring. I expected to be chasing the Cheyenne Ridge, but I just didn't feel like going after rain bands. Turns out Cheyenne experienced intense thunderstorms consisting of rain, hail, snow, lightning, and the works of a front. These bands rained out once moving NE into the Wyoming/Nebraska border which was my target area. These were the ones I would have chased, but I just waited as I saw moisture convergence potential along the front range. Than BAMMM...convection!

Today I saw what many of us saw if you were along the front range. A long extending band of convection along the cold front. Intense shear, bb hail, and that smell of spring rain.
In the second band coming out of Boulder extending all the way into Greeley. CC lightning & snow pellets i like to call it (graupel) were seen out of this line of storms.
All in all an amazing front in the books. What a great trick play by the weather!
Happy April Fools....

look closely and let your imagination wander....

Ambidextrous LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS

2010-04-01T00:25:00.006-06:00

So I was realizing that baseball season was just around the corner and on ESPN I caught a story about a pitcher being ambidextrous. This is absolutely amazing in all reality. I forget the pitcher's name I appologize. The question is "Do you want Right Handed Pitchers or Left Handed Pitchers"
While studying the MSLP maps on GFS, I just had an ambidextrous moment that being if it actually plays out in the case of Monday setting up.

April 1st, Eastwardly tilted MSLP (does not include all layers of atmosphere):
This first system rolling through has given not high anticipation as far as severe weather setup is concerned. Yes, moisture and CAPE are not attended for, i will be curious if cells would have been discrete if these elements existed, or if a line of cells would have formed than eventually squalling out. Advection is very week causing this scenario to become almost barotropic. I am looking for similar setups with both scenarios, so will most likely come back to this investigation.

April 5th, Westwardly tilted MSLP (does not include all layers of atmosphere):
The second system making its way gives a better shot with a greater moisture return along with explosive CAPE. advection = baroclinity. This happening really structures the synoptic scale low pressure system all because of a westwardly tilt.

Another observation:
1. the eastward tilt system there is nonzonal flow at 300 mb
2. the westward tilt system there is slight zonal flow at 300 mb

As far as determining targets to the detail, I will wait till Saturday to pinpoint an area of interest.

Have a great day everyone! Watch your back for trickery.....

I'm not driving across the country

2010-03-29T22:52:00.003-06:00

At this point in time looking at the models leaves me to wait and stay local. Nebraska calls my name for this system starting off April if I really want to play in the the warm sector....
I'm not going into specifics cause the models are too bouncy. What I do know is a low has setup off the Rocky Mountains and moisture has wrapped into the low spreading across CO/WY border into NE where a boundary forms all the way into MN
4/5 & 4/6 give me a better reason to drive around the country in terms of a hopeful solid setup.....
Can I get a HOLLA, in 2 days April is a new month; Have fun all down in OK & TX if things setup for a descent chase day.

I move into my new place April 15th TAX DAY....whoohoo!

APRIL

2010-03-26T22:05:00.001-06:00

nuff said....lol

Nowcasting Day for MS/AL

2010-03-25T21:31:00.005-06:00

Today being trapped in bordem, I followed along with the weather. A severe weather setup over the borders of Mississippi & Alabama brought question as to whether the cells forming along the dryline would be discrete or squall out.

With enough shear they were able to separate into single cells which eventually became severe with tornado warnings. These tornadoes that spawned would be quick lived given the quick movement in these cells.

Watching the first disarrayed group of cells firing in MS and moving into an area of moisture convergence zone quickly helped the organization of the cells. Tornado & hail reports were made in these certain areas of greatest severe threat in AL.

Huntsville was under a threat to the south where 2 tornado warnings put out on two cells moving NE.

Birmingham would nearly miss a tornadic threat as it moved south of town producing one reported tornado. A friend happened to send a photo to me of the tornadic cell to his south.

