4–12 June 2008

Participants: Shawn Milrad, Jen Smith, Eyad Atallah, and Tom Galarneau.

These summaries were written the morning after while riding in the back seat of our vehicle. Some of the writing may be rough/fragmented, but I chose to leave it in this form.

Day 1: 4–5 June

I left my home in Clifton Park, NY, at 9:00 a.m. EDT 4 June for Montreal, QC, to pick up Eyad. We departed from Montreal, QC, at 1:00 p.m. EDT, taking Highway 401 southwest along the northern shore of Lake Ontario. We arrived at the US-Canadian border just outside of Detroit, MI, at 11:00 p.m. EDT. After some border issues (apparently the geniuses that worked the border patrol considered us to be a security risk), we took I-94 west reaching the I-94/I-80 interchange at ~3:00 a.m. CDT 5 June. We stopped at a rest stop to reevaluate our plan, and ultimately decided to forge ahead to Omaha, NE. We stopped at a rest stop just east of Des Moines, IA, at 7:00 a.m. to catch about an hour of sleep, then continued west on I-80 reaching Omaha, NE, by noon CDT to eat lunch and check data.

The Storm Prediction Center issued a “PDS” tornado watch for western IA/eastern NE and KS. We decided to slip south on route 77 to Beatrice, NE with the idea that supercells would form in eastern KS and move north-northeast. We stopped at a McDonald’s in Beatrice to check radar…supercells had initiated in KS. There was a cell near Hill City, KS that looked particularly appealing so we tracked southwest on route 136, then south on route 15 to the routes 8 and 15 intersection. Made a phone call the Jen and based on her information, and the visual appearance of the Hill City cell, we decided to go for the cells to our southeast near Marysville. Subsequently, the NWS issued tornado warnings on these cells so we blasted east on route 8, then route 77 north back to Beatrice. Unfortunately we had to stop for fuel in Beatrice. Continued east on highway 136 to Tecumseh where we stopped to call Russ Schumacher. This turned out to be a poor choice because our stopping, combined with getting caught behind a horribly slow driver, gave the cell to our south-southwest an opportunity to overtake us…which it did. Our estimates during the next few stressful minutes put the mesocyclone nearly over the car as it moved quickly to the northeast. We stopped due to obvious safety issues. Up to this point visibility has been extremely poor with low cloud decks and copious rainfall in fast moving supercells. Not ideal for chasing, and quite dangerous.

After allowing the storm to pass to our northeast, we tried to reach the southwest side of the storm by heading east on highway 136, but we were thwarted by downed powerlines. We heard over the weather radio and new supercells had developed to our south and were moving toward Auburn, NE at 55 knots. We then backtracked on highway 136 to route 75, then went north to route 2 and crossed the Missouri river into IA. We then blasted south on I-29 into Missouri to get in front of tornadic supercells, however, the storms overtook us. As the supercell moved toward us, we intersected a tornado that emerged from behind a hail shaft near mile marker 100 on I-29. We had time to take one picture, then had to retreat north on I-29 as the tornado crossed the highway at mile marker 100.

Called the chase at ~7:15 p.m. CDT.

Stayed at Hampton Inn in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Day 2: 6 June 2008

Down day.

Drove from St. Joseph, MO, to Council Bluffs, IA, on I-29 north.

Stayed at Country Inn.

Day 3: 7 June 2008

Original thinking was to catch better shear region in NE west of Lincoln where backed surface flow would be present in vicinity of a front. This turned out to be correct in the end as there was a supercell in the NE/KS border after 00Z/8. But alas, we eventually went to IA where the CAPE was > 3000 J/kg and the 0–6 km shear was near 50 knots.

Met Jen and Shawn at the OMA airport to drop off my truck and consolidate into one car (Chrysler Sebring). Targeted Lincoln, NE, on I-80W for a Panera Bread to get lunch and check data (at 1:00 p.m. CDT).

Data check revealed that convection was firing in northern IA along the baroclinic zone stretching from northern IL west-southwestward into central NE. The convection seemed to be maintaining cellular characteristics. Given the convective mode, and the favorable CAPE shear profiles, we decided to drive northeastward on I-80E to I-29W. Also noteworthy was the presence of a shortwave ridge passing over central and eastern NE that was suppressing the vertical development of cumulus.

