Venturing out from my place just before midnight, I headed west out toward Standley Lake to try my luck with some new spots I had scoped out with my new pie-driving job.  Unfortunately the storm’s forward speed (radar estimated 35-40mph) put things on top of me very quickly.  I made a quick stop at Alkire and 80th with a great vantage point south, but the rain moved in fast along with the gusty winds.

I raced back east in hopes to either get under it or get in good position to shoot lightning.  Unfortunately, the storm was firing off great CGs for a couple minutes at a time between extended breaks of little to no lightning.  And of course, the lightning was occurring while I was driving, so I didn’t get any imagery.

The lightning show was at its height as the storm rolled toward I-25.  Several strikes within my vicinity along US-36 between Sheridan and Federal hit very close, including one striking something that exploded in a giant green glow.  I stopped at Federal and US-36 to try and get some video of the intense strikes (photos tough due to wind-driven rain), but no luck as Nature went shy again.

Radar image from 12:22am as storm was unloading some intense CGs near Westminster.

With new development north and west of me, I took off on I-25 heading north toward E-470, observing several nice CG strikes along the way to my stopping point off 160th and Federal.  Again, the storms went shy, but I did muster what became my real goal and that was a photo or two showing there was indeed a storm this late in the year.

Radar image taken at 12:50am when the northern storms were becoming the show.

I waited the storm out, grabbing my two CG shots, then packed my gear and headed home.

CHASE LOG TRIP INFORMATION Log Type: Chase Log Location: Nebraska Panhandle Departed From: Denver, CO Finished In: Denver, CO Trip Miles: 485 States: CO, WY, NE

SPC Day 1 Outlook

SPC Tornado Probability

SPC Hail Probability

SPC Wind Probability

Brush fire we encountered and reported enroute to our Scottsbluff target.

The LP supercell developing just east of Wildcat Hills State Park south of Scottsbluff; looking west.

Looking west from Wrights Gap Road south of Scottsbluff.

Looking west from Wrights Gap Road south of Scottsbluff.

Looking south from US-26 northeast of Bayard.

The LP supercell at its best looking west from US-26/US-385 Junction.

]]> http://www.tornadoeskick.com/2010/09/3945/feed 2 http://www.tornadoeskick.com/2010/08/3914 http://www.tornadoeskick.com/2010/08/3914#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:38:14 +0000 Tony Laubach http://www.tornadoeskick.com/?p=3914

CHASE LOG TRIP INFORMATION Log Type: Chase Log Location: Eastern Colorado Departed From: Denver, CO Finished In: Denver, CO Trip Miles: 260 States: CO

SPC Day 1 Outlook

SPC Tornado Probability

SPC Hail Probability

SPC Wind Probability

It was eight-years in the making, my first TRUE Colorado tornadoes broke a long standing Colorado curse and gave me some of the most incredible tornado video I have ever shot in my life! Today was a true Colorado day, and for the first time, I can finally say, I was there!

One of two Colorado tornadoes south of Brush nabbed today by the Colorado Gang!

It was a late decision for me to call today a chase day as I had given consideration to chasing it the day before well into the morning. But after getting home from some errands, I decided to pack the car and venture out, cancelling evening plans and calling into the station to let them know I’d be chasing for them instead of going in.

I ventured out I-70 and had just rolled through Watkins when tornado warnings went up. Scott Hammell among others were reporting tornadoes and funnels from storms forming along the targeted convergence boundary that had setup near I-70 around Deer Trail. Of course, it was shaping up to be a typical Colorado chase for me… too late. Fortunately I did see several of the funnels from I-70 near Byers that were spinning around near Agate and south of Deer Trail.

Funnel cloud near Agata/Deer Trail looking south from I-70 near Byers (for the time, I thought this was it for me).

I made a quick stop in Deer Trail to top off my gas tank, then ventured out from Agate where I met with Dann Cianca, Michael Carlson, and Kendell Larouche. We chatted for a few before heading north to catch developing storms on colliding boundaries south of Brush near CO-71.

Riding behind Michael, Dann, and Kendell northbound on CO-71 with the towers going up over the road.

A storm that was sitting stationary along CO-71 near Nine Mile Corner (10 miles south of Brush) went severe warned. After stopping briefly to chat with the gang, I ventured north hoping to get into some hail. After crossing the “hail core” on CO-71 and venturing just east of the highway on a county road, I decided the severe warning wasn’t worth while as there was NO hail on the side of the road, and barely a few pennies falling.

I turned around to head back to CO-71 when I saw a thick funnel spinning almost directly overhead (and just a hair to my south).

The stout funnel looking almost directly overhead from a county road near Nine Mile Corner.

At this point, I was looking for a ground circulation to confirm this as a tornado. In the distance, to my west/southwest, I saw the debris swirl. I zoomed in from the funnel to check the ground and saw the dirt swirl on the ground. Next thing I new, I was looking through the lens to see this tornado destroying an outbuilding.

Video still of power flash due to a large piece of flying debris.

I continued filming this tornado until it roped out with the funnel stretching what I think was over a mile from the cloud to the ground. I then ventured over along County Road N where I witnessed the destruction of the building. I talked to a couple farmers to ensure everyone was all right (live stock as well). A horse trailer was rolled from a nearby yard and landed in the middle of the county road. In the midst of my conversation with the rancher whose newly built shed was destroyed, I turned around to see this… tornado #2..

Tornado #2, looking south from County Road N.

I shot this tornado as I left the property where it eventually roped out as I sat at CO-71 at County Road N.

