Chase 7 teaser.....

Chase 3 May 18th 2011 Denver Funnel & Hail

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

Chase 2 March 22nd 2011

(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

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

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....

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 ;)