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Storm Chase: March 31, 2008

We started off today with high hopes, as we bolted out of the National Weather Center with towering Cu surrounding us. CAPE was good in south-central Oklahoma ahead of the cold front, and 0-1 km was not bad as well.



However, the surface winds were rather veered, so that put a wrench in our hopes for the day. However, we tried to remain optimistic.

The Cu field looked decent, and we proceeded south on I-35 while glued to the skies. Craig was at the wheel, with me on the radar, David with the maps, and Amanda was with us as well. Terra and Nick followed in the car behind us.

We basically drove back and forth on I-35 persuing two rather...stupid...storms that didn't amount to anything. There was a gas station in Davis, OK that we came to know and love. On our last trip south, we persued a storm that looked decent on radar (KTLX 2:41 pm CDT).

We stopped at a scenic overlook in the Arbuckle "Mountains," and watched a storm that was a marginal supercell roll over us. However, seeing what looked like the updraft base but feeling cool air flowing away from it was a sign to give up.

Oh, and I did I mention that there was a pile of dead fish by where we were standing? I have no idea why. Maybe it's just Oklahoma.

After watching a shelf-cloud-look-alike blow by to our north, we called it a day.

Here's a shot of Craig heading back to the car (with some chaser convergence in the background), and Terra trying to get at least some picture worth saving of the weak shelf cloud.

So this is what happens when there is not enough shear but decent CAPE...storms can go up, but they don't amount to anything spectacular. It was quite a bust, but we did make it back to the NWC in time for free ice cream in the atrium!