| Jason Baldwin | Andy Dixon | Brent Gilles | Steve Holcomb |
| Bryan Howell | Jon Hunter | Sean Jesse | Cyndi Kahlbaum |
| Jaymes Kenyon | Casey Letkewicz | Andrew McCawley | Ashley Mefferd |
| Joe Millard | Dave Peterson | Drew Renner | Zach Rodeghero |
| Dan Santiago | Nate Vining | Bart Wolf | Heather Woods |
7:00 a.m. Valparaiso University
Weather discussion. Today-drive to Tulsa, Oklahoma, conditions look favorable for the Texas panhandle for Tuesday.
7:25 a.m. Valparaiso University
Photo-op. A lot of pictures were taken while we all looked into the sun.
7:37 a.m. Valparaiso University
We left the university, heading towards Tulsa. We went 2 East, 49 South, 30 West, and finally to 2 West.
Cars 4 and 5 were stopped @ a red light. Cars 1, 2, and 3 pull over.
Car 2 – “What the heck was that?” In response to the pulling over
8:21 a.m. 41 South
“Did you see that guy’s eyebrows?”
8:56 a.m. Right turn @ Kentland on 24 West.
“Crescent City – Casey’s graduating class had more people then the population of this town.”
9:35 a.m. 57 South
10:30 a.m. Mile marker 220 in Illinois
Rest Stop
10:37 a.m. Left rest stop
While leaving the rest stop, Car 4 forgot it had something on the roof – it was funny, and car 5 laughed.
Cookie is the sometime food
“Did you see how high the road kill bounced after the Excursion hit it?”
11:28 a.m. 70 West
12:42 p.m. I-55 South – towards St. Louis
1:00 p.m. 44 West
1:14 p.m. Gas Station
1:30 p.m. Sonic
2:17 p.m. Left Sonic and got back onto 44 West
Largest selection of Jigsaw Puzzles – Jason, “Yes, that’s my dream come true.” - Near Sleeper, MO and near Knife Country. Jigsaw puzzles are obviously exciting, either they put you into dreamy land or you play with knives…hmm.
4:30 p.m. Burning car
4:32 p.m. 500 miles traveled on trip
Insufficient Funds – Name of an 18’ boat
6:09 p.m. Gas Station
6:21 p.m. Left gas station
8:00 p.m. Hotel
Arrived at the Holiday Inn Express in Tulsa, OK.
End Day 1
726 Miles
8:00 a.m. Tulsa, OK: Holiday Inn Express
Weather Discussion. Yesterday’s convection has pushed the risk area to the south. There is cloud cover over much of the area. The greatest risk area is south central western Texas…Panhandle of Texas. We have decided we have to go south very quickly. Tonight, we will stay in Plainview, TX and possibly travel north to Nebraska tomorrow.
8:20 a.m. Tulsa, OK
Gas station – fill up.
8:29 a.m. 244 West to Oklahoma City
Traveled to 144 West and then to 44 West.
Heater – “Good job, everybody, getting out of the hotel.”
Dan – “Thanks chase mom.”
Heather – “Oooo…really? Can I be the chase mom?”
Dan – “No one likes the mom.”
9:46 a.m. I-35 South towards Oklahoma City
9:50 a.m. I-44 West
10:01 a.m. I-40 West
11:35 a.m. Convection Report
Moderate Risk is placed over the area. 35% hatched hail, 25% hatched wind and a descent chance for tornados.
12:15 p.m. Shamrock, Texas
Shamrock, TX…where even the bathroom sink is in the shape of Texas.
“Watch out for the decorations in the road” – in response to some road kill.
McDonalds and Gas Station.
12:58 p.m. Convection Report
Storms/Cells are popping in New Mexico. Because of this, and the outlooks, we have decided to continue to Amarillo then heading south. Tomorrow’s convection will be Cherry County Nebraska northward and Southern Texas.
Cherry County…Vacation paradise
1:10 p.m. – Largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere…It looks to be either the same size or smaller than the one in Missouri.
1:10 p.m. Convection Report
“Rapid development of tornadic super cells.”
1:44 p.m. Tornado Watch
Panhandle of Texas. Established until 10 p.m. Storms are expected to develop rapidly, hail up to softball size.
1:49 p.m. 27 South (Wrong Turn)
1:54 p.m. Thunderstorm Warning
Pampa, TX
1:55 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 76/62
2:02 p.m. 60 West…50 dbz NW of the Road
2:07 p.m. Heading towards Hereford Storm
Amarillo Severe Thunderstorm Warning
We arrived in the area right at initiation
Inflow band crosses highway (60 West) from left to right.
The storm is to the right of the highway in the northwest. It has 2 downdrafts.
We then traveled down 168 North to 1062. We turned onto a side road, Adkinson, and pulled off to watch the storm. Facing south, we watched the storm, 62 dbz, develop.
A new storm began to develop just to the south of this cell. We decided to chase this storm, but we had to core punch the first cell to get there. Maneuvered to South 168. This storm is now at 67 dbz. At this time a tornado warning was issued for northern Randall County, Amarillo, Texas.
“Giddy up guys. That could tornado at any time.” – Bart
4:32 – Same Cell
We have been tracking and watching this cell for a little over an hour. Very dark, green, ominous hail shaft is inside storm. This storm has rotation, no tornado formation, but it is moving west.
I love Happy, Texas – Jason
At this point, we repositioned for a third time for this cell. We watch a massive shelf cloud develop and come towards us. Tornado warnings are issued for our area, one forecaster believes a tornado will develop at our current position/intersection.
