My my! It has been a successful tour for those out with Netweather's Tour 1 this year, with Tuesday seeing the team net a few tornadoes...and clip some rotation at the edge of a tornado (a little close for comfort if you ask me!!). I've lost count of how many tornadoes they have seen this tour, but it is pretty reminiscent of the tour 2 of last year, which saw us see a whopping 23 tornadoes across the time spent there. They woke today to see a high risk event (as warned by the Storm Prediction Centre) and some of the models look wild!
Overview of severe weather by the Storm Prediction Centre for Thursday May 18th 2017
There is part of me that is hugely jealous of not being there on a high risk day. It looks like it has the potential to be VERY active and I am sure there will be plenty to see. The other part of me is glad I am not on this one. Big events forecast usually mean a huge number of chasers are out, meaning roads are congested and excited people not paying attention. Additionally, the bigger the risk and the closer to populated areas, the more likely there is to be loss of property - and even worse, the loss of life!
18-05-2017 06z HRRR of May 18th 2017 - it looks explosive! (From Pivotal Weather)
The team have had such a lot of luck and I have been following them with great interest. Oliver Ewers has been filling me on some specifics and has shared great content to his personal facebook page. He has kindly let me share his footage of severe hail in Eldorado, Oklahoma, that occured on May 10th 2017. This can be seen in the video below. I would really recommend subscribing to his channel, as I am sure that it will exploode with the rest of his footage the moment he returns home!
Pounded by 2" hail in Eldorado, Oklahoma - May 10th 2017 (Credit: Oliver Ewers / YouTube)
All this gets me excited for my ever-closer flight from Heathrow tomorrow. I'm slowly packing as we go. Data and phone contract abroad sorted...ESTA and API sorted...new passport sorted several months ago...new holiday clothes... sorted (and according to the guy that served me in The Original Factory Shop - the new underwear will be comfortable for long trips - bit of an odd thing to mention...but actually very good to know...), hair cut at Charlie's Barber Shop - sorted and now preparing the packing, the data storage and the rest is yet to go. It's coming together well though...
The packing is going well... swim-shorts are included!
I'm planning on leaving around 4am tomorrow...it's a bit of a drive and I want to get to my parking in reasonable time. Additionally, my transfer to my terminal and checking things in through security is also something I want to be early for...and then it's a case of settling pre-flight nerves with a drink at the Pilot's Bar in Terminal 5. I'm hoping for a smooth flight...
Looks like we may see storms from our plane...
...which may not be possible, given the day 2 convective outlook. Dallas Fort Worth, my target destination, is within the slight risk area...meaning that there is a chance that there may be a bumpy landing on our approach to Dallas. I was advised by fellow chaser (Dave) to check in and pick seats to the right hand side of the plane, so that we can see the storms from the plane as we land. Whether it will affect our landing or not remains to be seen...but you'll have to follow the blog over the next few days to see.
This may be the last blog post I write in the UK...so see you all stateside! If you have friends that are interested in storms and storm chasing - then feel free to share the post and tag your friends. Don't forget, most of my footage gets uploaded via YouTube on my channel eyesonjason - so subscribe and see the latest uploads AS THEY HAPPEN!
To those chasing today, stay safe...and I'll see you all stateside!
Jason
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