Chase Log: March 28th, 2007

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MAP

Total Distance: 600 miles
Target Area: Shamrock, TX, to Perryton
Chase Area: Turkey, TX, to Wheeler
Maximum SPC Risk category: Moderate

An atypical pattern was setting up for a couple of days, with a strong and large cut-off forecast to anchor over the Rockies, putting much of the central US in favorable southwesterly and southerly flow aloft. With more than a week of strong moisture return, climatologically-high low-level moisture was in place east of a dryline that was located across the western TX and OK panhandles, northward across extreme western KS and NE (where the dryline was replaced with a pacific cold front). Forecast CAPE was in the 2000-4000 j/kg range, with strong shear, making many chasers quite anxious of times to come. One of the primary concerns was storm mode, owing to deep meridional flow east of the cut-off aloft. With prospects of more southwesterly flow aloft south of Kansas, and with expectations of mid-60F dewpoints in the same area, my initial target was in the northeastern TX panhandle.

Dan Dawson, Robin Tanamachi, Gabe Garfield, myself, and others share a similar story to many. We waited in Shamrock for a good deal of the afternoon until bailing on the split supercell amidst reports of a tornado with the cell southwest of the Silverton / near Floydada. By the time we made it down there, the southernmost storm was coming up from the South Plains area, and we stopped at an excellent location NNW of Turkey. We watched the relatively long-lived tornado west of Hwy 70 (SW of Brice) with what seemed like everyone else and their parents. With the storm moving NNE, we opted to head to Clarendon, then east towards Hedley. Along the way, we saw a brief touchdown just south of 287 ESE of Lelia Lake / W of Hedley (after experience nickel to quarter size hail). The storm transitioned to the wet side of classic (or even HP) for a little while thereafter. We saw extremely rapid rotation SSW of McLean for quite some time, and we confirmed at least one respctable stovepipe tornado a few miles SSW of McLean. Like others, we experienced golf-ball sized hail near McLean (we saw larger on the ground), and, while getting onto I40 east from McLean, we saw very bright power flashes as a substantial tornado moved just north of I40. Though it was dark, we continued with the supercell northward to Kellerville. While just south of Kellerville, we saw a large tornado to our distant NNW, lit only occassionally by lightning. After looking and reading reports (I'll have to match up time), it appears that this tornado may have been the one SW of Mobeetie. Gas and bathroom concerns took us to Wheeler, which was out of power. So, with little confidence in finding a gas station nearby, and radar showing decreasing intensities, we opted to call off the chase and head home via Shamrock and I40... Shamrock was a zoo, owing to the fact that I40 westbound was closed between McLean and Shamrock. We finally made it back to OUN around 2am.

Overall, of course, this was a very successful chase. We almost got bit by staying around the Shamrock crap-vection too long. Fortunately, timing worked out quite nice, as did the favorable storm motion relative to Hwy 70 near and south of Clarendon. In the end, we are very confident in seeing 5 tornadoes (I know I only mentioned 4 above -- I can't remember the 5th at this time), and we may have seen up to 7. I'll obviously need to look through video and photos later to more thoroughly document (time+location) each tornado. We also only ran across 2-3 bozos who decided that it was fine to stop and park on the road. It never ceases to amaze me how folks think they can stop in the lane, park, and get our of their vehicle(s). Seriously... For the most part, however, most chasers/spotters/locals I saw parked well off the roadway. It was a little tricky at times given the muddy shoulders that yielded potential for getting stuck, however.

I was surprised to see the storm make such little eastward progress, particularly considering the southwesterly mid- and upper-level flow on the 00z AMA sounding (which was more veered than I was expecting, even that far south). It is quite amazing to see 3000+ j/kg SBCAPE in the panhandles and high plains this early in the year, that's for sure!

03-28-2007 Chase Pictures

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