- 2008 CONVECTIVE FIELD STUDY A
Friday, May 16th
5 States, 650 miles traveled
Guesses for total trip mileage:
Car 1: 5835 -Car 2: 5582 -Car 3: 6100 -Car 4: 5268 -Car 5: 5732
New Canadian Province license plates seen:
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia, Ontario
US plates remaining unseen:
Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Wyoming, New Mexico, Alabama, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware
8:35am: leave VU to pick up new computer
8:52 depart VU
8:55 49 North
9:08 94 West
9:40 80 West
11:37 Stop for gas
11:51 back on highway
12:07 cross Mississippi River and enter Iowa
12:08 temp 72.5F/ dew 48F
12:27 stop for lunch at “World’s largest Truck Stop” on I-80 in Iowa
1:08 back on highway
1:35 temp 74.5/ dew 49.5
1:46 380 North
2:50 218 North
3:34 Get off highway in Charles City, Iowa—location of F5 tornado in 1968
3:37 Stop at Memorial Park—monument at location of school prior to tornado
3:45 leave Memorial Park
3:50 back on highway
4:05 temp 78/ dew 40
4:23 35 North
4:47 enter Minnesota
4:56 stop for gas in Albert Lea, Minnesota
5:10 back on highway
5:12 90 West
5:45 stop in Blue Earth, Minnesota (so-named by the Sioux because of blue clay in the soil) for a “surprise” from Bart—surprise was statue of Green Giant
6:00 back on highway
7:38 entering South Dakota
7:42 arrive Brandon, South Dakota (650 total miles)
Saturday, May 17th
1 State, 503 miles traveled
New Canadian Province license plates seen:
Alberta
US plates remaining unseen:
Hawaii, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware
10:12am depart Brandon, SD after getting gas
10:12 90 west
11:13 exit highway in Mitchell, SD
11:20 arrive at world’s only Corn Palace
12:00pm depart Corn Palace to eat lunch
12:45 meet at gas station
12:57 leave gas station/back on highway
1:41 tumbleweed
1:53 cross Missouri River
3:08 stop for gas—temp 76, dew 42, wind 21 mph, gust 30
3:30 back on highway
4:12 temp 78.5/ dew 44
4:20 stop at Wall Drug in Wall, SD
5:00 leave Wall Drug
5:00 240 South, towards Bad Lands
5:10 enter Badlands National Park
6:36 leave Badlands National Park
6:38 44 West
7:33 side roads to 90 west
7:42 90 West
7:50 arrive in Rapid City (1153 total miles traveled)
Sunday, May 18th
3 States, 437 miles
No new Canadian Province license plates seen
US plates remaining unseen:
Hawaii, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware
9:55am depart Rapid City
9:56 90 West
10:39 85 North
10:47 stop for gas
11:00 back on 85 North
12:35pm entering ND
12:35 mammatus seen to the NE—not connected to a storm
12:50 stop in Bowman, ND for lunch
1:45 temp 79/dew 47
2:30 cluster of cells with a max of 60 dbZ seen on radar in north-central Montana moving towards Miles City
2:30 leave Bowman, ND on 12 West
3:00 enter Montana
3:15 stop for Montana road map
3:25 back on 12 West
3:46 320 North (unpaved)
3:55 cells apparently weakening
3:56 turn west on West St. in Joe, Montana (population 19)
4:10 one cell strengthening to 61.5 dbZ—moving towards Fallon
4:20 passing through Mildred Montana
4:36 temp 86/dew 42
4:36 rain free base and precipitation seen about 30 miles NW
4:38 340 North (paved road)
4:40 55 dbZ max seen on radar
4:46 stop for pictures of high based cell as it dissipates
5:17 94 east
5:58 temp 83/ dew 49
6:05 stop for gas
6:31 7 South
6:31 cluster of cells to the west moving SE seen on radar. Doppler indicated hail >1” and 70mph gusts—severe warning