This storm is beginning to bear down on us, so we reposition for the 4th time. There is a lowering, and a lot of rotation, but no tornado development. Because of low fuel levels, we decide to go to Nazareth to get gas. The Nazareth Gas Station was unfortunately out of order.
5:00 p.m. Dimmit Gas Station – Fill up
5:10 p.m. SE 194 to reposition for the same cell.
This Hp Super Cell has merged/developed into massive MCS. It is very linear and contains Baseball to Softball size hail.
5:42 p.m. 70 West – to chase a new cell.
6:01 p.m. 385 South – this new cell, that we have been following since 5:30 p.m. is up to 67 dbz.
There is abundant Cg with this storm and a definite lowering.
6:15 p.m. 37 West
6:18 p.m. Stopped
We stopped at a side road. Car 3 unfortunately gets stuck. A local Texan helps pull the truck out. We move out as the storm begins to over take us.
6:43 p.m. Wall cloud still w/ cell.
“Hometown of Waylan Jennings...YES”
7:10 p.m. Crisis
Cars 3 and 5 have gotten separated from the group. Outflow has begun to overtake these cars.
Cars 1, 2, and 4 have pushed on a head. A tornado, briefly touched down.
7:25 p.m. 2446 West – We stopped to watch this storm until 7:45 p.m. We then went South on some road.
7:50 p.m. – Tornado Watch
A Tornado Watch has been issued for the area until 2 a.m. At this time we stopped on a dirt road to watch a developing updraft and cell.
8:05 p.m. East 114 (Wrong Turn)
8:08 p.m. Tornado Warning
“That car whacked a bird like no one’s business.” – Jason
We are driving into a Tornado Warning near Lubbock, Texas.
8:17 p.m. 168 North
The outskirts of Lubbock are flooding. We likely drove through some residual flash flooding from the passing super cell.
8:34 p.m. 289 North (Wrong Turn)
8:45 p.m. 27 North
9:23 p.m. Exit 49
“Your car is so small…it’s probably a girl.” – Dan towards Jason’s car.
9:26 p.m. Plainview, TX
Holiday Inn Express
End Day 2
1385 Miles
8:00 a.m. Plainview, TX
Weather Discussion
There is a Slight Risk in North and South Dakota and Northern Nebraska. Day 2 has 25% hatched probability in Western Nebraska and Kansas. Day 3 has 25% hatched probability slightly east of the Day 2 locations. Basically the risk is targeted around the central plains. We will be staying in Colby, Kansas tonight. We have decided to go up through Colorado, to possibly chase for the outside chance of a cell developing there.
8:46 a.m. Plainview, Texas
We left the hotel and got on 27 North. The temp, dew point is 61 over 54.
9:06 a.m. “Road Kill #1 – It was a bird!” – Joe
10:00 a.m. 87 North
10:10 a.m. Gas Station
10:34 a.m. 87 North
12:34 p.m. 287 North
12:37 Boise City
Temp/Dewpoint 75/49
2:00 p.m. Lamar, Colorado
Subway
2:25 p.m. Lamar
We left Subway.
2:35 p.m. 385 North
Jason directed towards Joe – “You smacked that tumble weed.”
Jason, a few minutes afterwards – “Ah…we have tumble weed debri.”
4:10 p.m. Burlington, CO
We filled up the gas tanks. We then sat around and waited to see if there would be any development of storms off the Rockies. None developed by 5:30 p.m., so we decided to leave.
5:51 p.m. 70 East
6:47 p.m. Colby, Kansas
Arrived in Colby
6:49 p.m. Colby, Kansas
We arrived at the Holiday Inn Express.
End Day 3
1858 miles
8:00 a.m. Colby, Kansas
Weather Discussion
Moderate Risk – Kansas Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado. 15% hatched tornado and 35% hatched hail. Because of the area, and the possible locations of tomorrow’s storms we have decided to stay in the same hotel tonight. We have not yet decided where to go…rest until 10 a.m.
10:00 a.m. Colby, Kansas
Weather Discussion…lasted until 11:15 a.m. There is still a moderate risk, but the cloud cover still hasn’t burned off. There are north easterly winds north of the boundary. The new day 1 at this time was almost exactly the same as the 12 z.
11:20 a.m. Colby, Kansas
Lunch
11:55 a.m. Colby, Kansas
Weather Discussion. It is possible for an extremely dangerous and volatile day. We need to go west.
1:03 p.m. Colby, Kansas
We have left the hotel and have gotten on W 70. At this time, Mississippi State is not following us. We are going to head towards Burlington, CO.
1:28 p.m. Road
There is a development north of Fort Collins – descent looking cell at 50 dbz. 2 more cells west of Denver.
1:45 p.m. Temp / Dewpoint 70 over 58.
1:57 p.m. Tornado Watch
Colorado Springs to Kansas to Wyoming until 9 p.m. CDT. There is a possibility of 2.5” hail and winds 70 m.p.h. It is clear east of Burlington. There are a lot of cells east of Denver.
2:13 p.m. Temp / Dewpoint 70 / 54
2:25 p.m. Arrived at Siebert, CO
2:27 p.m. Siebert, CO
Refueled the vehicles
2:40 p.m. Siebert, CO
We have decided to remain at the gas station parking lot and wait. We have a good view to the west and could possibly watch initiation.
4:34 p.m. North 59 towards the town of Cope, CO.
4:48 p.m. A storm to the north of us is at 68 dbz. It has two shear markers at 71 and 73 miles per hour.
4:56 p.m. Tornado Warning
A Tornado Warning has been issued for this cell until 5:30 for Adams and Morgan Counties. It is currently moving away from Denver.