These were the two SPC reported tornadoes:

Meltdown Photo Moment

2010-03-24T14:30:00.000-06:00

Snow Light in Photos

2010-03-24T00:34:00.004-06:00

In the morning I'll dig around outside.....

WHITEOUT CONDITIONS....

2010-03-23T19:32:00.002-06:00

Recent Thunderstorm passing through Denver.....

2010-03-23T17:14:00.002-06:00

To start the afternoon off, a beautiful spring upsloped thunderstorm developed over Denver giving a crazy start to a snow storm! First as the line of rain/snow mix was coming over the mountains, it produced intense upsloping scuds along with lightning. Moments later the most unusual event I've ever witnessed was the intensity of lightning/hail/snow happening all at the same time.

Now it is currently dumping heavy snow! will be monitoring totals as the night progresses...

The April System within sight on GFS

2010-03-23T11:40:00.003-06:00

Looking at the GFS models, they show a very significant large wave trough peeking into the southern western coast of California. Upper level looks immensely intense! Many have their eyes on this system to bring in the next/first events of severe weather.

Today, snow is in the forecast for Denver, and an upslope trend is beginning to set in place. Now just waiting for the skies to open with flakes. My hope is to see large flakes to start off the snow storm, hence this morning has shown some sunlight allowing the surface to be slightly warm. WARM SNOW IS FANTASTIC! The larger the better.

Last night I watched a dry line intrusion finally setting up the low in the SW Kansas, Oklahoma panhandle area. This is also evident on the surface plot.

Dry Air Line @ night

2010-03-23T01:48:00.003-06:00

Just messing around looking for something meteorological to occupy my time, i found this really sweet vapor/ir satellite imagery. Details are very important in meteorology, and recognizing these details help forecasting skills. I was noticing a dry air line intrusion which does effect temperature differences if looking at an observation sfc plot. It is barely noticeable, but is noticeable.

On the second note: I have found a place in Greeley. This will now be called home! I look forward to moving in April.

loop your 180hr forecast during your Spring Break!

2010-03-20T19:37:00.003-06:00

Hope all are enjoying their Spring Beginning.....

Our atmosphere is transitioning from it's Winter season marking into today's Vernal Equinox giving us the beginning of Spring. Looping the last 180 hours through the layers of our mixing heating atmosphere. As of the weekend March 19-21st, a large significant trough has impacted all parts east of the continental divide all the way into the south and east. Snow everywhere....

Now to keep things in retrospect, all over the central main US we see very significant High Pressure systems dominating and with the upper atmosphere "kind of" calming down with little burps called shortwaves. There is a mimimum slow warm up trend. We also see at the end of the 180hr loop all layers show a nice Pacific Northwest Low Pressure system developing...this strengthening is part due to the upper level ridging over parts of the Rocky mountain range and Central Plains.

Let the atmosphere ride out the miminum zonal wave so this snow can setup your moisture for future severe weather. The first of April will show significance if and only if; THE GULF MUST UNLEASH ITS SERLY FLOW! Dry air, low pressure, and everything else will be available...

March Snowstorm in Denver

2010-03-19T21:32:00.003-06:00

What a day for all the metro area! Snowbands brought a great quantity of moisture to pack the mountains and surrounding city.

OH ALTUS, OK~ DID YOU MISS ME LAST WKND?

2010-03-14T23:59:00.004-06:00

THIS COMING WEEKEND (FRIDAY),
CONSIDERING MY TARGET POINT CHANGED AS THE MORNING PROGRESSED LAST WEEKEND FROM ALTUS TO AREA AROUND ELK CITY; IT WAS A GOOD DECISION. I WILL BE NOWCASTING THIS NEXT FLY HIGHING SYSTEM. ALTUS WOULD BE A TARGET FAVORED FOR INITIATION. THE BATTLE BETWEEN THESE LOW AND HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEMS REALLY CREATE A HIGH PRESSURE GRADIENT GIVIN A LARGE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT. NOW THERE WILL BE SEVERITY NO DOUBT, BUT FOR HOW LONG TILL THAT COLD FRONT POURS THROUGH? WELL, I WILL BE FOLLOWING THESE NEXT COUPLE DAYS ON NAM & GFS....
I WILL BE CHASING FOR A PERMANENT PLACE TO LIVE THIS WEEK; WOOHOO!

