This was the last day of the 2024 plains chase trip. I started the morning in northwest Kansas and headed eastern, Colorado for storms heading into 2500 j/kg CAPE with 40-50 kt bulk shear.
Boondocking site west of Oberlin, Kansas.
The first storm started dropping anvil bolts before tightening up a bit and dropping a funnel near Last Chance.
The best of the anvil strikes near Last Chance, Colorado — 2051Z.Strengthening cell and homesteads — 2104Z.Funnel as cell draws a gasping breath southeast of Last Chance — 2113Z.
I followed it south of Seibert where it eventually formed another funnel, but this time connected with a debris cloud, giving me a consolation tornado for the 2024 season.
Various moods as the cell gusts out and tries to reorganize — 2122-2235Z.Unnoticed at the time, a column of dust rises under the RFD core — 2236Z.Funnel with dust beneath, from 11 miles south of Siebert — 2238Z.Close-up — 2238Z.Starting to cross the road as it thins out — 2238Z.
It was pretty frustrating to have been parked with a massive row of power lines between me and that dustup, but gotta take what I can get sometimes. After that, I followed it south, as it cycled and tried to stay cohesive.
Collapsing homestead and farm equipment along the way — 2251-2257Z.Last swirl before going linear near Kit Carson — 2310Z.0002-0007Z.Gustnado as things drift south — 0009Z.
I eventually wound up north of Eads as it grew more linear and started spitting out loads of lightning before I finally called off the chase and started heading home.
Setting up for lightning pics on the textured storm north of Eades0012-0028Z.Stack of 20 exposures — 0023-0030Z.
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