Page 1 of 2
Back from Kansas Chase!
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:47 pm
by Brett Adair
Well yes, I was in Kansas/Oklahoma on 5-30-04 and was chasing. Early in the day, I took a look at mesoanalysis and did some checking on where the best diffluence/deep layer shear/instability would come together and I decided to setup along I-35 in Wichita, KS. Oh boy, was I in luck around 7 pm. Came in contact with SEVERAL tornadoes in Harper/Sumner Counties. All the factors came together there ONCE AGAIN, and Attica/Anthony/Conway Springs/Wichita area was HAMMERED! At one point we were within 2.5 miles of the twister and it was 3/4 of a mile wide. This tornado is currently rated F-3. Our video camera screwed up, so you will have to settle for the pictures that I will have posted by Friday.

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 6:59 pm
by PTrackerLA
Was this your first chase? If so you were really lucky to see that many tornadoes! Can't wait to see the pictures.
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:06 pm
by Brett Adair
Well, it was my first chase! F-3 at 3/4 of a mile wide on the first chase is pretty good to me. With a storm that produced 16 tornadoes is also great to catch as well. I loved it and will be heading out again at the end of June.....BTW....you have also found an official hurricane chaser for the Coastlines!

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:07 pm
by breeze
Good to see you back, Brent! I'm looking
forward to seeing those pics!
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:22 pm
by Brett Adair
LOL....It's Brett Annette! I get it alot though, just pointing it out since we have a Brent on the forum too. Well the pics will be up soon and I hope to have alot more as I will be taking more equipment next time to put in my chase vehicle!!

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:42 pm
by Stephanie
I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures as well! You were certainly in the right place at the right time!

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:45 pm
by Brett Adair
Heck yeah! I wonder if we have an official storm2k chaser. That would be awesome if we could make me a chaser logo instead of a forecaster.....then I could copyright the photos I take with a storm2k logo. Hmmmm....a thought to speak with the admin about. I am sure we could create an awesome chase logo.

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:49 pm
by vbhoutex
Brett Adair wrote:Well, it was my first chase! F-3 at 3/4 of a mile wide on the first chase is pretty good to me. With a storm that produced 16 tornadoes is also great to catch as well. I loved it and will be heading out again at the end of June.....BTW....you have also found an official hurricane chaser for the Coastlines!

INCREDIBLY GOOD LUCK!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
You will make our second "official hurricane chaser"!!! We indeed do have one who has been chasing for years and now is retired and basically only chases. Family emergencies kept him from doing the severe chase scene, so hopefully he will be able to do the canes chasing this year. He has a van set up for chasing. The first pics out of the outerbanks last year during Isabel that showed the breach at Kitty Hawk were his. In fact if things go as some others here at S2K hope we may end up with 2 chaser(s)/teams before it is all over. Now you do realize it is a requirement to come pick me up for any chases West of Destin don't you? LOL!!!
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:54 pm
by Brett Adair
vbhoutex wrote:Brett Adair wrote:Well, it was my first chase! F-3 at 3/4 of a mile wide on the first chase is pretty good to me. With a storm that produced 16 tornadoes is also great to catch as well. I loved it and will be heading out again at the end of June.....BTW....you have also found an official hurricane chaser for the Coastlines!

INCREDIBLY GOOD LUCK!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
You will make our second "official hurricane chaser"!!! We indeed do have one who has been chasing for years and now is retired and basically only chases. Family emergencies kept him from doing the severe chase scene, so hopefully he will be able to do the canes chasing this year. He has a van set up for chasing. The first pics out of the outerbanks last year during Isabel that showed the breach at Kitty Hawk were his. In fact if things go as some others here at S2K hope we may end up with 2 chaser(s)/teams before it is all over. Now you do realize it is a requirement to come pick me up for any chases West of Destin don't you? LOL!!!
Sure! We could work something out David I'm sure! This is going to be an experience like none other. I don't have all of the equipment required as of yet, but I am working on getting more and more as we go along! Looks as if things are going to be rather nice in a few weeks when I go again! At least...one can hope!
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:56 pm
by USAwx1
Brett Adair wrote:Heck yeah! I wonder if we have an official storm2k chaser. That would be awesome if we could make me a chaser logo instead of a forecaster.....then I could copyright the photos I take with a storm2k logo. Hmmmm....a thought to speak with the admin about. I am sure we could create an awesome chase logo.

