Chase day next week??!?!

I mentioned it in the last blog, but things may be coming together for a pretty significant episode next week...

Depending on where it sets up, I may be heading out there, right now it looks like the middle MS valley could be under the gun, areas like the boot heal of MO into AR and TN...if perhaps we can get some of that moisture more north, central IL may see a threat as well. This is something Ill be keeping a close eye on....GFS wants to eject a 985mb low with some of the paramaters coming together...dont have much time to write so ill add more later!! Keeping a very close eye on this though...

me likey...



By adumbftw

Reverse psychology?

Ok so yesterday I mentioned I would throw in the towel on the chase season...but low and behold I check todays GFS and sure enough look what I see 10 days out staring back at me in the face.



HMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmm *raises eyebrow*

What a nice little trough we have here...digging into the plains...yesterday this was merely a ripple in the isotachs resembling more of shortwave than anything...now today its a full out trough.

And yes...I know its 10 days out and I know all about model sketchiness and unrealibility that far out...one thing I cant stand about ST is when someone tries to start a discussion about what they see on models that far out...one of the 1st responses is always "bla bla bla thats too far out why are u getting ur hopes up" I KNOW ITS FAR OUT...AND IM WISHCASTING...but to me I always like to see how these things end up verifying...and watching the evolution of these potential systems over the models...its never to early to raise the eyebrow and making sure your prepared...ok anyways...

Even on the surface chart, there is FINALLY hints at some moisture coming back, almost as far north as the quincy area, with some backed surface winds from NWern MO back into Ern AR


Although taking a look at the precip plot, it looks like the bulk of the precip will be on the northern fringe of the ssytem, suggesting maybe a snow event for the northern areas...and less isolated precip in the 'warm sector'...

i dont know if i buy into this yet...going back to the 1000mb chart there looks like a warm front advancing across central MO and maybe into SWern IL...direction shear looks good between 1000 and 850 but then becomes more unidirectional between 850 and 500 it seems. Perhaps the speed shear, which looks modest, could still be enough to promote some turning. Ill wait before I check for any signs of a cap...instability and helicity and whatnot.

Its far out...and things will surely change...I dont look into things much more in depth than that at 10 days out...or i WILL drive myself nutty wishcasting myself into a coma...eh maybe ill take a peek and see what EURO has to say...its an eyebrow raiser thats for sure. If I had to pick a target now, id say central MO [yuck] through eastern AR.

Weeeee.

SNOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooW!

Ew. Yuck. Sick. BLECH!!!

No, I didn't attempt to eat my first ever salad....Im talking about the sighting of snow flurries around here today. I knew it officially snowed here yesterday, but I didnt see it...so I was able to at least fool myself into thinking the year wasn't over yet. Today reality pimp smacked me in the face and I am finally tossing in the towel on the chase season. Fall was a major let down as far as chaseable setups go...but its never a real garauntee. We just cant get out of this damn west coast ridge-east coast trough pattern...it may break for a day or 2 but nothing ever comes of it...large highs over the east are keeping the gulf cut off to even the southern states.

But...in my last entry I mentioned a meager threat for thunder with a cutoff low progged to move over the region...well to my suprise as Im shopping for camping supplies Friday...an anvil crawler streaks across the sky followed my favorite sound in the entire world...temps were chilly, but height falls were enough to support tstorm development after-all. Some daytime "heating" also helped get the process going. It was definitely welcome.

Driving back from my camping trip to Indiana [which included us getting lost in the dead of night in a canyon for an hour] I decided to drive by the sight on I-57 where I filmed the tornado. It would be the 1st time I have been there since that day...and much to my suprise, there is still allot of debris scattered around...just goes to show how lazy I-dot is. Only a few moments later I found myself in a barage of mushy, pea and smaller size hailstorm that covered the road in only about 20 seconds. I wasnt convinced it was hail at first but after going over things and checking reports and conditions...i believe it really was. A nice little bonus.

