Big day ahead - April 2nd!

While the finer scale details remain to be seen, there has been good run to run consistency with a big day shaping up for Friday April 2nd. I would like to see the 500h trough not dig as far south and the dewpoints come up a bit but everything else is looking good for a big tornado day from Amarillo down through Lubbock, TX. The day before may even be good but with lesser moisture time will tell. Right now the plan is to head down to Amarillo weds night and stay trough Saturday. The week after keeps looking like a second trough coming in to even better moisture. The GFS has been bouncing back and forth between Tue - Weds and now looks like fri the 9th or sat the 10th. Stay tuned for more details on what looks like a good solid chase day shaping up!

Friday March 19th the next chase day?

The 18z run of the GooFuS today is showing a possible chase setup for next friday March 19th. Like many of the previous setups this week (March 8th in particular!) this one looks like a low cape close to the upper low (dare I say Cold Core?) type setup. And again this one looks like it will be in western OK and possibly this time up into central KS. I have already requested Friday off with the powers that be at work so the plan would be to head down to Amarillo after work thursday. Do a much needed check of the house. Chase into western OK and then either come back to Amarillo or head up to Russell for a return on Saturday. Stay tuned!

March 5th Western Kansas chase!

March 5th showed some promise for some time on the models so when the SPC showed a 2 percent risk of tornadoes just into Kansas I jumped on it!

On my way out towards my target of Bird City, KS I saw that cells south of Oakley were intensifying so I dropped south to Goodland and headed east on I-70 to intercept the line between Colby and Oakley. Near the town of Mingo, KS I encountered hail drifts alongside the road, a couple of lightning strikes and some heavy rain. I continued on east past Oakley and hopped off a couple of exits to get a view of the tail-end of the line. The lightning was now picking up along with brick winds and dark lowerings along the forward flank of the line. I then shot south to near Utica, KS where I encountered wind driven pea to nickle sized hail, strong winds and frequent CG lightning. Chased east following the line well past dark and overnighted in Russell, KS where I'm glad to say the chase base faired the 4 mos of winter unoccupied with no problems whatsoever. It was soooo nice to be out and chasing again on this first day of the 2010 chase season!