May 25, 2021

Statistics

Initial Target

Start

End

Storm Intercepts

Tornadoes

Hail

Wind

Features

Miles

Pratt, KS

Dodge City, KS 12:58 PM 5/25/2021

Hays, KS 9:16 PM 5/25/2021

Smolan, KS

0 mph

RFD Clear Slot, Minisupercell Updraft

292

Summary

Marginal play on a boundary across central Kansas. Initially targeted Pratt to Newton, but intercepted developing storms near Salina, noting supercellular structure with low level rotation on a low topped storm near Smolan. Cell fizzled by evening.

Crew and Equipment

Chase partners: Jennifer Brindley Ubl, Anton Seimon, Tracie Seimon, Hank Schyma. Equipment: Sony AX100, Samsung S9, Photography courtesy Jennifer Brindley Ubl shooting on a Nikon D4s.

Video

Map

Details

From Anton's morning email to the group:

"Upper level flow has weakened as expected, but good turning profiles appear likely east of a weak surface low that should develop around Dodge City. A boundary should sharpen up ENE of this low and provide a focus for convective initiation by mid afternoon. This looks like an initial landspout setup (a pretty good one, actually), with supercellular evolution by 00Z. As things look now, a corridor running from around Pratt to Newton looks to be optimized for fun later today. "

Oh, I Guess It's Snake Time
3 miles NW of Wright, KS
1:39 PM

This was a low expectations day between bigger tornado plays out in central Kansas. We spent the early afternoon hanging out in a park outside of Dodge City. A worker cutting grass on a big riding mower started hollering at Brindley who was standing near the car. We couldn’t make out what he was saying over the noise of the mower. I thought he didn’t like how we were parked. But then we realized he was pointing at a snake that was slithering up the road in Brindley’s direction. Hank ran up, snatched the bullsnake out of the road, and held it up over his head. The lawnmower man shook his head and carried on.

Anton and Bullsnake
3 miles NW of Wright, KS
1:40 PM

Bullsnake
3 miles NW of Wright, KS
1:41 PM

Hank
3 miles NW of Wright, KS
1:47 PM

Minisupercell
4 miles S of Smolan, KS
6:06 PM

Storms fired north of our original target, and we ran up toward Salina for the intercept. They were largely unwarned if I recalled apart from an early severe warning, and looked like little more than showers on the radar. Yet a low topped cell southwest of Salina sported a tilted updraft and base with a big RFD cut.

Minisupercell
4 miles S of Smolan, KS
6:13 PM

There was even some decent cyclonic rotation on the northern end of the horseshoe base. I don’t think the tiny cell had it in it to produce, but it definitely went through the motions of a supercell cycle.

Another Cow
7 miles S of Smolan, KS
6:41 PM

Dying Storm
11 miles S of Smolan, KS
7:09 PM

We chased the nicely structured low topper until it fizzled in gorgeous evening light, and then called it and headed for Hays.

Conclusion

Nothing too dramatic on this chase, but our low expectations were more than met with the minisupercell intercept southwest of Salina. Overall the day was a fun and rewarding jaunt around central Kansas.

Lessons Learned

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