So now that the year has drawn to an almost certain close...whats planned in the off season? More of the same...continue teaching myself more and more. I dont overload myself with more information than I can handle, which has helped me learn more than I ever plan. I hope to get a real chase website up and running as well, but that will be a much bigger project. As far as "upgrades" go...it will depend on how finances treat me...a windshield camera mount is on the top of my list. Perhaps a real camera from which to take better quality still images with, and begin educating myself on that aspect of the game.

Some quick stats on the season:

Chases: 13
Tornadoes: 4 [3 in Kansas, 1 in Illinois]
Largest hail-core: Half dollar size - 1.50"
Miles: Approx 11,400
States covered: IL, IN IA, NE, KS, AR, MS, TN

Of course a more detailed account is coming...but that will be later.

Since its now the off season, there wont be much forecasting going on over here, but Im sure I will have plenty to rant and talk about over the winter. Next year I plan on being very aggressive. I feel allot of opportunities were blown because we were pussy footing around the storms rather than diving in and just going for it. I know all there is to know about intercepting the various types of storms, so next year I will be getting my hands dirtier. Im still developing my chase "career" so its one step at a time.

On a serious note, Id like to ask you to send your thoughts and blessings out to fellow storm chaser Andrew Pritchard...his GF just went through the horrible tragedy of losing her sister to sensless violence by a piece of shit sorry sad excuse for a man. The news is horrible and I wish him, her and the family the best during this hard time. The chasing community is with you guys and you have our unending support.

Time to throw in the towel?

It would almost seem like it is time. With October rounding the half way mark and not even a sign on the models of anything worth-while. Usually the 1st half of fall provides at least 1 chaseable setup. This year that does not seem to be the case. November also can provide such a setup, although it would favor the southeastern parts of the country.

Looking at things now there is definitely nothing worth getting excited over. Last week 10 days out a cutoff low was starting to take shape. It looks like this verified as the feature has shown up consistently all week on not only the GFS but the EURO as well. Even the shorter range NAM picks up on the feature. Before that the temperatures will begin a graduall decline.



There it is shown above, this feature looks to move slowly and begin affecting my region on Wednesday...bringing miserable, cool and rainy conditions. The only hope for even a rumble of thunder would be if the system tracks a little more to the north, but I dont see that happening.

What I really dont like is what i see 10 days out.



Yuck. Although the GFS has a tendency to overdue cold surges that far out. I hope in this case it is true. The dominant pattern since summer though seems to have been west coast ridging and east coast troughing, so this seems all the more probable.

The last saving grace for the year could be a teeter totter like switch near the end of the month and into the beginning of november...if that doesnt verify then the towel will be thrown in, at least Ive managed to rack up more time off for next year. Which some think will be even more active than this year. Lets hope.

Pre-SDS is kicking in.

AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

The first signs of SDS. I spend an hour trying to follow the chaser drama blog trail. Im glad im neutral in all of that. Then again Ive never been one to care what someone else thinks or says about me. Im going to do what I want to do regardless, for every person who has something bad to say, theres 5 who have something good to say. Its a shame such a small community of enthusiasts is divided by its core fundamentals.

It all comes down to difference in style really. Some get close and in-your-face shots. Others dont. Allot of criticism comes to those whove had near death situations....but in the end...its their own call to put themselves in harms way. Who am I to tell people who are trained what not to do. They know the risks. I tend to be riskier than the average chaser. Not so much for fame, but I wont turn down any offer that came my way. Its everyones dream as a child to be well known for doing what they love, and to be successfull in doing so. If that makes me a bad person for fulfilling my dream then so be it.

Each year my network amongst chasers continues to grow, all for the positive, Ive gotten along with everyone Ive met. Someday that will change....and thats ok with me. Negativitey creates balance. Its impossible to please everyone.

As far as the weather goes...glancing at the 10 day GFS is a cause for attacking a bottle of whiskey. I dont like to look farther out than that because I always end up wishcasting. The ever persistant west coast ridge looks like its coming back. Putting us in the cool trough region. The transition wont feature any storms here though. The main surface low responsible for the big snows in Montana has drifted way into Canada leaving only a weak trailing cold front. The good juice has been stuck down south, as is common this time of year, and there isnt enoug instibility go get anything going.

