Chasing nothing...

Well, let's see... the last time I posted, I was leaving to run some errands, attend my rescheduled physical therapy (for the shoulder that never ended up needing a really big shot, just lots and lots of PT--pain and torture), which I had just resceduled to slightly earlier in hopes of being able to chase with Meso Mike when he got off of work... I knew that with the fast motion of that approaching squall line that I was cutting it close, but it seemed worth it to hook up with my chase partner... plus he's got a data card. Anyways... I ran to a bunch of places first taking care of some errands, got a ton done in that hour and talked with a few of the Brigade guys to get updates and input along the way. It was after I finished the errands and right before the pain and torture session, when my weather radio starts going ballistic... special weather statement for my county for an approaching cell that could go severe. WHAT?! Are you kidding me?! It was then that I turned the corner and facing the northwest, there is this mass of turmoiled cloud bottoms boiling by! They were rumbling and rolling and stirring, and you could see them tightening up, drawing in together. It was an impressive convective display, and I was mesmerized. It was minutes from my appointment time, but I HAD to stop (you understand, right?). This structure went right over me, and I searched those masses of scud for any signs of rotation. I never did see any, but I thoroughly enjoyed the show, and I called the guys to let them know what I was seeing. The base of that cell was phenomenal! That's the video above. Here are a couple more shots. It really doesn't do it any justice. So, then I dragged myself away from that, as hard as it was and called the guys at NWS-Tally to let them know what I was seeing and feeling and got an update about a cell over Thomasville, headed right for me, which should arrive in 30 minutes or so... smack dab in the middle of my pain and torture appointment. Fabulous. Can you say Dewvoid?! So, there I lay, with electrodes pulsating my shoulder, my dear son calling frantically to ask if we were under a tornado warning based on what he was seeing in the sky, as the thunder starts rumbling. Granted, it was only three total claps of thunder, but still, I missed it all. sigh. When I left there I called Meso Mike to see where he was, so I could catch up with him. On my way, I got to experience slightly more than normal street flooding, which I called the guys about. The pond along the way was well past its normal banks. After grabbing a quick bite, Mike checked the radar, which made it clear that the storm was barely there. We went slightly north to see if it would fire some, but it did not... so I drooled over his new Canon 40D for a few, and then he was on his way. Here is a side-by-side comparison of the radar before and after...




So... not a chase, but another batch of fabulous memories. The video doesn't work, but I am too tired to mess with it anymore... so sorry. OK, I changed it to a youtube thing, so there you have it. Anyone else have problems with the blogger video feed?

~Dew