We stopped at a McDonalds off of I-29N just north of the I-29/I-680 interchange in western IA. Data check verified our interpretation of the cumulus development while driving northeast from Lincoln. We decided to continue on I-29N to exit 112 (Onawa), and take route 175 east to Ida Grove. Got caught in the core of a cell that developed along the front just north of Ida Grove. Decided to drop south on highway 59 toward Denison to get a better look at the storms over and just west of Ida Grove (~4:30 p.m. CDT). Thinking was also that this would put us in better position for the cells forming near OMA and moving northeast, if they became better organized. As we dropped south on 59, the Ida Grove storm had a decent lowering along its southwest side, but showed no signs of rotation.

We continued south to Denison. Phone call with Russ Schumacher revealed that the storms near Ida Grove looked best (but not great) within our current radius…away from our radius, tornado warnings were issued for a cell near Mason City, IA, and Lacrosse, WI.

Data check in Denison, IA, indicated that new cells popped up west of Ida Grove, Sac City, and Rockwell City. Given no other good options at this point (it was after 7:00 p.m. CDT), we decided to take look at the new cells near Sac City and Rockwell City. NWS issued tornado warnings for these cells in the mean time, so we booked it on Highway 30 east to Carroll, IA, then northward on Highway 71 to Auburn, IA, then east on CW175. We got a good visual while driving east on CW175…saw several lowerings that resembled wall clouds/mesoscyclones…difficult to see any rotation, but we were a reasonable distance from the storms. Stopped on dirt road just east of Gowrie to watch storms, and take a few pics. They were slow moving (~30 knots)…so we had time to stop for a bit.

Took Highway 169 north toward Ft. Dodge to intercept eastward moving storms and get better visual cues of storm structure (needed more contrast). Stopped just south of Ft. Dodge to take pictures and watch lightning show. NWS continued to issue tornado warnings, but we only saw some brief wall cloud-like lowerings that did not exhibit any obvious rotation.

At 8:00 p.m., decided to call it a day, and go east on Highway 20 toward I-35S. Witnessed a spectacular CG lightning show out our rear window.

Stopped in Ames, IA, (off of I-35 south) to get dinner at Applebees, and check data for current status, and tomorrows forecast. This is when we noticed the supercell along the KS/NE border near Concordia….perhaps started near Salina, KS.

Decided to track south to St. Joseph, MO, to get better position for tomorrows chase…which will likely be in KS. Arrived at Ramada Inn in St. Joseph around 2:30 a.m.

Day 4: 8 June 2008

Our initial thinking was that action would fire along the front…we were hoping to catch initiation west of Topeka, KS, and track the storms east. We left St. Joseph, MO, at ~11 a.m. CDT for Topeka, KS on I-29S to I-70W. Stopped in Topeka, KS, at 1-2 p.m. CDT at a Panera and chilled for a while, assessing the situation. Favorable conditions seemed to develop, much to our dismay, over northwest Missouri and southern Iowa yet again…rather than in east-central Kansas. It seems that an outflow boundary over northern Missouri, left behind by an MCS over Iowa, became associated with a region of backed surface flow…thus increasing the 0-6 km wind shear…and creating enhanced turning with height as compared to over eastern Kansas.

Hence, we tracked back to Atchinson, Kansas via route 4 to route 59. Stopped at McDonalds for data check, which revealed that storms were becoming better organized over southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri…and was looking cellular. Convection was forming over eastern Kansas, but was looking very linear and not worth chasing given the low tornado threat. At 3:10 p.m. CDT, the decision was made to head back to St. Joseph, Missouri on route 59…along the western side of town to reassess whether we want to bomb directly north…to northwest Missouri…or track north-northeast to southern/central Iowa and catch any organized storms. SPC issued tornado watch for southern Iowa effective to 8 p.m.