The "second season" is having a togh time taking off, and right now I see nothing in the near future worth getting excited over. SDS is slowly setting in. Its going to be a long winter unless the season has one last breath of life.

Recap of June 7th, 2008 Chicagoland Tornado Chase

June 7th...a day Ill never forget. I woke up early in the morning in a bad mood because I had oral surgery scheduled. The weather pattern favored a tornado outbreak in Iowa and if it weren't for the surgery, I would have been there. Turns out the surgery was a good thing.

As I sat in my room spitting up blood in a cup for hour after hour and chatting with fellow chaser Danny Neal, an interesting storm blew up to our southwest. He and I were "armchair chasing" which is a common practice among chasers when we cant be in the field. Tornado reports started coming in, but I was pessimistic and crabby and didnt want to believe them. The following conversation ensued before I was finally convinced to bolt out the door and get what so far is my greatest footage. Its kind of long so if you dont wish to read it all, you can scroll down to see the actual chase pictures and videos.

TORII48LEGENDS (3:56:11 PM):	tornado coming
AeroStorm911 (3:56:11 PM):	argh
AeroStorm911 (3:56:25 PM):	well see
AeroStorm911 (3:56:25 PM):	lol
TORII48LEGENDS (3:56:32 PM):	lol they got one down in marshall coming
TORII48LEGENDS (3:56:40 PM):	county
AeroStorm911 (3:56:55 PM):	sweet
TORII48LEGENDS (3:57:08 PM):	i just got home from baseball and saw TOR WATCH i was like huh
TORII48LEGENDS (3:57:09 PM):	?
AeroStorm911 (3:58:24 PM):	yea and it doesnt include cook again
TORII48LEGENDS (3:58:41 PM):	lol
TORII48LEGENDS (3:58:54 PM):	if this storms continues NE its gonna hit me head on
TORII48LEGENDS (4:00:09 PM):	now watch
TORII48LEGENDS (4:00:10 PM):	oops
TORII48LEGENDS (4:00:13 PM):	wrong IM
TORII48LEGENDS (4:03:07 PM):	new tornado watch
AeroStorm911 (4:05:51 PM):	if its not here then i dont care lol
AeroStorm911 (4:05:52 PM):	damn storms
AeroStorm911 (4:05:58 PM):	one to the south and one to the north
TORII48LEGENDS (4:06:09 PM):	its here
TORII48LEGENDS (4:06:31 PM):	http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/ww0479.html
TORII48LEGENDS (4:07:49 PM):	lol why arent we chasing
AeroStorm911 (4:08:23 PM):	me cuz my mouth wont stop bleeding
AeroStorm911 (4:08:27 PM):	fucking oral surgery
TORII48LEGENDS (4:08:30 PM):	lol wow
TORII48LEGENDS (4:08:52 PM):	haha
TORII48LEGENDS (4:09:59 PM):	look what just blew up on the SW and west side
AeroStorm911 (4:10:35 PM):	i see that
AeroStorm911 (4:10:38 PM):	watch it miss me
TORII48LEGENDS (4:10:43 PM):	lol
AeroStorm911 (4:13:31 PM):	i think its all going to
AeroStorm911 (4:13:35 PM):	damn midway bubble
TORII48LEGENDS (4:13:48 PM):	lol those sups are making a bee line for here
AeroStorm911 (4:14:12 PM):	they look like mush tho
TORII48LEGENDS (4:15:42 PM):	rotation looks good
TORII48LEGENDS (4:16:06 PM):	look at the one heading for Odell
AeroStorm911 (4:16:38 PM):	on srv it aint bad
AeroStorm911 (4:16:40 PM):	bv is shit
TORII48LEGENDS (4:17:21 PM):	tornado report outta lostant in la salle
TORII48LEGENDS (4:17:54 PM):	north storm is getting choked off by the south one
AeroStorm911 (4:19:48 PM):	i see that
AeroStorm911 (4:19:57 PM):	im almost tempted to shoot down i-57
TORII48LEGENDS (4:20:12 PM):	its moving up 55
TORII48LEGENDS (4:21:50 PM):	funnel cloud reported ne of pontiac
