Spring 2010 Highlights

[JLudin]

It's actually been an EXTREMELY frustrating year so far. Work and financial restrictions really put a damper on opportunities. The frustrating part is it's been a phenomenal chase season for all other chasers except for me. I'm still trying to understand how all of these chasers out there continually come up with funds and time to support their chasing addictions. A two day trip to Kansas this year put a huge dent in my bank account, yet I see certain people out chasing EVERY single setup.

Anyway...2011 will be MUCH better. I have an extra week of vaca coming and I'm devoting it all toward chasing. So, here's a quick recap....

April 4th, Keokuk, IA. This chase was primarily to shake off the rust for the 2010 season, but we almost got more than we bargained for. Full account here.. http://www.furiousskies.com/4_4_10.html

April 5th....BUST. Majorly. 1,200 miles for a blue sky bust. No report.

April 6th, Grinnell, IA. Wind damage was said to be the cause of many lost roofs and uprooted trees, but I still think it may have been something different from what we saw. This was also the storm where the Grinnell college student was caught up in the forward flank and was impaled by hail stones. Full account here http://www.furiousskies.com/4_6_10.html

May 10th, Zenda, KS. We got a cone tornado on this high risk day. We opted not to go after the gorilla hail producing Wakita/OK City supercell and instead intercepted a VERY nice tornadic beast to its northwest. Actually saw three tornadoes on the day, but only one was truly documented. The 2nd was miles away on the distant horizon and the third was so brief (and close!) we didn't have time to put a video camera on it. It actually formed on the flanking line south of the meso.



Full account here... http://www.furiousskies.com/5_10_10.html

June 14th, mini supercell. Today was rather interesting. An extremely low topped, mini supercell went tornado warned a few counties away. It didn't look like much of anything on radar, but seeing as how close it was, we made a jog anyway. I actually ended up getting one of my best timelapses of the year from this storm. Full account here.. http://www.furiousskies.com/6_14_10.html

June 18th, SC IA tornadic supercell. Took my fiance with on her first ever chase. Even though the storm became a gigantic mushball by the time we got to it, she still had a blast and it gave us a nice shelf. Still can't understand why this thing didn't completely dominate its environment.



Full account here.. http://www.furiousskies.com/6_18_10.html

June 21st, WC IL. Complete lack of surface flow prevented what could have been an epic tornado producing supercell on this chase. Although it tried for us numerous times, the RFD would just be too much for it and kept blasting it to pieces. CRAAAAZY lightning strikes on this day that literally made me fear for my life.



Full account here.. http://www.furiousskies.com/6_21_10.html

And some other random accounts...

June 1st and 2nd lightning.. http://www.furiousskies.com/6_2_10.html

June 4th severe warned timelapse http://www.furiousskies.com/6_4_10.html

One thing I didn't mention was our worst bust to date, a trip to eastern Nebraska that yielded absolutly nothing, not even a piddle elevated storm. That one stung.

So even though I was able to make it out a few times, it has still been a very frustrating year.

[HarvestMoon]

Great pictures.

[virgo10]

Fabulous photos!!

[dkmac]

Jeremy, I can see why you're saying you're getting addicted to time-lapse! Outstanding pictures and story line on your website. Thanks!

[Joe-Nathan]

Thanks for the write up. The pictures look great.

I am at that stage were I could easily turn this hobby into an addiction. It is even starting to affect my 4yo boy. He is constantly looking to the sky for the next cumulus tower.

[kixette]

love the colors in the bottom photo.. that blue is amazing...