After calling Anantha, we decided to head for the cell in southern IA that had a tornado warning on it…moving east thru Corning. Took Highway 36 east to I-35N. Stopped at rest stop just north of the Missouri/Iowa border for radar check…cells seemed to weaken as they were about to cross I-35 to our north. It is difficult to inspect the storms visually because of a low-cloud deck that shrouded the region.

Given how the cells in IA looked crappy, and new cells just west of St. Joseph…yes, St. Joseph…began to strengthen and take on supercell-like characteristics, we turned around and took I-35 south. At exit 80 (at 5:40 p.m. CDT), with the storm bearing down on us (and taking on bow echo characteristics as it gusted out), we took route B west. The goal for the next hour was to just stay east of the bow…but was difficult because if its apparent acceleration.

Took route B west to route W. Took route W south to route 190. Took route 190 west to route 65 just north of Chillicothe. Took route 65 north, allowing the bow echo to overtake us near Trenton at 6:40 p.m. CDT. Stopped at McDonalds for bathroom and internet check. We briefly checked the current radar…everything was very linear in Missouri. Just worth noting that two major supercells were wreaking havoc in northwest Oklahoma. Decided to quit chasing for today, and check the current 18Z model forecast for tomorrow and Tuesday. Seems that all of the action tomorrow will be near the Red River in southern Oklahoma and northern Texas. But Tuesday looks like a nice opportunity to chase high-based supercells over western South Dakota. Plus, at least the terrain and landscape is civilized for chasing, and there will likely be better conditions for observing storms (i.e., no irritating low cloud decks, etc etc).

Headed north from Trenton on Highway 65, then I-35N to Des Moines to spend the night at the Embassy Suites.

Day 5: 9 June 2008

Down day.

Drive I-80 west from Des Moines, Iowa (departed at 11:47 a.m. CDT), to North Platte, Nebraska.

Stayed at Hampton Inn.

Day 6: 10 June 2008

Thinking in the morning was that there was the possibility for supercells along the High Plains from the TX/OK Panhandles to WY/MT. The models progged moisture (surface dew points > 55 F) to advect northward around the poleward side of a surface lee cyclone that would be positioned in northeast CO. We expected surface winds to back to easterly over much of SD during the period…leading to more than adequate wind shear for supercells and tornadoes.

Drove north on Highway 83 from North Platte, NE, arriving at Murdo, SD…at the Highway 83/I-90 interchange. Given that capping would likely make it a “late show”, we decided to grab some lunch at the Triple H truck stop (the waitress had the personality of a door knob) and relax at the Super8 until initiation…since we had good road options in all directions. The time was ~3 p.m. CDT.

4 p.m….still waiting. CIN increasing throughout western SD. Threw frisbee around.

5 p.m….still waiting. Clouds showing no vertical development. CIN near 200 J/kg.

6 p.m.....still waiting. Surface easterlies were blowing like stink.

7 p.m….still waiting. Becoming impatient and irritable.

8 p.m...finally, convection began to break the cap over eastern WY as the upper-level trough began to swing out. A cell just over the SD/WY border quickly acquired supercell charactersistics. We blasted west on I-90 toward Rapid City.

Caught storm at 9 p.m. CDT just east of Rapid City along I-90…some CG...storm had severe thunderstorm warning. It appeared to look ragged, with no obvious lowering associated with a mesocyclone. It is possible that the storm was reorganizing after splitting during our approach.

Took exit 78…went north on New Underwood Rd with hopes of getting a better look at the back side of the storm…9:30 p.m. CDT. With no good east options until Highway 34 north of Hereford, the storm got away from us a bit. A new cell formed on its southwest flank subsequently…got a decent look at its updraft base. Took Highway 34 east…but the cells quickly moved northeast away from us. Saw some reasonable CG lightning flashes. Called it a day, and took Highway 34 east to Pierre, SD.

Stayed at Days Inn in Pierre, South Dakota.

Day 7: 11 June 2008

Initial thinking is that there is a reasonable tornado threat in eastern NE and western IA east of the cold front. We headed east on I-90 (took Highway 83 south first) from Pierre, SD at 8:30 a.m. CDT…stopped at Mitchell to have lunch.

I was irritable and it seemed that Eyad was about to embark on a murderous rage.

