| Author | Message | ||
     sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15151 Registered: 10-2001  |
Flew into Denver at midnight mountain time. Currently driving to Nebraska for possible supercell intercept at 6pm tonight. Current coordinates: Latitude, 40.61. Longitude, -102.849. | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15152 Registered: 10-2001 |
Expected storm dissipated over Broken Bow Nebraska. Heading to Valentine, NE for a run up to Montana tomorrow. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave  Post Number: 9904 Registered: 4-1997  |
Do you get your money back when they dissipate? | ||
| Pizzaz Supporter Username: Pizzaz Post Number: 3752 Registered: 11-2001  |
...you're nuts.... but good luck!  | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 1197 Registered: 5-2005  |
I envy you! I love the strength and undoubted power of tornados. I am an armchair watcher always wishing that I could chase them, but the reality is they are killers, and it takes a brave soul to chase them... | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15153 Registered: 10-2001 |
Good chance for a tornado on Wednesday. Tomorrow looks like baseball size hail and 100mph winds. | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15154 Registered: 10-2001 |
So far Verizon Wireless Broadband is working rather well in the middle of nowhere. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9905 Registered: 4-1997 |
How will it hold up 50' up a funnel though? | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15155 Registered: 10-2001 |
Not a problem. The card is attached to the Sbenois Bungee Cord for Wireless Type II Modems. The only issue will be if an airborne cow eats it while holding on to a flying tractor. | ||
| buzzsaw Citizen Username: Buzzsaw Post Number: 5044 Registered: 5-2001  |
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| las Citizen Username: Las Post Number: 1886 Registered: 10-2003 |
Sbenois, if you see my dog in one of those twisters would you please bring him home with you? He's a small black, terrier mix, answers to Toto, is about 58 years old. Appreciate it. Thanks! -Dorothy Gale | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15156 Registered: 10-2001 |
No dogs seen yet. But I am looking at a monster thunderstorm that is 180 miles away. The visibility out here is amazing. It's 9:39 local time and it's still light out. Tomorrow is a 580 drive up to Billings, Montana. Then off to Iowa on Tuesday. | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15157 Registered: 10-2001 |
Change of plans. We're off to the Nebraska/Wyoming border where major storms are supposed to hit later today. | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 1234 Registered: 5-2005 |
Have a great time, but stay safe.. | ||
| Pippi Supporter Username: Pippi Post Number: 2367 Registered: 8-2003  |
do you have a gun to your head or are you doing this voluntarily? have fun! (I think) | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15158 Registered: 10-2001 |
We're driving to somewhere along the Nebraska/Wyoming border. The exact destination will be fine tuned as the forecasters determine the best spot where a convergence of moisture, heat and wind will explode into supercell thunderstorms and, hopefully a tornado. Or three. Nebraska is an endless expanse of brown cows, lonely power lines and windmills. And water-parched weeds. Lots of weeds. It's a perfect visual backdrop for listening to Dark Side of the Moon. Maybe some Hendrix Red House later. Last night's "dinner" was at a fine establishment called "The Bunkhouse" in Valentine, Nebraska. The "food" was, um, well, um, well, let's discuss something else instead. On the wall behind the cash register I noticed a picture of Ted Kennedy posing with a family. It obviously was a very old photo which I thought may have been from 1966 or '67. I was informed that it was from May 1968, which prompted me to comment to the 50 ish year old cashier that "it was just one month before Bobby's death". She sort of frowned and said that "the photo was a picture of her boss with Teddy on a campaign stop for Bobby". I wonder how much the world would have changed if Bobby Kennedy had been the President instead of Nixon. Probably not much out here except for the fact that the sons of many in America's Heartland might have still been alive today. Gassed up the van this morning for $2.92...cash or check. Across from the hotel was a Sinclair gas station, something that I haven't seen since the mid 60s when they were quite prevalent in the New York area. I recall going to a Sinclair dinosaur exhibit in Long Island in maybe 1965. Long ago. I'm remembering distant memories, recalling other days out here. (That's for you Duncan). Dave Gilmour is a great guitarist. I wonder if there are any Pink Floyd fans in Wyoming. Maybe the cows are. | ||
| Eats Shoots & Leaves Citizen Username: Mfpark Post Number: 3440 Registered: 9-2001  |
