2008-03-30 Report

Heading back to Denver today after chasing yesterday in westcentral OK. We are currently passing through the data hole of northwest New Mexico near the Capulin Volcano. Yesterday Michael, Eric, Tony, Carl Young and I left our place in Amarillo and headed out I-40 to our target area of Elk City, OK. On the way we saw a large grass fire that was pushing up such an updraft that it actually was causing a condensation cloud above it. We spent the next hour 'Fire Chasing' driving through the smoke and next to the fields as the farmers lit them up from 4 wheelers. This was a good test of the WW3 as I was able to get in 3 flights from the car out into the rising updraft and smoke plumes!

Oh and then there was a storm chase to boot after that.. two large cells developed south of Elk City at six o'clock magic hour and we chased 3" hail, rising scud motion and somewhat high-based mesos till 11pm! Stayed overnight again last night in AMA and are heading back today.