THIS WOULD BE INSANELY AWESOME....BUT I HATE DOING DISHES!

March 8th Convergence Zone setup along dryline

2010-03-11T01:54:00.010-07:00

As the morning fog lifted off Elk City, OK during a luncheon at Mazzios (pizza joint), the morning convection line made it's way into western Oklahoma giving a comfortable 45-50F rainstorm. While crossing over I-40 looking west I could see the air so clear giving indication of a strong dryline. Temps were not a concern while looking at sfc obs around 1pm in eastern TX underneath the pure sunlit area. It was heating up considerably in the 70's. Given the moisture in place from the early convection; the dewpoints stayed relatively high in the 50-60's. This was money for convection as long as something was there to force the air up. Shear was no problem; as well as CAPE which seemed to rise giving a better chance for an explosion of energy to convect.

I previously chased the March 5th action in Kansas; and had forecasted for Sun/Mon to have severe weather in TX 2 weeks back. Having said that, my original plan was to drive back after the chase Friday, but instead I drove to see friends in Elk City, OK. Even before the March 5th event, I was intentionally going to drive to Elk City, anyways, but I backed out Thursday morning. That was until Dann Cianca called me and said "you go to Kansas now." Therefore it was meant to be to end up in Elk City since I was already going to be all the way out there.
After hanging out the whole weekend while keeping an eye out for the severe weather setup for Monday March 8th. I had Altus rattling in my brain, but while watching the skies the morning at Mazzios. This is when meteorology kicked in and told me to wait it out. SPC put out 2% risk for naders in the Elk City area early in the day than shifted south into Altus, OK. We left around 2 to get into the evaporating early morning convection into the dry air. Driving randomly west to Sweetwater, OK; we stopped and waited. Brad Duncan & I checked the last radar that we were gonna get for the rest of the day. Looking south of Sweetwater, we watched towers building. 2 disorganized cells lining up were looking impressive as the minutes ticked.
The chase was on.....

Driving with the storm, we were on the backside for most of the time and got into some sweet hail. While we chilled in the back we watched the cells converge giving a massive base to our north. This was looking impressive to say the least. We headed south to Sayre, OK thinking cells to the south would converge with this cell. This putting us in the SE position of the storm so we could see the hail falling along with the main base in the distance. While on the furthest south remaining cell in Sayre, OK, I felt a strong blast of cold air and said "we have to go now!"
Heading west on I-40 towards Elk City about 3 minutes into it, I get 2 text messages from Ryan Shepard & Dann Cianca saying "are you seeing that tornado, OH MY G'" At that second Brad and I looked to our north and BAAAAAAMMMMMM. There it was!

We drove to highway 34 and got up to catch it cross the highway as it hit the town of Hammon. Many other chasers caught amazing footage as most of you know. If I hadn't made all the stops I did, there was no problem me driving into the tornado. BUT I OWN A SATURN! Seeing the house explode was not something I really wanted to see. While it crossed the road Brad and I saw debris filling the tornado and power flashes. I'm sure most of us chasers wouldn't mind just dirt & power poles.
Dealing with what we're dealt with, I opted out of continuing the chase and wanted to rush to make sure everyone was okay. The damage was a first for me. I've seen my fair share of damage. The best part out of the whole circumstance was the safety of the citizens south part of Hammon.

Once the emergency medical management teams arrived. We left and let them do their jobs. Well done crews....hats off to them...

All the SPC reports made were all accounted for:
2 tornadoes

1 inch hail

We spotted at least 3 funnels & and a horseshoe vortex.

