1999 CONVECTIVE FIELD STUDY B
The Participants of Convective Field Study 6B

Chase 1 - Bart Wolf (field coordinator) 4816
Jill Fraser 4444
Eric Muller 4638
Adam Stepanek (driver) 4220

Chase 2 - Jeremy Hodges (driver) 4582
Marshall Huffman (log) 4225
Stino Iacopelli 4774
Jessica Irvin (team leader) 4817

Chase 3 - Greg Gallina (team leader) 4001
Emily Kowalski 4950
Russ Schumacher (driver) 4167
Stephanie Stroman 4768

Chase 4 - Lisa Clements (driver) 5021
George Koetsewe 4880
Jeremy Swindle (team leader) 5030
Josh West 5000


Monday, May 31st

6:30 am - Met in Weather Center at Valpo for initial briefing
6:44 am - Pictures taken by Mrs. Wolf and final preparations
6:57 am - Left Valparaiso University heading west on US 30, Bart's projected milage: 4816 miles
7:00 am - Turned left onto IND 2 heading west Temperature: 68F Dewpoint: 63F
7:32 am - Jeremy Hodges turned on his air conditioning
7:36 am - Turned left onto US 41 south and IND 2 west
7:39 am - Turned right onto IND 2 heading west
7:43 am - Crossed Indiana/Illinois boarder, now on IL 17 west
7:50 am - Turned left onto Whitaker Road (9000 N)
8:03 am - Turned left onto IL 50 and right abd left, jogging over to I-57 South
8:06 am - South I-57, mile marker 322 under sunny and clear skies, 29.28 in Hg and rising
8:40 am - Man on motorcycle going north in southbound lanes
10:22 am - West on I-70 Temperature: 70F Dewpoint: 66F
10:35 am - Jeremy S. quotes gas tank reading 28/64 in Chase 3
10:44 am - Motorcycle hid and go seek on I-70 West, mile marker 70
10:49 am - Same motorcyclists stopped by Illinois State Police for presumably not wearing helmets
11:09 am - Stopped for gas, potty, and snacks in Greenville, IL, mile marker 45, Phillips 66 at $1.19 a gallon
11:30 am - Leave Greenville, IL and head west on I-70 with overcast skies Temperature: 77F Dewpoint: 66F
11:57 am - I-270 West around St. Louis to Kansas City
12:03 pm - Temperature: 81F Dewpoint: 65F
12:10 pm - Crossed Illinois/Missouri boarder
12:24 pm - I-70 West to Kansas City
2:17 pm - Stop for gas and food in Boonville, MO exit 103, Phillips 66 at $1.03 a gallon, Subway, McDonald's, and Taco Bell
2:45 pm - Back on I-70 West Temperature: 84F Dewpoint: 64F
3:59 pm - I-435 South to Wichita, KS
4:11 pm - Crossed Missouri/Kansas boarder
4:17 pm - I-35 South
5:27 pm - Tornado Watch in effect for southwest KS as far west as US 183, all listening to 1070 AM for further weather information Temperature: 82F Dewpoint: 62F pressure falling
5:34 pm - Exit 128 Emporia, proceeding to Best Western on West US 50
7:46 pm - Discussion in Bart's "Office", watching Weather Channel
9:05 pm - Eat at McDonald's, Burger King, A&W, and Wendy's, TOILET reading 75 strikes per minute from storms to the southwest of Emporia - Rest of night used watching Weather Channel, playing table tennis, and swimming, Projected target for tomorrow Wichita Falls
668.4 miles travelled