Sbenois: Man, I am SOOOOO jealous that you are storm chasing out there. It is amazing how the horizon really goes on forever in the plains. Hope you find a big one. When we lived in Wisconsin the tornado alarms would go off many times a summer. While all the Midwesterners were heading for their basements, when I heard the sirens I ran outside to see my first twister in real life. Never got closer than a water spout over Lake Mendota, however. Kennedy vibes must be in the air: My kids asked me yesterday about John F. Kennedy and why he was shot (I made sure they got the real paranoid conspiracy theory version--never too early to start scaring the sh*t out of them). Then one said, hey, wasn't his brother killed also? And I went really silent thinking about how different the world would have been if Bobby had been elected President...........You summed it up right. Have a great time, and catch hold of a twister for me. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9906 Registered: 4-1997 |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rK-ctpFBz8&search=tornado | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15159 Registered: 10-2001 |
Watched a couple of storms develop today but no fireworks. The West is crying out for moisture but Mother Nature isn't interested in helping the fields (or us). Got some great shots of an incredible rainbow that formed over a supercell near Sidney, Nebraska. | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15160 Registered: 10-2001 |
Tonight's music selection for the 350 mile ride to the eastern tip of Nebraska: More Pink Floyd Hendrix Live 1967 Outtakes from Red Rose Speedway/ McCartney in Antwerp 1972 (Dytunck, I'm thinking of you) The Story of Them | ||
| breal Citizen Username: Breal Post Number: 945 Registered: 6-2002 |
In Nebraska, a good thing to listen to is "Nebraska," especially "Mr. State Trooper." Put it on autmatic replay and listen to it 15 times. Pay special attention to the whoops at the end. It may be a perfect song. Watch your speedometer though. Like the song says, they will stop you in Nebraska. | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15162 Registered: 10-2001 |
Heading back from an incredible supercell that we encountered in Logan County, Colorado. It was the most intense storm in the US today - a total beast raining down softball sized hail on some cows and any poor soul sitting under its 10 mile wide center of pure hell. The core of the storm was spinning at 160 knots. We saw the scale of this thing first from a hundred miles away and then we got progressively closer until it was just a few miles away. At one point it briefly dropped a funnel cloud down to the ground but the funnel's life was, unfortunately, too short. I need to scour the pictures to see which one has a shot of the funnel but it was really only a wisp of a cloud. Nevertheless, the panoramic view of sky looked very much like what we all saw while looking at the Manhattan skyline in the days following 9/11. Everywhere I looked on the horizon, there were walls of clouds drawing angry curtains on the horizon. Tonight's goal is to make my Extreme III card work nicely with a card reader I brought along. Until then, pictures are going to be on hold... | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 1316 Registered: 5-2005 |
Have you done this before? | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 11884 Registered: 5-2001 |
"At one point it briefly dropped a funnel cloud down to the ground but the funnel's life was, unfortunately, too short." S, as someone who spent a significant portion of their life in the midwest, I find that statement incredible! These storms kill people and damage property. I wouldn't wish a tornado on my worst enemy. Probably the storm you witnessed was in the middle of no where, but still, how about a little empathy? I admit I view people who chase after storms for the experience (as opposed to scientific research) in the same category as people who decide to ride out a Cat four hurricane on the beach, | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15164 Registered: 10-2001 |
I am well aware of your point Bobk. It's precisely the reason why I chose to use the words "poor soul" in the first paragraph. Chasing these storms is certainly an experience borne from a different mindset. When it's 85 degrees out with a blazing sun and low humidity, there is frustration because the weather is lousy. | ||
| Parkbench87 Citizen Username: Parkbench87 Post Number: 4450 Registered: 7-2001  |
S, Can your shortwave radio pick up the Yankees games out in Nebraska? | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15168 Registered: 10-2001 |
MLB.com when Verizon cooperates. It's tough to get a sustained signal out here. Although I have managed to stay on top of their stinking up the AL East. Right now I'm in Colby, Kansas and the skies are about to explode. | ||
| Pippi Supporter Username: Pippi Post Number: 2409 Registered: 8-2003 |
Are you taking pictures? | ||
| Hank Zona Supporter Username: Hankzona Post Number: 5735 Registered: 3-2002 |
has anyone brought you any matzoh charlotte? | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15169 Registered: 10-2001 |
I do have pictures but Verizon Wireless seems to have a rather short timeout set so the combination of a weak signal and larger image sizes is deadly. I will get some up later tonight which out to make the missus happy. Note to the missus: I miss you but I must continue my work saving the poor people of Kansas from killer storms or Bobk will think even less of me. We drove my some 40 foot high telephone poles in Kansas that were snapped like toothpicks by a recent supercell. The force of these storms is simply astounding. | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15171 Registered: 10-2001 |
Nope...more more try. Let's see if Verizon likes this one...a rainbow that formed through a supercell in Nebraska on Monday...  | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9936 Registered: 4-1997 |