TORII48LEGENDS (4:23:50 PM):	tornado on the ground
TORII48LEGENDS (4:23:54 PM):	NE of Odell
TORII48LEGENDS (4:24:01 PM):	numerous reports
AeroStorm911 (4:24:09 PM):	really
AeroStorm911 (4:24:10 PM):	dammit
AeroStorm911 (4:24:11 PM):	lol
TORII48LEGENDS (4:24:13 PM):	lol
TORII48LEGENDS (4:24:45 PM):	heading right into dwight
AeroStorm911 (4:25:37 PM):	they were 90 over 75
AeroStorm911 (4:25:38 PM):	wow
AeroStorm911 (4:27:01 PM):	its raining here now
AeroStorm911 (4:27:03 PM):	psh
TORII48LEGENDS (4:27:28 PM):	THUNDERSTORMS WERE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS. VERY WARM AND HUMID WEATHER WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 80S AND DEW POINT TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 70S WERE RESULTING IN MODERATELY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS...BENEATH AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG LATE SPRING JET STREAM ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. THIS COMBINATION OF INSTABILITY...AND VERTICAL WIND SHEAR...WILL RESULT IN SOME STORMS BECOMING SEVERE ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THE DEGREE OF SHEAR SUGGESTS THAT ROTATING STORMS ARE LIKELY...WITH A POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DECREASE IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE LATE THIS EVENING...THOUGH ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE INTO THE REGION AFTER MIDNIGHT FROM THE WEST.
AeroStorm911 (4:29:04 PM):	weee
TORII48LEGENDS (4:30:17 PM):	* TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHEASTERN LIVINGSTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS... SOUTHEASTERN GRUNDY COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS...* UNTIL 515 PM CDT...* AT 422 PM...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO AND RADAR INDICATED ROTATION NEAR CORNELL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 32 MPH.* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... DWIGHT BY 445 PM... GARDNER BY 500 PM... BRACEVILLE BY 510 PM...
AeroStorm911 (4:31:02 PM):	i see that
AeroStorm911 (4:31:04 PM):	SCUD!
AeroStorm911 (4:31:07 PM):	run for cover
TORII48LEGENDS (4:31:12 PM):	lol
TORII48LEGENDS (4:31:22 PM):	thats a decent signature though
AeroStorm911 (4:31:27 PM):	yea not bad
AeroStorm911 (4:32:05 PM):	is it even worth battling 55 traffic
AeroStorm911 (4:32:07 PM):	thats the question
TORII48LEGENDS (4:32:23 PM):	lol its gonna heading into southern cook
AeroStorm911 (4:33:47 PM):	57 is the way to go i think
AeroStorm911 (4:33:50 PM):	if it holds
AeroStorm911 (4:33:54 PM):	its turning
TORII48LEGENDS (4:34:27 PM):	i know
TORII48LEGENDS (4:35:43 PM):	its got a meso marker on it
TORII48LEGENDS (4:35:45 PM):	yellow one
AeroStorm911 (4:35:48 PM):	yea
AeroStorm911 (4:35:51 PM):	i see
AeroStorm911 (4:35:54 PM):	moderate lol
TORII48LEGENDS (4:36:01 PM):	idk if i can catch this
TORII48LEGENDS (4:36:40 PM):	tornado lifted at 426
TORII48LEGENDS (4:36:46 PM):	new funnel forming
TORII48LEGENDS (4:36:53 PM):	per odell fire dept
AeroStorm911 (4:37:46 PM):	it can be caught
AeroStorm911 (4:37:50 PM):	its over an hour away from 57
TORII48LEGENDS (4:38:02 PM):	lol giddy up hah
TORII48LEGENDS (4:38:21 PM):	looks like heading for peotone
AeroStorm911 (4:38:55 PM):	latest scan is mush
TORII48LEGENDS (4:39:03 PM):	AT 436 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ODELL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 32 MPH. THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... DWIGHT BY 445 PM CDT... GARDNER BY 500 PM CDT... SOUTH WILMINGTON...AND EAST BROOKLYN BY 505 PM CDT... BRACEVILLE BY 510 PM CDT...
