May 25 Chase

8:10 PM Update: Heading back to Great Bend after today's chase, intercepted several tornadic cells although only one or two showed promise. Came away with several nice images of a rotating meso that was very low to the ground, and also of a nice shelf as the storms continued to gust out. As we sat well south of Rush Center, KS during the past hour we saw several outflow gusts that picked up dust from fields/roadways. Came away with some nice images of that event as well. Not as good as Thursday/Friday, but it wasn't expected to be and overall I didn't think it was a terrible chase. I am sad to hear that instead of the lining crap that we had here, northeastern Iowa got to see a nice supercell that unfortunately may have caused some significant damage.

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6:40 PM Update: Sitting south of Rush Center, KS on the edge of this lining out crap of a line here in Kansas. Doesn't look like much is going to happen here, but not quite over yet. Final update when we are on our way to the hotel later...

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1:00 PM Update: Tornado watch already issued for portions of western/central Kansas and already a few cells and good cumulus cloud fields showing up on radar and visible satellite respectively. We are currently still westward on I70 and look to remain so for the time being. TWISTEX blog was updated with the latest from Tim, today looks to hold some nice hope and tomorrow even better.

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8:00 AM Update: Already up, hopefully with others in the group doing the same, and getting ready to depart for a target in northwestern Kansas. The morning SPC update solidified are concerns about the area, as they introduced a moderate risk with 10% tornado risk, hatched as well for the threat of a potentially significant tornado once again. Sadly this doesn't look to venture too far from Thursday & Friday's storm paths that went through that same area. It isn't going to be the greatest of areas to chase, with the knowledge that all unpaved roads are not in the best of condition. I'm pretty sure that by the time this trip is done, I may very well know northwestern Kansas as good as my home area in northwestern Iowa!

The forecast does look promising, as a strong surface low develops and deepens during the afternoon hours in eastern Colorado. This will provide winds from the southeast over parts of western/central Kansas. These southeasterly winds will provide the area with enhanced low level shear to combine with substantial instability. A pseudo-warm front may be draped across northern Kansas, with dryline across western KS southward into the OK/TX panhandles. The best tornado play will be where the winds locally become southeasterly in response to the low, moisture pooling may also occur in the potential trip point region in western Kansas as well. Does not look to be a bad chase day in western Kansas though at this point.

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1:15 AM Update: After a one-day bust, hopes are not all that bad as at least two more days of chasing is in store for us in Kansas. More information on how tomorrow will play out and our plans will surface tomorrow morning, but currently it looks to be an early departure from Lincoln, NE in order to make a western Kansas target.