In The Vortex

Tag: tornado

  • 05/14/2010 Storm Chase Forecast

    I had no time to get a forecast posted yesterday as I had to get on the road. Initially targeted Wheeler County, TX for storm initiation but got tempted by the triple point up on the OK/KS border and incredible cape, and was concerned about the cloud debris inhibiting heating further south.   Short story was, I bailed from the outflow dominant storm at the KS border and caught the tail end charlie storm at Clinton, OK just in time to get the tornado in the video above crossing over I40.  When things finally settle down I will post more in-depth recaps of the better days.

    Today will take me to the Permian Basin, Trans-Pecos region, one of my favorite chase areas because of the photops the terrain provides with the storms.  Warm front is hanging out down there and shear is sufficient for a couple of supercells and perhaps a tornado or two.  In fact, there is already a Severe Thunderstorm Watch out for the area north of where I am going for the elevated hailers underway currently, north of the front.

    I will of course be streaming live this afternoon on the LIVE ChaseCam page.

  • Storm Chaser Mike Umscheid

    Continuing my series of interviews from the 2010 National Storm Chaser Convention, here is one with Mike Umscheid.  Mike has been storm chasing for quite some time and has built up an impressive gallery of photography he sells to support his storm chasing.  Mike’s regular job is Lead Forecaster at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Dodge City.  Mike was working the radar the night that Greensburg, KS was devastated by an EF5 tornado. Mike correctly called what I believe was the first ever “Tornado Emergency” when he realized what was about to happen, and no doubt saved many lives that night.

    In this video he shows us around some of his photography and gives us some personal insight on his Greensburg experience.