Stormchasing - May 9-15, 2003

The second of the the tour started out with a tornado the first night right after we got back from dinner.  There was a watch in effect for Oklahoma City and then the sirens started their eerie wail and people were looking at us to know what to do.  The members of the chase team were out with cameras and watching the flashes in the sky.  As the tornado got closer, there were flashes in the sky from the tornado as it hit the power lines and the transformers were flashing in the distance.  

We headed out and enjoyed the wonderful diversity in the different backgrounds of the people in our group. It was good to see our friends from the previous tours and make the new friends.  We didn't have any other tornados during the trip but did get to see a few large supercells, large hail, and a lot of the southwest.

mini-178 Doug and Doug.jpg (106412 bytes)
Doug and Doug checking out some pictures.

mini-180 Helicopter at truck wreck.jpg (91288 bytes)
We were held in traffic for an accident when the helicopter landed.

mini-181 Loading patient into helicopter.jpg (92033 bytes)
Loading the patient into the helicopter.

mini-183 Helicopter coming our way.jpg (83106 bytes)
Taking off for the hospital. 

mini-185 Watching for rotation.jpg (54584 bytes)
First storm on the road had some rotation to it.

mini-188 Photographing the storm.jpg (105627 bytes)
The storm was moving over a small town and the sirens were blaring.  We mostly saw flooded streets here.

mini-190 Checking out the skys.jpg (95564 bytes)
Waiting for storms to develop on the side of the road.

mini-200 Sky Dog.jpg (53363 bytes)
Sky Dog seen in the sky as we were driving.

mini-203 Britten, Tx leaning tower.jpg (105595 bytes)
Leaning water tower in Britten, Texas.

mini-206 Largest cross in the US.jpg (63226 bytes)
Largest cross in the US in Texas.

mini-211 Rust in peace.jpg (214512 bytes)
Rust in Peace - Truck outside of Country Barn Restaurant in Texas.

mini-213 What type of steak.jpg (119707 bytes)
Settling in for a steak lunch.  Separate tickets for everyone.

mini-224 Hot Rod Grill.jpg (132150 bytes)
Hot Rod in the restaurant. 

mini-227 57 Chevy for 125000 thousand.jpg (130486 bytes)
'57 Chevy BelAir with 17 original miles - For Sale $125,000.

mini-232 Kevin looking for a ride.jpg (134643 bytes)
Kevin looking like "Mister, you going my way?"

mini-234 Texas highway patrol coming with ticket.jpg (121234 bytes)
Texas roads are fast - unless you get caught.  Hello Mr. State Trooper!!

mini-235 David getting his ticket.jpg (85604 bytes)
Dave getting his warning ticket.  Maybe he gave you chicken pocks, David.

mini-236 Todd getting his warning.jpg (85671 bytes)
Everyone got just a warning ticket.  They wanted us to call the SHP first if we saw a tornado.

mini-240 Sitting in the shade.jpg (108233 bytes)
Relaxing in the shade after a large lunch at K-Bob's Steak House.

mini-245 Dog storm chaser.jpg (118783 bytes)
Other stormchasers pulled into the Dairy Queen.  Their dog checking us out.

mini-246 Stormchaser Blazer.jpg (137940 bytes)
Another stormchaser pulled into the parking lot.  We started realizing we were in the right place.

mini-247 Inside the chase vehicle.jpg (153439 bytes)
Inside the chasers vehicle.  Wrap around equipment.

mini-259 Cu Building.jpg (66562 bytes)
Supercell building in the distance as we headed south.

mini-262 Virga under the storm.jpg (57413 bytes)
Verga under the storm but little lightning.

mini-269 Inside the supercell.jpg (87305 bytes)
Looking into the storm shows mini-towers blowing up.

mini-271 Inside the supercell.jpg (64607 bytes)
Tower rises up higher with hail shafts visible as we traveled.

mini-273 Side diversion - horses wanting a rub.jpg (115537 bytes)
While stopped, we had 3 horses come up and play like puppies, wanting to be rubbed.

mini-275 Storm on the horizon.jpg (54018 bytes)
Anvil over the storm made for a beautiful sight.

mini-277 Hail that had fallen.jpg (98332 bytes)
Hail that was from the storm picked up by another chaser.

mini-280 Watching the storm.jpg (99022 bytes)
Watching the storm on the side of the road.

mini-284 Watching the storm develop.jpg (60773 bytes)
Trough seemed to opening up near us in the clouds.

mini-289 Buffalo in scene.jpg (133390 bytes)
Off day put us near Wichita Falls, Texas at a wildlife perserve.

mini-295 Ground Hog at hole.jpg (163317 bytes)
Ground hog looking into a hole.

mini-298 Coyote ready to pounce.jpg (169626 bytes)
Coyote stalking his prey.

mini-299 Raccoon eating.jpg (178439 bytes)
Raccoon washing it's food in the creek.

mini-300 Bobcat pondering.jpg (157592 bytes)
Bobcat ready to pounce.

mini-311 Rolling in the dust.jpg (105663 bytes)
Live buffalo rolling in the dust near our van.

mini-320 Relaxing area.jpg (223318 bytes)
Relaxing pond that was on the perserve.

mini-325 Reflections in the creek.jpg (169729 bytes)
Reflections in the creek.

mini-327 Turtle in the water.jpg (173449 bytes)
Turtle in the water looking for a bite to eat.

mini-328 Playing on the hill.jpg (101546 bytes)
Hill climbers taking pictures from the top.

 

mini-333 Relaxing in the gazebo.jpg (134541 bytes)
Kristine, Karin, Angela, and Dave relaxing in the Gazebo.

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