Extreme Tornado Tour 2015

[Katdaddy]

This morning I embark on another 7-day Extreme Tornado Tour and will be sharing my adventure with the forum. Currently the severe weather threat looks be across the southern and central plains through mid week. Estimating to be somewhere in W TX Tuesday and W OK or W KS Wednesday but we shall see. Next stop Oklahoma City to begin the ETT adventure.

[jasons2k]

Safe travels and looking forward to your reports!

[Katdaddy]

Last night's meet and greet was a great. I met people from England, Australia, and New Zealand as well as, S California, Houston TX, Philadelphia PA, and Norman OK who share the passion of weather. Day 1 of storm chase tour and will likely end up somewhere in NW TX around Lubbock, TX.

[Katdaddy]

It was very active and long chase day with 1022.29 miles covered yesterday.
Three tornadic supercells, hail shafts with rainbows, a burst of marble size hail, 2funnels, tornado sirens in Robert Lee, TX, a night time tornado confirmed by the SPC, intense lightning, a core punch with intense CGs, torrential rains with street flooding, and beautiful sky structures. About as good as it gets for the first day. Today looks even more promising across W OK and W KS. The 2 funnels were spotted S of Colorado City, TX to the E of Big Springs with the night time tornado just to our E which was 3 miles SSW of Silver, TX. It was dark but a stove pipe funnel was visible halfway to the ground but disappeared quickly with heavy rain. There were several quick power flashes seen. The reported time coincides with what we saw at the same time the tornado wa reported to the SPC when we were less than a mile to the W of the reported touchdown. From Oklahoma City, to Amarillo, to Lubbock, then SE through Post and Snyder, then S to Colorado City. After calling it a day and getting ready to head to Elk City, OK. A 3rd supercell went tornadic SW of Sweetwater and we headed S again where the tornado sirens went off as we entered the town of Robert Lee. We then headed back N through Silver where the night time tornado occurred and then on to Abilene, Seymour, Vernon, and finally Altus, OK to call it a night by 3:00AM. Up at 7:15AM to get ready a significant severe weather event across the southern plains.

SPC 5-5-2015 Silver, TX tornado report:

0219 3 SSW SILVER COKE TX 3204 10070 TORNADO BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN SEVERAL TIMES. (SJT)

[kayci]

I ENVY you Kat!!!!

[tireman4]

He is busy today. A tornado already touched down on Lincoln, KS. Still working...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_hFuJYqRhA

[Katdaddy]

Another great chase day which started at Altus, OK and then moved N to Elk City, OK before heading to our target area in S KS. Tornadic storms fired early in the afternoon in N KS along the dry line but storms were much slower to fire across S KS. During the same time an isolated tornadic cell formed to the SW of Oklahoma City. Once entering S KS we made our way to Greensburg and then Pratt. We headed S from Pratt to intercept a supercell that looked promising. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the cell however it soon began to weaken. We then headed back to Pratt and turned E to focus on the tornadic cell in near Wichita. Intercept plans changed with tornadic supercells firing to the S near Enid, OK. When we reached Kingman, KS on highway 54 we turned S toward the OK/KS border. Just S of Anthony, KS we intercepted a second supercell which had much better structure but also could not maintain however are target supercell was a little further S near the OK/KS border. This supercell was off to our SE with very good structure and wall cloud. This produced 2 funnels but later learned one of the funnels briefly touched the ground creating a dust swirl verifying it was indeed a tornado. We chased this and were able to get under the mesocyclone and take some great picts of the rotation. We continued to chase this cell to the E and then N which exhibited beautiful textbook structure. This cell tried several times to produce a tornado with the lowering of the wall cloud and rotation. During afternoon and evening we were watching what was going on in S Oklahoma City with Newcastle, Moore, and Norman being in the target area of what looked to be a large violent tornado. The ETT tour guides and Reed Timmer live in Norman, OK. Thankfully only a fence was blown down and the power knocked out and no loss of life occurred this time. We could not stay at the our base hotel Wingate by Wydnam in Norman last night due to the first floor being flooded and windows blown out.

