Storm Chase Details
Chase Date: May 1, 2024
Miles Logged: 550
States Chased: TX
Tornadoes Witnessed: 2
Largest Hail Encountered: 2.25"
Severe Risks: SPC Outlooks
Chase Recap:
When it’s May you chase. Unfortunately, I left a little late and missed a nice tornado east of Amarillo. I wasn’t discouraged, as the storm seemed viable still. I was rolling westbound on I-40 in Western Oklahoma.
The first dilemma was which storm to choose. The storm that had produced the tornado or a storm to the north all by its lonesome. I decided to pick the north storm, taking I-40 to Shamrock before heading north on US83.
20Z SPC Mesoanalysis
Storm Northwest of Canadian
We would reach Canadian and then head northwest out of town. A tornado had been reported near Spearman, so we continued west. My map showed the North River Road along the Canadian River, but I was unsure if we’d be able to get through so I took FM281 to Highway 70.
I was heading south on highway 70 and witnessed the above wall cloud. The storm was not very organized, but was hanging around the ridge of the canyon for the Canadian river.
Brief Tornado northwest of Canadian
I stuck with this storm, heading back east on FM281. I ran into James on the side of the road and caught up quickly. Eventually it seemed like the storm was struggling, so I turned again to the west. A new storm was tornado warned, but seemed to be behind in cooler air. I was skeptical, so I hung out just west of highway 70 observing from a distance. I witnessed a funnel on that storm, which others reported as a tornado.
Eventually it became obvious the western storm was losing intensity, so I headed back east. The storm had started looking better and was on the way home. I’d end up getting close as the wall cloud really ramped up. A small funnel came down and appeared to have contact with the ground.
I’d follow the storm east of US83 towards Lipscomb. It started looking like garbage. I ran into Wesley and caught up with him on the side of the road while witnessing some LP Supercell structure on the storm to the west. The sunset provided some great photo opportunities.
