June 1, 2023

Statistics

Initial Target

Start

End

Storm Intercepts

Tornadoes

Hail

Wind

Features

Miles

Tatum, NM

Tucumcari, NM 10:09 AM 6/1/2023

Snyder, TX 8:26 PM 6/1/2023

Tatum, NM; Vealnoor, TX

0 mph

Updraft Base, Rainbow

360

Summary

Dryline play on the NM/TX border, targeting Tatum area for afternoon supercell. Storm near Tatum went orphan anvil as we arrived. Retargeted cells to the east in the Snyder area noting convection and rainbows.

Crew and Equipment

Chase partners: Project Photographer. Equipment: Sony AX100, Canon 60D with EFS 10-22, Samsung S9.

Video

Map

Details

Day two with a photographer on an unnamed project. We started the day in Tucumcari, NM where we had ended the chase with the Seimons the previous day. They liked the upslope play toward I-25 in central New Mexico. I liked the higher parameter, high CAPE target to the south-southeast where convective allowing models indicated supercells firing near Tatum, NM by midafternoon.

Lunch
Portales, NM
12:21 PM

We had lunch in Portales while we waited for things to organize to the South.

Orphan Anvil
Portales, NM
2:24 PM

A cell fired right on cue at our target. However, we arrived to see an orphan anvil. The high parameter airmass was also highly capped and cells would not survive. The cumulus field cleared out and our target was hosed. Anton and Tracie Seimon were meanwhile on a photogenic supercell up in the higher terrain.

Photogenic Convection
Plains, TX
6:10 PM

Models suggested later supercells eastward in Texas, south of Lubbock and points east toward Snyder. We moved in on this play noting gorgeous cauliflower convection.

Low-topped Cell
7 miles NE of Vealmoor, TX
7:04 PM

These short-topped cells were very photogenic, but they would never grow into the big tornado producing supercells we were after. They were still usable for the project, however, so we stopped several times along the way toward to Snyder to shoot.

Texas Pano
7 miles NE of Vealmoor, TX
7:05 PM

Photographing Convection
22 miles N of Big Spring, TX
7:42 PM

These shots turned out to be some of the most prominently used in the project, so we made the most out of our busted chase.

Fizzling Shower
16 miles N of Coahoma, TX
7:56 PM

Rainbow Road
19 miles WNW of Colorado City, TX
8:06 PM

By early evening, these little cells were beginning to die as well, the updrafts collapsing with a burst of rain and a rainbow show. We called the chase and headed into Snyder for dinner and room, bumping into David Mayhew at the hotel.

Conclusion

This chase was a bust with storms failing to organize at both of our target locations. However, the photogenic convection we encountered wound up being extensively used in the project for which I was guiding this photographer, so the day was both enjoyable and rewarding for us.

Lessons Learned

Make lemonade out of lemons by finding other photography targets when your storms fail to materialize.

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