News DetailPictures and Video from the Wichita Co, TX supercell
Posted At: April 8, 2008 @ 4:09 AM
Posted By: Reed Timmer
Related Categories: Tornadoes
Here are pictures and video from our chase yesterday in Northwest OK. The first three pictures are of the wall cloud on the tornado-warned supercell in Wichita Co, TX from around 4:30 pm CDT, about 15 minutes before the tornado. Note the classic clear-slot in the second picture, wrapping around the east side of the funnel/wall cloud. As seen in the video, a small funnel develops shortly after the second picture, but was obscured by rain a few seconds later. We thought the initial northeast movement of this storm would carry it north of the Red River, so we waited for the storm in extreme southern Tillman County. Then..just as the tornado was touching down, we were slammed by heavy rain and lost sight of the funnel, with no nearby bridges across the river into Texas. The third picture is when the first supercell began to evaporate near Wichita Falls, and the last picture is of the supercell near Archer City, TX.
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You should have followed me down into TX yesterday Reed. I saw the wall cloud through the rain near Vernon and had to punch through baseball size hail just to come out on the other side right next to that thing. I have some nice dents to match the Tahoe now, but atleast I didnt lose or crack any windows like alot of other cars yesterday on highway 287.
moderate risk for tommaro and thursday!
This is seriously awesome. Hi five!
I'm not sure, but I'm thinking Thursday has the possibility to go HIGH risk, and if it does, I'm going to go crazy lol
"it's a MONSTER"
Hah! What a cruddy, cruddy day that was. We saw this crud from WAY afar - somewhere around Randlett, too far to even see this multiple vortex destroyer - and we already knew we were in for a 1500 mile at-least-not-blue-sky bust. That storm ate every single calorie from the atmosphere.
We did catch a Pink Floydish light show in Kansas on the way back?
6000 miles in my first month of chasing, 90% me driving ... and I am still not discouraged. It's going to take a lot more than whiffing on these early, questionable setups to get me down.
Besides, March 30th checked off baseball sized hail and wedding cake structure from my laundry list. Tornadoes aren't all of it, but given that I have all but two days in May off, they are going to become most of it. See you guys on the road!
Hey guys sounded like that was wild. I so wanted to go. Dean told me you guys missed the Tornado. That sucks! But yea i was disappointed that I missed the live streaming. But yea keep it up!
sweetness - another high five
Tried catching the live stream, but it buffered and stopped too much just when things were getting good. Bummer.
I made the same play as you guys did. Thinking that the cell would pick up and move northeast across the river I sat on hw70 west of Grandfield, OK. Michael called me and said it was right moving and not likely to come across into OK - I said screw it and came around the river but it was too late to see the tornado! The meso was amazing at that point - looked like May 22nd 07 Hill City, KS. Did get two WW3 flights in though - right next to the updraft!
I thought the same thing, Verne... very similar in appearance to the Hill City (05/22/07) storm for a brief time before it crapped itself. I didn't stop on the OK side of the river to view the storm, but I was still late for the show... my problem was hesitating to leave Lawton until at least 45 minutes after the storm went up on radar, hoping better sups were imminent farther north. I definitely had a distant view of the wall cloud at the time of the tor, though... amazing stuff. Now time to gear up for, what, the 10th or so bust of '08 tomorrow? ;)
Reed, that has got to be the worst tornado video of yours I've ever seen! LOL! Where'd it go?
;)
hey reed, check your FB messages broseph.
hahahah!! It was almost as good as the sept 22, 2006 Ozarks video!
Sorry you had the same problems as us Verne. It's comforting to know we weren't the only chasers that made that mistake! It's too bad the Red isn't 5 miles further south
Aww well you got close! Maybe its a sign those tornadoes will start showing up for you!!
Look what's to my north right now :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v481/num1habfan/IMG_4391.jpg
I just saw on NWS that theres 90%chance for storms in Lawton area and some could be severe. Don't know the chances of tornados though
Today is the date of the most powerful Tornado in Alabama history an ef5 in Oak Grove which killed somewhere around 10 people or so.