Tuesday, June 1st

7:30 am - Woke up for free breakfast provided by our hotel
8:00 am - Discussion and big decision time on where to set ourselves up for tomorrow, Isolated thunderstorms near Dallas/Fort Worth area for today but MCS from night before has taken our moisture source. Gut feeling from Bart is the Cap Rock where we can head to Amarillo, TX, extreme eastern Colorado, or into the panhandle of Oklahoma, Shortwave progged to sit and and jet stream providing upper-level divergence
9:34 am - Leaving Emporia heading west on US 50
10:40 am - Entered Newton, KS going south on I-135 toward Wichita, KS
10:58 am - South on I-235
11:08 am - West on KS 42
11:25 am - Temperature: 74F Dewpoint: 62F, taken at KS 49 intersection while "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves was playing on 104.5FM under clear, sunny skies
12:02 pm - South on KS 179
12:14 pm - Crossed Kansas/Oklahoma boarder, south on OK 132
12:21 pm - East on 900N heading into Wakita, Ok, bridge out and took make-shift road to left and followed detour which were all sandy, red roads, stopped in Wakita and visited the official "Twister" movie museum, took pictures and bought snacks at the downtown store
1:16 pm - Left Wakita, OK heading south on Road 11A, lost Chase 3, so we went back to retrieve them
1:31 pm - West on OK 11
1:40 pm - Temperature: 84F Dewpoint: 57F
1:54 pm - West on US 64
2:12 pm - Stopped for gas, potty, and snacks at Lite-N-Nite at $1.06 a gallon
2:34 pm - West on US 64, Temperature: 87F Dewpoint: 46F
2:47 pm - Bee carcass reported on Adam's windshield, fearing vultures will come to get them
2:56 pm - Power lines down on US 64 due to wind damage
3:10 pm - Temperature: 84F Dewpoint: 48F, taken at OK 14 intersection
3:17 pm - Pull off to side of road for weather discussion, cell phone call to Sarah in Weather Center to get information on the interesting situation setting up for tomorrow, slight risk in southern MT, eastern CO and WY, and western KS, OK, and NE, dryline in western KS, questionable about movement, CAPE upwards of 5500 J/kg, will be a cap but surface convergence and heating may give rise to convection
3:31 pm - Back on road again, Bart wonders if we should head to Montana
3:53 pm - South on US 283
3:57 pm - Temperature: 85F Dewpoint: 46F
4:06 pm - West on US 270 and US 412 toward Slapout, OK
4:17 pm - Stopped in Slapout, OK Population: 8, Jill entered Phillips 66 gas station to inquire about tornado museum, bumper stickers received at $.50 apiece
4:28 pm - Hit 1000 mile mark for trip
4:32 pm - Stopped at Midway Country Church where we took a look at a weather display, Greg Gallina bought his pet tornado and several of us got post cards, checked DTN radar and everyone noticed the cappage over northeastern TX, glad we didn't go there!
4:48 pm - Back on the highway heading west under clear skies, Temperature: 88F Dewpoint: 45F, Nomination by Bart to make Slapout, OK city of the year, chase 3 agreed
5:06 pm - Bird swooped down and brushed Lisa's vehicle
5:47 pm - Arrive in Guymon, OK at Best Western on US 54
6:05 pm - All meet in Bart's Office and plop down to check out the Weather Channel and current watch boxes, storms just now starting in TX, northwest of DFW area
6:36 pm - Leave to eat VUSIT group dinner at Eddie's
8:16 pm - Return to Best Western after eating a delicious dinner, at Eddie's we were charged for chicken even though nobody ate it, the steaks were good, strawberry cheesecake as well, the rest of the night spent enjoying swimming and hot bubbles
400 miles travelled

