Low expectations today, with a very unstable environment (4,000 J/kg MLCAPE) over west Texas but largely capped. An old outflow boundary from previous day's convection was evident from far SE New Mexico SE'wards into west Texas, and may provide the focus for a few isolated thunderstorms by evening... although most models suggested very few, if any, would develop. The main play was well into New Mexico, where convection was expected to develop over the high terrain and then drift into the eastern Plains whilst growing upscale - this was too far a drive for a minimal severe risk, so we opted to amble to Odessa (TX) and enjoy a sit-down meal for a change and just wait and see if anything initiated.
On arrival we discovered we had a puncture, so spent a few hours killing time getting the tyre fixed. By late afternoon a few thunderstorms had rapidly exploded just to our northeast towards Stanton (TX), so we went for a little chase for a few hours during the evening after a discrete supercell. Some fairly impressive structure developed, and there were reports of very large hail in the core. A lightning strike well ahead of the storm set an oil well ablaze, with a thick smoke plume then visibly drawn into the inflow of the thunderstorm.
Once darkness fell we opted to core punch the storm, but it fizzled on approach to us, so we headed back to Odessa to core punch a separate supercell approaching from Andrews (TX). This storm produced numerous close range CGs, with power flashes / transformers blowing in our vicinity.
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