[Katdaddy]

Day 3 was a success and proves what determination leads to if you do not give up. Chase day 3 began as we left
Oklahoma City and headed SW to Wichita Falls. Seeing the tornado damage from yesterday's large tornado near Newcastle brings it home with roofs ripped apart, a big rig flipped off the side off the highway, numerous trees snapped and splintered, power lines down, highway signs bent double and uprooted, and debris scattered along side the Bailey turnpike as we headed toward Chickasha. Our first severe cell was just S of Seymour, TX where we encountered hail up to 1" with a lowering cloud base. As the cell moved to our E we headed back to Seymour and turned W for another intercept followed by some pea sized hail but the storm structure was impressive. This is where we saw the TIV and its support vehicle. The storms began to congeal into a line and we headed SE toward Olney, TX where we encounter more small hail and strong gusting winds. We made it Newcastle and watched the storms move off to the E and called it a day. As we headed N to Olney the storm near Jacksboro, TX began to show rotation on radar and we turned around just N Olney and headed S again turning E on 114. As we approached Jacksboro the skies were low and very dark. We continued toward Runaway Bay and focused on a tornado warned supercell near Decatur, TX. Spotters reported a tornado on the ground E of Decatur as we approached the city. It did not take long until a large violent wedge tornado was seen on the horizon. We paralleled the large tornado at a quarter of a mille distance for several miles and had a satellite tornado spin up behind us at distance 150 yards tearing the roof off a shed. The rotation was violent. From Denton, TX we headed N to Admore, OK and the to Duncan, OK for the night after 680 miles.

[BlueJay]

Katdaddy - Your reporting and photos are fascinating but extremely scary. Please continue to be safe and hurry home.

[Katdaddy]

Day 4 was another active chase day. It was a day of HP supercells across North Texas. Green skies, 1" hail, damaging straight-line and RFD winds, vivid lightning with intense CGs, torrential blinding windblown rains similar to a strong tropical storm, and flash flooding from 3-4" of torrential rain in an hour. The tornadoes yesterday were rain wrapped and very difficult to see. The highlight yesterday were the 60-70MPH winds with blasting rains and the sharp CG the struck a power pole next to the road with sparks that flying into the air like fireworks.

From Duncan, OK we headed W to Grandfield, OK where we met a lady who opened their church for restrooms and water. As stated yesterday, there are some amazing and wonderful people out there in the plains. From Grandfield, OK we headed to Davidson, OK and turned S to Oklaunion and then W to Wichita Falls and Vernon. W of Vernon we turned S across farm roads to intercept the first supercell of the day. Skies became very dark with rapidly moving inflow scuds. Numerous funnels were observed with what looked to be a touchdown as rains wrapped around a possible tornado obscuring the skies An SPC storm report confirmed the touchdown later in the afternoon.

2123 9 WNW VERNON WILBARGER TX 3420 9943 SPOTTER WAS LOCATED 6 WNW OF VERNON REPORTING BRIEF TORNADO 4 MILES TO THEIR WEST. MULTIPLE BRIEF FUNNELS ALSO REPORTED. REPORT CONFIRMED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. (OUN)

From that point we headed back N and then E on 187 to get into a position ahead of the HP. Once we hit I-44, we headed N to Burkburnett, TX and then E through Randlett, OK and Waurika, OK before heading S again into TX. From Waurika, OK we headed S into TX toward Jacksboro, TX to intercept another another HP tornado warned supercell near Bowie, TX. Just NW of Bowie another possible tornado was spotted that quickly became rain wrapped. As we pushed S into Bowie we experienced blinding rains and damaging RFD winds estimated at 60-70MPH.

2123 9 WNW VERNON WILBARGER TX 3420 9943 SPOTTER WAS LOCATED 6 WNW OF VERNON REPORTING BRIEF TORNADO 4 MILES TO THEIR WEST. MULTIPLE BRIEF FUNNELS ALSO REPORTED. REPORT CONFIRMED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. (OUN)

The road was littered with tree foliage and downed powerlines. Once to Bowie we headed just NE toward Montague, TX and experienced another funnel cloud followed by damaging RFD winds and blasting rains. We then headed back toward Bowie however the road was closed due to downed powerlines. Storms were training over the local area so we headed NE to Montague and then N to Nocona. Once to Nocona we headed W to Henrietta to get out of the flooding 3-4" per rains and head to Altus, OK for the night and get some rest for day 5.

[Katdaddy]