4:58 p.m. Left on 36 to Anton
5:20 p.m. We are coming up on the storm. We are seeing abundant scud.
5:23 p.m. 73 dBZ. We are currently in Washington County
5:28 p.m. Road
We turned right 18 miles away from the rotation. We sit and watch cell as others develop. It has a lot of scud and possible rotation, but nothing seems to develop out of the storm. The shelf cloud begins to push out towards us, so we have to reposition.
5:48 p.m. Road
We are repositioning ourselves for this cell. We have taken County Road U. The cell is currently at 75 dbz.
6:01 p.m. New Cell…Cell 2
150 m.p.h. shear
6:17 p.m. Rd. 40. The southern storm…cell 2 has a shear marker of 126 mph
6:20 p.m. Tornado Warning for southern storm…the one we currently are chasing. Temp/Dewpoint 70 / 52. We are currently are on Rd. 40.
6:26 p.m. 69 dbz. We are currently 24 miles from the rotation of the storm. 126 mph shear marker 15 miles away.
6:40 p.m. Tornado Warning this cell
The storm is projected to hit Limon
6:47 p.m. Genoa, CO and I-70
6:56 p.m. Left on 40/287 Intersection
6:59 p.m. Third Ave
7:01 p.m. Co Highway 129
7:04 p.m. Turned Around
7:10 p.m. Hugo, CO Gas Station
7:20 p.m. We are currently watching the same cell we were just chasing from a top a hill behind the gas station. It has redeveloped into a formidable storm.
There is also a new tornado warning for this storm.
7:22 p.m. Road 2X
7:35 p.m. Road 2W
7:39 p.m. 115 M.P.H. Shear Marker 15 mile due North
The cell is now at 63 dbz
7:44 p.m. Shear Marker 126 M.P.H.
We have stopped to watch. Twice we saw what was very possible a tornado. There was a lot of dust being stirred up under the wall cloud, but nothing that seemed to be obviously a tornado.
7:56 p.m. Three shear markers: 115, 115, 126 M.P.H.
8:02 p.m. Four shear markers: 92, 92, 126, 126 M.P.H.
A 3rd cell behind the current cell is actually hooking around Limon.
8:10 p.m. Again we see a possible tornado.
We have been running parallel to the cell for some time now.
8:34 p.m. All the cells we have been chasing today have formed into a line and have thunderstorm warnings with them. The line has 4 shear markers: 69, 69, 80, 80 M.P.H.
9:08 p.m. 385 North
We are going to try to beat the storms to the Interstate.
“Anybody up for Euchre tonight” – Jason
“This is a very serious situation” – Andy
“Who wants to hear the story about my eating a rabbit and how you eat a rabbit’s eye” – Dan
“The eye, really, just tastes like a hard boiled egg.” – Dan
9:19 p.m. We have reached the gust front / outflow.
9:20 p.m. 70 east @ Burlington
We are driving under a 130 M.P.H. sear marker
9:22 p.m. Tumble Weeds
A new cell has developed between us and the hotel and is already at 50 dbz. There is constant lightning.
“All of this lightning is like we are performing on stage.”
“Should we bow?”
“We have one more set of flash bulbs-Then we’ll bow”
“Huh. We are going to die…end up being dust and 1 strong gust.”
10:20 p.m. Arrive in Colby and the Holiday Inn Express
End Day 4
2240 Miles
8:00 a.m. Weather Discussion: Colby, Kansas
The day 2 outlook is suggesting a possible outbreak in Kansas and Nebraska tomorrow. It has 25% hatching and is already considering a moderate risk. The day 1 models are conflicting however, and we are unsure where to go. We have to stay within striking distance of tomorrow’s possible inclement weather.
3 Options:
1) Bust east – get ahead of outflow boundaries from yesterday’s storms
Bust south – Oklahoma – wave emerging from New Mexico and Mexico
3) Head to Southern Colorado – might get some convection from wave in Utah
We have decided to head to Garden City – pick up hotel keys – move into Colorado and wait.
9:54 Change of Plans
We have decided to chase in central Kansas. There is a meso low boundary. We will be staying in Salina, Kansas tonight.
10:00 a.m. 70 East
10:05 a.m. Temp/Dewpoint 61/56
11:10 a.m. Temp/Dewpoint 70/60 – heading into Hays, Kansas
11:49 a.m. Got off the interstate in Russell, Kansas
Stopped at a gas station to fill up.
12:00 p.m. Finished fill up
Moving South on 281
Temp/Dewpoint 66/60
12:20 p.m. Pizza Hut
“Put out an APB, Blue Frog Watch ’05” – Dan
“Hey, Bartina?” – Heather
1:30 p.m. Tornado Warning for Ness County, Kansas – seems like nothing is there
1:34 p.m. 281 South
Durango Disco Club???
They’re going to have the last laugh when it ravages my colon later – Andy in regards to Pizza Hut and our devastating the buffet
Please Go Away Tours…I guess they don’t want any business.
1:50 p.m. Car 1 took out another bird. Andy …Natural Born Killer
“Storm Damage flying at me from car 4” – Jason
“Yeah – it looks like bacon bits” Car 4
“Why did he turn…no one told him to turn” – Bart talking about Andy
2:55 p.m. 42 (Wrong Turn)
“The storm resembles a giant pitch fork” – Dixon
“or a cowboy being bucked off a bull in Kansas” – Bart
3:29 p.m. South on 14 (Wrong Turn)
We just ran out of beef jerkey…is there anywhere we can stop.
Term of the day CORE Punch. CORE PUNCH ’05.
3:40 East 160
3:48 p.m. We turned off the road and are going to watch a 56 dbz storm hit us.