Wednesday, June 2nd

7:30 am - Adam, Russ, Marshall, and Eric prepare weather discussion for 8:30 am
8:00 am - Breakfast for everyone, rolls, juice, coffee, and even cereal!
8:30 am - Discussion on where to go, suggested target area Eastern Colorado, moisture returning to the area and SPC extended the slight risk into the panhandle of TX
9:00 am - Proceed to The Cowboy Store for George's hat only to find it opens at 10am instead, decision is to fill up our gas tanks
9:17 am - Warm front moved through and dewpoint has risen 8F in the last hour
9:42 am - Leave Best Western in Guymon, OK west on US 412, Temperature: 78F Dewpoint: 60F
9:52 am - North on OK 136, slight delay because of overturned semi-truck trailer which was carrying animal remains, Santa Ana winds very strong
9:56 am - Temperature: 77F Dewpoint: 63F
10:00 am - Wind from the SE at 8-11 mph, Temperature: 77F Dewpoint: 63F, attempting to find the front, taken at TX Co. Rd. J intersection
10:07 am - Temperature: 76F Dewpoint: 62F
10:09 am - Crossed Oklahoma/Kansas boarder, north on KS 25
10:12 am - West on Road D
10:14 am - Temperature: 76F Dewpoint: 61F
10:20 am - North on Co. Rd. 24
10:24 am - Temperature: 77F Dewpoint: 62F as we head into Rolla, KS, west on KS 51
10:35 am - Temperature: 78F Dewpoint: 62F, winds SSE at 12 mph, taken 5 miles east of Richfield, front still north of us, need to find dead spot in winds
10:43 am - North on KS 27 into Richfield
10:45 am - Temperature: 78F Dewpoint: 63F, taken north of Richfield
10:51 am - Chase 2 names itself Trigger, Bart informs us of lapse rates 7.5-8.5C/km, well mixed in the mid-levels along with high CAPE values will produce loaded-gun sounding
10:54 am - Temperature: 78F Dewpoint: 63F, taken halfway between Richfield and Syracuse, KS,
Joes, CO is Bart's Dot of the Day pick
11:04 am - Temperature: 78F Dewpoint: 64F, winds SE at 16 mph and gusts to 20 mph, taken north
of Johnson, KS
11:12 am - Crossed into Mountain time zone even though I will continue to log in Central time,
Temperature: 79F Dewpoint: 63F
11:27 am - Stopped for gas, potty, and snacks at Phillips 66 U-Pump-It corner store at $1.08 a
gallon
11:42 am - North on KS 27 headed toward Tribune, KS, at gas stop Marshall bought Kansas lottery ticket, not a winner, but hoping for more luck with storms, Stino got "energized" and thought he was taking a shot of something
11:48 am - Co. Rd. 18, listening to weather radio, severe storms south of Syracuse, cell phone call made to Professor Knox explaining the moderate risk area which includes southwestern KS, the TX and OK panhandles, and extreme eastern CO and NM, decision by Bart to head to Lamar, CO to get lunch and let conditions develop
12:26 pm - Temperature: 84F Dewpoint: 61F, construction on highways in CO are limiting our routes so the plan is to head back south to Syracuse, KS and find a McDonald's
12:38 pm - No fast food joints so heading south on KS 27
12:48 pm - Temperature: 84F Dewpoint: 57F
1:03 pm - Temperature: 86F Dewpoint: 53F, heating is mixing the moisture out
1:27 pm - East on KS 51, planning on stopping in Liberal, KS to get a room, hook up the computer, and get some fast food to go, Temperature: 84F Dewpoint: 57F
1:39 pm - South on Co Rd 24, Temperature: 87F Dewpoint: 58F
1:44 pm - East on Co Rd D
1:47 pm - South on KS 25, Temperature: 88F Dewpoint: 55F
1:54 pm - Crossed Kansas/Missouri boarder, south on OK 136
2:02 pm - Temperature: 88F Dewpoint: 60F
2:12 pm - Stopped at Ambassador Inn on the north edge of Guymon, OK, full!
2:18 pm - East on US 64 to Econo Lodge, Greg and Jeremy engage in interesting conversation on the CB
2:28 pm - Leave stuff in hotel room, get data off computer, and get some lunch
3:55 pm - Russ, Marshall, and Eric leave hotel to go to library to retrieve data, at 20Z day 1 outlook had 15% for tornadic activity in the TX and OK panhandles, 25% for hail
4:20 pm - Discussion in Bart's Office and watching Weather Channel, watch box issued for eastern NM and western TX
4:36 pm - Headed to Dalhart, TX on US 54 west, latest mesoscale discussions and SPC graphics indicate deep convection beginning in next few hours
4:44 pm - Temperature: 92F Dewpoint: 58F, TOILET: 5 strikes per minute
4:57 pm - Temperature: 90F Dewpoint: 58F
5:08 pm - Crossed Oklahoma/Texas boarder, Tornado Watch for Texas County in OK issued, decision to be made whether we go to Dalhart or Dumas, TX, Temperature: 88F Dewpoint: 54F
5:21 pm - Tornado Watch issued for TX and OK panhandle
5:37 pm - West on TX 3213
5:40 pm - Stopped to call Sarah, we need to travel south more
5:52 pm - Back on US 54 east then south on TX 807, Temperature: 88F Dewpoint: 59F
6:03 pm - East on TX 297, TOILET registering 110 strikes per minute to cell just northwest of us
6:13 pm - Temperature: 81F Dewpoint: 64F, south on US 287 toward Dumas, TX
6:21 pm - TOILET reading 200 strikes per minute, "We gotta get out of this place" playing on the radio
6:34 pm - Temperature: 80F Dewpoint: 64F
6:40 pm - West on TX 354, tone on scanner, sitting on top of hill while cells are going in Oldham and Deaf Smith Counties
6:44 pm - Getting back on US 287 heading towards Amarillo, TX
6:49 pm - Temperature: 79F Dewpoint: 64F, TOILET reading 551 strikes per minute, Hartley and Castro Counties under Thunderstorm Warning
7:04 pm - TOILET reading 560 strikes
7:08 pm - TX 2176, stopped going west, TOILET reading 582 strikes
7:25 pm - Tone!, Thunderstorm Warning for Moore County (Dumas)
7:40 pm - Confirmed tornado in Castro County, we could have not made it
7:44 pm - TOILET reading 703 strikes per minute, getting back on US 87 north, tornado on the ground in Swisher County near Tulia, TX, turning around to see what we can, LOTS of lightning
7:57 pm - Encounter hail, pea-size, East on I-40
8:10 pm - Exit 75 North on TX 335, power out at intersection
8:18 pm - US 60 east towards Pampa, TX, stop for pictures for about 10 minutes
8:47 pm - Thunderstorm Warning for Carson County
8:52 pm - Tornado Watch issued for eastern TX panhandle and western OK
9:16 pm - North on TX 294
9:26 pm - West on TX 152
9:43 pm - North on TX 136, stop at Philllips 66 for gas, potty, and snacks, $1.09 a gallon in Borger, TX
9:58 pm - Back on the road, no Taco Bell, therefore no plan
10:34 pm - Jeremy hits a frog
10:47 pm - Temperature: 72F Dewpoint: 58F, taken in Gruver, TX, bank said temperature was actually 106F
11:01 pm - Crossed Texas/Oklahoma boarder
11:13 pm - Return back in Guymon, OK and get ready for bed