This guy has some supercell photos that are amazing http://www.mesoscale.ws/pictures/structure/ | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15177 Registered: 10-2001 |
 | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15178 Registered: 10-2001 |
Supercell raining down hell on Bobk's friends....   | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15179 Registered: 10-2001 |
This cell is 30 miles away...   | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15181 Registered: 10-2001 |
The storm with the sun setting behind it  | ||
| Soparents Citizen Username: Soparents Post Number: 1364 Registered: 5-2005 |
Beautiful - the colours of nature are breathtaking | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15182 Registered: 10-2001 |
Sunset to the peaceful west...  | ||
| Pippi Supporter Username: Pippi Post Number: 2419 Registered: 8-2003 |
your pictures are gorgeous! | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15184 Registered: 10-2001 |
And a rainbow pops up at sunset amidst the storms (look dead center)...  | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15185 Registered: 10-2001 |
Another view of sunset...  | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15186 Registered: 10-2001 |
Lots of violent storms yesterday in Kansas but no tornados yet. We'll try again today. So far we've covered roughly 2000 miles in 4 days. We're in Great Bend, Kansas right now. Wish us luck Bobk. | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 11907 Registered: 5-2001 |
S, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Did you have to sign a release? Get a certificate of mental health? The pics are spectacular. It is good you could get them out of the camera and laptop before, well, let's just say before..  | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15187 Registered: 10-2001 |
I did actually did have to sign a release. In terms of mental health, I already had a certificate. | ||
| Pippi Supporter Username: Pippi Post Number: 2427 Registered: 8-2003 |
I knew you were certified!  | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9944 Registered: 4-1997 |
Just got a call from Sbenois. Apparently they are hurtling through Kansas at 90mph toward immense storm areas and today should be a productive tornado day. | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15188 Registered: 10-2001 |
The area we are entering is now under a tornado watch http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/ww0542.html Clouds are getting gruesome. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9947 Registered: 4-1997 |
Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events: High (90%) get the kite out | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9948 Registered: 4-1997 |
Is the red spot like the red spot on Jupiter? | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9949 Registered: 4-1997 |
Latest info from NOAA: IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...OR IN A MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...GO TO A NEARBY STURDY STRUCTURE AND GET IN A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF THERE IS NO STURDY STRUCTURE AVAILABLE...AS A LAST RESORT...GO TO A CULVERT...DITCH...OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM MDT THURSDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO. RESIDENTS FROM NEW JERSEY SHOULD STAY OUTDOORS AND TAKE PHOTOS AND POST THEM ON MOL | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15189 Registered: 10-2001 |
We encountered a MASSIVE supercell with baseball sized hail that was roughly 30 miles long by 10 miles wide and 100mph winds. We got to the front of it, took a look and then spent the last 2 hrs trying to get the hell away from it at 90 mph on dirt roads. Along the way we had to wait whle some cows got out of the road. Not tornadic. Pictures later. We're going to core punch another supercell right now. Gotta go before I lose the connection | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 6394 Registered: 5-2001  |
More pictures please! They're excellent. | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 23371 Registered: 6-2001  |
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| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15197 Registered: 10-2001 |
Just finished the last chase - a gigantic supercell that came down from South Dakota into Wyoming where we are right now (229 miles north of Denver). Although we didn't see any twisters touch down, these last two days have been just incredible. The scenery out here is breathtaking. And diving into the core of one of these storms is just a form of craziness that can't be described. Last night we drove 90 mph into the dead center of the storm and were told to look to the left to see if we could see a tornado on the ground just a few hundred feet away where it would develop. No luck, but what a rush. I called Dave when we were 13 miles away while I still had a cell line. At 90 seconds all telecoms were gone and the sound was deafening. I'll try to get some pictures up later tonight but we're 3 hours from home base and I need a land line. We'll try this again next year. What a thrilling ride this was. | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 11937 Registered: 5-2001 |
90 mph on dirt roads? Sounds like a Dukes of Hazard rerun. Glad you had a good time. To bad you weren't here in Essex County yesterday morning. We had a pretty damn good thunder boomer on top of the mountain. As a former midwesterner, we all headed to the root cellar. |
