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HERE IS A SHORT TIME LAPSE OF THE CELL NEAR WEATHORFORD OKLAHOMA BY JASON BROCK
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CLICK HERE FOR MORE OF KENNETHS PHOTOS AS WELL AS TIME LAPSE ANIMATION OF THESE AMAZING SUPERCELLS! |
My day would start out waking around 8am to check out data here in Wichita Falls Texas. Looking at a few things and seeing widespread precipa accross the area kind of made me a little "iffy" about if this would be a good day or not. The dryline had also traversed basically the entire Texas panhandle during the night and I was afraid it would make it accross most of the area before peak heating & before the clouds from the morning precip could burn off. I was thinking of letting a band of showers and storms in western Oklahoma pass through the area then head North on I-44 & then possibly head West at some point once convection began. I tried to contact my chase partner but soon a tornado watch was issued for most of the area North of the Red River. Soon cumulas & towering cumulas could be seen on the visible satellite images as well as clearing skies along the dryline. I knew I couldnt wqit any longer and I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION. I had not expected storms to fire quite as early as they had but it wasnt long before a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Beckham county. I knew I would probbaly not be able to catch this storm as I had anticipated northeast movements at around 40 mph. I decided to head West on U.S. 287 (the highway to heaven) & see if a few storms that were trying to from in Cottle Texas county could ever get their act together. I stopped in Vernon to take some time lapse of the storms building to my Northwest & noted towers trying to go up West of me as well. Another cell was also forming in Harmon & Greer counties of Oklahoma & I knew if the cells West of me got better organized they would traverse Northwest so I headed North out of Vernon on hwy 283 towards Altus. Along the way I had given up on the storms to the west and focused on the Harmon Greer storm as it became severe. The other cell to the Norththat had sparked the severe thunderstorm warning for Beckham soon began to produce tornado warnings as well as a couple storms to its North toward Woodward. This storm would also produce two tornadoes close to the Custer City area.
I would chase the storm to its South (which also began to produce tornado warnings) from North of Altus all the way to North of OKC. I did give a hail reports where I saw hail from golfball to baseball size covering the ground along hwy 183 & I-40. I would follow in behind the storm along I-40 while it produced countless funnels & wall clouds at times with very intense rotation. I gave up on the storm Northwest of OKC & took some time lapse lightning video of the cell as it moved towards Kingfisher with a beautifulpink transitioning to light blue tone.
These storms were your classic supercells and were beautifulwith classic structure and classic supercells ways. The funnels & tornadoes were not too intense however and most of them did not last long. I do commend chaser Kenneth McCallister on his two tornadoes he caught with the first cell I mentioned above. Also thanks to Kenneth for allowing us to post some of his vidcaps & links to the storms on our site.
Chased by Jason Brock & Kenneth McCallister
Nowcasted by Jeff Papak Michael Litteken & Jeremiah Keenan
Photos & vidcaps by Jason A.C. Brock & Kenneth McCallister
Total chase miles 510
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