6:40 temp 79.3/dew 50
6:55 cell in view about 30 miles west
6:57 stop for pictures
7:03 return to 7 South
7:03 distant lowering of rain free base seen to WNW
7:11 stop for pictures
7:20 decision made to try to get rolled—back on 7 south
7:30 turn left on side road to wait for storm to approach
8ish max gust 43 mph—cell already dissipating
8:10 back to 7 North to view another cell
8:23 right on side road
8:33 stop to take pictures of sun behind storm with lowering and rain free base
8:46 drive about 1 mile into North Dakota, stop again for more pictures
9:17 continue north on side roads
9:43 94 East
10:35 arrive Dickenson, ND (1590 total miles traveled)
Monday, May 19
4 States, 501 miles traveled
No new Canadian province license plates seen
US plates remaining unseen:
Hawaii, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware
10:10am depart Dickenson, ND
10:12 94 West
10:28 85 South
11:06 passing White Butte, highest point in North Dakota, elevation 3506
11:45 temp 68.5/ dew 43, crossing into South Dakota
12:05 stop for gas in Buffalo, South Dakota—wind 20mph, gust 30 mph from northwest
12:20 continue on 85 South
1:25 stop at Pizza Hut in Belle Fourche, South Dakota
2:12 back on 34 west
2:23 Entering Wyoming—34 west becomes 24 west
2:58 temp 69.5/ dew 47.5
3:05 stop for pictures of Devil’s Tower
3:45 leave Devil’s Tower—back on 24 west
3:50 east on 14
3:57 temp 68/ dew 47
4ish 585 south
4:00 passing 5000ft. elevation
4:30 snow piles seen behind drift fences, elevation about 1 mile
4:36 85 south
5:20 lenticular clouds seen to SE
5:50 temp 69/ dew 48
6:00 20 east
6:20 entering Nebraska
6:30 29 South
6:36 temp 73.5/ dew 47.5
7:20 east on 26
7:24 stop for gas
7:43 back on 26 east
7:56 arrive hotel in Scott’s Bluff, Nebraska (2091 total miles traveled)
Tuesday, May 20
2 States, 522 miles
No new license plates seen
9:33am depart Scottsbluff, NE
9:33 71 South
10:15 30 East
10:17 stop to see old nuclear missile in park in Kimball, Nebraska
10:30 30 West
10:32 71 South
10:50 enter Colorado
10:51 temp 69/ dew 46.5
11:17 14 East
11:20 71 South
11:26 temp 72/ dew 47.5
11:45 34 East
11.50 well-defined Denver Cyclone seen on clear air radar reflectivity
11:55 temp 75/ dew 49
12:10 stop in Akron, CO for lunch at KT’s subs
1:10 move from KT’s subs to nearby spot to wait for initiation
1:18 temp 78/ dew 50
2:30 initiation of some cells farther south along mountain range
3:33 temp 85/ dew 53.5/ calm winds
3:40 decision made to go south—tcu continues growing along mountains south of palmer divide—RUC analysis shows 1500 MLCAPE in SW Colorado.
3:45 63 South
3:47 first of several dust devils seen along side of road
3:50 leaning turkey towers in moisture convergence zone
4:05 temp 80/ dew 49
4:07 36 west
4:12 5000 ft
4:18 core punch dust devil with tumbleweed debris
4:25 south on 71
4:38 5500 ft on Palmer Divide
4:57 enter Limon
5:00 stop at hotel to pick up keys and get gas
5:30 back to hotel to drop off bags
5:45 back on 71 South
5:45 several cells SE of Colorado Springs moving SE
6:30 approaching strong updrafts due south
6:52 east on 50
6:55 stop for gas
7:00 severe warned storm 20 miles east of Trinidad, moving east (too far to chase)
7:00 east on 50
7:15 hail shaft under storm seen to south
7:20 severe warning on this cell
8:00 unable to get ahead of storm
8:00 North on 287
8:20 West on 96
8:25 north on 59
8:44 west on 40
8:52 stop for pictures
8:55 continue west on 40
