Day 4 - Kansas Dryline

SPC Convective Outlook

SPC Tornado Risk

Morning surface analysis

Two main targets today - NE Colorado, where storms were very likely, or somewhere along the dryline in Kansas which could remain capped. After much thought, we decided to choose the dryline in the hope that an isolated storm might fire (as opposed to several storms and chaser convergence in NE Colorado). A dryline bulge was situated over the Oklahoma Panhandle, with a zone of moisture convergence extending from here northwards into central Kansas.

Difficult picking a specific area to head to as in theory anywhere along the dry line *could* develop an isolated storm - and if one did develop, parameters were in place for it to become a supercell with a tornado risk. We drifted south from Goodland (KS) to Liberal (KS), after stopping for lunch in Scott City (KS). We met up with Paul Knightley and Helen Rossington in Liberal, and sat for some time watching cumulus attempting to grow to our east - but struggling.

Eventually cumulus became agitated enough near Ness City (KS) that we decided to head north in this general direction - but this was already 100 miles from our location. A storm eventually developed near Ellis (KS), but moving northeast at 20mph - so we spent several hours desperately trying to catch up with the storm. It became tornado-warned, but never produced. As we eventually neared Hays (KS) as darkness fell, it became clear we were never going to be able to catch up with the storm, so we parked up and tried to shoot some lightning (and sprites) just north of town, before heading to a hotel in Hays.

Severe thunderstorm over Osborne (KS), as viewed from Hays (KS)

GPS Route Tracker