3:54 p.m. 57 dbz storm and a lot of rain
“At least Heather didn’t get wet…the witch might have melted.” – Dan
3:58 p.m. Repositioning for same storm to hit us again.
4:00 p.m. East 160
4:22 p.m. 271 South to Mayfield
Mayfield was a bust. All it had was 6 residents and a broken down white bus. Members of the chase actually missed the town because they blinked.
4:26 p.m. East 160 to Wellington
Day 2 Outlook – Best chance for tornados is in Iowa.
4:37 p.m. Wellington Gas Station
4:48 p.m. Left Gas Station
4:52 p.m. McDonalds
5:02 p.m. Left McDonalds
5:03 p.m. Old lady on a wheel chair places her order in the drive through and proceeds to pull around to the first window to pay for her food.
5:07 p.m. Side road off of West 160. There is a severe thunderstorm warning for the cell we are currently chasing/watching.
We have decided to let the cell hit us – then let the line of storms behind it hit us too.
5:19 p.m. Repositioning
5:21 p.m. West 160
“Core Punched” cell. There were 2 areas of heavy rain.
5:30 p.m. Awesome rainbow behind us caused by the cell we just passed under
5:35 p.m. Turning right to watch a cell that has a severe thunderstorm warning. 68 dbz cell that is heading straight towards us.
5:45 p.m. The rain is blowing across the wheat field. The outflow was clocked at 25 m.p.h. before Dan decided he didn’t want to get wet.
5:55 p.m. We have decided to leave the dirt road location and reposition ourselves else where
East 160
6:02 p.m. 49 North
6:19 p.m. East 42
6:40 p.m. 235 North
6:51 p.m. 135 North
8:03 p.m. “Looks like we have a mutiny” – Dan in response to Cars 4 and 5 feeling Andy was driving too slow.
8:07 p.m. I-70 East
8:08 p.m. Bladder Watch ‘05
“Hey Bart, isn’t that our Holiday Inn? That we are driving by? Right NOW?”
8:24 p.m. Holiday Inn Express (Wrong Turn)
Salina, Kansas
End Day 5
2736
8:00 a.m. Weather Discussion: Salina, Kansas
There is a High Risk in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri. After an extensive discussion we have determined that there are likely to be two different areas we could chase. There are two different moisture convergence zones: one to the north of the hotel and one to the south of the hotel. We have decided to chase the southern zone because there is appears to be a greater amount of moisture. Because this is a high risk day, we will have to be extra cautious.
11:30 a.m. Everyone went to get lunch
12:33 p.m. Leaving Hotel
70 West
12:35 p.m. 135 South
Temp/Dewpoint 80/62
12:38 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 78/62
Car 3 just drilled a bird
12:42 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 79/66
We are trying to find the moisture convergence zone…it should be the location when we get dewpoints up into the seventies.
12:46 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 80/67
12:49 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 80/68
12:52 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 80/72
12:55 p.m. North Business 81
Temp/Dewpoint 81/71
1:00 p.m. Lindsburg Gas Station
We refueled and everyone put rainex on the vehicles.
1:18 p.m. Left Gas Station
81 South Temp/Dewpoint 85/73
Mesoscale Discussion: Salina to Manhattan to a third town making a triangle. Development should begin between 4 and 5 p.m. central and should be explosive
1:21 p.m. 16th avenue. Sit and wait for initiation. At the convergence zone there is no wind.
1:56 p.m. South 81
1:58 p.m. South 135
Temp/Dewpoint 85/73
2:02 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 82/72
Tornado Watch has been issued. Russell Kansas, to Missouri and is valid from 2 – 11 p.m. It is a 500 mile PDS watch box.
2:09 p.m. Exit 60 and 56 East
Watch description: 4” hail, tornadic supercells, long tracks, numerous tornados w/ some being destructive and rapid movement.
2:12 p.m. The cap is beginning to break.
2:15 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 85/71
Tornado Watch Probability:
2 or more Tornados – 70% and 1 or more F2 or greater – 50%
10 or more severe winds – 60% and 1 or more greater than 65 knots – 60%
10 or more severe hail – 90% and 1 or more greater than 2” – 90%
6 or more wind and hail severe reports – > 95%
LeHigh – Small, but Nice. City signs are awesome.
2:30 p.m. 15 North
2:35 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 86/69
2:40 p.m. We are currently trying to catch up to some cells that are racing off towards the north east. However we have gotten stuck at a “flagger”. So Bart decided to turn right on a dirt country road. This road is just plain shitty. Car 3 and 4 nearly slide off the road, and Car 1 got airborne going over the railroad tracks.
2:52 p.m. Left Turn on Limestone Road towards the north. The moisture convergence zone has lifted north. We now need to play catch up.
2:53 p.m. 330th road
2:57 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 84/76
2:54 p.m. Quail Creek Road
3:01 p.m. Lost Springs Road
3:07 p.m. East 56
3:09 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 84/74
3:11 p.m. 77 North
3:37 p.m. Gas Station – Junction City, Kansas
3:47 p.m. Left Gas Station. There is a Tornado Warning for McPherson County.
3:49 p.m. 70 West
3:59 p.m. East Gate Road – 43 South
4:13 p.m. Turned on some side road
Wild Goose Chase ‘05
4:23 p.m. 43 North
2 cells are merging. We can see a wall cloud on the closest storm, but it is beginning to rain wrap. Now, 3 cells are beginning to merge right on top of our current location. We have to get out in a hurry. Tornado warnings are given for our current location. The lightning is so close we can not here the thunder.