10:00pm arrive Limon, Colorado(Total miles 2613)
Wednesday, May 21
370 Miles, 1 state
Germany license plate seen
10:20am depart Limon, CO—north on 71
11:03 temp 70/ dew 51—stratus over eastern Colorado
11:31 west on 34
11:35 stop for gas in Brush, Colorado
11:50 back into Brush for lunch at Wendy’s
1:25pm north on 71
1:35 temp 78 / dew 53
1:46 west on 14
1:50 stop to wait in Stoneham, Colorado
2:30 temp 81/ dew 51.5
2:30 dryline analyzed to the SW about 30 miles: wind shift in obs; dewpoints near 30 behind radar fine line; line of cumulus seen along it
3:45 severe T-storm watch for NE Colorado and eastern Wyoming—valid until 11pm
3:50 cell on radar to SE with Doppler indicated .7” hail, moving approximately
North
3:55 temp 85/ dew 51
4:07 severe T-storm warning in Kit Carson County on cell to the SE along the dryline
4:28 temp 85.5/ dew 51.5
4:35 east on 14
4:58 stop for gas in Sterling
5:12 east on 6
5:38 radar detected mid-level mesocyclone
5:53 continue on 6 east
6:05 South on 385
6:07 temp 75/ dew 54.5
6:15 inflow band seen on storm
6:16 stop for pictures
6:32 continue south on 385
6:37 stop for pictures as cell splits and dissipates
6:56 south on 385
7:07 stop to wait and collect data
7:17 temp 69/ dew 56—more cells further south along dryline seen on radar
7:25 south on 385
8:15 South on 59 to find spot for pictures of lightning to the south
8:20 waiting to get rolled by large multi-cell cluster
9:20 east on 34
9:27 stop to continue watching cluster
9:40 radar shows cluster developing into MCV/MCS along dryline
10:10 west on 34
10:38 63 North
11:01 76 East
11:15 arrive at hotel in Sterling, Colorado (2983 total miles traveled)
Thursday, May 22
3 states, 464 miles
10:04am leave Sterling, CO—east on 6
10:18 temp 54.5/ dew 53.5/ dense fog
10:30 temp 54/ dew 53
10:40 temp 55/ dew 53.5
10:50 temp 54.5/ dew 52.5
10:51 south on 385
11:00 temp 55/ dew 54
11:10 temp 56/ dew 55
11:20 temp 56.5/ dew 54.5
11:25 stop for gas in Wray
11:41 continue south on 385
11:48 temp 60/ dew 56
11:50 south on 27
11:52 entering Nebraska
12:00 temp 62/ dew 57
12:01pm entering Kansas
12:09 temp 62/ dew 58
12:17 temp 66/ dew 59.5
12:20 east on 36
12:22 tornado warning north of Denver
12:25 tornado watch for NE Colorado, valid until 9pm
12:25 temp 68/ dew 61
12:26 south on 27
12:31 983 mb low analyzed in SE Colorado
12:35 temp 64/ dew 59.5
12:55 stop in Goodland, Kansas for map and food
1:38 continue east on 70
1:45 temp 70/ dew 62
1:50 PDS tornado watch for western Kansas, valid until 10pm
2:15 punch through rapidly developing cluster of cells to get east of the convection along the dryline
2:30 tornado watch for western Oklahoma, valid until 10pm
2:31 temp 81/ dew 63, now in warm sector
2:43 stop for gas as storms approaching from SW
2:45 temp 82/ dew 63
2:50 east on 93
2:53 south on 23
3:00 severe warning on a cell to the SW, moving N at 53 mph
3:05 tornado watch for SW Nebraska, valid until 10pm
3:03 turn around to find road west in Gove, KS
3:04 west on Fourth St.
3:10 stop for pictures east of Gove
3:20 severe thunderstorm watch for Nebraska Panhandle and SE Wyoming, valid until 10pm
3:22 doppler indicated tornado warning on cell to the west
3:23 move west to other side of Gove
4:02 large wall cloud to the SW, moving right of mean storm vector
4:15 very low scud and lowering
4:15 moving north on 23
4:40 wall cloud dissipating. Moving west and south as new right moving cells develop to the south.