TORII48LEGENDS (4:39:07 PM):	FUUCCCCKKKKKKKK
TORII48LEGENDS (4:39:26 PM):	aeDFHJOFDHNASFDNDAS
AeroStorm911 (4:39:29 PM):	wtf
TORII48LEGENDS (4:40:22 PM):	54 miles away
TORII48LEGENDS (4:40:55 PM):	very large tornado reported on ground
TORII48LEGENDS (4:41:02 PM):	per spotters
TORII48LEGENDS (4:41:10 PM):	between dwight and odell
AeroStorm911 (4:41:20 PM):	rain shaft
AeroStorm911 (4:41:21 PM):	lol
TORII48LEGENDS (4:41:26 PM):	lol
TORII48LEGENDS (4:41:37 PM):	im tempted
TORII48LEGENDS (4:41:39 PM):	big time
AeroStorm911 (4:41:53 PM):	lets see what this scan does
TORII48LEGENDS (4:42:04 PM):	new report by storm chaser
TORII48LEGENDS (4:42:15 PM):	large debris cloud tornado on ground larger than last one
TORII48LEGENDS (4:42:32 PM):	oh fuck
TORII48LEGENDS (4:42:37 PM):	its heading into dwight
TORII48LEGENDS (4:42:45 PM):	JUUUUST west
AeroStorm911 (4:43:06 PM):	god dammit new shit to the south of it
AeroStorm911 (4:43:09 PM):	the choke off begins
TORII48LEGENDS (4:43:48 PM):	a lil west of 55 tracking tornado into dwight guy sees it from his house
AeroStorm911 (4:44:24 PM):	i wonder if its a landspout
TORII48LEGENDS (4:45:00 PM):	lol no
TORII48LEGENDS (4:45:04 PM):	not with that rotation
TORII48LEGENDS (4:47:28 PM):	new circulation moving into dwight
TORII48LEGENDS (4:47:30 PM):	and im still here
AeroStorm911 (4:47:43 PM):	and im still spitting up blood
AeroStorm911 (4:47:45 PM):	ugh
TORII48LEGENDS (4:48:23 PM):	...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN GRUNDY AND NORTHEASTERN LIVINGSTON COUNTIES... AT 445 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR DWIGHT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 32 MPH. THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... GARDNER BY 500 PM CDT... SOUTH WILMINGTON...AND EAST BROOKLYN BY 505 PM CDT... BRACEVILLE BY 510 PM CDT...
TORII48LEGENDS (4:49:35 PM):	new tornado forming
TORII48LEGENDS (4:49:41 PM):	1 mile south of dwight
TORII48LEGENDS (4:49:47 PM):	moving north east
TORII48LEGENDS (4:50:00 PM):	I 55 and dwight road
TORII48LEGENDS (4:52:11 PM):	huge wall cloud Rt 47 just north of dwight
AeroStorm911 (4:52:26 PM):	almost near morris
TORII48LEGENDS (4:52:45 PM):	moving into wilmington soon
TORII48LEGENDS (4:53:46 PM):	david mayhew i so ff
AeroStorm911 (4:54:52 PM):	i hope sum1 is gettin pics or video
TORII48LEGENDS (4:55:56 PM):	I 55 and rt 17 large tornado reported 10 mins ago
TORII48LEGENDS (4:56:10 PM):	damage reports coming in
AeroStorm911 (4:56:58 PM):	anything good
TORII48LEGENDS (4:57:20 PM):	didnt say specifics they just said we are getting damage reports in from NE livingston co
TORII48LEGENDS (4:57:42 PM):	storm looks like its bowing out
TORII48LEGENDS (4:59:25 PM):	AT 458 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 10 MILES WEST OF HALES CORNERS...OR NEAR DOWNTOWN WAUKESHA...MOVING EAST AT 41 MPH.
AeroStorm911 (4:59:56 PM):	mayhew is going for it
AeroStorm911 (4:59:56 PM):	lol
AeroStorm911 (5:00:03 PM):	good luck buddy
TORII48LEGENDS (5:00:06 PM):	lol
AeroStorm911 (5:00:10 PM):	that i-55 traffic is hideous
TORII48LEGENDS (5:00:24 PM):	57
AeroStorm911 (5:00:38 PM):	o shit he is on 57
AeroStorm911 (5:00:44 PM):	well once he gets passed 80 hell be good
TORII48LEGENDS (5:00:56 PM):	its 4 miles to 57 from my hous
TORII48LEGENDS (5:00:56 PM):	e
