May 28, 2021
Statistics
Initial Target
Start
End
Storm Intercepts
Tornadoes
Hail
Wind
Features
Miles
Hobbs, NM
Childress, TX 10:54 AM 5/28/2021
Pecos, TX 9:30 PM 5/28/2021
Kermit, TX; Barstow, TX
0
0"
0 mph
LP Updraft, Mammatus, Rainbow, Dust Storm
412
Summary
High Plains upslope chase in se NM into sw TX. Intercepted developing supercells between Kermit and Pecos noting photogenic LP structure with rainbow, dust storm, and mammatus at sunset.
Crew and Equipment
Chase partners: Jennifer Brindley Ubl, Anton Seimon, Tracie Seimon. Equipment: Sony AX100, Samsung S9, Photography courtesy Jennifer Brindley Ubl shooting on a Nikon D4s.
Video
Details
Approaching Kermit from the north we had a decent view of a robust storm. A few landspout reports came in on it but we weren’t in position to get a visual on any of them. A rather messy cluster looked like it was starting to form east of Kermit.
Instead we set our sights on new development to the west. An endless parade of industrial truck traffic was filing out of the oil fields as we closed in for the intercept, and we had to wait a couple times for openings in traffic when turning. A massive supercell was taking shape, but it started to dump a huge hail core with icy cold outflow, not a good sign for tornado chances.
We chased outflowy storms into Pecos and then over to Barstow. It was there that we started to get our structure show, the cap sculpting the big rainy storm into a photogenic LP. We setup for time lapse shots and watched until the cells dissolved at sunset, our stormscape views interrupted by a freight train, cat calling trunk honks, and some sort of noisy “unspecified monster” insect.
The updraft of a cell to the east collapsed, marking its death. The outflow surge kicked up a dramatic front lit dust storm though.
Conclusion
No tornadoes for our research mission, but the gorgeous structure show at the end of the day easily made the chase for me.
Lessons Learned
- Factor in the industrial traffic when chasing in the oil fields of southwestern Texas.