Here in Ohio its 77 in Fairfield County with t-showers expected for Weds and then some severe weather possible by Friday.
Good luck in the next few days and congrats in Texas.
But Reed, you seem to have forgotten that the 9/22/06 video was ground-breaking Ozark extreme weather footage, AND included a real-live funnel - on-camera and EVERYTHING.
:D
Thunder in Alberta too.
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/6432/apr2008026ov4.jpg
Ahh its coming! I wish there wasn't so many trees and buildings in the way, but i've tried to get some pictures so far. Very much like storm weather :D. Though I think it is just going to miss the city :(
People are going to think i'm absolutely mental running in and out of the apartment with a camera hahaha
Has anyone heard from Brady lately? Maybe i just haven't noticed but it feels like he hasn't been here in a while.
Brady was on the forum lastnite, and started the GR3 Tweak thread.
I've talked to Brady recently on MSN... same old stuff he says. Just rather busy lately, like myself. I'm flooded with crap I have to do in school and at work, so I'm not on as often anymore... oh well.
Kudos! That's a sweet storm you got there... baseball-size hail... AAAAAAAAAAHH!
If anyone wants to see photos from the storm, just say so. And those who are my friend on myspace can view them there ;)
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
746 PM CDT TUE APR 8 2008
TXC099-281-090115-
/O.CON.KFWD.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-080409T0115Z/
CORYELL TX-LAMPASAS TX-
746 PM CDT TUE APR 8 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR EXTREME
NORTH CENTRAL LAMPASAS AND WEST CENTRAL CORYELL COUNTIES...
AT 746 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
DEVELOPING TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER EXTREME WEST
CENTRAL CORYELL COUNTY...MOVING EAST AT 26 MPH. SPOTTERS ARE STILL
NOTING A LOWERING WITH THIS STORM. A TORNADO MAY DEVELOP AT ANY
TIME. IN ADDITION...GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL OR LARGER MAY ACCOMPANY THE
STORM.
THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
RURAL WESTERN CORYELL COUNTY AT 800 PM CDT
RURAL CENTRAL CORYELL COUNTY AT 810 PM CDT
AREAS FROM ADAMSVILLE...TO EVANT...TO PEARL WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3133 9819 3138 9822 3140 9821 3142 9821
3144 9821 3145 9821 3160 9791 3132 9784
TIME...MOT...LOC 0046Z 269DEG 23KT 3141 9805
$$
SCHULTZ
:O, didn't know where to put this :/
Reed,
Quit shaking the camera.
-Eric D.
Statement as of 20:28 CDT le 08 avril 2008
... A Tornado Warning remains in effect until 915 PM CDT for
Coryell County...
At 828 PM CDT... storm spotters and Doppler radar observed a
developing tornado. This developing tornado was located 5 miles west
of Fort Gates... moving east at 22 mph. This is a dangerous storm
capable of producing a tornado at any time. Take cover now! A
possible touchdown has already been reported west of Gatesville.
Southern sides of Gatesville will be impacted by this storm... as
well as Fort Hood. Large hail to the size of tennis balls will be
possible with this storm.
The tornado will be near...
Gatesville by 835 PM CDT...
Fort Gates by 840 PM CDT...
South Mountain by 845 PM CDT...
Oglesby by 910 PM CDT...
Mother Neff State Park by 915 PM CDT...
Lat... Lon 3126 9794 3145 9790 3155 9766 3138 9745
3130 9746 3130 9748 3128 9751 3118 9773
time... Mot... loc 0128z 260deg 19kt 3139 9778
In case anyone is interested:
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
828 PM CDT TUE APR 8 2008
TXC099-090215-
/O.CON.KFWD.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-080409T0215Z/
CORYELL TX-
828 PM CDT TUE APR 8 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM CDT FOR
CORYELL COUNTY...
AT 828 PM CDT...STORM SPOTTERS AND DOPPLER RADAR OBSERVED A
DEVELOPING TORNADO. THIS DEVELOPING TORNADO WAS LOCATED 5 MILES WEST
OF FORT GATES...MOVING EAST AT 22 MPH. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO AT ANY TIME. TAKE COVER NOW! A
POSSIBLE TOUCHDOWN HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED WEST OF GATESVILLE.