4:30 p.m. 70 East
The cells have merged into one giant cell. We have to go through it if we want to continue to chase today. It is very intense with extremely heavy rain and nickel size hail. We drove underneath a shear marker, but none of us could see any rotation within the storm.
Junction City is beginning to flood…after we went by; part of 70 East was closed.
5:00 p.m. We have gotten ahead of the cell.
5:04 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 78/70
5:05 p.m. Wall Cloud
5:09 p.m. Possible lowering…possible dust on ground.
5:19 p.m. Stopped on a side street to watch the cell we just drove through.
The Pilot has hail damage on the hood of the car.
5:30 p.m. Leaving this side street
5:32 p.m. East 70
Cracked Wind Shields ’05 – We now have 4 windshield cracked.
5:35 p.m. 99 South
5:52 p.m. 4 East
Lookee-Looers ‘05
5:57 p.m. Sit and wait for any cells in the area to develop.
6:08 p.m. 4 East – “It’s going to be watery.”
6:21 p.m. South 99
6:36 p.m. 56 East
6:43 p.m. 3000 miles
6:44 p.m. 31 East/South
6:46 p.m. Gas Station Osage City, Kansas
6:54 p.m. Leaving Gas Station. There are discrete cells to the southwest, we are moving to intercept. 31 East/South
7:05 p.m. 75 South
7:22 p.m. Old Highway 50 (Wrong Turn)
7:24 p.m. We have stopped on the side of the road, after missing our turn and having to turn around.
7:35 p.m. We have left this location to go back to the interstate.
7:38 p.m. 35 North
“A single cell has formed in front of the hooty hoos (squall line w/ embedded bow echoes) that crap on things”
“How deadly is this…line of death you speak of.”
8:05 p.m. Car 3 hands a bottle of water off to Car on the interstate. It was amazing.
8:34 p.m. 435 West
8:40 p.m. East I-70
8:50 p.m. I-24 We are in the Kansas City Ghetto. (Wrong Turn)
Was that a homicide or was someone getting arrested. Homicide Watch ‘05
9:10 p.m. 435 North
9:17 p.m. 35 North
9:26 p.m. Chili’s in Kansas City, MO
The squall line is passing over us while we eat. There is a lot of wind, rain, and lightning.
11:00 p.m. left Chili’s. I-35 North.
11:01 p.m. Bart asks everybody if they know the name of a song playing on the radio. Car 2 guesses Traffic…Low. Cheaters…what the heck is Traffic Low anyways? I thought it was Traffic.
It has begun raining again.
11:40 p.m. Cameron, MO. Holiday Inn Express.
End Day 6
3187 Miles
8:30 a.m. Weather Discussion Cameron, Missouri
Day 1 – Michigan. MI is not exactly chase-able country.
Day 2 – Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana
9:14 p.m. Left Cameron, Missouri
36 West
10:23 p.m. Hiawatha
10:25 p.m. Hiawatha Gas Station
10:39 p.m. 36 West
CAR 5 WINS THE TRIVIA GAME
12:30 p.m. Belleville, Kansas
Car 1’s CB is not working. We are going to switch it with an extra one.
12:42 p.m. Movin on.
12:48 p.m. Day 2 – Slight in Wyoming, and the Dakotas. (25%)
Procreating Cow
1:33 p.m. North 281
1:40 p.m. North 191 Wrong Turn
1:42 p.m. U.S. Center /Chapel Wrong Turn
Drew, being all about snakes, catches a baby one. Craving for excitement today, everybody runs over to him in awe.
2:02 p.m. South 191
2:09 p.m. North 281
Joe’s Mileage 040404
2:14 p.m. The Hand Scanner Antenna fell off of Car 5
2:25 p.m. West 136
2:51 p.m. Nebraska 10 West
We see a guy driving down the street on a riding lawn mower. Car 3 – He does not have a driver’s license so he drives a riding mower instead
Song Titles that Bart Enjoys – “I miss you Baby, But my Aim is Getting Better” and “I went to Bed at 2 w/ a 10, woke up at 10 w/ a 2.”
3:22 p.m. Minden, Nebraska Subway
4:02 p.m. Gas Station
4:23 p.m. I 80 West
6:22 p.m. West 26/61
6:28 p.m. 61 North
6:39 p.m. Lake McConaughy
6:48 p.m. 92 West – well, as soon as the coal train went by….6:55 p.m.
7:01 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 80/49
Bart – “You’ve heard of monster trucks…I give you Monster Go Carts.”
7:59 p.m. 92 West
2 orphan anvils are sighted resulting from dieing cells.
Car 5 – “Is it adopt an orphan anvil day?”
Adopt an Orphan Anvil Campaign ‘05
8:15 p.m. Gas Station Bridgeport, Nebraska
8:29 p.m. 92 West – again We seem to have been on this road for a long time now, and it smells.
8:44 p.m. Chimney Rock (Wrong Turn)
8:56 p.m. Stopped by the historical marker for Chimney Rock. It was quacktastic.
8:56 p.m. 92 East – Away from the sun.
8:59 p.m. 26 West
9:09 p.m. 385 North
9:40 p.m. Got off of 385 North (Wrong Turn)
9:46 p.m. Alliance, Nebraska Holiday Inn Express
End Day 7
3836 Miles
8:00 a.m. Weather Discussion Alliance, Nebraska
We will be staying in Pierre, South Dakota.
We are currently unsure where the best place to go actually is. It seems the warm front is going to be just south of the North Dakota/South Dakota border. The Cape gradient is from 500 to 2500 in this area. Some areas of South Dakota/Nebraska have cape values upwards of 3500. We are expecting to see LP super cells today. Dewpoints in the mid 50s to lower 60s by initiation.
