Trentham Stormchasers

'Going to Extremes' 2011 USA Roadtrip

Report: Clyve Herbert

Photography: Jane ONeill / Clyve Herbert

17th May, 2011

17th May: Garden City, KS to Stratton, CO
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Yellow robin, Garden City

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Drought, western Kansas

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Road-rail switcher, SW Kansas

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Yellow brick road, Liberal, Kansas - outside the Wizard of Oz museum

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Massive feedlot, SW Kansas

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Wall mural, Syracuse

 

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Parked oldie, Cheyenne Wells

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Kids having fun, Cheyenne Wells

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SD-9 hiding at Cheyenne Wells

 

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Crazy bike rider at Crazy Horse, Colorado

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High based storms developing on the dryline, Crazy Horse

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Strange rotating hole, rainfree base, north of Kit Carson

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Sky filled with virga, high based storms N of Kit Carson

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Brief microburst near Kit Carson

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Lowering bases and intensifying storms, eastern Colorado

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Dryline ramping up, severe storms developing, north of Kit Carson, Hway 59

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Towards early evening higher dewpoints mix into the dryline from the east. This resulted in rapid intensification of storms

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Backshearing anvil, severe storm near Hway 59

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Interesting to watch the updrafts throw a tail out to the west where they mixed in moisture and dry air.

 

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Hail shaft

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Rotating hole in base - we suspect that the circulation was drawing in dry air from west of the dryline

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Rotating updraft core - we suspect that the roation was induced by outflow

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Impressive rainfree updraft core

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Hailshafts

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Hailshafts falling back through strong updrafts in a low shear environment

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Chase car in hail

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Large hailstones falling adjacent Hway 59

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Hailstones appeared as weird conglomerates - jagged - snowy rimes - conical and hard golfballs

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Impressive receding dryline storms, eastern Colorado

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Low hills coated with impressive hail depths, 5 miles to our east.

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Highway 59, Colorado's Hailstone Highway

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A very happy Michael King!!

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Hailstone swathe was barely a mile wide

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Magnificent sunlit flanking line, Hway 59

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Heaven!!!

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Tail end Charlie

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More heaven!!!

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Stay tuned for tomorrow's episode...

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