SOUTHERN SIDES OF GATESVILLE WILL BE IMPACTED BY THIS STORM...AS
WELL AS FORT HOOD. LARGE HAIL TO THE SIZE OF TENNIS BALLS WILL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
hahahahaha
0118 10 W GATESVILLE CORYELL TX 3144 9790 TORNADO REPORTED ON THE GROUND SOUTH OF HI WAY 84 AND HI WAY CR 177. (FWD)
another one...
Statement as of 21:00 CDT le 08 avril 2008
... A Tornado Warning remains in effect until 945 PM CDT for southern
Lampasas County...
At 900 PM CDT... National Weather Service meteorologists detected a
developing tornado. This tornado was located 5 miles south of
Lometa... moving east at 23 mph. This storm may produce a tornado at
any time. The tornado may be obscured by rain and hail. Take cover now!
The tornado will be near...
Lampasas by 925 PM CDT...
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM CDT Tuesday evening
for central Texas.
Lat... Lon 3105 9844 3111 9847 3114 9847 3117 9849
3121 9848 3123 9851 3130 9806 3107 9790
3104 9792
time... Mot... loc 0200z 263deg 20kt 3115 9835
DEVELOPING NEGATIVE-TILT TROF OUT W... WITH UPSTREAM 160-KT JET
MAX DIGGING INTO ITS BACK SIDE... HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SET OFF A
MAJOR SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK WED-THU AS IT SWINGS FROM TX TOWARD THE
LOWER/MID MS VALLEY. DEPTH AND QUALITY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE
CRUCIAL... ESPECIALLY AS FAR N AND NW AS OUR CWA WHERE THERE IS
STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF LL MOISTURE/
INSTABILITY. IF INSTABILITY BECOMES ADEQUATE... THE SYNOPTIC-SCALE
SETUP SUGGESTS THAT THIS ONE COULD RIVAL SOME OF THE MORE
NOTORIOUS APRIL OUTBREAKS OF THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES.
NWS NORMAN OKLAHOMA
Wow, Reed, I think it's time for a Blog post about Thursday!!!!!
This would be another "vampire chase" until the usual Arkansas blasting tomorrow.
I feel shit awful about Arkansas. This could be horrible for them Thursday. Possibly high risk time.
Good Luck to all the Chasers out there!
The ending part makes me excited :D
I am awaiting the expansion of the mod risk into Northern IL.
SPC AC 090601
DAY 2 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0101 AM CDT WED APR 09 2008
VALID 101200Z - 111200Z
...THERE IS A MDT RISK OF SVR TSTMS ACROSS MUCH OF AR/FAR NORTHEAST
TX/NORTHERN LA/MUCH OF MO INTO SOUTHERN IL/WESTERN KY/WESTERN
TN/NORTHWEST MS...
...THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS ACROSS THE ARKLATEX/MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY/OHIO VALLEY...
...ARKLATEX/MID SOUTH/OZARKS INTO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI/OHIO
VALLEYS...
CONFIDENCE CONTINUES TO INCREASE THAT A SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK MAY
OCCUR ACROSS THE ARKLATEX/MID SOUTH/OZARKS INTO PORTIONS OF THE
MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI/OHIO VALLEYS. THIS INCLUDES DAMAGING WINDS/LARGE
HAIL AND TORNADOES...SOME OF WHICH MAY BE STRONG/LONG-TRACKED.
LATEST 00Z BASED MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO GRADUALLY CONVERGE ON
THE DETAILS OF THE DEEPENING/PROGRESSIVELY CLOSED CYCLONE ACROSS THE
NATIONS MID SECTION ON THURSDAY. WHILE THE MID/UPPER TROUGH SHIFTS
NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS...THE CORRESPONDING SURFACE
LOW IS EXPECTED TO DEEPEN ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS/CORNBELT. AS
GULF OF MEXICO TRAJECTORIES CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AHEAD OF THIS
SYSTEM...RELATIVELY RICH BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE WILL ADVECT
NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE REGION...WITH 60-65F SURFACE DEWPOINTS
LIKELY TO BECOME ESTABLISHED AS FAR NORTH AS NORTHERN MO/CENTRAL
IL/CENTRAL IND THURSDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING.
