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APRIL 9
Northeast Oklahoma
SPC Risk: MODERATE
407 miles traveled
0 tornadoes observed
Left for northeast Oklahoma for a moderate risk in the 4-state area (KS/OK/MO/AR). Went through Tulsa and Bartlesville on my way to Nowata County. Just missed the weak, rain-wrapped, non-photogenic tornado in Craig County, and then headed home, as much of the convection was a linear mess. Witnessed a terrible car accident on I-244 in downtown Tulsa. Was an awful thing to see.
APRIL 18
Northern Oklahoma
SPC Risk: SLIGHT
337 miles traveled
0 tornadoes observed
Spent much of the day in Major County, where I filmed some weak rotation and a possible funnel cloud. Most of the day was avoiding the "giant" hail, as referred to on NOAA Weather Radio, up in Woods County, OK. That storm had a perennial low-level lock on it, but no tornadoes were reported. Controversy was caused by a surprise tornado that did damage in Logan County, just a few minutes after I passed through there on I-35. I wish I had been looking for it. Encountered some small hail in north Oklahoma City on the trek home. Pic below links to larger version of possible funnel in Major County.
APRIL 25
Western Oklahoma/Texas Panhandle
SPC Risk: MODERATE
411 miles traveled
1(?) tornado observed
Began the day by driving from Norman to Hemphill County, Texas, just west of the state line. Watched a rotating wall cloud that at one point had a small dust whirl underneath it; I cannot verify it as a tornado, nor did the video come out very well. However, under a rotating wall cloud, with adequate shear for a low-level lock, it surely may have been. Followed the same supercell into Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, where it tried mightily to produce a tornado, but never quite made it. I have posted video of some of the rapid rotation and funnel clouds below. Video is available in HD through YouTube.
MAY 5
Northern Texas
SPC Risk: SLIGHT
377 miles traveled
0 tornadoes observed
Took I-35 south to Gainesville, and then west and south to near Mineral Wells. A tornado watch went up around 5:30 for the area, but only one storm of any strength was able to break the cap. I was lucky enough to stay out of the MONSTER hail, up to 4". I heard one report of a chaser vehicle being destroyed in the barrage. No tornadoes were reported, and the storm eventually lost strength as it approached I-20. Had to drive back home in some unexpected dense fog in southern Oklahoma. Visibility must have been a half-mile or less.
MAY 15
Southern Kansas
SPC Risk: MODERATE
341 miles traveled
0 tornadoes observed
Decided to make a play on the advancing cold front south of Wichita on this day. SPC had a moderate risk and a tornado watch in effect. Witnessed lots of rotation on the leading edge of the cold front, and was very near a tornado-warned area in western Sumner County, just west of Wellington. I then (accidentally) drove through a gustnado that blew across the Kansas Turnpike at the Wellington exit. Luckily, no tornadoes were reported, as the Wichita metro was also under the gun at the time. Below is a lightning-enhanced picture of the tornado-warned area of the storm as it neared me on a country road in Sumner County. Click on the thumbnail for a larger image.
JUNE 7
Northeast Kansas/Southeast Nebraska
SPC Risk: MODERATE
808 miles traveled
0 tornadoes observed
Went after SPC's moderate risk area in the four state area (KS/NE/IA/MO). Followed the storm near Hiawatha, KS for a while, and then got impatient and raced north to the cell in Richardson County, NE that was tornado-warned and showing some decent wind shear. Pic of the wall cloud below. The Hiawatha storm eventually produced a rain-wrapped, yet damaging tornado just over the Missouri River in far NW Missouri, but I did not make it there in time.
JUNE 9
Southern Kansas/Northern Oklahoma
SPC Risk: MODERATE
310 miles traveled
0 tornadoes observed
Took I-35 to the Kansas border and waited for storm initiation. Several isolated cells went up, including one in Grant County, OK that was heading my way. Observed some weak rotation and then sought shelter from a hail core under a gas station overhang in Tonkawa, OK. After the core passed, snapped a pic of it along with a rainbow. Overall a disappointing and overhyped day.
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