9:11 a.m. Left Hotel on 2nd/3rd street
9:15 a.m. North 87
9:19 a.m. – 9:26 p.m. Carhenge
9:27 a.m. North 87
9:38 a.m. 7E Link West
9:44 a.m. 385 North
11:02 a.m. North 79
11:36 a.m. New Day 1. Moderate Risk has been placed in North Dakota. We are changing our hotel from Pierre to Dikinson, North Dakota.
11:55 a.m. North 79 to I-90 West.
12:03 p.m. Exit 10
12:11 p.m. North 85
12:55 p.m. Belle Fourche, South Dakota Gas Station
1:10 p.m. Find Lunch quickly in Belle Fourche, South Dakota
Attack Mode ‘05
1:33 p.m. Leaving Belle Fourche
Tornado Watch
Operation Big Sky Carnage
1:38 p.m. 212 West
1:45 p.m. Scooby Doo Helicopter Apparatus primed and ready for deployment
2:09 p.m. 112 West
2:14 p.m. 112 East
2:17 p.m. Historical Marker – Sat and waited on the border of Montana and Wyoming
3:17 p.m. 212 North (Wrong Turn)
3:42 p.m. 277 North – Stopped – We are following a cell that is just outside of radar coverage.
4:13 p.m. Moving 5 miles down the road.
“Gazelle! It’s crossing the road.” – Bart
4:20 p.m. Thunderstorm Warning – Quarter size hail.
4:38 p.m. Route 277
5:23 p.m. 323 North Montana Road
5:36 p.m. Creek Road
6:00 p.m. East 20
6:07 p.m. Camp Crook, South Dakota Gas Station
Car 1 and Car 3 had flat tires…they were fixed. Bart tried to give himself a concussion by running into a wooden triangle attached to the shop building.
Camp Crook nominated as Chase Town ‘05
6:47 p.m. East 20
6:56 p.m. Stopped on road off of east 20. We are watching multiple cells developing around us, all of which are basically not covered by the radar.
7:18 p.m. East 20
7:34 p.m. South on East 20
7:36 p.m. Gas Station in Buffalo, South Dakota – We are stopping to take pictures as a cell approaches us.
7:49 p.m. Buffalo, SD – Getting rolled. This cell has an amazing shelf cloud. A shear funnel developed on the north side of the shelf and it lasted a little more than a minute. A few pea size hail pieces also hit the cars.
8:03 p.m. After the storm had passed – 2 deer came up to us, relieved themselves, and then ran off.
8:11 p.m. North 85
8:12 p.m. 20 East
8:21 p.m. Car 2 hit a bird
9:02 p.m. Car 1 hit a bird – it apparently survived though. “That’s impossible, we drilled the dang thing” – Bart
9:04 p.m. Bison, South Dakota (Wrong Turn)
We are going to sit and watch the cells converge into a squall line, and a developing squall line behind it.
A herd of cows came to investigate us. They line up in a row, sizing us up, but they must have decided we weren’t worth their trouble. Good thing to, they wouldn’t have wanted to deal with 20 Weather wienies.
9:30 p.m. Moving into Bison – just to be on the safe side.
9:37 p.m. Getting rolled by a squall line. The Gust Front clocked at 38.1 M.P.H.
9:51 p.m. 20 West
10:03 p.m. 75 North
10:42 p.m. Highway 12
11:00 p.m. 22 North
12:10 a.m. Holiday Inn Express Dikinson, North Dakota
End Day 8
4400 Miles
8:00 a.m. Weather Discussion Dikinson, North Dakota
Severe weather is expected to develop in central and southern South Dakota. However, at the current time we do not know where we should stay tonight.
8:47 a.m. leaving hotel
8:51 a.m. Ace Hardware – Dikinson, North Dakota
We need to purchase new fuses since the pilot seems to go through about 5 a day.
8:57 a.m. 22 South
9:48 a.m. 12 East
10:03 a.m. Car 3 smacks a bird. It apparently flew away, but it must have a serious head injury.
10:24 a.m. Lemmon Gas Station
10:42 a.m. Leaving gas station.
10:44 a.m. 73 South
11:27 a.m. Temp/Dewpoint 66/56
11:47 a.m. 212 East
We have decided to stay in Mitchell, South Dakota tonight. Woo Hoo…Corn Palace here we come.
12:25 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 77/60
12:35 p.m. Eagle Butte…Lunch at either Dairy Queen or Taco John’s.
1:00 p.m. Zach on the phone #1
1:04 p.m. 63 South
1:27 p.m. Car 5 just waxed some bird.
1:30 p.m. Car 3 smashed a pheasant. No, not smashed, it was obliterated. “It was in three pieces” – Car 5
1:46 p.m. 63 South
2:09 p.m. “Fully engulfed” - Bart…what? Our gas tanks? Who talks like that?
2:32 p.m. Shell Gas Station
2:45 p.m. Left gas station
2:48 p.m. Zach text Message #1
Peeing horses 9 O’Clock
How many times do we have to hump this to find you? – Car 4
2:53 p.m. Stopped on a side road to wait for initiation
Zach Text Message #2
Zach on the phone #2
Zach on the phone #3
4:14 p.m. We left the side road to chase some developing storms to the west of us.
4:21 p.m. I-90 East
Zach on the phone #4
4:38 p.m. 73 South
Magical Severe Weather Flute
Zach on the phone #5
4:50 p.m. Turned around now on I-90 West
5:13 p.m. 14 North (Wrong Turn)
5:17 p.m. We have stopped on a side Road
5:21 p.m. Moving again…there is a cell developing to our west. It doesn’t seem to have any precipitation with it, but the structure of the storm is amazing.