4:40 east on 70
5:00 south on 198
5:10 stop for pictures
5:20 continue south
5:40 stop for pictures
6:00 funnel more than half way to ground, confirmed by NWS as tornado
6:00 moving south
6:03 east on 4
6:10 north in Arnold, KS
6:25 tornado reported on ground under the cell to our NW and moving
NE
6:35 stop for pictures
6:43 continue moving north
7:05 stop for gas
7:16 continue north on 283
7:48 stop for pictures
8:10 east on 24
8:25 south on 183
8:30 tornado warning in Trego County
8:40 south towards I-70
8:50 stop for pictures 9 miles north of I-70
9:15 tornado watch for central Kansas, southern Nebraska, and northern Oklahoma—valid until 5am
9:20 continue south towards interstate
9:40 east on I-70
9:55 arrive hotel in Hays, KS (3447 total miles traveled)
Friday, May 23
457 miles, 1 State
5am fire alarm and power outage in hotel
10:55 depart Hays, Kansas—south on 183
11:05 temp 65/ dew 61
11:28 temp 77/ dew 68.5, now in warm sector
11:45 temp 78/ dew 68.5
11:50 storms and tcu initiating along dryline near Colby and building southward
12:00 west on 56
12:34 south on 283
12:45 stop for lunch in Dodge City
1:27 refuel
1:40 continue west on 50
1:40 tornado watch for corner of CO, WY, and NE—valid until 8pm
1:47 temp 86/ dew 67
1:53 temp 88/ dew 66
2:00 temp 89/ dew 66
2:07 temp 90/ dew 64
2:09 stop to wait as tcu development continues
2:15 PDS tornado watch issued for western Kansas—valid until 10pm
2:22 temp 87.5/ dew 62.5
2:30 temp 86/ dew 64
3:20 initiation beginning on dryline
3:20 north on unmarked road
3:31 stop to wait
3:40 east on 156 to intercept a storm to the south
3:45 south on 23
3:47 stop to look at radar
3:53 continue south on 23
4:10 temp 86/ dew 61.3
4:17 stop to view storm
5:00 striations in updraft and rising scud under the updraft to our west
5:01 north on 23
5:07 stop to view storm
5:10 tornado watch for western Oklahoma—valid until 1am
5:15 rotating wall cloud and clear slot
5:16 north on 23
5:20 east on Mary Rd.
5:26 north on 21
5:27 stop to watch storm
5:40 wall cloud reforming, we move north
5:43 east on unmarked road
5:45 north on unmarked road
5:47 tornado touches down
5:53 two mesocyclones seen, both producing funnels
5:56 moving east
6:01 stop for data
6:02 moving east for another storm
6:05 tornado watch for Nebraska Panhandle and eastern Wyoming—valid until midnight
6:18 south on 283—large supercell to our SSE moving NW
6:23 turn east
6:31 east on 56
6:42 refuel in Offerle
7:05 east on 50
7:07 stop to refuel pilot in Kinsley
7:13 east on 50
7:31 right on 270
7:41 moving south
7:54 entering Haviland—supercell to our west approaching Greensburg area
7:57 stop to view radar
8:00 west on 54
8:03 stop to watch storm
8:20 stop to try to see distant rain wrapped tornado that was reported
8:38 east on 54
8:50 PDS tornado watch box issued for central Kansas- valid until 4am
9:00 stop at McDonald’s in Pratt while tornadic supercell passes to our NW and two more moving NE to our SW, and large squall line approaching from the west
10:04 moving to Leisure Hotel on other side of Pratt, KS
12:15 leave Hotel to return to Hays
12:15-2am continuous lightning to the east on back side of squall line
1:15 severe thunderstorm watch for SE Kansas- valid until 5am
2:27am arrive Hays, KS, 3904 total miles traveled
Saturday, May 24
403 miles, 2 states
11:10am depart Hays—east on 70
11:40 temp 81/ dew 65
12:05pm accas clouds
12:15 stratocumulus becomes stratus in moisture return east of dryline
12:30 stop for food in Salina, KS
1:05 tornado watch for north-central Oklahoma—valid until 7pm
1:30 refuel
2:00 move outside of town to look at data
2:30 mesoscale discussion issued for western Nebraska—300+ 0-1 km helicity in NE Kansas but still capped with stratus clouds limiting surface heating. Decided to more north towards Concordia.
