Pacific Northwest Weather 2016: August 2016

5/25/2016 - Chapman, KS EF4 Tornado

Posted: 02 Aug 2016 12:12 PM PDT

This was an unusual day in that a slight risk with a 2% tornado risk went on to produce a long-track violent tornado, of which I witnessed the latter half of its life-cycle. Spent most of the day thinking the area from McPherson to Wichita would be the hot spot, getting suckered south and east of El Dorado to a long-lasting LP with a base that could've fit within a high school gym. Meanwhile, a long-lived supercell -- and storm of the day -- had formed near Salina. Keeping a radar eye on that storm, while holding firm on this southern LP thinking it was going to eventually take-off, was a mistake. Finally, we blasted north toward the I-70 storm, taking in the Flint Hills about as quick as one can with a mediocre internal combustion engine. It was a long slog up, but we eventually caught eye of the tornado near Enterprise, KS. We positioned north of Detroit, KS and took in the classic tornadic supercell for a bit, before having to scurry east and south as the bear came munching. Stopped a few times -- once northwest of Chapman, another east of Chapman, and then south of Junction City -- to view the beast, which would alternate from rain-wrapped to visible. Watched the tornado dissipate south of Junction City from a perch on US-77.