Robbie Reeves
Target:
North Central OK
Distance:
˜300 miles
Duration:
˜7 hrs.
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Partners: Robbie Reeves Target: North Central OK Distance: ˜300 miles Duration: ˜7 hrs. |
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Robbie and I set out for Northern OK around 15:00. As we did, the cap broke and towers began to go up a little further north than we forecast. We crossed the Kansas border and went west on Hwy. 166 to South Haven. After a north turn on Hwy. 81, we headed a few miles west on a dirt road (near Rome) and watched a mesocyclone develop. The cell was quickly T'storm warned, and as the meso organized, a tor warning was issued. We sat in the same place for about 30 minutes (almost unheard of), and watched the rain-free base slowly approach from the west. The wall cloud went through many phases, and I thought a tornado was forming about 10 different times. It never produced one. Once the storm matured it's motion increased rapidly and we could not stay with it, due to a poor road network off the lovely Kansas Turnpike. We called it a day out of frustration. A large outbreak of tornados occured in Northern MO, NE KS, SE NE, Southern IA, and Western IL on this day.
 Looking west, a few miles W of Rome, KS. Rotating, rain-free base |
 Looking north on Hwy. 81, between Rome and Wellington. The base of the meso becomes disorganized. |
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SE view from I-35 A newly formed supercell in the distance. Too far away to chase. |