Thursday, June 3rd

7:30 am - Some of us head to The Pancake House for breakfast
9:00 am - Discussion pointing to TX, OK panhandles as well as western KS, SPC is reluntant to issue moderate this early but the cap will be a little stronger then yesterday and CAPE's near 3000-4000 J/kg, interaction with the dryline and boundary moving northward in the TX panhandle may cause some afternoon convection, decision is to head to Liberal, KS and get hotel and more data
10:37 am - Leave Econo Lodge, (thank God), east on US 54 and US 64, Temperature: 80F Dewpoint: 67F
10:55 am - Stopped in Hooker, OK much to Stino and Greg's delight, Chamber of Commerce Gift Shop, home of the Horny Toads
11:24 am - Ironically leaving Hooker, OK, Temperature: 79F Dewpoint: 69F
11:39 am - Crossed Oklahoma/Kansas boarder
11:49 am - Stopped at Sleep Inn in Liberal, KS to get rooms and computer data
12:43 pm - Went to Pizza Hut to eat lunch buffet
1:25 pm - Leave Pizza Hut and get gas at Texaco for $1.04 a gallon, go back to hotel and wait for initation
3:37 pm - Tornado Watch issued for western KS, interaction with dryline, MCD reads 4 inch hail and possible tornadoes
3:40 pm - On road, north out of Liberal, KS (Kansas Ave.), Temperature: 93F Dewpoint: 63F
3:48 pm - North on US 83
4:00 pm - Temperature: 91F Dewpoint: 65F, stopped for a minute because of construction, winds South at 14 mph, pressure 29.89 in Hg
4:15 pm - Temperature: 93F Dewpoint: 64F
4:31 pm - East on KS 144, Temperature: 92F Dewpoint: 63F, stop on dirt road to check our position, need to go north and east
4:45 pm - Suntan lotion on Jeremy's car fell off trunk and went splat on the road
4:53 pm - Temperature: 90F Dewpoint: 66F
4:58 pm - East on US 53
5:10 pm - North on KS 23
5:39 pm - Pull north of KS 156, winds from SE at 20 mph, sit for a long time building character, Lisa and Jeremy run for Naya bottled water
7:58 pm - Leave our spot, Temperature: 83F Dewpoint: 67F, west on KS 156
8:23 pm - South on US 83 heading back to hotel in Liberal, KS
10:00 pm - Arrive at Sleep Inn after several of us stop at Wal-Mart and fast food joints for dinner, prepare for bed and get some sleep

