Make My Day Award...and the 2008 tornado outbreak update

Well, Old Tom Wigley did just that when he recognized me as one of the 5 he chose to be awarded the "You Make My Day Award", which is defined as an edgy, bold, informative, modern, unique and humorous blog that makes you think and/or makes your day. I am humbled and appreciative, Tom. Thank you. With all the blogs you visit, it truly is an honor to get this award from you.

Award Rules

1) Award and Link to 5 blogs that make you think and/or make your day.
2) Acknowledge the post of the award giver: Fishing Guys Post
3) Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news!

Now, the pay it forward part... such a hard thing to do in light of all the many blogs I visit from day to day... obviously, I find them all interesting, or I wouldn't be visiting them.

1.) STEVE MILLER OK - the man's posts crack me up. He shares his opinions on just about anything and everything, and it is written in such an entertaining way, AND he's a storm chaser. Love it.

2.) STEVE MILLER TX - Always well written, very entertaining. A great read! I don't know where he comes up with that stuff! AND he's a storm chaser!!

3.) JEFF GAMMONS - Always interesting and informative... I mean, come on, the man was invited by the department of Homeland Security to participate in a symposium on hurricanes to discuss his thoughts on the upcoming tornado season, because he is that good! Did I mention he is also a storm chaser.

4.) ALABAMA MIKE WILHELM - The guy LOVES weather, and his passion for it comes through loud and clear! He shares about local stuff (weather) and historic stuff (weather) and everything in between (weather). He is a tremendous asset to the Weather Brigade and a terrific friend. Did I mention, he also chases...? :O)

5.) QUEEN ANNIE - When she is not busy with school and life, which has been a handfull and a half for her lately, but when she does get the chance, she shares her opinions in a funny and entertaining way. She is a dear friend with some interesting stories to tell. She actually runs from weather... not a storm chaser... lol

OK, so the last 3 days and now today with its moderate risk have been historic. Chasers have just had to be out there and they have nabbed tornadoes, some of them capturing picturesque rope funnels with beautiful rolling hill backdrops, others catching monstrous and destructive wedge tornadoes that spanned a mile or so at the base.

Here is a sampling of some of the Storm Chasers who have updated about the Outbreak so far (with tornado captures, where applicable)...

David Drummond, who continued chasing AFTER being STRUCK by lightning... seriously.
Chris Collura, and his video of the approximately 1 mile wide wedge near Quinter, KS(his vehicle sustained damage from debris), thanks for the link Jeff.
Tony Laubach
Amos Magliocco
Steve Miller, TX
Steve Miller, OK
Verne Carlson
I know that there are tons out there who were chasing because I saw the icons out there on the spotter network.

Many of you have seen footage of this awesome and outrageous outbreak... I want to go ahead and go on the record as saying this is the weekend that the Weather Brigade was planning to take the chasecation over in the plains, until everyone's life circumstances didn't quite jive with that. Next year, I am planning a trip that is not contigent on help from my pals. I will go solo if need be. If anyone would like to join me so be it, but I am not hinging my chance on others this time, because we missed it. We missed the chance of a lifetime...

Thursday's Storm Reports... 48 tornado reports including large wedge in Windsor, CO...Friday's Storm Reports... 63 Tornado Reports!!! Including large wedge possibly a mile wide near Quinter, KS (that Chris Collura captured on the video linked above) and several reports out of Greensburg, KS, which was devastated last year by the EF-5 that tore through that city leaving it in complete rubble.Saturday's Storm Reports... 13 tornado reports, which would any other day... seem like a lot...Today, there have not yet been any tornadoes reported, but a couple of tornado watches have gone up for

PARTS OF SOUTHWEST KANSAS
OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE
MUCH OF TEXAS PANHANDLE
A LARGE PART OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
SMALL PART OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS
MUCH OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI
PARTS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA

Another day, another chase...

2110EDT Update: Well, ongoing now, there is still a threat... as I type this there are 5 tornado watches and 3 severe weather watches plastered across the plains, and there are already 34 tornado reports including one apparent 1/2 mile wide tornado in Fairbank, IA, which was headed to town, and let me tell you I have chased in Iowa, not easy!... Here are those reports.

FAIRBANK, BUCHANAN COUNTY, IA ESTIMATED 1/2 MILE WIDE TORNADO ON THE GROUND MOVING EAST TOWARD FAIRBANK
FAIRBANK, BUCHANAN COUNTY, IA TORNADO CONFIRMED ON THE GROUND ON NE SIDE OF TOWN WITH BASEBALL SIZE HAIL. A SECOND TORNADO WAS REPORTED STILL WEST OF FAIRBANK MOVING TOWARD TOWN.

(If you click on the graphic, you will be linked to the updated total.) I am humbled by the intensity of this season. It's unreal... it's been horribly destructive, weatherwise, and it's not over. Not to mention the fact that there is a secondary season yet to come. I am going to take a stab and say that we will have a total of 1500 tornadoes by the end of this season, which is amazingly high! Crazy year. In case you lost count, that's 158 tornado reports since Thursday... wow.

I'm off for now.
Toodles,
~Dewdrop