5:25 p.m. East 90
5:26 p.m. Zach Text Message #3
Zach on the phone #6
5:30 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 73/64
73 South
5:45 p.m. Tornado is on the ground. It was on the ground for 90 seconds. Car 3 called the police and a tornado warning was issued. The funnel continues to come and go, but it only touched down the one time.
6:10 p.m. Stopped on a side road to sit and watch this cell that now only has a wall cloud come towards us. The updraft continues to create new towers and the cell seems to be becoming larger.
6:55 p.m. We are leaving our current location to get out in front of the cell. It still has shear markers on it and still has a well developed wall cloud. However, it has yet to create another tornado.
6:56 p.m. 44 East
6:58 p.m. Stop
7:02 p.m. Moving
7:04 p.m. Stop
7:07 p.m. Moving
7:25 p.m. Unmarked Road – Dirt – North
We are going to have to really push it up this road to get to the interstate before the intensifying cell and the oncoming squall line behind overtakes us. It is straight in the beginning but really winds around at the end.
“Cow! On the wrong side of the fence!” - Bart
We are driving right underneath the meso up and down bluffs. At one point, it seems as if we are only 500 feet underneath the wall cloud it self.
7:50 p.m. Zach on the phone #7
8:00 p.m. – 8:35 p.m.
Upon getting off the dirt road we see a Tornado Puncher Vehicle. We got on the interstate, I-90 East and are driving away from a massive, black wall of death. The cell is starting to gust out, and has created a massive shelf cloud. We stop for 10 minutes in a pull off area to take pictures and then move on again.
Zach on the phone #8
8:47 p.m. Bathroom break and picture break. The outflow/gust front has caught up to us. Dan measured it to be 57.5 M.P.H. at mile 201 on I-90. It might have been even stronger, but we needed to get out of the area.
8:50 p.m. Back on I-90
8:55 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 72/65
9:38 p.m. Gas Station @ Mile Marker 260
The squall line has caught up and overtaken/merged with the super cell.
9:46 p.m. I –90 East
Zach on the phone #9
9:50 – 10:12 p.m. Jason tells a story.
10:15 p.m. Stopped on a side road off the interstate and watched the oncoming lightning storm.
11:10 p.m. Mitchell, South Dakota Holiday Inn
End Day 9
5026 Miles
7:45 a.m. Weather Discussion Mitchell, South Dakota
Storms are likely to develop in the Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri borders. We have decided to stay in Missouri.
8:20 a.m. Group Breakfast at the Holiday Inn
9:45 a.m. Left Hotel
9:51 a.m. Corn Palace
10:25 a.m. Left Corn Palace
10:33 a.m. 90 East
10:48 a.m. Temp/Dewpoint 71/55 @ mile marker 350
11:23 a.m. 29 South
New Day 1 Outlook
There is a moderate risk in eastern Kansas and western Missouri – from approximately St. Joseph Missouri to the Kansas/Missouri Border.
12:17 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 71/61
Kansas City Temp/Dewpoint 88/75
12:35 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 76/64 @ Mile 147
“Car 3 agrees…if she is going to be “turned on” she had better be doing something.”
1:23 p.m. Mendanin Gas Station
$138.94 in gasoline
1:44 p.m. 29 South
2:32 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 84/70
2:50 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 86/71
“I don’t know if anybody has told you, but Car 3 think the ass end of your car is ugly.” – In reference to Car 2
Capes above 5000 J/kg
4:17 p.m. Temp/Dewpoint 91/76 @ Mile 23 just north of Kansas City.
Cape – 6000, EHI - .3, Moisture Convergence – 20, VJP – 5
4:25 p.m. 435 East
4:46 p.m. Highway 24
4:48 p.m. Gas Station in Kansas City
This gas station had it all. It was a freak show, it was during rush hour, and it even had a dog that had recently given birth. Fun times.
5:07 p.m. 435 South
Teamwork to get into the 4th lane.
5:11 p.m. Rush hour in KC
70 East
EHI – 7, Moisture Convergence – 20, and 58 dbz on the cell we are going to chase.
5:24 p.m. 291 North
Tornado Warning – Jefferson County
The cell we are chasing is nearly stationary
5:46 p.m. 152 West
“Calm down Joe…I see you’re punching the roof.” - Dan
“He’s not angry…He’s crying like a little baby.” - Drew
“You know, it’s your job as team leader to calm him down.” - Dan
“We’re out of tissues” – Drew
“Cell is not moving. Wait, it might be moving NE @ 5, no, it’s not moving” – Bart
6:08 p.m. Route N
Jones Road – The bridge is out. We can’t take this road to get to the stationary cell. So, we had to turn around, we seem to turn around a lot.
6:14 p.m. “Car 2 has the lead”
6:15 p.m. 435 South
6:30 p.m. 10 West
6:38 p.m. We have gotten off at an exit to sit and wait at a Wendy’s.
7:08 p.m. Leaving Wendy’s – there is a new cell that has developed.
7:11 p.m. 10 East
7:13 p.m. 435 East
7:14 p.m. 35 South
7:20 p.m. 169 South
7:26 p.m. The cell has 2 shear markers. It is currently at 64 dbz.
The CAPE is at 6500.
7:45 p.m. Exit – West on Main Street
7:48 p.m. We have turned around and are now going East on Main Street
7:52 p.m. 169 North
7:55 p.m. The center of the storm is at 66 dbz
8:01p.m. 68 West
“A round-about…in the middle of nowhere”
8:05 p.m. The cell is beginning to bow out and it no longer has any shear markers
8:07 p.m. Stopped to watch the storm
8:21 p.m. 68 East
We are getting storm reports that this squall line with imbedded bow echoes is producing wind gusts upwards of 70 M.H.P.