Friday, June 4th

7:04 am - Bart calls to wake everyone up, need to leave for NE after breakfast
7:45 am - Discussion from SPC indicating a moderate risk for central NE and SD with monumental shear, CAPE upwards of 6000, and LI's -13 to -17, high risk may be needed as several wedges will be grazing the countryside, Bart says we might have to hit the ditch
8:15 am - Leaving Sleep Inn in Liberal, KS, east on US 54, Temperature: 76F Dewpoint: 63F
8:35 am - Trucker heading to Milwaukee gets on our channel because he wants to pass us, Bart told him that there might be a tornado outbreak later today in NE, trucker said, "I'll keep that in mind."
8:58 am - Temperature: 74F Dewpoint: 67F
9:11 am - Stopped for gas, potty, and snacks at Phillips 66 in Minneola, KS at $1.05 a gallon
9:25 am - Leave Minneola, KS heading north on US 283
9:42 am - North on US 283 around Dodge City, KS, head-banging to Queen, Temperature: 79F Dewpoint: 65F
10:33 am - Temperature: 84F Dewpoint: 64F, taken in Ness City, KS, stopped north of town because of construction
10:48 am - Detour on US 283, east on KS 4
10:54 am - Following detour north on KS 147
11:08 am - Loose cow along KS 147
11:17 am - West on I-70
11:20 am - Temperature: 87F Dewpoint: 64F, taken east on Wakeeney, KS
11:23 am - Stopped alongside the road to pickup Convective Outlook from Professor Knox in Weather Center, 5000 CAPE's, 4 inch hail, region covering all of NE and extreme western IA, rapidly rotating supercells with tornadoes expected
11:52 am - East on US 24, Temperature: 90F Dewpoint: 67F
12:04 pm - Co. Rd. 2 north towards Logan, KS
12:08 pm - East on Rd. J, north on Rd. 3 (gravel road)
12:37 pm - Temperature: 90F Dewpoint: 71F
12:48 pm - North on KS 383, Temperature: 89F Dewpoint: 71F
12:56 pm - North on US 183, Crossed Kansas/Nebraska boarder
1:23 pm - East on US 6, Temperature: 88F Dewpoint: 68F
1:31 pm - Passed through Funk, NE, Population: 198
1:40 pm - North on NE 44, Temperature: 90F Dewpoint: 70F
1:55 pm - Arrive at Best Western in Kearney, NE, plan is to get rooms and data, gas up, and hit the road west
3:17 pm - Heading west on I-80, Temperature: 94F Dewpoint: 74F
3:27 pm - Exit 263, stop to reassess our decision of heading west, continue on I-80 because of Tornado Watch to our west which includes eastern WY and CO, and western NE and SD
5:12 pm - Stop at rest stop area along I-80 near mile marker 158 to check DTN
5:57 pm - Back on I-80 West, going to head south on NB 25
6:04 pm - Temperature: 89F Dewpoint: 62F
6:06 pm - Tone!, Severe Thunderstorm Warning north of Imperial, NE in Perkins County
6:17 pm - Tone!, Severe Thunderstorm Warning 15 miles east of Ogallala, NE
6:41 pm - Head south to Wallace, NE
6:49 pm - Tone!, Severe Thunderstorm Warning in Arthur County, west on NE 23
6:57 pm - Tone!, Tornado Watch for counties in south central NE
7:06 pm - Tone!, Severe Thunderstorm Warning for eastern Keith County
7:10 pm - Tone!, Severe Thunderstorm Warning for western McPherson County
7:25 pm - Arrive at I-80 and decide to watch cell to our southwest, Temperature: 88F Dewpoint: 63F, Tone!, Severe Thunderstorm Warning for northern Arthur County
7:32 pm - Get gas quickly at Texaco for $1.23 a gallon
7:43 pm - East on I-80
7:52 pm - Temperature: 89F Dewpoint: 63F, Stopping at rest area on south side of I-80, Bart buys a Squirt, "It really does have refreshing citrus taste!"
8:26 pm - Rest area near Cozad, NE, mile marker 194.35
8:34 pm - Leaving rest area for hotel in Kearney, NE
8:44 pm - Car eastbound on I-80 passes us with box of vodka in his wired-shut truck
9:55 pm - Arrive back in Kearney, NE for the evening

