day one, UM chase

1218 km day 1 of chase. We saw and tracked a supercell into the area of interest, south of Chamberlain SD and chased it for almost 5 hours. On the way a lot of lush land from lots of rain early in spring, beautiful hills and valleys in foothill-type country. Were on and off in heavy rain and had to protect cameras. The storms were not supposed to be severe, but we were going there to get the first taste of a chase, and have opportunity for good photography with a lower sun angle toward evening as there was clearing to the west of the storms. But later there were warnings issued and even report of a funnel. The radar showed very heavy precip consistent with large hail, but there was very little if any, on us. We had a beautiful view of sunlight through the inflow right beside the rain foot, and amazing swirls of inflow curving upward and into the cell. Moved at least three time to find better, safer views of the inflow throat, at one point passing a house completely engulfed in flames (apparently to remove a derelict building). Shot some video and stills in HDR of that cell and also one further south that was building and had a neat anvil spreading out but the TCU top was already overshooting the anvil. A time lapse of part of the back side of our main cell, still building on the back while dying out in the back. That was going on while a rainbow was arching up in the dark cloud, just at the point of a shaft of sunlight. Although we were surprised it was almost 8pm in the very long day, hunger and some rest, especially for the drivers. Reluctantly on my part, we left the view of towering storm clouds in growing sunset colours, to head for our destination for the night. We ate late at ~10:15, in Platte, SD, at the Yellow Rose Arena and Lounge/Restaurant, where the ceiling decor was a mixture of donated cowboy hats and women's apparel (bras) hung from the open rafters, in amongst the antlers and strings of lights. Then after a tour of the owner's concrete tornado shelter in the back, we climbed into vans and drove back to the highway. Landed at 12:30 am in the motel to O/N in Mitchell SD.

We all learned a LOT, watching together and pointing out observations of cloud formations to one another, from right underneath the cell we had targeted from mid-afternoon. It seemed the perfect combination of such knowledgeable instructors and SO much convection and dynamic change to watch in the environs, moving second by second, at each of our stopping points. I loved seeing that updraft with so much sunlight on it from behind, right beside the massive, dark rain foot. Oh, how I wanted to stay at each spot and see the next stage, which it was, just to watch although getting soaked was not a pleasant option. In the chase vehicles, the live screen in the back connected to the computer in use in the front seat was showing location of our chase together with radar and satellite looping images. We could watch the minute-by-minute changes in the cells as the developed from tiny spots on the radar into storms and supercells, moving in this case, very slowly from west northwest to east southeast. I was in the back seat of chase #1, and just seeing how the mouse moved in different screens, and us watching his little movements, showed a bit of what caught his interest at various times.  Judy Anderson