A MULTI-MODE SEVERE DAY IS LIKELY ON THURSDAY IN AND NEAR THE
MODERATE RISK AREA. STRONG/SEVERE STORMS WILL BE ONGOING THURSDAY
MORNING ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL/EASTERN OK AND NORTH TX INTO
ADJACENT PORTIONS OF MO/KS/NORTHERN AR. AHEAD OF THIS ACTIVITY AND
THE EAST-ADVANCING SYNOPTIC COLD FRONT...AMIDST A DESTABILIZING
BOUNDARY LAYER WITH PROGRESSIVELY WEAK CINH IN THE WARM
SECTOR...SURFACE BASED QUASI-DISCRETE SUPERCELLULAR DEVELOPMENT IS
LIKELY DURING THE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING ACROSS THE
ARKLATEX/OZARKS/MID SOUTH REGION. WITH A WARM FRONT EXPECTED TO LIFT
NORTHWARD FROM OK/AR INTO THE OHIO VALLEY DURING THE DAY...RAPID
DESTABILIZATION IS LIKELY TO OCCUR DURING THE AFTERNOON/EVENING
NORTHWARD ACROSS MO/IL/IND. GIVEN THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF EARLY DAY
STORMS...THE REALIZATION OF APPRECIABLE INSTABILITY/TIMING THEREOF
IS SOMEWHAT MORE QUESTIONABLE WITH NORTH EXTENT ACROSS MO/IL/IND.
HOWEVER...VERY STRONG KINEMATICS/FLOW FIELDS WILL LEAD TO A MARKED
SEVERE RISK EVEN WHERE MODEST MLCAPE MATERIALIZES...I.E. 500-1000
J/KG...IN THE WAKE OF THE WARM FRONT. ASIDE FOR THE QUASI-DISCRETE
DEVELOPMENT IN THE WARM SECTOR...EVENTUAL EVOLUTION OF A BROKEN
SQUALL LINE APPEARS LIKELY ALONG THE COLD FRONT BY LATE
AFTERNOON/EVENING. THIS SHOULD GRADUALLY OVERTAKE LEADING-LINE
ACTIVITY FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE EVENING.
OVERALL...VERY STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS IN THE LOW TO MID
TROPOSPHERE...WITH 80-110 KT AT 500 MB AND 50-70 KT AT 850 MB...WILL
FAVOR BOTH FAST MOVING SUPERCELLS AND THE EVENTUAL EVOLUTION OF
QUASI-LINEAR BOW ECHOES ACROSS A BROAD PORTION OF THE ARKLATEX/MID
SOUTH REGION NORTHWARD INTO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI/OHIO VALLEYS.
BOTH WITH QUASI-DISCRETE SUPERCELLS OR LEWP EVOLUTIONS...A HIGH
HELICITY ENVIRONMENT /WITH 250-450 MS/S2 0-1 KM SRH IN MUCH OF THE
MODERATE RISK AREA/ AND MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER WILL SUPPORT AN
APPRECIABLE RISK FOR TORNADOES...SOME OF WHICH COULD BE STRONG/LONG
TRACKED. OTHERWISE...WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE
LIKELY.
AS DETAILS REGARDING EARLY DAY STORMS AND CONVECTIVE MODE BECOME
BETTER RESOLVED WITH TIME...AN UPGRADE TO A CATEGORICAL HIGH RISK IS
POSSIBLE IN SUBSEQUENT OUTLOOKS.
..GUYER.. 04/09/2008
I have very good information that you were still north of the red river when the actual tornado formed. I don't buy your claim that right as it touched you lost visual due to heavy rainfall. That seems a bit convenient. Why not tell people you were out of position. You lost a lot of credibility with me after this.