8:44 p.m. Highway 2
“Lieutenant Santiago, Lieutenant Dixon asks you to sound the retreat” – Bart
“We are just fighting in a different direction” – Jason
9:00 p.m. 7 North
9:25 p.m. We have decided to wait it out – No, we are now going to try and beat the line
9:30 p.m. 150 East
9:35 p.m. Route E North
9:36 p.m. 50 East
The gust front is supposedly creating winds in excess of 90 M.P.H.
10:30 p.m. 65 North
11:05 p.m. Exit 101
11:05 p.m. Holiday Inn Express Boonville, Missouri
End Day 10
5758 Miles
The Journey Home
8:05 a.m. Left Holiday Inn Express in Boonville, Missouri
8:07 a.m. Gas Station
8:33 a.m. Left gas station
8:34 a.m. 70 East
If it’s not Aqua, it’s not good
9:58 a.m. Boxing in the Porsche from Vermont
10:20 a.m. 270 North
10:47 a.m. 70 East
11:37 a.m. Box-in the van – First Car 1 and a truck, and then Car 2 and Car 3 get in on the fun
Sonic Watch ‘05
“This could be the most important thing we’ve done in the last 10 ½ days”
11:52 a.m. 6000 miles
11:55 a.m. Got off highway…beginning Sonic Reconnaissance
11:59 a.m. Gas
12:12 p.m. 70 East
12:37 p.m. 45/121 North
12:43 p.m. Sonic – Matoon
1:36 p.m. Leaving Sonic
1:39 p.m. East Illinois 16
1:46 p.m. 57 North
Car 5 throws bouncy ball at Car 2
Car 3 attempts to catch said balls
1:50 p.m. Operation Mess w/ Zach’s Head
We have decided to play a trick on Zach. We have created a scheme to convince him there is going to be severe weather in southern Wisconsin. Interception should occur around 6 p.m. and we should get back in Valpo around 10 p.m.
Road Sign – What ever it takes
Pulled off at a Burger King in Champaign to give the team leaders a chance to look at the radar and the location where we “will be chasing.” At this point in time, Bart tells Zach it is all a joke.
2:32 p.m. 57 North, 74 East
3:12 p.m. 63 North
3:39 p.m. 41 North
Mileage record was broken around the Illinois/Indiana Border
4:33 p.m. 2 East
5:14 p.m. Valparaiso, IN Gas station
5:25 p.m. 30 East
5:28 p.m. Sturdy Road
5:30 p.m. Valparaiso University
5:34 p.m. Conclusion of the Chase and a ceremonial playing of the flute.
End Day 11
Trip Mileage – 6249.8 Miles
Jaymes and Drew are in charge of the shirts
Shirt Color – Forest Green
Writing – White
Base Map – Gold
If this doesn’t look good, the colors will be white and gray
Map
Mileage on the bottom
Possible Symbols
A tornado were ever we saw one (Texas day 2, Colorado day 4, and South Dakota, day 9)
Highway 24 w/ a slash through it
Burning Car – Missouri
Camp Crook – Tire
Skull and Cross Bones – Junction City
Gas Pump and Handle – Nazareth, Texas
Volleyball – Colby, Kansas
Bowling Ball, Nebraska, Kansas
Danger Chase
DO’s and DON’TS on back of T-Shirt
1)Get stuck in ditch
2)Blowing fuses in radar
3) Nazareth Gas Station incident
4)Drive 500 ft. under a wall cloud / steep dirt hill / winding roads under meso
5)Burning Honda
6) Kansas City / Freak Show / Highway 24
7) Tornado near badlands
8) Flute
9) Get chased back to the hotel every day / get rolled every day
10) Add ’05 to every possible phrase
11) Engulfed by exploding Kansas Supercell and hail shaft
12) Wrong turns
13) Wrong turns resulting in a better view of a tornado
14) Have Janet GPS turned on
15) Drive 100 miles on Montana dirt roads
16) Stay in Holiday Inn Express
17) Blow 2 Tires and 4 Cracked Windshields
18) Visit Carhenge, Chimney Rock, Corn Palace
19) East dinner after 10 p.m.
20) Sonic and Cherry Lemonade
21) Tell other chasers you are going to Teas when you really aren’t
22) Take the dirt road if the opportunity is open
23) Chase in Montana
24) Make sure Bart wears his convection hat
25) Ponder about Grandma Max’s life
26) Cling to every word of Baldwin’s Life Stories
27) Don’t Listen to SPC Outlooks
28) Do not be structurally poor on radar
29) 15 lbs of Beef Jerkey
30) 10 – 12 bags of Convective Cherry Sours
31) Drive through 60 dbz supercell
32) Argue over shirt design as if it were your last meal
33) Be followed by Amateur Chasers / Mississippi State
34) Get Hotels only in path of Destruction
35) Try to get struck by CG
36) Drink 22 oz Flat Tire
37) Eat as many pizzas as possible at Pizza Hut in a short amount of time
38) Box in speedy drivers on Interstate
39) Get rolled by the same storm more than once
40) Obliterate a Pheasant, 10 other birds, and 1 lizard
41) Ride the ass of the pilot
42) Do not use Now Casting Skills
43) Use Radar
44) Do not sit and Wait
45) Drive everywhere
46) Operation Big Sky Carnage
47) Do not rely on Janet GPS
48) Base Support
49) Do saw we are going to die…often
50) Infiltrate the Triangle of Death
51) Don’t talk on the phone
52) Do turn down the CB when Heather talks