NEW BLOG

Well, I have a new blog that I'm going to start posting to. I got kind of bored with the name of this site. I wanted something fresh, and new. I'm not going to delete this blog, but new posts will be on the new one. Hope you like it.

NEW BLOG: WX ON FILM

SMART DOG!!!

This is pretty funny! The dog has a lot of sense.

SMART DOG

A NICE SATURDAY MORNING TREAT

I got off work this morning to a display of lightning from some decaying t-storms. I waited to see what kind of treat I might get when the sun came up, and this is what I got. God's way of saying "GOOD MORNING!"

8/17/09 FLOODING REVISITED

I went out today to try to get some still shots of all the remnants of the flooding that happened between Panhandle and Conway TX on hwy. 207. I just wanted to get out and get some still photos shots, and I wasn't disappointed. I have never seen so many small lakes in the area that are usually dry as a bone. 10 days ago, we were 3 inches below normal in Amarillo. Now, we are almost 5 inches above normal. I got my socks and shoes soaking wet, but it was worth it.

I almost got carried away by hundreds of mosquitos near dusk. They were extremely thick.

Finally, special thanks goes to the 3 young bulls for making the shots a little more interesting. Thanks guys!!! Now to the photos:

FLOOD AND HAIL VIDEO FROM 8/17/09

I went out today expecting to get some good flood video, which is exactly what I got! I ventured east of Amarillo near Panhandle and Conway on SR 207. Radar estimates in that area approach the 8-9 inch mark, and I believe it. When I got to Panhandle, 207 had a lot of water flowing across it just south of town. I ventured south toward Conway and saw more water on the roads. I then made it north of Groom, where I got sporadic hail the size of golf balls. Most of it was between nickels and quarters, but it hailed so much that it covered the road. After playing in the hail, I decided to head back to the station to get my video on air. I had time, so I ventured back on 207 to see if it was still flooded from earlier in the day. The road wasn't flooded, but there was a lot of runoff from culverts under the road. Lots and lots of water was flowing from these culverts, and it made for some great video. As I made it to Hwy. 60, there was about 4-6 inches of water covering the road for about a 150-200 yard span. This was very close to the Tyson meat packing plant on the extreme east side of Amarillo. I really can't believe were getting all this rain! Amarillo set a record for the most rain in a 24 hour period which was 2.30 inches. This breaks the old record of 1.65 inches set in 1904! Here is the photos and video from the day:

FLOOD VIDEO: CLICK HERE

09 SDS THERAPY SESSION

Well, another great SDS chaser party was a success this year. Lots of great video, food, drinks and friendship was in store for this year's event. Thanks to Steve Miller (TX) for hosting it, and the others for helping to make the party successful again this year. I always love getting together with old friends, and making new friends at these events. That's what it's all about! Special thanks for the out of town guys for dropping by to help make this event a success. Now, lets hope we get some good video in 2010 for next year's SDS therapy session! Some new friends that I met at the party include:

Bob Hall
Scott Bennett
Marcus Diaz
Wesley Luginbyhl

SOME OF THE GREAT VIDEO WE WATCHED

STEVE MILLER TX (SKY BLUE SHIRT)
BEN HOLCOMB (RED SHIRT)

ALLAN GWYN AND HIS WIFE LORI

THE GUYS LOOKING AT UMMM...MAMMATUS PHOTOS. YEA, THAT"S WHAT IT WAS!
BEM HOLCOMB (RED SHIRT)
DAVID DRUMMOND (BLACK SHIRT AND TAN CAP)
JAY MCCOY (BLUE SHIRT IN BACK)
STEVE MILLER TX (SKY BLUE SHIRT)
MARCUS DIAZ (LEFT OF STEVE MILLER TX)
WESLEY LIGINBYHL (DARK SHIRT HOLDING RED CUP)
STEVE MILLER OK (DARK BLUE SHIRT SITTING DOWN)
BOB HALL (LIGHT BLUE SHIRT SITTING DOWN)

STEVE MILLER (TX) (LIGHT BLUE SHIRT)
WESLEY LUGINBYHL (BLACK SHIRT)
MARCUS DIAZ (SKYWARN SHIRT)

BEN HOLCOMB (RED SHIRT)
DAVID DRUMMOND (BLACK SHIRT)

A PHOTO A WEEK

I'm starting something a little new to keep the blog fresh with content. I will post a photo a week (usually on my days off) starting Saturday the 15th. I'll even be open to photographing a subject idea from comments I receive. Obviously it will have to be something fairly easy and readily available. Give me some ideas!

