Chase Report: September 16, 2006
| Tweet | f |
This is one of those days I wish I could have back! Even though we managed to catch the rope-out of the day’s final tornado from a distance, it hardly counts to us as anything more than a reminder of how we should’ve been in South Dakota an hour earlier.
This was a tough day of chasing after seeing what friends bagged less than hour ahead of us. I’m not sure there was anything our group could’ve done other than leave an hour earlier to get up in time to see these storms. We missed the first tornado by less than an hour and barely made it across I-90 in South Dakota in time to catch the dying second tornado after it destroyed a farm house. Unfortunately whatever condition that was in place before we got there disappeared quickly
after our arrival (our absence, perhaps), so there were no more tornado reports
after that til well after dark. It was a fun and epic chase as we ended up as far as Pipestone, Minnesota before turning around and giving our forth storm of the day a final chance before sunrise. We ended the night in Sioux City, IA over a Chili’s dinner and celebrating a good day. Verne Carlson and company had the shots of the day as they were within a couple hundred feet of the first tornado. His report is linked above. After a quick night’s sleep, we made the long journey back to Colorado where we arrived home over 1,600 miles later.
Some notes, this was my first chase ever in the month of September and now makes it that I’ve chased every month between March and October. This chase was also 4th longest chase to date.
The 0600z, 1200z, and 1630z tornado progs from SPC showing an increased threat over a larger area.
As you can see, the threat area shifted northward and made for a further drive which ultimately cost us.
Sunrise over I-76 as we began our epic journey, leaving the Brighton Park ‘n’ Ride at 6:15am.
Horseshoe funnels over extreme Western Iowa mid-afternoon. We were heading north on I-29 out of Omaha.
Jon Van de Grift was behind the wheel of the van as I shot at these features near Sioux Falls, SD between the first and second big tornadoes.
Approaching the tornado which destroyed a farm house. The constrast was adjusted to show the debris cloud.
Low hanging turbulent clouds over extreme Eastern South Dakota on SD-34 near Egan.
Me trying on Verne’s video probe at a railroad track south of Pipestone, Minnesota on MN-23.
Chris Collura in the background as we sit off MN-23 south of Pipestone, Minnesota.
Dark clouds roll in from the tail-end of a now developing line of storms. This was the second storm we intercepted on the day.
Heading back to I-29 in South Dakota on SD-34 as the sun begins to set through the blinding rain.
Gorgeous sunset through dying storm clouds south of Brookings, SD.
A hole in the clouds looking west from I-29 south of Brookings, SD.
Hard towers from the MCS developing to our east in Minnesota.
A cool color to storm clouds at sunset.
Fizzling lowerings from clouds to our northwest. We’re off an exit ramp on I-29 south of Brookings, SD.
Another cool sunset shot.
Cool shots of the anvil of the MCS to our east.
Golden cu illuminated by the setting sun.
The gang at Chili’s in Sioux City, IA enjoying a well deserved dinner!
Tom Dulong, Michael Carlson, Chris Collura, Verne Carlson, Allison, Jon Van de Grift, Tony Laubach
Filling up the next day for $2.39 in Missouri Valley, IA; crossing the bridge, gas was nearly a quarter higher.
The Missouri River bridge along I-680 as we head home the following Sunday.
The traditional sleeping shot; Allison catching some Zs.
Polish Road Block on I-80.
Apparently a horse trailor crashed on I-80 in Nebraska here at MM-224; the horse was okay.
Crossing back into Colorado on I-76 around 4:00pm; I pulled into Lakewood just over 1,600 miles in 36 hours.
The SPC reports from this day, click the image to view the details.