Saturday, June 5th

8:00 am - Wake up for the best breakfast so far, saugage, pancakes, donuts, cereal
8:40 am - Discussion by the ladies this morning, High risk out for central and eastern NE, low pressure and cold front expected to pass through producing projected tornado outbreak
9:28 am - Man who has a daughter in a softball tournament said to stay away from Pierce, NE because if the power lines go down he will have to work
9:36 am - Leave Best Western and Kearney, NE, head east on I-80
9:59 am - Exit 300 off I-80 and turning north on NE 11
10:26 am - No roads cross over to NB 2, construction work on railroad in Cairo, NE, Temperature: 81F Dewpoint: 59F
10:30 am - West on Airport Rd., 295th Rd.
10:45 am - North on Sodtown Rd.
10:49 am - West on NE 2
10:54 am - North on NE 68
10:58 am - Temperature: 82F Dewpoint: 61F
11:01 am - West on NE 82A link
11:04 am - North on NE 10
11:15 am - Stop for gas, potty, and snacks at Sinclair in Loup City, NE at $1.09 a gallon
11:30 am - Leave gas station heading north on NE 58 toward Ord, NB, Temperature: 84F Dewpoint: 62F
11:43 am - East on NE 70
11:52 am - Stop in Ord, NE McDonald's to get something to eat... or not because they are too busy, North on NE 11
12:24 pm - Temperature: 82F Dewpoint: 63F
12:59 pm - Stop in Atkinson, NE at Holt County Food Court, now hiring at up to $700 per hour, A&W restaurant, Bingo $25,000 lottery tickets, and a gum ball machine that dispenses mini-billiard balls
1:47 pm - Leaving Atkinson, NE and heading towards Basset, NE on US 20 west, Temperature: 92FDewpoint: 63F
2:14 pm - Stop in Basset, NE to top off on gas at Texaco at $1.15 a gallon (power plus, 89.5 octane, this is gotta be the day), Jill redeemed her lottery ticket for $15
2:28 pm - West on US 20, pull off on side of road to play "Hurry Up and Wait" game
3:53 pm - Tone!, PDS Tornado Watch in effect for northern NE
4:04 pm - Leaving our position and heading west on US 20, SD frequencies needed in Bible
4:17 pm - North on US 183
4:33 pm - Stop at US 183 and NE 7 intersection to see what TOILET is picking up
4:38 pm - Springview, NE for Bart to call the Weather Center
4:53 pm - Winds SE 8 mph, Temperature: 89F Dewpoint: 62F
5:13 pm - Talked to Sarah and she said storms ready to blow north and east of North Platte, NE, also tornado on the ground northeast of Norfolk, NE because of dryline
5:40 pm - East on US 20, south on US 183
6:26 pm - South on NE 11, Stopped to view wall cloud and rainbow, 42 knots max wind speed registered
7:15 pm - Stop for gas at Pump & Pantry Sinclair at $1.15 a gallon, George buys Sports Illustrated for Women because the women are inside
8:03 pm - Decided to head to our hotel where once again SPC was wrong and the CAP held for the most part, east on NE 91
8:34 pm - Head back west on NE 91 after seeing some development to the southwest, south on NE 11, cell to the northwest with overshooting top supposedly gone tornadic as we sat alongside the road
8:53 pm - West on Dane Creek Rd.
9:02 pm - Stop to take more pictures
9:15 pm - Heading back to hotel
9:27 pm - East on NE 70
10:37 pm - North on NE 11
11:25 pm - Arrive at Super 8 hotel in Norfolk, NE

