CHASE ARCHIVES
Great Plains 2012
An amazing chase experience in Colorado and Kansas. Three chaseable days; 7 funnel clouds, 1 tornado.
June 6, 2012 - Northeast Colorado
Three chase experiences this day: 1) Early storms north of Wiggens produced some rotation and brief shear funnels. 2) Tornado warned supercell over the town of Elizabeth produced a brief tornado just north of town. I approached the storm from Bennett on its northeast side, but was several minutes out of position and was cored along County Road 30 southwest of Bennet. I attempted to reposition farther south and caught only a brief glimpse of the tornado's remnant cone. 3) Tornado warned supercells formed in a training line over Centennial and Parker after dark. I core punched through Parker as the storms pounded the area with large accumulating hail and intense lightning. Tornado warnings were later issued farther north over Lakewood and downtown Denver as I attempted to core punch in Lakewood...in the dark. Scary it was.
June 7, 2012 - Northeast Colorado
Three chase experiences this day: 1) Intercepted a severe thunderstorm over Fort Morgan that produced large hail and a brief shear funnel. The storm later went supercell north of Brush. 2) Tornado warned supercell over Calhan produced several tornadoes during its lifespan. I intercepted the north side of the storm in Calhan as I approached from Limon, and continued south punching its core. As I arrived at Judge Orr Rd I apparently had near contact with a brief tornado that I could not see but was within a half-mile to my north according to witnesses. 3) The Calhan supercell continues to move south through Yoder and Rush and points southward in far southeast El Paso County. I position in Ellicott as new tornado warnings are issued in far southeast El Paso County. I reposition 10 miles south of Ellicott as another storm near Colorado Springs is drawn into the Yoder/Brush storm. As this storm nears me a large cone funnel cloud appears almost overhead faintly illuminated by lightning, but undetectable by the video camera.
June 10, 2012 - Wichita, KS
Dryline initiation northwest of Wichita. Intercepted a rotating cell with a brief cone funnel.
