Even when one is "left" with a cold pool from late-afternoon storms that long since dissipated or moved away, the chase day isn't necessarily over. After a wonderful real-life laboratory exhibit of stormy sky and wildflowers, we had a nice dinner in Dalhart, saw elevated convection erupting atop the outflow pool, then headed right back out in the early twilight for more stormy High Plains … [Read more...]
Southern Light
Dawn of this mild winter's morning offered a brilliantly illuminated southern view. Light-blocking clouds to the east and north kept the best colors in a fairly short time window and spread from west (opposite the sunrise) through southeast, somewhat at right angles to the rising sun itself. Folks awake this early in southern Oklahoma surely had a sky-wide spectacular to witness; and our view … [Read more...]
Wheatfield Shock
An intermittent supercell fought cold outflow from earlier storms, but still forged eastward to form a "striking" backdrop to the happy green High Plains wheatfields. A unusually moist spring in the northwestern Texas Panhandle kept irrigation units idle more than usual and the dry-land crops high and verdant. 19 W Dalhart, TX (28 May 15) Looking NNW 36.0871, -102.8753 … [Read more...]
The Tapestry of the American Prairie
The Great Plains is a mighty treasure, offering fluidly interwoven landscapes and skyscapes to all the senses, in as much of an immersive and fully experiential way as one can handle. These vast lands are appreciated best while completely present, outdoors and stationary. Step away from the textbooks, turn off the websites (except for this one!), leave behind any "flyover country" thoughts, and … [Read more...]
Sargent Tornado Underway
Storm observers typically name tornadoes after the nearest town—in this case Sargent, Nebraska. Fortunately, the tornado was well-removed from town, and never threatened it. The visible vortex remained narrow but photogenic throughout its lifetime, gradually developing, maturing then weakening over open country, with minimal damage and no human casualties. If all tornadoes followed this ideal … [Read more...]
Tornadic Supercell Intermission
Following an earlier, high-based stage with long-lived funnel cloud (and possible weak tornado), the Canadian (TX) supercell underwent a nearly suicidal phase where its gust front surged east and almost completely undercut the entire updraft area. Even at this stage, a short-lived, tight mesocyclonic wrap-up on the north rim of that rear-flank downdraft spawned the very short-lived funnel cloud … [Read more...]
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