Home again

Well I'm back home after a very long flight from Dallas. It's going to take a while to get back into the old routine after the experience of chasing across the American Midwest for ten days, but it's great to see the family and they can, at last, stop worrying about whether I'm going to be eaten by a tornado! The work now starts on compiling all the video and photos.

Day 9 Greensville, Texas

It's 11.20 here in Greensville, Texas and apologies for the quality of grammer and spelling - a late night at a local bar and rums that were certainly over the usual UK measure. We've trundled down the I30 into Texas ready for the flight home. I'd just like to say what an incredible adventure this has been. We've seen weather that you wouldn't believe - HP supercells, dustnados, LP cells, lightning, 2 inch hail, low-based wall clouds, anvil zits, you name it - we've seen it. The close encounter yesterday with a meso that dropped a long-track tornado was a humbling experience and although we didn't see a proper tornado as such we've seen enough to last a lifetime. Having driven over 3000 miles chasing the dream I deserve to be a little bit drunk but hey, after the week we've had why not. A memorable trip, an amazing experience - and now the video editing to come. Without the support of Hazel and the girls I wouldn't of even contemplated this adventure so thanks guys. And will I be chasing the dream again someday - well, who knows. From a very weary and worse for wear temporary Texan, see you back in blighty.

Day 8 Malvern, AK

Good fast connection at last. What a day today - SPC had a potentially dangerous advisory out but getting good position was the key. We thought if we could be in central Arkansas we could zip south or north as the cells developed. The day was very humid and murky so it was all eyes on level3 and the models for data. We moved up to Conway north of Little rock and watched a meso move in just south of the river. These hings were moving at 50mph+ and in an attempt to get behind it at Perry we had to glance the hail core (video). By the time we found a road back south across the hills the meso and attendant tornado had passed about 12 miles away (saw debirs in the road). The main dryline storms split and passed to our north and south (Stu Robinson was on one earlier) and the meso that shaved us went on to the south of Little Rock and spun up, causing what looked like EF2 damage at Stuggart. So far over 20 fatalities from the cluster which puts everything into perspective. No activity now for a few days so back towards Dallas Sunday for the flight home.

Day 7 Mount Pleasant, TX

A very long relocation east and south today to be in position for a potential outbreak for Saturday. We drove nearly 500 miles today from E Kansas across Oklahoma into NE Texas. We are spending the night at the Great Western, Mount Pleasant and the only rooms they have left are the honeymoon suites (see picture) complete with jaccuzi and super kingsize bed. Not bad for only £45 a night. Sam got his swim at last so is happy and Ben has had a relaxing day in the back of the truck catching up on videos, etc. Internet on the move continues to be our biggest problem (that and the fuel costs) and we hope it keeps us online tomorrow as all the ingedients are there for a major day of chasing. All looks quiet after that so Sunday will probably be a day getting close to Dallas for the flight home Monday.

I hope to be able to bring some news in tomorrow's report of something even more special than the incredible things we've already seen. I'm going to wear my bright orange shirt so something is bound to happen!

Meet the team

Thought you might like a quick look at the other members of our chase team. Sam is sat on the kerb and Ben is pacing around with a understandable degree of anticipation!

Day 6 Pratt, KS

An insane day today. High-tailed it all the way up into E Kansas and picked up a large supercell moving out from Colorado late afternoon. from a distance this thing had super structure with a large backing anvil and downdraft bulges. Up close and personal though it got a bit nasty. On the I50 at Kinsley, east of Dodge City, we got caught in the notch between the cell we were chasing and another developing behind us. With lightning all over the place and suspicious lowerings in abundance we ejected southwards on a gravel road and picked up the I54 west of Pratt, with many other chasers also keeping a wary eye on things. Saw some golf-ball sized hail and one particularly 'exciting' wedge-shaped wall cloud, backlit by lightning. A more leisurely move back east tomorrow (Ben's 40th birthday) to pick up on possible action over towards Arkansas on Saturday.

Day 5 Durant, OK

Sorry sbout the delay in posting today - no internet at our night location. Well, what a wild day yesterday was. After a 250 mile trip across Texas to relocate to the I35 corridor, we spent an entertaining four hours or so chasing after some lovely cells, some HP supercells, around the Gainsville area just south of the Oklahoma border. Some close encounters with hail shafts but not much in the way of mesocyclone action. We stopped in Durant, OK and went to a very dodgy mexican place where the guy in the kitchen looked like that character in Men In Black that pulls his face off. Today (Thursday) we have had more problems with the wifi but it turned out to be the fuse so a quick trip to Radioshack (Pete from work would love it there) has got us up and running again and we are now going north on the I35 towards Oklahoma City then NW towards the Ok panhandle to pick up on possible high-based supercells due to develop in the region later.

Day 4 Plainview, TX

We positioned ourself in Plainview, TX today to try to intercept the storms predicted to form close to the dryline and were not dissapointed, catching a great looking low precipitation supercell that moved just to our northwest (picture). Tomorrow we are heading back east and north to central Oklahoma to be in the thick of the predicted outbreak there. Another great day for the TWO Chaseteam.

Right now we are being treated to an amazing night-time lightning show courtesy of a line of cells making their way up from New Mexico.

Day 3 Guymon, OK

Well what an incredible first day 'proper' chasing. We were sitting on a cell that formed early afternoon in far southeastern Colorado, and decided to intercept it at a place called Richfield, Kansas. It was throwing down beautiful CG lightning and we were most surprised (using the term loosely) when we noticed the dust in a field close by starting to spin. No sooner had some fruity expletives been exchanged that a proper tornado formed about a mile from us. Unfortunately due to the fact that we were very keen to vacate the area we didn't get a decent photo or video of it but it was there! There was another 'dustnado'associated with this storm and as I speak the sky is lit by lightning in all directions. Driven around 300 miles today so off to get some sleep. All guidance suggests that this thing isn't over by a long way so we'll see what tomorrow brings. I've cobbled together some very short clips of the highlights from today's adventure, and I apologise in advance both for the quality (I'm working on it) and the liberal use of expletives!

Day 2 Amarillo, Tx

A day of re-positioning and a 317 mile drive up the I287 to Amarillo, home of Sweet Marie and the famous Big Texan Steakhouse on the old Route 66. The highlight and dare I say most amusing event of the day was being pulled over by the Claude County Sheriff when Sam was caught doing 69mph in a 50mph zone. Luckily a conbination of his smooth English accent and a thoroughly convincing show of total ignorance saved the day. Little did Sam know I managed to capture a video shot of our brush with the law (see video report). The move tomorrow is North again into Kansas to intercept what we hope will be our first storms expected to develop in that region. Now to get some well-deserved sleep and hopefully recover from the recently consumed large steak and several beers in the Big Texan Steakhouse.

Day 1 Lewisville, Tx

Well here we are at the Great Western in Lewisville, Tx just outside Dallas. A long flight but the food was good. Sailed through security without so much as a second glance at all my electronic gear. We have just had a meal at a local mexican place and will meet up for breakfast to discuss the drive tomorrow. Latest SPC discussions go for some isolated cells possibly in West Texas late Sunday afternoon but the real excitement is over possible events Tues/Weds. A cut-off low moving into the area, with a pronounced dryline and huge chunks of CAPE and mid-60s dewpoints could spark a major outbreak so we want to be positioned for it. More this time tomorrow. In the meantime, have a look at the very brief report. The photo is of a very weary looking Sam and Ben at the mexican restaurant.