MAY 28TH
Trinidad, CO.
Day 2 of our chase week started in Elk City, OK. Morning analysis showed upslope setting up from eastern New Mexico to Eastern Colorado by afternoon. We targeted the NE New Mexico/SE Colorado area feeling that the cap would hold further south. We decided to hold in Clayton, NM since we had good road options there. While waiting we drove a bit NW of town for some scenic shots. Soon a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for a storm near Raton, NM, to our NW. We drove NW to intercept, but the storms continued to form over the mountains and die as they moved off them. At Des Moines, NM we took 325 north to Folsom and decided to go west on 72 to get up on Johnson Mesa for the view, which was gorgeous. Soon we returned to Folsom and went north on 456 and then 551 towards Branson, CO. Hwy 551 turned into Hwy 389 as we entered CO. We stopped Just north of Branson for a great view of the storms to our west, still in the mountains. Here we met some chasers from New York and shared some video. Soon we were off northbound towards hwy 160 and west towards Trinidad, CO. We stopped along the way for some shots of the storm to our west. Soon this storm started getting it's act together and became a supercell. It developed a large wall-cloud while still over the high terrain. As the storm began to move off the mountains it became a beautiful barrel with a short beavers tail to the northeast. By this time we were back on the road moving west for a closer view. We set up about 15 miles NE of Trinidad on Hwy 160 for the show.
Taken with Nikon E990 Taken with Nikon E990 image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV
Storms still in the mountains near Raton, NM. We get the scenic view then move north into Colorado.
image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV
We set-up on Hwy 160 as the storm intensifies and forms a wall-cloud in the mountains.
image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV Taken with Nikon E990
image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV Panned with Videobrush Panorama 2.0
We move closer and the now supercell moves off the mountains and becomes a beautiful barrel with beavers tail. What great structure, with a very visable RFD clear slot. This storm formed several rotating wall-clouds but never could produce a tornado. It weakened as it moved to our north. But what's this to our west?
Taken with Nikon E990
The next storm and a nice Wall-cloud to boot!!
image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV
image from 35mm slide
35mm slide
Soon a clear slot wraps around the wall-cloud, occluding and shedding several meso's along the way.
image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV
image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV
image from 35mm slide
35mm slide
At last we observe a downward wrapping motion which sharpens the meso and stretches it and like magic a funnel/tornado forms. Though no debre can be found on video, we're sure we saw some by eye. Either way who cares. It was pretty and hurt no-one.
image from 35mm slide
35mm slide
image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV image from Sony TRV-900 miniDV
Before long our funnel begins to wiggle and rope and the show was over. What a great day!! We drove into Trinidad for gas and a well deserved steak where we met other chasers including the Crowthers and bunch. Then the long drive back to Liberal, KS where we had already booked rooms for the next day in the TX panhandle.