Chase Log: April 21st, 2010

Click on any of the SPC products below (Convective Outlooks, Watches, or MCDs) to see the SPC's "Severe Thunderstorm Events" page pertaining to this event.

     
MAP

Total Distance: 810 miles
Target Area: Silverton - Turkey, TX
Chase Area: Floydada to Dickens, TX
Maximum SPC Risk category: Slight

Gabe Garfield, his brother Joe, and I chased between Floydada and Dickens on Wednesday. We made it to the storm that was beginning to transition into a supercell SW of Floydada, with respectable structure (including scud beneath the base). Shortly after arriving the nascent supercell slowed down and turned right, convection to the southeast, perhaps riding north-northeastward on some cooler outflow, interacted with "our" supercell. Unfortunately, after this convection crossed the latitude of our storm, the supercell steadily withered away to nothingness.

We briefly entertained the notion of following to activity to the E and NE of Floydada, but the structure on radar looked non-supercellular (supported by the fact that it continued to move NE/NNEward). Other storms were developing to our southeast, and we re-targeted a supercell down in Kent Co. While en route, we drove beneath a developing/intensifying storm N of Dickens. By the time we reached Spur, we decided to turn around to refocus our attention on the nicely-structured developing supercell to the NE of Dickens. The setting sun helped usher in some great colors as it lit up the west side of the updraft and the underside of anvil, and we watched the storm put on an "okay" lightning show at dusk.

04-21-2010 Chase Pictures

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