I took 11 days off to chase storms this May. After nearly a week with no storms, I got antsy and headed north to South Dakota, where it looked like storms would form in a couple days. I spent a day exploring the Badlands area. Storms developed farther to the south the next few days; so I ended up driving through Nebraska and on through Kansas Oklahoma and north Texas before returning to Colorado. 5 days, 2,400 miles, and three tornadoes along with numerous powerful storms--quite a trip!
Storm Chase May 16-20, 2013
Badlands Storm
Badlands Storm. Afternoon thunderstorms move through the Badlands. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Flowers and Storms
Flowers and Storms Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Kansas Supercell
Kansas Supercell Stromg winds swirl around the base of a tornadic supercell in central Kansas. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Hail for Hays
Hail for Hays. Tennis Ball sized hail falls from this Kansas storm. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Kansas Mothership
Kansas Mothership Supercell takes on a 'mothership' appearance. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Downburst
Downburst A microburst, or strong downward winds, kicks up dust at the base of a Kansas thunderstorm. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Silver Crown
Silver Crown. Sun rays light the back of a thunderstorm.
Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Invisible Threat
Invisible Threat. A tornado drops from a Kansas supercell thunderstorm. This tornado has no condensation funnel, but you can see it is a tornado from the debris cloud and cloud funnel. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Gray Spin
Gray Spin. Brief tornado drops from a supercell in southern Kansas. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Twisted
Twisted A tornado ropes out above my head. This tornado formed right behind me as I was chasing the parent storm. It was probably no more than a couple hundred yards away. I lost my nerve and floored it to get ahead of the twister; by the time I pulle dover the tornado was already dissipating. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Extreme Instability
Extreme Instability. Massive turbulence in a severe storm. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Electric Company
Electric Company I pulled off the road and walked out into a field to photograph this amazing lightning display over a power plant in northern Oklahoma. Lighting strikes were occurring nearly constantly throughout the storm. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Cauliflower CLouds
Cauliflower Clouds Strong updrafts cause towering thunderstorms to take on a strikig appearance. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Wall Cloud
Wall Cloud A rotating wall cloud forms at the base of a supercell thunderstorm. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Texas Trouble
Texas Trouble. Strong storm moves through a Texas wheat field. The green color is caused by large hail suspended in the cloud. Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.
Big Texan
Big Texan What storm chase would be complete without a stop at the Big texan, home of the 72 Oz steak? :) Photo © copyright by Stan Rose.