Yesterday we trekked from Iowa City all the way to Kearney NE. Stopping for a visit at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa. It was a wonderful way to spend a few hours and learn a few things about our family history and their way of life as homesteaders on the Plains. I'm really glad we made the stop. No doubt a highlight of an otherwise frustrating chase week.

The SPC Day 2 forecast had Central Nebraska in a 15% risk. So we thought we'd park right in the middle of it for my last day in the Alley. Woke up this morning to blue skies under High pressure. So much for Chase '07. Today we'll take in some local flavor, make our way to Omaha, go out for a nice dinner and put this season to bed. I'll fly home tomorrow and start looking forward to a much bigger chase trip in '08.

'Til we chase again...

db

Posted by at 10:43 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Wednesday was a tough day to play. Our initial instincts to travel north from Ogallala to Valentine were probably correct. Too bad we didn't follow them. We broke north in the middle of the afternoon. Turns out the one storm that produced was about an hour ahead of us in SD.

So we tacked east out of valentine and followed a line of storms along highway 12. Along the NE SD border. Some after dark funnel chasing. Then landed in Sioux Falls SD about 1am.

Thursday - woke up and blazed east through MN into WI following a high risk forecast.
Beautiful country but the storms were really unchaseable. A line of big cells broke early and travelled too fast. Some as fast as 70 miles and hour. Tough road network. Beautiful country but I'll never chase there again... Images to come.

Today (thursday) transition day. We'll go west to NE. May have a small play tomorrow. My last day in the Alley. Last gasp for a tough little season.

Posted by at 11:01 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Ogallala NE. – Long drive from Amarillo yesterday. We were hopeful that the Denver Cyclone combined with the Low Pressure moving in from the NW would kick up some action in NE Colorado but it all capped off. So we continued into Nebraska to position for today's setup.

Today's target is a challenge. Lot's of potential potential for Severe weather. The big question is "where?". Picking a target has everyone scratching heads. And this could be my one opportunity for action this year so it's a critical call (remote possibility tomorrow in Iowa). Whatever happens today will be late. We're keeping an eye on Central and NE Nebraska. Maybe South Dakota. My target is O'Niel NE some time late this evening... but anything could happen.

Posted by at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We rolled into Amarillo yesterday (Sunday) at about 3pm. The potential for severe was slight at best. With the best possibility far south near the Rio Grande. Too far to hustle so we checked in our usual haunt and found it to be a "Chase Ghetto" with the team from the Center for Severe Weather Research and and the DOW camped out at the same hotel.

We spent the afternoon catching up with Warren and had a good meal. Looks like today is another slight risk in the neighborhood. But we'll probably lay low and get ready to move back north. I'm going to go looking for a pawn shop guitars or something.

We'll start making our way north tomorrow as the models are lining up for an explosive few days beginning Wednesday. 3 Days out and the SPC is issuing a Mod Risk. Looks like we'll be very busy from Wed - Sat.

Right now my only nagging concern is the ability to get home. the severe setup will continue into next week and will probably sock in Chicago. I'm already bracing myself for travel complications. But if the forecasts pan out it will be worth the aggravation. fingers crossed.

Posted by at 9:38 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Took a long leisurely ride to SW Kansas yesterday. There was some modest play down in the TX panhandle, but nothing worth blazing for. So we meandered on down and attempted to land in Dodge City. Should have known better. All Hotels are booked up with construction and cleanup crews working in Greensburg. so we decided to keep moving south. Stopping along the way to check out the Gray County Wind Farm.

Today we'll make our way down to Amarillo and meet up with Warren. Who knows. Maybe we'll get a storm to play with. But we're all just waiting for the big setup that seems to be brewing for Tues-Wed. Hoping the models hold together for an outbreak or two.

Posted by at 9:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After weather delays in Chicago, landed in Omaha around 11pm last night. Joel rented us an H3. Fun rig. With questionable visibility (and gas milliage). But it sure is comfy. We're going to have some fun.

Drove west to Grand Island. Tomorrow will be a transition day. Lots of overcast gunk all over the alley. We'll head south west and hopfully hook up with Warren. Maybe land in SW Kansas tonight. Maybe play the TX panhandle tomorrow (Sunday).

Today will be a good day for catching up with Joel. Long drive ahead.

Posted by at 8:59 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)