OT: TheRef's Storm Chase Thread (Updated Daily)

[TheRef]

Note to MODS: You can move this to BS if you want, I just figured I would provide this for those who want to keep up and not on Twitter.

Day 0: May 10, 2014

Well we left this morning from Starkville at 10:00 AM CDT and made a destination point of Columbia, MO (Home of Mizzou). On our way to Columbia, we knew that the storms would most likely fire up and we would run right into them. Lo and behold, the storms started firing up and the southern-most storm headed just to the NW of Columbia. We headed further West from Columbia and headed towards the small village of Arrow Rock, MO. When we arrived, the supercell was well developed and had already produced a tornado. And here is what we saw, and boy was it nasty and mean.

http://i59.tinypic.com/30a8dia.jpg

We continued to sit there on it as it dropped another tornado, but we were quickly overtaken by the RFD (Rear-flank downdraft) and had to head South quickly as it tracked South-southeast. At this point it was pretty dark and we just watched the cell transition from a tornadic cell into more of a rain/hail/heavy wind cell. I'd say that Day 0 was successful.

Target for Day 1: Northern MO and Southern IA

[DawgSaint]

Should be a great thread...I'll be keeping up with you guys

[TheRef]

Day 1: May 11

Well today our target was Southeast Nebraska and Southwestern Iowa. We ended up finding our cell to the NW of Beatrice, NE. We finally met up with it between Friend and Beaver Crossing, Nebraska. This thing turned into a monster right before our eyes. It did not disappoint on strength, size, or nastiness. It ended up dropping a fairly massive tornado that tracked across I-80 and ended around Lincoln, NE. Today was definitely a day that I will remember and these past two days have been a great start to the Great Plains Storm Chase. I decided to shoot another panorama of the supercell for today and hopefully you guys will enjoy it as much as I did. I may not have gotten the best shots due to us constantly having to move. We did get a gust-nado right in front of us as we were getting hit by the RFD of the cell. That was fun to see. We are currently held up in Starkville-North aka Omaha for the night. Preliminary guess is that we may end up in MN tomorrow. All depends on what we see tomorrow weather-wise. Also, we have passed the 1600 mile mark for this trip today so we're putting some miles on this trip. But anyway, I hope y'all are enjoying this thread and Hail State!

http://i61.tinypic.com/w18rc.jpg

[LC Dawg]

I was in Louisville the weekend after the tornado to help cleanup and after seeing the destruction there I have say I think you guys are nuts. However, if what you guys do is helping people be safer during these storms I appreciate and admire it. Stay safe.

[TheRef]

I was in Louisville the weekend after the tornado to help cleanup and after seeing the destruction there I have say I think you guys are nuts. However, if what you guys do is helping people be safer during these storms I appreciate and admire it. Stay safe.

The reason why I chase is to be the first line of observation. If having someone confirm the tornado on the ground is what it takes for someone to take cover, then I"ll gladly be that front line of observation. Plus it's an adrenaline rush to see the "Finger of God"

[TheRef]

Day 2 Target: Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin border...we're headed up to B1G country.

[codeDawg]

While trying to preserve some of the contrast, here is an adjustment to that shot where you can see more of the cloud structure:

http://i.imgur.com/VDRAA5b.jpg

[TheRef]

While trying to preserve some of the contrast, here is an adjustment to that shot where you can see more of the cloud structure:

http://i.imgur.com/VDRAA5b.jpg

Thanks, code. That was a nice structure storm.

[TheRef]

Sorry about not giving an update last night. We ended up in Eastern Iowa in the little town of Muscatine, Iowa. Didn't get on a tornado yesterday but we did get some good structure shots of the storms. The rest of the week doesn't look good for tornadoes so we are going to go sightseeing. So we are setting sail for the Black Hills. I'll post the storm shot from yesterday later on tonight.

[starkvegasdawg]

Sorry about not giving an update last night. We ended up in Eastern Iowa in the little town of Muscatine, Iowa. Didn't get on a tornado yesterday but we did get some good structure shots of the storms. The rest of the week doesn't look good for tornadoes so we are going to go sightseeing. So we are setting sail for the Black Hills. I'll post the storm shot from yesterday later on tonight.

Black Hills are nice. I assume you'll swing by Mount Rushmore while you're in the area. Since tornadoes are a bust maybe swing south through the Rockies and the aftermath of that huge winter storm they just had.

[desotodawg]

If your siteseeing. go to dyersburg iowa. See the Field of Dreams movie set. Corn won't be up but still cool.

[DawgSaint]

Black Hills are nice. I assume you'll swing by Mount Rushmore while you're in the area. Since tornadoes are a bust maybe swing south through the Rockies and the aftermath of that huge winter storm they just had.

You will like the Black Hills area. It has some of the best sightseeing areas in America. Of course, do the obvious and stop by Mount Rushmore.

[Barking 13]

Muscatine, Iowa - home of famous dirt late model driver #15 Brian Birkhofer...

Ref , y'all be safe and be sure to appreciate the natural scenery

[TheRef]

Muscatine, Iowa - home of famous dirt late model driver #15 Brian Birkhofer...

Ref , y'all be safe and be sure to appreciate the natural scenery

Oh we are. We are currently stopped in Mitchell, SD. Home of the Corn Palace. One note to all Mississippi hotels, you need to step up your pool game. The ones here ALL have a slide that starts 4 stories up and goes outside the hotel then goes back inside the hotel. Yupp...all hotel pools will be compared to this from now on.