5/24/2021 Syracuse, KS HP supercell

2% TOR upgraded to 5% along a zonally oriented outflow boundary just south of I-70. Targeted a developing cell near Tribune that was almost tornadic, but it couldn’t develop a favorable RFD to help tighten the visible broad rotation. Let the HP mess go and went south for more of a structure play for storms developing near Syracuse, KS. Latched to an impressive HP supercell with developing notch and tornadic circulation (probably saw a brief tornado) before things became completely wrapped. Blasted east just as significant hail began randomly falling. Met a nice farmer along our escape route path and will have to review the dash cam footage to send him a nice card. Followed the HP storm for several hours with some nice structure before pulling off for the evening. Overnighted in Garden City, KS.

5/23/2021 Vola, CO mammatus

Initial target of near Limon, CO (10% tor day). Got on initial storm near Limon but was immediately clear that storm was not vented properly and was choking on its own outflow. Initial plan was to get to Limon early then push back east with potential for new convection forecast to develop along a dryline. Storms eventually developed as wave ejected out, but too much convection developed and there was significant seeding. Finally let convection roll east of us and shot a stunning mammatus display in Vola, CO. Overnighted in Colby, KS. 

5/22/2021 Akron, CO tornadoes

Headed south out of Sidney (brrrrr...cold!) toward a meridionally oriented stationary boundary with an initial target of near Akron, CO. Sat in our favorite Akron park while watching an initial supercell develop to our southwest.  Continued to strengthen as we approached and eventually produced an elephant trunk tornado southwest of Akron, CO. Two additional weak tornadoes formed before the storm began to lose its tornadic potential. 

Tried to get south to Ordway, CO storm after things got messy, but was a little too late. Still got some nice structure south of Limon, CO. Overnighted in Burlington, CO. 

5/20/2021 Pawnee grasslands sunset LP

 Had a few 3” diameter hail reports from nearby chasers. Overnighted in Sidney, NE.

5/18/2021 Seminole to Snyder, TX pseudo-supercell

Overnighted in Snyder, TX.

5/17/2021 Sterling City, TX tornado

Day featured a hail-focused moderate risk with a broad brushed 10% tornado threat across the lower Caprock/Panhandle region of west Texas. We targeted the area west of Lamesa down to Midland, hanging out north of Midland-Odessa waiting for convective initiation. Storms formed near Midland and slowly strengthened with left splits dominant early on. Other storms formed north up near Seminole to Plains. We slid east keeping both storm clusters in reach, while at the same time crossing the path of a left split to check for hail. We found 3”+ hail laying across the road near Lenorah, TX. Took some pics before finally committing to the cluster near Big Spring. Wrapped around Big Spring to intercept the storm south of town as the radar velocity ramped up quickly. Finally got south of the storms and found the one on the right with a long and linear base with another, westerly cell featuring a nice wall cloud and eventual funnel. We slid south toward Sterling City, and pulled over just as the storm to the right got a nice cut. As we watched, the low-levels wrapped up and produced a nice truncated tornado that had multi vortices under it at times. The most dramatic aspect was the collar cloud and full visual of the RFD wrapping around the storm. Could not head east due to the lack of roads, so just took in the sight. After the tornado concluded, slide east and north of Sterling City where we enjoyed the structure. Eventually, the storm lost most of its structure. Overnighted in San Angelo, TX.

5/16/2021 Fourth-place finish

 Fourth-place finish in Tahoka, TX. Overnighted in Big Spring, TX.

5/15/2021 Nice truck!

MRGL ingredients still in play with an unfavorable multicell convective mode expected. Initially eyed the Palmer Divide as a target, but CAMs continually struggled to develop and sustain any convection. Kept pushing south toward Springfield, CO and eventually intercepted maturing convection coming out of the higher terrain to the west. Found a cool spot with an abandoned house and old truck that kept us occupied for a few hours west of Guymon, OK along US Hwy. 64 / 412. Overnighted in Guymon, OK.

5/14/2021 Raymer to Woodrow, CO severe thunderstorm

Another MRGL day of ingredients (45-50 F surface dewpoints), but we eyed expected development from the convection allowing models in the grasslands of CO north of Ft. Morgan, Checked into the hotel early and went back out to pursue a strengthening cell heading toward Raymer, CO. Stayed (very) patient as was rewarded with a few nice shots east of Woodrow, CO. Overnighted in Ft. Morgan, CO.

5/13/2021 Wray, CO to Goodland, KS storm

Started in LBF with an eye to the southwest for convective initiation. Marginal thermodynamic profiles, but excellent hodographs, led to a marginal supercell structure tracking from near Wray, CO to Goodland, KS. We intercepted the cell near Haigler, NE and stayed ahead of it as it dove just east of south. Could have been a great structure day with just a little bit more moisture. Overnighted in Goodland, KS.

6/5/2020 Crawford, NE

 

5/24/2020 Fast moving supercell in se CO/sw KS

Last day of the initial trip had us wondering if central KS would be in play. Initially headed west along I-70 to Wakeeney, but eventually gave up on this play as outflow from decaying eastern KS MCS was skunking the instability. So, we made a quick play for a forecast loan supercell to materialize near Kim, CO. Indeed, this occurred and we latched onto it east of Springfield. Took a bit of time, but eventually, the storm put on a nice structure show. Followed it east, but eventually gave up due to forward speed near Liberal, KS. Shot some lightning/structure from the north as the storm raced east, before heading to Dodge City for the night (log by WSA).

5/21/2020 Moscow-Liberal, KS supercells

Broad brush slight risk in western Kansas with retrograding surface low and convection near triple point. We initially targeted the area near Syracuse, but after watching new towers and concerned about cluster forming, we turned our eyes south. Watched an LPish storm near Syracuse, but it struggled. Blew if off after looking continually at the NSSL WOF system, which was giving high probabilities of an isolated storm forming further south. Sure enough a storm formed near Liberal. We targeted this area, which was over an hour away. It kept pulsing, and, in fact, we stopped going south for a bit. Once it picked back up, and noticing the undesirable cluster and mess of chasers to the northwest, we pushed south to the storm. Once we got northeast of Liberal, we got to watch a nice LP structure slowly lift north for well over an hour. A new storm formed rear of the LP and began to take on a nice supercell structure visually and via radar. We let the LP go and gunned for this storm just south of Moscow. Routed under the meso and then jumped east for what was a long-lived structure fest in the waning light. Overnighted in Liberal, KS (log by WSA).

5/20/2020 Raymer, CO perch

Unzipped structure play in the northeast Colorado grasslands. Checked into hotel early at Sterling, CO and waited for convection along the dry trough/cold front intersection to form over the Colorado grasslands near Raymer, CO.  Sat in Raymer for a bit, and watched storms unzip and mature west of Raymer. Found a nice perch on a ridgeline southwest of Raymer where we watched a beautiful crisp convective structure put on a nice lightning display. Sat and lapsed for what seemed like a couple hours. Trying to reroute after dark east and northeast we suffered a flat tire. Changed and made it to Sterling for overnight. Tire replaced next morning at local tire shop (log by WSA).