Sunday, June 6th

8:00 am - Eat breakfast at hotel
8:30 am - Discussion by Stino and it is not looking too good today as well, the cap is still in place and a line of storms extend through eastern IA but we will never get there, so the decision is to head west to Scottsbluff, NE
10:19 am - Leave Super 8 in Norfolk, NE heading west on US 275
10:57 am - South on NE 14
11:02 am - West on NE 70
12:08 pm - Stop for gas, potty, and snacks at Casey's General Store at a $1.09 a gallon, get food at McDonald's and Subway in Ord, NE, frog hit last night by Jeremy is named Gregory
1:08 pm - Stopped for lemonade at little girls stand in downtown Ord, NE
1:16 pm - Return to McDonald's for Stino because they forgot to give him the Canadian bear, no wonder they work for McDonald's
1:19 pm - North on NE 11
2:10 pm - VUSIT plays a game of "I'm going on a storm chase, and I'm bringing..." on NE 21A
anticyclone nader
barometer outflow
convective outlook pool balls
downdraft QG theory
elevated convection relative helicity
flanking line Slapout
grapel triple point
hail ultraviolet rays
instability vertical shear
jet streak wind hodograph
K-index Xenia-like tornado outbreak
lid yesterday's bust
mammatus zero tornadoes
2:20 pm - West on NE 2
2:50 pm - Hail shaft in clouds to our north on NE 2
3:04 pm - Stop at Amoco in Thedford, NE, Temperature: 72F Dewpoint: 51F
3:32 pm - Entered Mountain time zone and Hooker County
3:42 pm - North on NE 97
3:53 pm - Bust again, heading south on NE 97
4:04 pm - West on NE 2
5:36 pm - Stop for gas, potty, and snacks in Alliance, NE, Texaco power plus for $1.17 a gallon
5:54 pm - Back on the road heading north on US 385
6:00 pm - Arrive at Carhenge, pictures taken, no severe weather present
6:16 pm - South on US 385
6:47 pm - West on NE 62A
7:05 pm - West on US 36
7:12 pm - Arrive at Comfort Inn in Scottsbluff, NE
7:30 pm - Some go to see Star Wars Episode I, others go to Applebee's to eat, Bart eats tuna and relaxes in his room, Lisa goes running

Monday, June 7th

9:00 am - Wake up for breakfast
9:30 am - Discussion from SPC favors eastern WY and much of SD, beacuse of topography our roads are limited
10:34 am - Leave Comfort Inn heading west on US 26, Temperature: 74F Dewpoint: 46F
11:04 am - Crossed Nebraska/Wyoming boarder
11:25 am - North on US 85, Temperature: 73F Dewpoint: 45F, taken north of Lingle, WY
11:42 am - Elevation of 4,770 feet reached, Temperature: 72F Dewpoint: 45F, pressure 25.45 in. Hg (862 mb)
11:59 am - Elevation record reached at 5,195 feet
12:13 pm - Just north of Lusk, WY, elevation of 5,317 reached, Temperature: 72F Dewpoint: 47F
12:22 pm - Jess reminds everyone that cows here in WY are much more happy and frolic, Stino reminds everyone that these happy cows will one day become Happy Meals, Temperature: 73F Dewpoint: 51F
12:28 pm - Passed the Boner Ranch just south of the Old Woman Creek
12:50 pm - Temperature: 73F Dewpoint: 52F, radio states a 50% chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and into the evening near New Castle, WY
1:17 pm - Stop at Sinclair Mini Mart in New Castle, WY at $1.16 a gallon
1:29 pm - Go across the street to Pizza Hut for lunch
2:19 pm - Leaving Pizza Hut heading west on US 16
2:21 pm - New Castle authorities pull over Russ for presumably going too fast on US 16 by-pass, boy that's gotta suck, the officer let Russ off with a verbal warning, he was going 56 in a 30
2:33 pm - What else can go wrong?, Bart's CB has blown out, turn back around to see if there is a place to get a new CB
2:42 pm - Stop at Advanced Communication Systems Inc. on West Main Street in New Castle, WY
3:05 pm - New CB bought for $60 and Marshall discovers the electrical adapter has blown a fuse
3:08 pm - Back on US 16 West
3:33 pm - Arrive at rest area on east side of Upton, WY, it is closed, Temperature: 74F Dewpoint: 46, turn back around and head east on US 16 back into New Castle, WY
4:02 pm - Heading east on US 16
4:11 pm - South on US 85
4:17 pm - Sit off of US 85 at the landfill
5:07 pm - Head back in New Castle to get some drinks and snacks
5:49 pm - South on WY 490, sitting just south of US 16
6:01 pm - Going to get slammed, or not, busting a move to I-90 and heading for a Tornado Watch in effect for all of SD
6:31 pm - East on WY 116 under heavy rain and lightning
7:08 pm - East on I-90
7:23 pm - Crossed Wyoming/South Dakota boarder, Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Custer County
8:12 pm - East on SD 44
8:41 pm - Stop alongside the road to take pictures of cells to our east and southwest
9:07 pm - Jeremy left his camera on top of his car and took off at a high rate of speed ruining it
9:15 pm - Stopped to get a group picture on "our butt" in the Badlands
9:50 pm - Interior, SD, Population: 67, Stopped for gas, potty, and snacks at Conoco at $1.25 a gallon
10:04 pm - North on SD 177
10:18 pm - Russ hits bird while driving, East on I-90
11:06 pm - Enter back into Central Time Zone, exit 191
11:09 pm - Arrive at Best Western in Murdo, SD and go to bed