Thanx to Brad Duncan for coming along for the ride and videoing....
Brad Duncan facts:
2 chases
4 tornadoes
2 per chase
all in Roger Mill County?! that's crazy....

Here are the radar & satellite archives of the Supercell~

Teaser to March 8th....

2010-03-08T23:25:00.001-07:00

March 8th hail & winds

2010-03-07T22:48:00.002-07:00

follow me on spotter network tomorrow: sknr31 (this will not be live gps, i'm not that fancy techy....will have to change coords as I go)

I will be doodling around the SW OK area. Altus being my point of interest for some marginal hail. Till than will update tomorrow morning on the skies!

sleep fast~

Skinner in Wonderland

2010-03-06T00:16:00.007-07:00

The ideal thing would be to go see the new movie, instead I left early with the help of forecast Dann Cianca. It all started out like this....I was going to originally go to Elk City, OK to be with friends. I really didn't want to go. Well at 10:30PM Thursday night Cianca gives me a call and says go to Kansas! I was oblivious to what was about to happen in less than 18 hours. After agreement with the forecast, I was excited to venture out for the day in Wonderland KANSAS!

Upon arrival in Oakley, there's the in between stuff of passing Low quadrants, I saw the first lightning strike in the distance. Bada Bam Bada Boom, the action begins. A line of cumulus towers were converging creating a meso eventually lining out due to the immense backside precip causing the outflow.

All in all, I envy those that missed out on this storm, it was stellar indeed throughout the whole afternoon even when it wasn't impressive on radar.

I continued to update Dann on what was happening since he nowcasted which merely every time I got an update I was already in place. Working without radar or NOAA weather radio is just a blast! I also want to mention that if any tornadic event were to happen this had the potential no doubt. The line of storms had everything to show the amazing sunset in Kansas put it off the charts.

So when I made plans with my friends in Elk City, OK I went ahead, and decided I guess I was supposed to be down here. This will put me in position for Sun/Mon severe weather setup if it should arise....

Here are just some of the photos of the day....yes just some....

THESE ARE THE MOMENTS......

2010-03-04T04:06:00.002-07:00

Entering into the 2010 season, the passion is fully alive even at 4 in the morning and I drive on expecting the unexpected. As an addict meteorologist, I long to monitor a forecast made. Whether right or wrong, this is where I strive to learn to improve as time continues. If I think about it long enough i'm thankful for access to such an awesome tool and freedom to forecast from government made weather models. In all reality they really don't have to give us this access for free more less.
This puts me at the point i'm trying to make, even though technology is available and continues to improve on a daily basis. We meaning I continue to remind myself to look at the skies and understand its patterns. Here's a holla & thanks to all that provide resource to all of us storm chaser enthuasists, meteorologists, and many who happen to stumble across these type of resources related to weather. NWS & UCAR being two well known accessible resources.

Dear Skinner & to whom it may concern,

Now for the past few blog post, I've noticed you have been sticking with a target in SW Texas than hoping it to progress through areas near Abiliene, TX. The only thing lacking is CAPE (should write him a letter) to help sustain this continued severe thunderstorm as it passes into areas of tremendous shear at all levels.
inititation: 4-5pm SW TX specifics will be written later
mature: 6-8pm Central TX specifics will be written later

Your Atmosphere,
Shortwave~

PLAY SOME DARTS

2010-03-03T00:30:00.009-07:00

Activity of GFS leave us waiting....nuff said
Central High Plains into the Midwest will continue with wintery freezing drizzle/snow! sorry chasers up there....
It's gonna rain here, here, here, maybe here, there, here, and over there......

So I like to play darts, but my Bulls Eye accuracy is 2/50 throws.....at 168 hrs for the 00Z Mar 3rd GFS models, all heights are vertically stacked.....Barotropic = FAIL.....enjoy this model outlook as it most likely will turn into a different outlook as time progresses.

