Storms from 07/14/09

Nothing too spectacular in the storm. Most of the structure was covered by rain. I think it caused one quick warning for Sedgwick but nothing like the storm the previous week.

070809 Wichita Large Hail Storm

It all started off with my wife saying "Wow, those clouds are pretty." Then I heard the thunder.

I was out for about an hour and a half taking lightning pics not knowing it was hailing like mad downtown. I got home as the first drops of rain hit out here in the "Sticks".

Train vs. Tornado

Got this on e-mail. Thanks, Steve.

Train hit by a tornado earlier this year in Illinois. Apparently that tanker bouncing towards the camera was loaded with Ethylene Oxide.

manmade thunder and lightning

Happy 4th.

as Bob Ross used to say, a happy little accident

I played with the contrast/brightness settings and accidentally got this.This was the original picture.

Winfield storm 6/16/09

I didn't go chasing due to my location to the storm, but it was beautiful.

Stayed at the perch for about thirty minutes watching it. If I could have had a beer and a whisky bar . . . heaven.

Chase Log 6/15/09

There was a moderate chance for storms today, so when I heard a barely there patch of green on the radar had issued a significant weather advisory, I grabbed the camera and was off.

Initiation was explosive as the heat of the day met with almost tropical dew points.

I stayed at the perch until they announced a tornado for Matfield Green. Seemed a strange place for the storm to produce, but I went down 254 to investigate. Fellow Ruminator Brian T. called from El Dorado and had eyes on the funnel/tornado.

I made it to El Dorado but tried some shortcuts that left me behind trees and down bad roads.

I finally got eyes on the funnel just as it roped out.

I continued towards the wall cloud as it seemed to almost detach itself and fall from the storm. Within moments another wall cloud had formed.

The rotation was fairly slow and not very well organized although I saw about 4-6 funnels try to drop from it.

It fell apart and split into a couple of wall clouds. One began to spin but just couldn't produce.

Finally with dark approaching and nothing really organizing I called it a night, and drove into a huge squall line.

By the way, if anyone sees my other Ruminations of Thunder magnet, let me know.