Randy Baker,
Phil Kurimski,
Mark Rader,
Kirk Swain
Target:
NW Kansas
Distance:
592 miles
Duration:
˜13 hours
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Partners: Randy Baker, Phil Kurimski, Mark Rader, Kirk Swain Target: NW Kansas Distance: 592 miles Duration: ˜13 hours |
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We left very early in the morning from Pierre and took Highway 83 south,
so we could reach our NW Kansas target by early afternoon. We positioned ourselves
east of the dry line as convection rapidly fired around 330 pm CDT.
We then head east to Hill City when we heard our first
Tornado Warning of the day. The city basically shut down as
the storm moved towards the town and the Tornado Sirens sounded off.
I almost got stuck in a gas station as the cashier locked the doors
and tried to leave in a panic. She also shut the gas pumps down.
Unfortunately, we still needed gas and had to head south to Wa Keeney, but
spotted a well defined wall cloud with several funnels developing
underneath it on the way. After we fueled up we set up a few
miles north of Wa Keeney and watched the southern end of the Tornado
Warned cells continue to develop. Strong SE
inflow winds exceeded 40 mph into the storm. Although we did not spot a
tornado, one was reported by several spotters to the north of our location. We
head west down I-70 to try and intercept additional cells, but gave up shortly
around 8 pm, as we experience rain cooled RFD air. We then decide to
head east to spend the night in Hays, with a view of frequent lightning
from the backside of tornado Warned cells to our east.
We punched through a storm to get to our hotel in Hays, and were blasted by
hail up to 1 inch and very gusty winds. The hail completely covered
Interstate 70. After we punched the core to get to the
other side of the storm in Hays, the storm hit the hotel...producing
damage and some flooding. We watched the storm and the commotion at the
hotel, and set out to find food in a town where nearly everything was closed. It
was a long, rewarding day of chasing...even without a tornado sighting.
 The cap breaks around 15:30 CDT. |
 Mark's Kansas anemometer. |
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Wall cloud produces a funnel south of Hill City. |
 L to R: Kirk, Mark, Randy, and Phil. |
 Southern storm develops a laminar base. |
 Rotation tightens. |
 View of the edge of the anvil. |
 Phil checks the speed of the inflow winds. |
 Core from another storm passed over WaKeeney. |
 Updraft from another storm in the line. |
 The setting sun luminates the backside of a storm we just punched to our east. |