Took I-29S to Missouri Valley, IA, and set up shop at the Super8 at 3:00 p.m. CDT…and waited for initiation as we were shrouded in a low cloud deck. Witching hour was upon us at ~4:00 p.m. CDT…we decided to drive east along Highway 30 to southwest of Blair to observe evolution of cloud formations. Towers were erupting to our northwest as we drove east on Highway 30. Observed a tower erupting to our southwest that anvilled out.

Since storm motion would be generally northeastward, we decided to shoot back east to get on the east side of the Missouri River. Briefly returned to the Super8 in Missouri Valley to check the radar…cells were exploding quite rapidly to our west…west of Omaha and Lincoln.

Visual appearance of cell to our west was quite appealing…made decision to shoot northward on I-29 to Onawa (exit 112).

Observed hard back anvil on cell that we will intercept in Onawa…a lowering formed along the southwest side of the storm. Observed storm visually for some time at Super8 in Onawa.

Lowering showed signs of rotation as it crossed the Missouri River into IA. Meanwhile, new supercells formed southwestward from the cell we observed in Onawa. Tornadoes were reported with cells northeast of Onawa.

Decided to move east of CR175 from Onawa to stay ahead of precipitation core associated with cell just south of Onawa mesocyclone. Reached intersection of CR175 and CR37…

…observed rotation with Onawa cell…ultimately decided to go southeast on CR37 to intersect next supercell to south. Stopped in Soldier…took CR183 southwest to get around precip core and observe mesocyclone….needed to blast eastward on CRE54 from Moorhead back to CR37 to escape precip core and rotating meso. Stopped to observe at CR37/E54 interchange…

…decided to continue southeast to Dunlap. Saw tornado-like circulation while driving to Dunlap.

Needed to once again, move around precip core to observe next supercell to south. Continued southeast on CR37 to Earling…took CR191 southeast toward Panama to observe back edge of next cell. Absolute craziness…lots of rotation in multiple locations. Yet another supercell was going to pass to our *south*, so we decided that we had to get around the storm for safety reasons and to avoid large hail. Went east on CRF32 through Westphalia to Highway 59…went south on 59…but we didn’t make it. The next cell overtook our route…we turned around and went back north and stopped at the F32/59 intersection. We were completely shrouded in very heavy rain and pea-size hail. Winds were sustained above ~70 knots from the south…then shift to ~70 knots from the west. This wind shift was associated with the passage of a strong mesocyclone and possible large tornado to our north…with us on the southern edge! (~8:30 p.m. CDT). This tornado had previously killed 4 people to our southwest as it hit a boy scout camp. This was obviously a dangerous scenario which should be avoided at all costs. We put ourselves into this situation by underestimating the forward speed of the supercell, which was exacerbated by poor visibility.

Decided to call the chase because it was getting late, and for safety. There were tornadic supercells all around us…tornadoes were shrouded in rain and hail…very difficult to visually spot anything. Took CRF32 back to CR191…then CR191 south to I-680W, to Highway 75 south.

Stayed at Double Tree Guest Suites in Omaha, NE.

Day 8: 12 June 2008

We headed south on highway 75 to Topeka, KS, with the hope of chasing some isolated supercells southwest of Topeka. Cells finally developed at ~ 5:00 p.m. CDT during the late afternoon southwest and west of Topeka….quickly becoming linear by 6:00 p.m. We intercepted a supercell on I-35 near Emporia shortly after initiation.

This supercell quickly became linear and accelerated northeastward. We called the chase given the lack of supercells and their fast movement. We spent the night in Topeka, KS.

Day 9: 13 June 2008

Took I-29 N back to OMA to get my pickup truck, and drove on I-80 E to Des Moines, IA for dinner at Friday’s. We then continued on I-35 N and route 20 east to Freeport, IL for the night. Flooding in eastern IA closed I-80 east of Des Moines.

Day 10: 14 June 2008

Left Freeport, IL, at 11:00 a.m. CDT…taking route 20 east to I-90 E. Subsequently took I-90 E all the way back to Albany, NY, then I-87 N to Clifton Park, NY…arriving at 1:30 a.m. EDT on 15 June.