StormEffects

LP SUPERCELL - SEILING, OK 5-16-1999 (s)

An LP (Low Precipitation) Supercell forms along the Dryline in western Oklahoma on 5-16-99.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM 1 - PORTALES, NM 5-19-1999 (s)

This pretty thunderstorm developed near "ground zero" of SPC's severe risk area for eastern NM. The storm was to our north in Roosevelt County New Mexico when this picture was taken. Notice the "curious" rippling effect on the underside of the Anvil.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM 2 - PORTALES, NM 5-19-1999 (s)

Just as the sun was setting the cloud structure was illuminated in brilliant shades of orange, while the clouds in the shadows took on a purple hue.

LAKE McCLELLAN TORNADO 1 - TEXAS PANHANDLE 5-20-1999 (s)

This tornado formed to our NE over a brilliant field of green. The clear slot in plainly visible to the left of the tornado.

LAKE McCLELLAN TORNADO 2 - TEXAS PANHANDLE 5-20-1999 (s)

Ground contact is not visible from this tornado due to a rise in the ground level, however circulation on the ground was confirmed by other chasers. Photograph featured in Weather U.S.A. Calendar - May 2002.

LAKE McCLELLAN TORNADO 3 - TEXAS PANHANDLE 5-20-1999 (s)

Funnel begins roping out in a serpentine fashion as the tornado begins to decay. Notice how large the clear slot has become as the RFD (Rear Flank Downdraft) continues to erode cloud material, and occlude the tornado's inflow.

TORNADIC SUPERCELL - HEDLEY, TX 5-20-1999 (s)

The circular cloud banding is highlighted by the low sun angle in this slide. This storm was beginning to drop golf ball size hail and was evolving into an HP (High Precipitation) Supercell.

LIGHTNING & RAINFOOT - CHILDRESS, TX 5-20-1999 (s)

This short time lapse photograph after dark reveals a "rainfoot" being blown out from the storm base and is being illuminated by the CG. Rainfoot's are generally an indication that strong downburst winds are spreading out as they hit the ground.

LATE DAY CONVECTION - MULESHOE N.W.P., TX 5-21-1999 (s)

As storms began to fall apart to our east, this new convection began to develop to our west just as the sun was setting.

FARMSTEAD SUNSET 1 - MULESHOE, TX 5-21-1999 (s)

While waiting for new storms to develop, we passed some time photographing the sunset and distant convection from an old farmstead in the western TX Panhandle.

FARMSTEAD SUNSET 2 - MULESHOE, TX 5-21-1999 (s)

With the sun now below the horizon, a distinctive cloud shadow is cast across the sky from this developing cloud tower.

FARMSTEAD SUNSET 3 - MULESHOE, TX 5-21-1999 (s)

A wide angle view of a pretty sunset and distant cloud towers beginning to form.

FARMSTEAD SUNSET 4 - MULESHOE, TX 5-21-1999 (s)

A small anvil is blown off by a weak convective tower struggling near the horizon. Eventually storms do develop and become prolific lightning producers after dark.

LIGHT SHOW - PORTALES, NM - 5-21-1999 (s)

Looking west, CG (cloud to ground) lightning activity began to increase in this eastward moving line of storms. Winds were calm when this photo was taken, but strong dust filled winds soon forced us to pack up and leave!

LAMINAR BASE STRUCTURE 1 - TRIBUNE, KS 5-22-1999 (s)

A beautiful laminar banded base formed to our north along KS highway 27. The show was brief as storms quickly went into linear mode and raced off to the east.

LAMINAR BASE STRUCTURE 2 - TRIBUNE, KS 5-22-1999 (s)

The photo was snapped at a gas stop in Tribune just as the laminar base was moving overhead and a pretty mammatus field was speading out to the south of the storm. We were getting slammed by strong outflow winds from the north (left) as made evident by the horizontal flag.

WHALESMOUTH 1 - CHAVES COUNTY, NM 5-24-1999 (s)

Looking up at the "whalesmouth" just as the gust front hits from an approaching thunderstorm. We were hit with 60MPH winds and torrential rains soon after this picture was taken.

WHALESMOUTH 2 - CHAVES COUNTY, NM 5-24-1999 (s)

This photo of the "whalesmouth" was taken a few miles further east. Some breaks in the storm clouds to our north allowed sunlight from the setting sun to illuminate the rainshafts and cloud base structure. Blowing dust can be seen racing eastward along the horizon.

RAINSHAFT - RALLS, TX 5-25-1999 (s)

As storms approached our location from the north, a backlit rain and hail shaft developed to our NW. This storm stayed below severe limits, but did produce small hail and flooding rains.

CONVECTIVE CLOUD ARCH - LUBBOCK, TX 5-25-1999 (s)

A beautiful cloud arch formed to our east as storms began to erode in the dry air left by the wake of earlier storms. You can see one of these earlier storms thru the cloud arch. Photo featured in Weather U.S.A. Calender - Dec 2002.

BELL SHAPED UPDRAFT - KERMIT, TX 5-26-1999 (s)

This impressive bell shaped updraft was located just to our WSW along highway 302. We were located a little west of Kermit, TX, and large hail could be seen bouncing off the highway immediately to our west. There were some reports that a tornado may have occurred shortly after this photo was taken, but it would have been rain obscured from our location.

MAMMATUS FIELD 1 - KERMIT, TX 5-26-1999 (s)

As the severe storms departed to the east, this pretty mammatus field was left in their wake. Photo featured in 2000 Weatherwise Photo Contest.

MAMMATUS FIELD 2 - KERMIT, TX 5-26-1999 (s)

The setting sun continues to change the colors of the mammatus field just outside the town of Kermit, TX.

LIGHTNING OVER ODESSA, TX 5-26-1999 (s)

Distant cloud to ground (CG) lightning could be seen looking to our SE over the town of Odessa, TX. The storms had formed into an MCS (Mesoscale Convective Complex) and continued moving off to the east.