Day 5 was an epic day of beauty with at least 6 tornadoes from two supercells, one near Eads, CO and the other NE of Goodland, KS. The target area was eastern Colorado near the upper level low. The clearing skies led to heating adding instability to an already primed atmosphere. The morning of day 5 began in Altus, OK. From Altus, OK we headed N to Sayre, OK before turning W on I-40 toward the TX Panhandle. At Shamrock, TX we turned N on 83 and continued through Wheeler, Canadian, and Perryton. We reached the clearing skies as we drove through the TX and OK Panhandles. Off to the W you could view cumulus and a few towering CUs on the horizon. The journey continued through the OK Panhandle through Liberal, KS to Garden City before turning W toward Colorado on I-44. As we reached the Colorado state line anvils from storms over Central CO began to appear off to the W. Continuing W on I-44 an isolated storm began to fire near Lamar and a target cell was selected. Looking W, the skies were dark and threatening as we passed through Lamar. NW of Lamar the cell began to exhibit excellent structure and it soon became a supercell as we experienced a batch off pea sized hail on the backside of the storm with the sun shining behind it. We continued N toward Eads as the supercell developed rotation. We passed many chasers on the gravel farm roads including Joey Cibloski who is a storm chaser from League City, TX before turing N on 287. A few miles up the road to we stopped and watched for funnels to develop as the base lowered. A second batch of hail began which reached quarter size and a few minutes later we saw the most amazing beautiful tornado with a double rainbow. It's some of the best photos I have ever taken. It was being in the perfect location and the right time. The entire scene was one of slow motion as the tornado slowly snaked to the ground. This event made the entire chase tour 100% complete. It beyond amazing and from that point on the adrenalin continued to kick in as the supercell produced multiple tornadoes, some being a wedge, before moving off the horizon due to limit roads. From Eads we headed E and then S to Granada to get back to I-44. During that portion of travel we experienced our 3rd batch of hail up to quarter size along with dark green skies. We then headed back E into KS to intercept another tornadic supercell E of Garden City near Grinnell, KS which moved across I-44. The police has the interstate closed so exited and headed N on muddy farm gravel roads at dusk. This was another supercell producing multiple wedge tornadoes. Photos were very difficult to take at dusk but were able to see at least 3 more touchdowns thanks to the lightning illuminating the funnels, touchdowns, and wall cloud.

SPC reports for Cheyenne County CO:

2101 13 NE EADS CHEYENNE CO 3862 10261 SPOTTER CONFIRMED TORNADO ON THE GROUND. (GLD)
2301 13 NE EADS CHEYENNE CO 3862 10261 SPOTTER CONFIRMED TORNADO ON THE GROUND. (GLD)
2320 5 SE KIT CARSON CHEYENNE CO 3872 10272 TORNADO ON THE GROUND. (GLD)

SPC reports for Sheridan County KS:

0138 7 S GRINNELL GOVE KS 3902 10065 CALLER REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND NORTH OF COUNTY ROAD S. (GLD)
0138 5 S GRINNELL GOVE KS 3905 10064 TORNADO ON THE GROUND SOUTH OF I-70 NEAR GRINNELL. (GLD)
0138 1 S GRINNELL GOVE KS 3911 10063 TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 1 MILE SOUTH OF GRINNELL. (GLD)
0145 3 S GRINNELL GOVE KS 3908 10063 TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 3 MILES EAST OF OAKLEY. (GLD)
0151 1 S GRINNELL GOVE KS 3911 10063 TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 1 MILE SOUTH OF GRINNELL. (GLD)
0201 1 NW GRINNELL SHERIDAN KS 3914 10064 TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 1 MILE NORTHWEST OF GRINNELL. (GLD)
0212 2 ENE ANGELUS SHERIDAN KS 3920 10066 STORM CHASER REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND NORTHEAST OF OAKLEY. (GLD)
0223 1 N ANGELUS SHERIDAN KS 3920 10069 SPOTTER REPORTS A LARGE WEDGE TORNADO ON THE GROUND 1 MILE NORTH OF ANGELUS. (GLD)
0233 5 SE MENLO SHERIDAN KS 3931 10065 TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS A LARGE TORNADO ON THE GROUND WITH AN INTERMITTENT SMALL TORNADO AS WELL. (GLD)
0250 5 NE MENLO SHERIDAN KS 3941 10068 TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND NE OF MENLO. (GLD)

[Andrew]

Impressive photos Katdaddy, you got lucky with your tour occuring during such an active period. Stay safe!

[BlueJay]

Hail,Tornados and Rainbows! Oh my!

[Katdaddy]

Day 6 was a well needed down day as we headed E from Hays, KS to Salina, KS and then S to Oklahoma City, OK. Storms fired well to the S and E as we travelled S to Oklahoma City. The 2015 Extreme Tornado Tour has been more successful than the 2013. 12 tornadoes in 5 days with 8 tornadoes occurring Saturday 5-9. Another relaxing day to reflect on last week's storm chase success. Well done tour guides Nick Drieschman​, Scott Peake, Kevin Rolfs​, and Braydon Morisseau

[Katdaddy]

Day 7. A perfect ending to an epic tornado chase tour. We visited the Twistex Memorial for Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras, and Carl Young, the National Weather Center home of the Norman, OK NWS and Storm Prediction Center, and then a BBQ at Reed Timmer's house. I will some photos of the Twistex Memorial once I get back home.

[addseo1115]

I like your posts.
I have enjoyed with your all posts.

[Katdaddy]

Very glad to share with the forum

[addseo1115]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing this in here.
Your posts are so interesting and I am glad to be here.