Plains Storm Chasing Update - 2:45 pm
As has been mentioned on the Blog this afternoon, an outbreak of severe thnderstorms and tornadoes is likely this afternoon and evening in the Central Plains, especially over eastern Kansas, where a high risk severe weather outlook is posted.
A new PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) Tornado Watch has been issued for NW Missouri... extreme southern Iowa... SE Nebraska and much of NE Kansas. Another Tornado Watch is in effect for western Nebraska and watches will be coming soon for more of Kansas, much of Oklahoma and parts of Texas. Northern Oklahoma might be upgraded to a High Risk later.
I am fantasy chasing this afternoon since I am here in Alabama. My morning target was Topeka, Kansas. Chaser Martin Kuchera reports cells going up north of Topeka arond 1:30 p.m. You can see those on the KTWX (Topeka) radar. Those cells extend SW to south of Salina KS. This shoud be the focus area for development the next couple of hours.
Visible satellite photos are showing towering cumulus building along this line also. Surface based CAPEs are above 3000 j/kg over all of eastern Kansas, with an area over 4500 j/kg near Emporia. Lapse rates are increasing with the approach of an upper trough to the west. The cap is just about gone, which allow thunderstorms to explode shortly. There is still just a bit of cap over southern Kansas, that may lead to explosive development later. Same for SE Nebraska.
Chasers are all over the area, including Topeka, Emporia, in Wichita in Kansas and Ponca City OK.
Emporia looks good, but the Turnpike NE of there is not good for chasing because of a lack of exits. But because of the extreme instability in that area, my fantasy target would be Emporia, which I would be at by 3:45 p.m. My lair today would be bounded by I-45, I-70 and I-135, or Topeka, Wichita and Salina..
Let's see what happens.
Bill
As has been mentioned on the Blog this afternoon, an outbreak of severe thnderstorms and tornadoes is likely this afternoon and evening in the Central Plains, especially over eastern Kansas, where a high risk severe weather outlook is posted.
A new PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) Tornado Watch has been issued for NW Missouri... extreme southern Iowa... SE Nebraska and much of NE Kansas. Another Tornado Watch is in effect for western Nebraska and watches will be coming soon for more of Kansas, much of Oklahoma and parts of Texas. Northern Oklahoma might be upgraded to a High Risk later.
I am fantasy chasing this afternoon since I am here in Alabama. My morning target was Topeka, Kansas. Chaser Martin Kuchera reports cells going up north of Topeka arond 1:30 p.m. You can see those on the KTWX (Topeka) radar. Those cells extend SW to south of Salina KS. This shoud be the focus area for development the next couple of hours.
Visible satellite photos are showing towering cumulus building along this line also. Surface based CAPEs are above 3000 j/kg over all of eastern Kansas, with an area over 4500 j/kg near Emporia. Lapse rates are increasing with the approach of an upper trough to the west. The cap is just about gone, which allow thunderstorms to explode shortly. There is still just a bit of cap over southern Kansas, that may lead to explosive development later. Same for SE Nebraska.
Chasers are all over the area, including Topeka, Emporia, in Wichita in Kansas and Ponca City OK.
Emporia looks good, but the Turnpike NE of there is not good for chasing because of a lack of exits. But because of the extreme instability in that area, my fantasy target would be Emporia, which I would be at by 3:45 p.m. My lair today would be bounded by I-45, I-70 and I-135, or Topeka, Wichita and Salina..
Let's see what happens.
Bill