May 16, 2002

may 16, 2002
monster supercell in the texas panhandle

Today the group headed south from Garden City KS to Guymon OK, where they waited all afternoon for storms to develop. By mid-afternoon, several storms had developed in the less than favorable airmass behind the surface front from southeastern CO to the northern TX panhandle. At first the group was going to blow these storms off and head towards the better airmass in the eastern TX panhandle hoping for the existing storms to move into it or for a new storm to develop in that area. A new storm did try to form in that area, but they were not in good position to intercept it so they finally decided to go for the existing storms in the northern TX panhandle. These high based storms tried their hardest to get organized as they sucked in the relatively cool surface air, but did not really get their act together until sunset when they merged into a monster HP supercell that chased the group all the way to Elk City OK.

At 4:30pm, a storm developed southwest of Guymon OK over the northern Texas panhandle.

The group drove to near McKibben TX at 7pm to watch a storm try to organize to their west.

This storm briefly exhibited a vault structure at around 7:15.

The storm also had some nice inflow bands. Surface inflow became quite intense at times, blasting the group with dust. Jeff measured a gust of 31.3 mph with a hand held instrument.

The group moved east into southeastern Hansford County as this storm dissipated and a new storm developed to its southeast. The rear flank downdraft revealed a bit of a wall cloud at 7:55pm.

By 8pm, a lowering developed on the wall cloud.

The lowering started to look interesting at 8:02pm before a precip curtain wrapped around it and blocked the group's view.

Interesting inflow features start to develop as the storms merged into an HP beast and chased the group through the sparse road network of Roberts County TX.

After darkness set in, lightning illuminated some impressive structure with this monster. At 10pm, the group pulled over at Mobeetie TX to witness brief glimpses of this storm's amazing mothership appearance. Why couldn't this storm have looked like this while it was still light????

Better get inside before it starts raining, kitty! Otherwise the rest of your fur will turn black!!!

I told you your fur would turn all black if you didn't get inside before it started raining!!!

Go on to the next page.

At 4:30pm, a storm developed southwest of Guymon OK over the northern Texas panhandle.
	The group drove to near McKibben TX at 7pm to watch a storm try to organize to their west.
This storm briefly exhibited a vault structure at around 7:15.
	The storm also had some nice inflow bands. Surface inflow became quite intense at times, blasting the group with dust. Jeff measured a gust of 31.3 mph with a hand held instrument.
The group moved east into southeastern Hansford County as this storm dissipated and a new storm developed to its southeast. The rear flank downdraft revealed a bit of a wall cloud at 7:55pm.
	By 8pm, a lowering developed on the wall cloud.
The lowering started to look interesting at 8:02pm before a precip curtain wrapped around it and blocked the group's view.
	Interesting inflow features start to develop as the storms merged into an HP beast and chased the group through the sparse road network of Roberts County TX.
After darkness set in, lightning illuminated some impressive structure with this monster. At 10pm, the group pulled over at Mobeetie TX to witness brief glimpses of this storm's amazing mothership appearance. Why couldn't this storm have looked like this while it was still light????

	Better get inside before it starts raining, kitty! Otherwise the rest of your fur will turn black!!!
I told you your fur would turn all black if you didn't get inside before it started raining!!!