|
2007
Thoughts from 2007:
After having 2006 as one of my worst chase seasons in terms of tornadoes since 1988, although
6 April 2006 was rather fruitful, 2007 provided 13 chases, leading to nine tornado days which
produced 207 tornado minutes.
Because my Jeep averages 13 mpg, I’ve become really picky on which days I chase. To help offset the wasted burning of fuel, I use a cellular air card. This was my
second year using an air card and I can’t imagine chasing without it. I do have Mobile Threat Net, but hardly use it as it is like watching B&W television compared to
watching HDTV via an air card, and using the Gibson Ridge software with associated place and shape files.
Thanks to the Gibson Ridge radar software and side subscriptions for placefiles
(apart from producing my own surface maps, using COD's RUC and profiler data, and GOES
visible and water vapor imagery), I rarely found myself having to use the World Wide
Web for additional weather information.
Without a doubt, using a cellular air card almost pays for itself in half a chase season from the time and fuel saved. Additionally, I have
a strict rule of chasing alone, although I will caravan from time-to-time with a select few who understand the atmosphere on the meso-gama scale
(I've grown oh so very tired of hearing words like "classic this, classic that,"
"the tornado touched down, or on the ground," "what's SPC fcst'g?," "today looks like Brady," etc.).
So, having quick and easy access to ample data is a big help to me.
My Spotter Network reports from 2007 ...unedited thus showing
my typos. (Hey, you try typing a report while driving!)
Noteworthy items from 2007...
- This was the second year for the Spotter Network and it once again proved to be fun, useful, and beneficial to provide highly accurate and meaningful
real-time reporting to the NWS.
- There were several times when I did rather dumb things setting up my position on updrafts thanks to a false sense of security from having Level-II radar data.
I need to always remember to respect what my eyes see! On the flip side, there were occasions when the Level-II data helped me avoid driving into harm's way.
- Why is it everyone and their brother feels compelled to call you on a chase day? Please leave me alone and let me enjoy my time away on the road.
Chase days: Busts are highlighted in RED
March 24 Northeast Colorado tornadoes
March 28 Western Kansas to western Texas tornadoes- I could not chase this day as I was hamstrung to give three lectures in and around the Chicago
area, but the event is worthy to mention as my house almost became part of a damage survey,
thanks to a 1/4 mile wide tornado that passed just east of my property, followed by a smaller diameter tornado 30 minutes later. My puppy and the
crew at the GLD WFO witnessed more tornadoes this day than many chasers in 2006! Note, flying out of Denver my plane (a MD-80) flew over and through a
"string of pearls" [supercells] that were located over northwest and west central Kansas. Does that count as a chase from 34 kft? :-)
April 20 Southwest Nebraska tornadoes - No pictures of the tornado.
Near Culbertson, witnessed robust CI immediately to my east, near McCook. I followed the updraft north of McCook (stern chased) while watching a series of
occlusions take place, each time the RFB became increasingly lower with height. With time, I watched a funnel develop and appear rooted to the ground. Poor road options
and the lack of sun light forced me to end the chase.
April 21 Texas Panhandle tornadoes
April 23 Tornado traveled very close to the GLD NWSFO
April 24 Cheyenne County Colorado tornadoes
May 4 North Central Kansas - BUST! Missed Greensburg while playing on an elevated
supercell across Osborne and Smith Counties in Kansas. However, I was able to play the "Greensburg" storm from the north well after dark (~ 0400 UTC), but held short
of truly engaging the storm - stopping short of trouble in Russell County Kansas based on what was transpiring with that storm.
May 5 South Central Kansas tornadoes
May 22 Hill City, Kansas tornadoes
May 23 Texas Panhandle tornadoes
May 27 Northeast Colorado / Southwest Nebraska - BUST! Nothing, but multi-cell garbage over far northeast Colorado. Missed
a tornado near Sidney, Nebraska. However, on my way north to set up for 28 May, I was able to find the following gem: How cool is it to come across
a sandbar in the Niobrara River in the shape of a heart near Valentine, Nebraska?
May 28 near Devil's Lake, North Dakota - Greatest BUST of my season given the distance driven from GLD. One word for this
day, "CAP." The upshot of the day, Blair saw his first Yellow-headed Blackbird.
June 6 Badlands, South Dakota tornadoes (Kyle and Kadoka)
July 3 Limon, Colorado - NST southwest of LIC - I have no pictures of the tornado as
I wasn't out to chase... I was on my way to Denver for some R&R. 10 tornado minutes.
Fourteen tornadoes were reported in eastern Colorado that afternoon. Of interest: My
tornado has yet to make it into the record despite calling in real-time, and sending
follow up emails to the WFO in question.
September 28 Northeast Kansas - BUST! This was an unanticipated chase, as I took a detour on my way out of town to catch a flight in
Denver. I sat in Wallace County Kansas under nothing but multi-cell garbage for about an hour. Naturally, soon after I gave up my 'chase,' a tornado was reported by numerous sources in Gove County Kansas. After reviewing the KGLD 88D
data, clearly I left too soon.
|
