Chase Report: 19 May, 2011 - Marathon Bust

Depart: Austin, TX 7:45 a.m.
Arrive: Austin, TX 3:25 a.m.
1303 miles
Solo chase

Phenomena Encountered:
2 minutes of marble-sized hail
1 lame attempt at a wall cloud
1 unfortunate armadillo, now deceased

The ugly truth:
Thanks to D Douglas for nowcasting on a a futile day. The hail and wall cloud both occurred near Kingman, KS with a small, isolated cell that was east of the dryline cells. After that cell dissipated, I made it almost to I-70 just south of the storm that produced the tornado reports in Russell/Ellsworth counties, KS. By then, cells from the south were starting to merge with that one, and it got messy. I decided to cut my losses and turn south, as I had to be back at work Friday morning. Of course, 20 minutes later, the cell north of I-70 ramped up again and produced another brief tornado.

Encountered another dying severe cell on the drive home in OKC. Not a blue-sky bust, but definitely a bust.

ON a positive note, things would get substantially better on my next two chases, May 21 and 24. Reports to come soon...