By the way, we've received about 3-4 inches of rain here in Amarillo in the last 4 days! I love this wet pattern. We have rain around the area as of this post! (7am Thur morning)

7/18/09 REPORT

I headed towards Dalhart after looking at radar data at Hartley. I noticed a T-storm warned cell east of Dalhart and headed that way. The cell looked ok, but I was beginning to get interested in the LP supercell to the north. I watched this beauty for a while, and it petered out after about an hour and a half or so. I then headed down 385 to catch the initial cell I had targeted. As I got to Channing, I saw a very small and brief landspout tornado about 10 miles to the southeast of Channing. I got what video I could while trying to drive because I knew I wouldn't have time to pull over. It was shaky video, but it was still a tornado, and it was on video. I then continued Se on 385 and ran into golfball hail that had already fallen. I got video of that and continued on. I then began getting pennies to an occasional ping pong hail falling as I made my way south. It let up after a few minutes, and I made my way into Vega where I met up with Steve Miller (TX). We chatted, as I handed him a bag of Dill Pickle sunflower seeds to munch on. By the way, these are addicitve. Anyway, we made our way west towards the TX-NM border to look at another nice looking LP supercell. Steve went on, and I pulled over near Adrian and watched it for a while before heading back to the station to get my video edited for the 10 news. What another great chase in July! Maybe today, I can make it 3 for 3 in July!

7/17/09 REPORT

Myself and KAMR Meteorologist Chris Martin headed north from Amarillo towards Dumas. Got gas in Dumas and headed west to get to the convection near the TX-NM state line. As I was driving west out of Dumas I looked over my shoulder to the north and saw a base of an LP supercell starting to develop. I quickly pulled over at a gas plant and watched it from there for a while. We streamed video back to the station for a while and moved north about 3 or 4 miles to get a better look at the now mature and gorgeous LP supercell. The cell evenutally died near Channing so we headed back home and got some damage from either a small tornado or straight line wind about 6 miles south of Vega. Again, a T-storm watch does it for me. I didn't get a tornado, but I saw one of the best LP cell's I have seen in a long time, and it's July!!!

AMARILLO IDOL

I spent most of the day today at the All Star Ford dealership south of Amarillo. They were hosting the Amarillo Idol contest. FOX 14 was responsible for making it all happen. I think there were 40 contestants in all, and only 1 was chosen to go audition in front of the American Idol judges. The winner flies out Monday, and its all paid for by FOX 14 news here in Amarillo.

Most of the singers were actually pretty good, and I would have hated to have been one of the 3 judges. One singer was terrible right off the bat, and he pretty much knew that he sucked.

Anyway, I had it narrowed down to 2 guys and 2 girls. Boy, that would have been a tough call to make. All 4 contestants were really great singers, but only 1 would go to the real American Idol. The winner happened to be Anthony Johnson. I don't remember where he was from, but he sure did have a great voice. I think the American Idol judges will have nothing but great things to say about him.

Other than the scorching heat of 106 in the shade, it was a pretty nice evening to get out and hear some great singing.

Andy Justus and John Harris doing the news live from the event

I really thought she was going to win it. She had a great voice

The finalists nervously waiting for the results

The All Star Ford Amarillo Idol sign

Anthony Johnson singing his final song

Anthony Johnson is going to American Idol

THE HEAT IS ON!

Summer is definitely in full swing around the TX panhandle. We broke the old record yesterday of 100 degrees. We officially hit 102 in Amarillo. High temps in Amarillo for Thursday may get up to 105 or so. Definitely not the time for the AC to conk out, that's for sure.

FINAL CHASE FOR A WHILE

Due to the death ridge establishing itself over the area, Tuesday may very well be my final chase for a long while.

I'm going to target an area around Hugoton, KS for Tuesday. Td in the mid 50's along with strong heating should yield CAPE values around 1500-2000. The cap will be a major factor in determining if anything forms or not. The latest NAM forecasts around 10-12 degrees Celsius at 700mb. Strong daytime heating along with the moisture should eat away at the cap, but it may not. The NAM does not break out any precip for the area, so we'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully enough lift and daytime heating will be able to possibly form an LP supercell or two. It would be nice, considering it may very well be the last chase for a long time.

6/14/09 REPORT

Myself and Chris Martin met up with Steve Miller(TX) east of Happy, TX. We sat a few minutes and then proceeded to go south towards the storms that formed in the SW panhandle. Steve went SE and myself and Chris went to investigate storms near the Dimmitt-Arney area. They never got going, so we ditched them and made our way to Silverton where better storms were ongoing. We went south of town near South Plains and played in some rain, wind and small hail for a while. We then called it a day. Not much else to see.

STEVE MILLER (IN BLUE VEHICLE) AND CHRIS MARTIN GO OVER DATA

EXPLOSIVE UPDRAFTS LOOKING EAST

CLOSE VIEW OF UPDRAFT

STORM NEAR SOUTH PLAINS, TX

6/13/09 REPORT

Got on the storm that formed near Tulia, TX and stayed in front of it until it got to Quitaque and died out. It displayed numerous wall clouds and 1 funnel, but I never confirmed a tornado. Lots of wall clouds would form with decent rotation, and then it would get wrapped in rain. I'm really surprised this cell was never tornado warned.

Met fellow chaser and friend Jay McCoy in Quitaque and we headed back to Amarillo after a bite to eat in Tulia. All in all, it was a pretty good chase, but I was expecting a couple of tornadoes today. Maybe next time...

STORM NEAR TULIA, TX

ANOTHER PHOTO OF STORM NEAR TULIA

STRANGE CLOUD FORMATION NEAR QUITAQUE, TX

EXPLOSIVE STORM NEAR PLAINVIEW, TX

PARTING SHOT BEFORE TULIA STORM DIED