TORII48LEGENDS (5:00:59 PM):	he just passed it
AeroStorm911 (5:01:12 PM):	my shit must be behind
TORII48LEGENDS (5:01:24 PM):	...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN GRUNDY COUNTY... AT 454 PM CDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO FROM THIS STORM. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR GARDNER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 32 MPH. THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... EAST BROOKLYN...SOUTH WILMINGTON...AND BRACEVILLE BY 505 PM CDT...
TORII48LEGENDS (5:02:30 PM):	wtf is that
AeroStorm911 (5:03:28 PM):	what is what lol
AeroStorm911 (5:03:35 PM):	and i dont have those tornado icons on mine lol
AeroStorm911 (5:03:38 PM):	what place file is that
TORII48LEGENDS (5:04:06 PM):	http://places.allisonhouse.com/feeds/d1a15ecdd173c2862c39e2c6314e76a4/index.php?lsr=1
AeroStorm911 (5:04:30 PM):	ok got em
TORII48LEGENDS (5:04:42 PM):	look at that hook north of coal city
AeroStorm911 (5:05:30 PM):	o that lol
AeroStorm911 (5:05:35 PM):	looks like a bow segment to me
AeroStorm911 (5:05:43 PM):	could be something new tho
AeroStorm911 (5:05:47 PM):	i like it bein more north
TORII48LEGENDS (5:05:47 PM):	got rotation
TORII48LEGENDS (5:06:03 PM):	srv2
TORII48LEGENDS (5:06:38 PM):	its splitting
TORII48LEGENDS (5:06:46 PM):	guy says inflow is starting to increase
TORII48LEGENDS (5:07:56 PM):	expanded TOR watch again
TORII48LEGENDS (5:08:44 PM):	NWS LOT just caleld spotters asking them if they see it swinging north
TORII48LEGENDS (5:08:49 PM):	svr warning
AeroStorm911 (5:12:17 PM):	and the chicago bubble lives on
TORII48LEGENDS (5:12:46 PM):	lol
TORII48LEGENDS (5:13:47 PM):	whats the odds of more development to the south and west
AeroStorm911 (5:15:16 PM):	id say slim
TORII48LEGENDS (5:16:21 PM):	watch lasts another 3 hours
AeroStorm911 (5:18:32 PM):	my hopes arent up
AeroStorm911 (5:18:34 PM):	cloud cover
AeroStorm911 (5:18:36 PM):	loss of heating
TORII48LEGENDS (5:18:45 PM):	lol its already hot enough
TORII48LEGENDS (5:18:58 PM):	90/77
AeroStorm911 (5:20:04 PM):	2.75" hail?
AeroStorm911 (5:20:06 PM):	wtf is going on
TORII48LEGENDS (5:20:32 PM):	storm looks good near wilmington
TORII48LEGENDS (5:21:09 PM):	reporting rotation near wilmington again just now lol
TORII48LEGENDS (5:21:25 PM):	TORNADO WARNING
AeroStorm911 (5:21:32 PM):	argh
AeroStorm911 (5:22:08 PM):	the edge of that box is by my house!
AeroStorm911 (5:22:09 PM):	haha
TORII48LEGENDS (5:26:44 PM):	tornado on the ground
TORII48LEGENDS (5:26:50 PM):	in wilmington
AeroStorm911 (5:27:08 PM):	fuck
AeroStorm911 (5:27:12 PM):	time to go i think
TORII48LEGENDS (5:27:18 PM):	its coming right here
AeroStorm911 (5:27:38 PM):	if that storm crosses the warm front which is just to our south then its history
AeroStorm911 (5:27:47 PM):	i hope tio can stay rooted there
AeroStorm911 (5:27:51 PM):	or the warm front is on the move
TORII48LEGENDS (5:29:06 PM):	...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR WILL AND SOUTHEASTERN COOK COUNTIES... AT 523 PM CDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR BRAIDWOOD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... SYMERTON BY 535 PM CDT... ELWOOD BY 540 PM CDT... MANHATTAN BY 550 PM CDT... NEW LENOX BY 555 PM CDT... MOKENA...AND FRANKFORT BY 600 PM CDT... FRANKFORT SQUARE...AND MATTESON BY 605 PM CDT...
AeroStorm911 (5:29:34 PM):	im out
AeroStorm911 (5:29:35 PM):	cya
AeroStorm911 (5:29:36 PM):	lol