A few photos I shot of the tornado between shooting video…

Storms up north were forming, but the linear nature and quick movement of these storms indicated the boundary tornado generation was probably done. I ventured up to Brush where I eventually met with a successful crew of happy Colorado chasers to toast our tornadoes over a nice truck stop steak! Upon the conclusion of dinner, a nice shelf cloud rolled overhead, closing out an amazing chase day!

Beautiful shelf cloud rolling along I-76 and over Brush with a brief wind gust and some light rain.

While I have seen tornadoes in Colorado since 2002, today was my first true, beautiful Colorado tornado, and I paired up and topped them off with some of the most amazing video I have ever shot. Today, the Colorado curse was destroyed; I can finally say I beat a curse that has haunted me for years. These two tornadoes will be two I remember from Colorado!

A special thanks to the crew whom I was able to enjoy a celebratory steak dinner with in Brush! It was a terrific day for the Colorado chasers who were treated to an August show that we got to enjoy on our own in our own state!

7News Using My Video During the 10pm Newscast Later That Night

Airdate: Monday, August 16, 2010 @ 10:00pm Newscast

Good Morning America Using My Video The Following Morning

Airdate: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 – First Half Hour

7News Story The Following Day Using My Video And Behind-The-Scenes Consulting

Airdate: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 @ 5:00pm Newscast

Various Segments From The Weather Channel Used The Following Day

Airdate: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 In Frequent Rotation During The Day

MY STORM REPORTS Tornadoes Observed: 3 Hail Observed: 0.75" Flooding Observed: None Wind Gusts Observed: None Loading...

CHASE LOG TRIP INFORMATION Log Type: Spotter Log Location: Eastern Colorado Departed From: Westminster, CO Finished In: Westminster, CO Trip Miles: 165 States: CO

SPC Day 1 Outlook

SPC Tornado Probability

SPC Hail Probability

SPC Wind Probability

Lightning looking east from north of DIA.

Interesting day as a setup pretty much went to waste with a vorticity-rich environment sitting beneath a cap that couldn’t break. The daytime was a bust, but the nighttime storms proved decent as a sever-warned storm went up over Erie and moved across Brighton. We punched the hail core west of Brighton along CO-7 and eventually stopped to shoot east at the lightning on the backside. A very gratifying ending to the chase. Dann Cianca and Kendell Larouche accompanied me during the day, with Dann and I hanging out at my place watching the growing towers before we ventured out.

A well framed moon shot looking back to the west.

MY STORM REPORTS Tornadoes Observed: None Hail Observed: 0.88" Flooding Observed: None Wind Gusts Observed: None Loading...

CHASE LOG TRIP INFORMATION Log Type: Spotter Log Location: Arvada, CO Departed From: Denver, CO Finished In: Denver, CO Trip Miles: 64 States: CO

SPC Day 1 Outlook

SPC Tornado Probability

SPC Hail Probability

SPC Wind Probability

Scattered storms developed across the urban corridor dumping over an inch of rain in less than an hour in areas across northern Denver.  I ran around town documenting some of the storms as they drifted north across the metro area.  I gave a thought to heading up I-76 toward the Ft. Morgan area to document some of those storms, but the outflow from the west pushed then then stationary MCS east and out of my range.

Pea-to-marble size hail falling out of one of the popcorn storms.

A car plows through flood waters near 80th and Sheridan.

A car moves through the flooding near 80th and Sheridan.

A car slowly crawls through some flood waters near 80th and Chase.

MY STORM REPORTS Tornadoes Observed: None Hail Observed: None Flooding Observed: Urban Wind Gusts Observed: None Loading...

CHASE LOG TRIP INFORMATION Log Type: Spotter Log Location: Cuyamungue, NM Departed From: Santa Fe, NM Finished In: Santa Fe, NM Trip Miles: 66 States: NM

SPC Day 1 Outlook

SPC Tornado Probability

SPC Hail Probability

SPC Wind Probability

Storms were still a bit too wet for good lightning, but I managed to capture a few decent shots near Cuyamungue, north of Santa Fe.  Shot for about an hour and change as these storms drifted north and eventually weakened after passing overhead.

MY STORM REPORTS Tornadoes Observed: None Hail Observed: None Flooding Observed: None Wind Gusts Observed: None Loading...

CHASE LOG TRIP INFORMATION Log Type: Spotter Log Location: Central New Mexico Departed From: Denver, CO Finished In: Santa Fe, NM Trip Miles: 434 States: CO, NM

SPC Day 1 Outlook

SPC Tornado Probability

SPC Hail Probability

SPC Wind Probability

The first day of a monsoonal trip down to New Mexico where lightning was the main goal.  Leaving early afternoon from Denver, I intercepted a few slow moving storms that dumped enough rain to spill into some streets in Las Vegas, NM.  The nighttime lightning was hindered by heavy rains late.

MY STORM REPORTS Tornadoes Observed: None Hail Observed: None Flooding Observed: Urban Wind Gusts Observed: None Loading...

CHASE LOG TRIP INFORMATION Log Type: Spotter Log Location: Colorado Springs, CO Departed From: Denver, CO Finished In: Denver, CO Trip Miles: 381 States: CO

SPC Day 1 Outlook

SPC Tornado Probability

SPC Hail Probability

SPC Wind Probability

A BMW takes on the rushing flood waters head-on.

Flooding also impacted areas near Security and Winfield south of Colorado Springs.

The back-half of rush hour in Colorado Springs was very tricky with all the street flooding.

MY STORM REPORTS Tornadoes Observed: None Hail Observed: None Flooding Observed: Urban Wind Gusts Observed: None Loading...