After continuously watching the GFS models for so long, the only consistency shows a line of storms to move through eastern OK & TX, into western AR & LA (Monday/Tuesday).

P.S. my eyes are on SE CO & SW KS for Sunday early evening....

So is this Low Pressure watching NASCAR this wknd?

2010-03-02T01:47:00.002-07:00

Upon monitoring these GFS models for the past week for March 7-8th system, there have been so many radical changes. The only positive note that I still have my eyes focused on is the shortwave progressing through southwestern TX and all the critical severe weather elements combined for a possible threat in central TX. Southwestern TX will begin its intiating stages than developing maturely into areas around Abiliene & Waco....given the models follow through.....

Dear Shortwave,

2010-03-01T05:12:00.002-07:00

3/7/09 the future

I watch you secretively progress through Texas. I hope you can use the CAPE to help energize your strength given what moisture is available. I don't know if you don't have enough SErly flow, but maybe there will be a chance given another low on the border of Mexico & TX is trying to swing things in its direction. The subtropical jet is flying high colors and temps should be comfortable enough. Now Shortwave if you can help with lifting and the forcing mechanism than maybe just maybe we have a chance of a severe thunderstorm moving through central TX.

With Respect,
Skinner

USGS is a great resource for Earthquake Info

2010-02-27T16:18:00.003-07:00

CNN & Fox are bringing continuing coverage of the Tsunamis making their way rippling through the Pacific......

http://www.usgs.gov/

The website above is a good resource for latest updates on current seismic activities. Stumbling upon the site Dann Cianca showed me that Oklahoma had 2 earthquakes with 4.4 Magnitude being the strongest within the past hour.

This all happening within a whole day of catastrophic seismic activity really shakes people's minds. The hope is the safety of those in Chile right now, and the hopes of the community to come together for those lives lost in this event.

Tsunami Warnings caused by Chile Earthquake

2010-02-27T04:57:00.002-07:00

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning, the highest level of a tsunami alert, for the entire coast of Chile and Peru. A tsunami watch was in effect for Ecuador, Colombia, Antarctica, Panama and Costa Rica. Hawaii was placed under a tsunami advisory.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/02/27/chile.quake/index.html?hpt=T1

Colorado March PGF

2010-02-27T03:00:00.005-07:00

It's an amazing thing that our Earth is always trying to maintain balance when constantly things are changing and in motion. Many of us upon gazing as a friend of mine (Dann Cianca) calls GOOf (GFS) forecast models; we look at what is likely to happen, but never the reason why things don't happen in later forecast models. Maybe somebody entered in the values for storm chasers to drool over and wish upon a star. In all reality, GFS models can and does fairly well even being 180 hrs out. In saying that of course it improves as the hours wind down.....but again at 180 hours out the models give you an idea....this is where meteorology comes into play....does it make sense to see what you see at 180 hours out....

So why is the setup not occuring with the one we hoped, my only meteorological understanding and interpretation from looking at the models changing are due to this balance thing I was just mentioning.

Our atmosphere is always battling over who gets to go over the mountain not while there is what the pressures call Pressure Gradient Forcing....I was browsing through the models....and this just caught my attention to what may have changed the beautiful Lee Cyclogenesis we all hoped for as plains chasers to the now trough passing through in a northeasterly fashion..

This model outlook shows the center of the low forming farther north after what appears to be Thursdays' clumsy lee cyclogenesis.

In my previous blog the GFS models all agreed in an all out stacked closed Low, but as it passed over the Rocky Mountains, the models show a balance occurring between the pressure/temperature forces therefore weakening the chances of a stacked Low right over the triple point.

Through these Pressure Gradient Force (PGF) times we know we enter Spring; we enter a new month; we enter the cool atmosphere above and heating earth at the surface; we enter pressure differences; we enter March ~~~~~~known as a WINDY month

With March around the corner this should make sense since there is temperature variation due to moisture all throughout the US causing energy change through the transition of the snow season to the melting season. With that said we have all had our share of SNOW.....which in return = moisture for the future.