2:40 tornado watch for central South Dakota—valid until 10pm
2:47 cells initiating in SE Nebraska and moving north along dryline
2:57 81 north
3:10 clouds starting to break
3:10 tornado watch for eastern Nebraska—valid until 10pm
3:23 continuing north to Belleville
3:40 stop to look at data—convection along dryline in east-central Nebraska
3:56 temp 76/ dew 67
4:15 tornado watch in eastern Nebraska
5:03 moving west, closer to stationary dryline seen as fine line on radar—tcu seen to the NW—dewpoint 68.5
5:05 north on 81
5:08 36 west—horizontal transverse rolls overhead
5:18 turning around to go north because still capped and getting late
5:20 turn north
5:31 turn west—cumulus congestus building to the north in southern Nebraska, where dryline surging east into deeper moisture
5:50 14 north
5:55 entering Nebraska
6:15 temp 78/ dew 64
6:25 tornado watch for southern North Dakota—valid until 1am
6:45 cumulus congestus falling apart as losing daytime heating
6:55 stop for gas
6:55 tornado watch for north-central Oklahoma—valid until 1am
7:18 34 east
7:37 81 south
7:43 80 east
8:05 tornado watch for eastern North Dakota—valid until 1am
8:20 77 south
8:45 stop for dinner at The Red Fox in Lincoln Nebraska
10:45 south on 77
11:22 arrive Beatrice Nebraska (4307 total miles traveled)
Sunday, May 25
2 States, 590 miles
9:31am depart Beatrice Nebraska
9:37 136 west
9:55 temp 80/ dew 70/ clear skies
10:30 few clouds, indicating moisture return
10:47 14 south
10:51 136 west
11:00 clear skies
11:12 281 south
11:17 entering Kansas
11:30 191 west
11:31 stop at center of continental US
11:45 191 east
11:46 281 south
11:50 36 west/281 south (same road)
12:00 stop in Smith Center for gas and lunch at Jiffy Burger
12:10pm Mesoscale discussion in TX and OK panhandles as convection initiating along dryline
12:40 tornado watch for TX and OK panhandle as well as southwest KS—valid until 6pm
1:00 south on 281
1:08 temp 83/ dew 57.5
1:13 temp 83.5/ dew 54.2
1:30 storms initiating in southwest Kansas
1:45 temp 85/ dew 68, now in moist airmass
1:55 cell gaining strength and becoming dominant in Wichita County—severe warned
2:00 cell moving NE along the cold front/surface boundary
2:15 70 west
2:23 mesoscale discussion for northern KS
2:24 temp 87.5/ dew 67.5
2:40 tornado warning on dominant cell in Scott County
2:45 183 south
2:55 severe warning for large hail on new cell entering Rush County to our south
3:00 tornado watch for central Kansas—valid until 10pm
3:00 west on unmarked road
3:06 east on same road
3:18 tornado warning on cell to our south in Rush County
3:21 turn south
3:32 turn west
3:30 severe thunderstorm watch for western Texas—valid until midnight
3:33 wall cloud seen
3:35 cattle seen stampeding east, away from path of storm
3:40 brief funnel seen, persistently rotating wall cloud
3:40 stop for pictures
3:43 very low rotating wall cloud
3:50 move south to new location
3:56 stop to watch/wait
4:20 move east and north after watching mesocyclone occlude and reform
4:27 stop to watch/wait—new supercell forming to our SW
4:28 move for a better view of both storms
4:33 stop to watch
4:45 very low rotating wall cloud to our north producing funnels as RFD tornado touches down in field to our SW—moving south out of its way
5:30 large shelf cloud to the west, moving east—bluish-green color in rain/hail core
5:32 stop to watch shelf cloud
5:38 move east as downdraft approaches
5:50 tornado watch for TX and OK panhandles and southwest Kansas—valid until 1am
5:53 stop to view shelf cloud
5:55 continue east to Hoisington for fuel
6:10 stop for gas
6:30 move south to avoid backbuilding linear MCS with embedded mesocyclones
6:40 stop to watch/wait
6:56 east on 4
7:17 stop in Claflin to wait for storms
7:39 east on 4
7:43 east on 156
8:00 heavy rain and frequent lightning behind main squall line
8:16 70 east
8:40 81 north
8:45 tornado watch for western Kansas and northern Missouri—valid until 4am
8:45-9:15 anvil crawlers on back side of MCS to our east
9:30 entering Nebraska
9:56 136 east
10:00 severe thunderstorm watch for north-central Oklahoma—valid until 5am
10:45 arrive Beatrice, Nebraska (4897 total miles traveled)
Monday, May 26
612 miles, 4 states
Connecticut license plate spotted
7:45am depart Beatrice on 77 North
8:00 crepuscular rays seen to the east
8:20 80 east
9:00 stop for gas—elevated convection, rain, and virga seen to the north and to the east
9:20 continue on 80 East
9:25 entering Iowa
9:50 rain
10:15 drizzle
10:30 begin discussion of storm chase t-shirt
11:45 end discussion of t-shirt
12:00 clouds clearing
1:06 stop for gas
1:30 east on 80
2:10 crossing Mississippi River, entering Illinois—cumulus field overhead
3:00 stop for lunch
3:30 continue on 80 east
4:30 clear skies
5:23 entering Indiana
5:37 94 east
5:45 south on 49
6:10 arrive Valpo (5509 total miles traveled)
Car 4 wins guess the mileage contest with their guess of 5268
License plates seen on trip:
Germany, Washington DC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, and all US states except for Hawaii, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Delaware