Sounds like a Plan to me. BTW, excellent job in choosing I-35 as your location to set up! And congrats on catching the F3, for this being your first time out you sure did an INCREDIBLE job, not to mention got VERY lucky.
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 8:01 pm
by Brett Adair
Thanks alot! It took alot to get that lucky.....personally if I hadn't looked at MESO-Analysis I think we would have been too far north. We just happened to pick exit 4 off of 35. It was great!
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 8:21 pm
by Allexpert Mike
Brett,
Me and Dan were just looking at data all day,,,you were by far in the sweet spot....I was busy all weekend so I didnt have time to feed you the info...but next time i'll give you a few calls...to make sure you get in the sweet spot again...lol.
In a few more years,,,heck maybe next year i'm going to join you guys one of these times.
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 10:31 pm
by Brett Adair
Sounds really good to me man! You guys were rockin that data into me, especially Dan and many others here from Bama. I'll be back to post later on tonight!
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 10:52 pm
by simplykristi
I can't wait to see some pics!
If anyone wants to come by and pick me up, I would love to go storm chasing!
Kristi
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 7:02 am
by pawlee
Brett Adair wrote:Thanks alot! It took alot to get that lucky.....personally if I hadn't looked at MESO-Analysis I think we would have been too far north. We just happened to pick exit 4 off of 35. It was great!
luck... nah... smarts... YES!!! been learning even here that a good run requires strategic planning. i looked at our region on May 30th and formulated what i believed would be a good target area. my theory proved correct although i was unable to reach target location in time to get under it. your decision to analyze data is what seperates those who end up on wild goose chases. i see alot of guys here run around exhausting fuel on bust runs. starting to get itchy to hit the road myself. hoping to graduate to a bonafide plains chase one of these days. congrats on bagging what you did! indeed anxious to see your imagery...
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 10:45 am
by isobar
Heck Paul, you don't have to do any chasing. Storms come knocking on your door and pose for you.
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 11:40 am
by Brett Adair
pawlee wrote:Brett Adair wrote:Thanks alot! It took alot to get that lucky.....personally if I hadn't looked at MESO-Analysis I think we would have been too far north. We just happened to pick exit 4 off of 35. It was great!
luck... nah... smarts... YES!!! been learning even here that a good run requires strategic planning. i looked at our region on May 30th and formulated what i believed would be a good target area. my theory proved correct although i was unable to reach target location in time to get under it. your decision to analyze data is what seperates those who end up on wild goose chases. i see alot of guys here run around exhausting fuel on bust runs. starting to get itchy to hit the road myself. hoping to graduate to a bonafide plains chase one of these days. congrats on bagging what you did! indeed anxious to see your imagery...
Thanks alot! This did take some strategic planning, but also a bit of luck and we had to be on God's side. If that twister would have accelerated towards the ENE, I would not be here talking to you now. I am headed back somewhere in the plains in about three weeks with a Baron systems module and lots of labtops. This time I had 3 cell phones, 3 friends, an atlas, and my instincts and I bagged a big one. Not too bad...
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 11:48 am
by Stormsfury
USAwx1 wrote:Brett Adair wrote:Heck yeah! I wonder if we have an official storm2k chaser. That would be awesome if we could make me a chaser logo instead of a forecaster.....then I could copyright the photos I take with a storm2k logo. Hmmmm....a thought to speak with the admin about. I am sure we could create an awesome chase logo.

Sounds like a Plan to me. BTW, excellent job in choosing I-35 as your location to set up! And congrats on catching the F3, for this being your first time out you sure did an INCREDIBLE job, not to mention got VERY lucky.
Took the words right out of my mouth ...
Brett, I can't wait to see the photos.
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 11:52 am
by Brett Adair
Stormsfury wrote:USAwx1 wrote:Brett Adair wrote:Heck yeah! I wonder if we have an official storm2k chaser. That would be awesome if we could make me a chaser logo instead of a forecaster.....then I could copyright the photos I take with a storm2k logo. Hmmmm....a thought to speak with the admin about. I am sure we could create an awesome chase logo.

Sounds like a Plan to me. BTW, excellent job in choosing I-35 as your location to set up! And congrats on catching the F3, for this being your first time out you sure did an INCREDIBLE job, not to mention got VERY lucky.
Took the words right out of my mouth ...
Brett, I can't wait to see the photos.
Heh I cant wait to see them either. I wanted to take video but the camcorder screwed up and we didnt get footage.

I did get TONS of pics of mammatus, the wall cloud, beaver tail, and a few of the tornado itself. It twas very large.
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 12:07 pm
by wx247
Sounds excellent Brett!!! I will be sure to tell Jacki and Jeff, too!