As far as chasing territory is concerned; I wait......I'm not driving to south & east Texas.....

Now around Colorado, I anticipate from this Low pressing through to provide us with some snow possibly in NE Colorado Thursday maybe into Friday morning; than more on up into the High Central Plains.
"That's all I have to say bout that".....Gump

Many have an eye on Lee Cyclogenesis

2010-02-24T19:14:00.005-07:00

In March marks the beginning of many chasers start to their season....in the forecast shows more agreement in the GFS models. The low pressure breaking down in the east is moving on across the Atlantic, the high pressure keeping things intact will begin to leisurely move along to the east. A system holding together strong through all layers of the atmosphere gives confidence in the models showing a beautiful stacked low in the Pacific moving eastward along the 40 degree latitude. Lee cyclogenesis!

It looks this will put OK & TX on the map for chasing targets....specifics will be determined later.....March 5-7th time frame

Here is a layout of our atmosphere.....with the stacked low over Utah.....

Space weather inspiration

2010-02-22T01:42:00.002-07:00

I was up late and wanted to see the looks of what was happening in the wonderful world of space weather. I came across a website with some amazing photos taken from photographers all across the 60th parallel latitude; given they were presented with an opportune night of the Northern Lights.

check these photos from Valentine's Day:
by the way if you want to think of future ideas.......
No WAY.....We landed on the MOON......
YEA killer boots man......Dumb & Dumber quotes

http://spaceweather.com/aurora/gallery_01feb09.htm

Last Night in Elk City, OK

2010-02-21T20:15:00.006-07:00

A front passing through the panhandles of TX and western Oklahoma last night around 10:30 CST till midnight put up some strong forcing along the line shooting up isolated cells that had a variety of action. Hail reported from dime to nickel sized by my friend Brad Duncan and his photos below:

Lightning booms were heard throughout the night. Thanx to Brad for updating me with this exciting weather. Always good to hear a teaser because after looking at GFS models....they don't look at all pleasing, but patience is of virtue....the moisture left over will plan for this Spring's phenomenonal start to the severe weather season

I love to watch jets fly

2010-02-18T02:19:00.003-07:00

How to finish off the rest of your wait in till Spring sparks
read this from SPC Publications
its a good read:

The Relation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks

Coming across this paper earlier in the month and taking into account the Global Forecast Models (GFS) present. I brought both into a prediction that the jet stream will further shift northwards earlier into these next couple weeks making figure in the SPC Publication paper (March anomaly @ 250mb) a bit further ahead of schedule allowing for a better chance for the jet to settle over parts of the body of TX from Abilene through Dallas and eastward. It's a start

Nice squiggly short wave flyin through parts of Eastern New Mexico and Western Texas this Saturday with a lower level "somewhat" of a system as far as a chance for severe weather this coming weekend is concerned. Temps & progression of this system give little excitement yet to a eastern TX beginning development as it will move on towards the rest of the southeastern states.

Tues evening/Weds morning Florida in site

2010-02-05T18:15:00.003-07:00

keeping a close eye on another system making its way into Florida again later in the week.....from the looks of today their was wind damage in Florida from NWS wind reports.

Here in Greeley, Colorado, Feb 4-5th have offered a spring like atmosphere around here with temps fairly teasing the sight of spring is on its way, but that will all change rapidly once the massive High Pressure bringing in cold artic air comes slamming into the Front Range early this next week.....

Florida slight risk for today

2010-02-05T00:58:00.003-07:00

Thursday evening marine warnings were issued with the long prone squall bringing intense winds of 30- 50 kts off the Gulf coast. Florida panhandle is beginning to see the start to a rainy/windy/possible severe night/day. Will monitor throughout the day.....