Tuesday, June 8th

8:00 am - Wake up to get ready for breakfast
8:30 am - Eat at the Star Restaurant in Murdo, SD, Bart buys $10 worth of state magnets
10:00 am - Discussion points to areas east of our hotel
10:55 am - Leave Best Western and head south on US 83, Temperature: 78 Dewpoint: 69
11:33 am - Temperature: 83F Dewpoint: 66F, winds S 10 mph
11:37 am - East on US 18
12:22 pm - East on SD 44
12:32 pm - North on SD 49
12:59 pm - North on SD 47
1:09 pm - East on I-90, Temperature: 82F Dewpoint: 79F
1:17 pm - Exit 260 to Burger King and Amoco at $1.15 a gallon
2:13 pm - West on I-90
2:22 pm - South on SD 47 and off on gravel road to sit
5:18 pm - Leave our position and head south on SD 47
6:16 pm - Crossed South Dakota/Nebraska boarder
6:25 pm - West on NE 12
6:40 pm - South on US 183
6:45 pm - Bart calls Sarah from Springview, NE to see where the severe weather is occurring
7:11 pm - West on US 20
7:16 pm - Stopped at Texaco in Ainsworth, NE for gas at $1.15 a gallon, balls, and snacks
7:36 pm - Leave heading west on US 20
7:40 pm - North on US 183
8:12 pm - Tone!, Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Blaine, Brown, and Custer Counties
8:15 pm - Heading south on US 183 to US 20 so that we have an escape east if need be for cell to our west
8:23 pm - Head back north on US 183 about a mile
8:30 pm - East on US 20 towards Basset, NE
8:35 pm - Tone!, Severe Thunderstorm Warning for northern Brown County, 12 miles to west of Ainsworth, moving NE at 40 mph
8:40 pm - South on US 183
8:55 pm - Stopped to take pictures of mammatus clouds, winds gust up to 25 knots
9:11 pm - Head north to get hit by hail
9:24 pm - North on NB 7 to take some lightning photos and then head east to Sioux City, IA
9:42 pm - East on US 20
12:38 am - Crossed Nebraska/Iowa boarder
12:44 am - Arrive at Motel 6 in Sioux City, IA

Wednesday, June 9th

6:45 am - Wake up call from Tom Bodet
8:07 am - Leave Motel 6 and head north on I-29
8:10 am - East on US 20
8:39 am - Stop for gas at Casey's General Store at $1.08 a gallon, donuts purchased by Bart for everyone
8:58 am - Back on US 20 east
9:39 am - Passed through Sac City, IA
10:42 am - South on IA 17 to Amoco Station for potty break
10:52 am - East on US 20
11:03 am - South on I-35
11:49 am - I-80 East
1:25 pm - Stop to eat at McDonald's and fill up at Phillips 66 at $1.07 a gallon
2:06 pm - Back on I-80 east
2:49 pm - Crossed Iowa/Illinois boarder
3:27 pm - South on IL 40
3:29 pm - East on US 6, Thunderstorm Warning for Rock Island County, hook up TOILET and get back on interstate "chasing" a storm to our east
4:50 pm - Hit road construction on I-80
5:03 pm - Hit 5,000 miles for the trip
5:42 pm - Crossed Illinois/Indiana boarder
5:54 pm - I-65 south
6:00 pm - US 30 east to Valparaiso
6:18 pm - Stop at Amoco in Valparaiso to fill everyone's gas tank at $1.06 a gallon
6:31 pm - Arrive back at Valparaiso University, finish finalizing quotes for t-shirts and put away equipment

Total Trip Milage: 5118 miles
Valparaiso University 1700 Chapel Drive, Valparaiso, IN 46383