|
2006 Chase
Logs
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
January 28th Northern
Kansas
I targeted the
triple-point where surface temps in the upper 50's and
dewpoints in the lower 50's were present. Surface
winds in the warm sector were southerly shifting to
southeasterly along the warmfront at ~15kt. With 500mb temps
of -24 the atmosphere was quite unstable despite
pathetic CAPE and LI values.
When I left Atchison
at 2:30 pm LT supercells were already developing on the
dryline near the triple-point. Three LT supercells
looked good on radar for most my 1 1/2 hour drive to the
west. The most intense LT supercell had 30,000 foot
tops, a 67dbz core, and weak but persistent shear on WXWorks.
Additionally, a sheriff reported 1 inch hail with that cell.
By the time I reached these storms
they were congealing into a line and decreasing in
intensity.
I was ready to
give up and head home when I crested a hill north of Blue
Rapids, KS and glanced out my passenger side window only to
see a nice elephant trunk tornado in the distance.
The above image was altered to
approximate the initial appearance of the tornado.
I got my camera
out of its bag and found a place to stop with a clear view
to the SW the but tornado no longer had condensation all the
way to the ground.
This large
cone-shaped funnel lasted for about 10 minutes.
Knowing that a there wasn't a tornado warning out for this
storm I called 911 to give my report. I said "My name is
Scott Currens, I am a trained spotter..." and gave the her all the important
details about where and when I saw the tornado, and that a
large cone shaped funnel was still ongoing.
The
rest of the conversation went something like this.
Scott: "Please relay this report to
the National Weather Service."
911: "I can't do that unless a trained spotter calls it in."
Scott: "I said I am a trained spotter, and I am calling it
in."
911: "You have to have taken the spotter class."
Scott: "I have."
911: "OK, I'll send someone out."
Scott: "silence"
Click here
to see details from the damage survey I conducted on January
31st and February 1st.
Chase Partners: Solo
Vehicle: Chevy S-10 Miles:
230
|
