2009.05.28
Storm Chase Day 8: And the adventure continues ...
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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. --We're still chasing. Most of us, that is.
The majority of the group saw enough hints in the forecast models to continue on back to the north. This afternoon, passing through Kansas City, we completed a 6-day loop around the Great Plains.
Three students chasers needed to get back to Virginia, one for a family emergency, so Professor Bob Oliver -- driving the car we have nicknamed the "probe" -- took them back to Blacksburg. So we had the odd feeling this morning of sending one vehicle off eastward down Interstate 40 from central Arkansas, while the rest of us (12 total) in two vans headed westward.
A few pieces are on the board for possible severe weather in Nebraska, Iowa and nearby states through the weekend, but as with everything else in this period of time for our chase, not everything is coming together perfectly. As the day progressed, some of the model output for wind shear and the potential for rotating winds looked stronger than any we've seen in the trip, so we will ferret out whatever we can find, again.
Meanwhile ... sounds like a pretty stormy day back home ...
Additionally ... going back to our chase in Texas two days ago ... here is a photo of the possible funnel cloud we observed near sunset.
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Indeed it has been Kevin. We got 3 different substantial storms at the house today, and I haven't checked the latest rain total since this morning, but it's definitely over an inch since 7 am, on top of almost an inch and a half the past 2 days (and that is on the low end for the area in this span). Several creeks nearby are about to overtop their banks and a few roads, and others likely have done so already. THe drying out period over the weekend is more than needed at this point.
Comment by Other John — May 28, 2009 @ 11:39 pm
Kevin, after last week was fairly tame around here (Roanoke Valley), things have gotten very wet and even way too wet for some communities. We have received well over 2 inches of rain at my house since Monday afternoon, but it has been spaced out. Christiansburg got inundated yesterday, I think, massive flooding in some neighborhoods there. This afternoon about 3:30 I was bombed on my postal route in NW Roanoke City, just south of Melrose Ave. Extremely heavy rain that instantly turned some of the gutters into small creeks, and a couple of lightning strikes. One of the 10 heaviest downpours I have ever seen in my 14 years as a letter carrier. This evening it was Craig County's turn. Almost the entire county was under "red blobs" on the radar screen shortly after 10 PM. They must have had lots of very rain, thunder, high winds. So when you return to SW Virginia, it will still be very lush.
Comment by Doug Griggs — May 28, 2009 @ 11:47 pm
It looks like things will dry out some for SW Virginia after today. Weekend looks pretty nice actually.
Comment by Kevin Myatt — May 29, 2009 @ 8:37 am
Another thing to note quickly -- the season's first tropical depression in the Atlantic, well off the East Coast and moving away:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?5-daynl#contents
Comment by Kevin Myatt — May 29, 2009 @ 9:31 am
We've had almost 8.5 inches of rain since April 30th, with well over 3 inches in the last 4 days (1.7 yesterday alone). And I know we weren't even the hardest hit in the NRV either. We've had a few more showers today, but nothing substantial, though it's raining again here as I type.
Comment by Other John — May 29, 2009 @ 5:54 pm
A reader in Christiansburg shares these photos what seemed to her to be unusual-looking clouds in the sky. Kevin (or anyone else), can you tell us what these are?
http://blogs.roanoke.com/rtblogs/communitycurrent/2009/05/29/photos-unusual-clouds-over-christiansburg/
Comment by Dwayne Yancey — May 29, 2009 @ 7:42 pm