The unquestioned highlight of my 2020 storm observing jaunt across the north-central Plains was this mind-bending supercell, on what I thought would be a relative “down day”. Doesn’t it go to show that “down” time can be a magnificent time? This mothership-like storm formed as a junky multicell north of Douglas, WY. After a few hours, it turned rightward and evolved into this astonishing storm, located at this point nearly atop the junction of South Dakota (my location), Wyoming (distant right) and Nebraska (distant left). The unusual vantage from the northeast, looking across and down from higher terrain in late light, rendered the precipitation shafts into a deceptively dusty hue, seemingly sliced by one crepuscular beam. Those thin, nearly linear bands crossing the nearby midlevels of the storm, between updraft and anvil, only lasted a few minutes. Out of many hundreds, perhaps thousands of supercells I’ve seen, such an arrangement in that position was unique for me, and difficult to explain. Regardless, this experience thoroughly enchanted me, as did another with this storm just after sunset, epitomizing the reasons I travel the High Plains yearly in search of amazing skies.
7 WNW Ardmore SD (5 Jun 20) Looking WSW
43.0325, -103.8021Three-State Supercell
The unquestioned highlight of my 2020 storm observing jaunt across the north-central Plains was this mind-bending supercell, on what I thought would be a relative “down day”. Doesn’t it go to show that “down” time can be a magnificent time? This mothership-like storm formed as a junky multicell north of Douglas, WY. After a few hours, it turned rightward and evolved into this astonishing storm, located at this point nearly atop the junction of South Dakota (my location), Wyoming (distant right) and Nebraska (distant left). The unusual vantage from the northeast, looking across and down from higher terrain in late light, rendered the precipitation shafts into a deceptively dusty hue, seemingly sliced by one crepuscular beam. Those thin, nearly linear bands crossing the nearby midlevels of the storm, between updraft and anvil, only lasted a few minutes. Out of many hundreds, perhaps thousands of supercells I’ve seen, such an arrangement in that position was unique for me, and difficult to explain. Regardless, this experience thoroughly enchanted me, as did another with this storm just after sunset, epitomizing the reasons I travel the High Plains yearly in search of amazing skies.
7 WNW Ardmore SD (5 Jun 20) Looking WSW
43.0325, -103.8021