So I grab the laptop, my cameras, NOAA radio and out the door I go. I took the fastest way I knew to get to I-57...once Im there I find myself in the storms core. The storm now looks like a monster plains supercell on radar.Once I emerge from the core I see the most incredible straited meso I have ever seen. It easily trumps any storm Ive seen in the plains to date. Video:


I knew I needed to get south...and fast...or I would be in some serious trouble. Core punching such a storm is a risky move which some would consider foolish...as for me Im willing to take the risk. Near the end of the video you can see the RFD cutting into the storm creating the "clear slot" I knew this baby was about to put down. Sure enough I look back out my passanger window and see a funnel quickly drop. By the time I Stop the van and jump out...its already on the ground. Video:


I wish my over-excitement didnt get to me and I was able to keep my mouth shut. I will never talk smack about people who blurt out stupid stuff on camera again. Unless your a passionate chaser, you wont understand the feeling one gets when being so close to something so amazing.

I cut about 30 seconds of the clip out, just before I make the phone call, fellow chaser Danny Neal called me to see where I was at, I hurried him off the phone and let a few more profanities slip so I could call the NWS, whos number I left at home so I called 911 instead to get the information out as the tornado crossed the highway. Video:


Needless to say it was very intense, due to the wet RFD blasting me I had to seek coverage on the side of my van, with no time to setup a tripod. The tornado was rated EF-2 by the national weather service and did wreak havock across the highway. I quickly tried to turn around and stay on the chase....but got stuck in the expressway lockdown due to all the damage.






After about an hour they let us through. Thankfully there were no serious injuries but this situation could have ended allot worse. 6 people were taken to hospitals with minor injuries. People were extremely lucky this time. Once I got home I quickly called my chaser pals over to show them what I was able to capture. Danny, who was also on the chase, was about 2 miles behind me and got stuck in the storms core. Here is a radar image of the storm as it crossed the highway...a truly classic supercell shape on radar...and in my home territory for once!


Everything worked out for today, and I consider myself lucky, the surgery kept me home otherwise I would have chased Iowa and likely not seen anything as amazing, some of my chasers pals, including Skip Talbot were in Iowa and bagged a bunch of awesome wall clouds, but those dont compare to tornadoes. Poor Matt was stuck at a family function and couldn't chase. We had just spent 3 days in Kansas and 2 in Nebraska and saw 3 tornadoes, but none like this, its a shame he missed out because events like this near Chicago are extremely rare. Ive done the last minute local chase many times, but never catching anything like this. It will certainly be a tough one to beat....and I look forward to the day I do.

Here is a google map of the chase. A full map can be viewed by clicking the link under it.

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First post

I dont have the time to update this with every chase Ive been on, Ill just post my most recent one from june 7th, other chase blogs can be seen by visiting my myspace page. All the chase blogs are linked on there. www.myspace.com/stormchase

This site will no doubt undergo lots of change. So bear with me.

Thanks for stopping by.