Start: Turkey, TX/lunch: Big Country Cafe in Dumas/End: Lubbock/549 miles
SPC Mesoscale Discussions 5:29 p.m. CDT 9:14 p.m. CDT
We headed northwestward from Turkey towards Clayton to watch high-based stuff on the high terrain. Severe prospects weren’t looking especially good as dew points were barely over 40F. But, there was some upslope flow and reasonably good flow aloft to provide the shear required for supercells. See the SPC mesoscale discussions above for some surface observations.
The railroad and flower pics below were a little WNW of Clayton. As these hailers approached it seemed prudent to get south towards the tail-end storm, which was ramping up east of Tucumcari. We got east of this one a bit SSW of Adrian on 214, and watched the base on the south end take on a fantastic rounded and sculpted look. It was Panhandle Magic in May! The storm was hedging more to the ESE, and this base was to our WSW. Unfortunately, road signs were adamant that 214 was closed due to flooding somewhere along the stretch southward to Friona. We could not get in front of the storm as desired…apparently. I didn’t “go for it.” We went the long way around, back east to 385 and south to Hereford. We had great looks at the supercell structure at dusk along this stretch, but the storm was somewhat distant.
Near Hereford we stopped in front of the supercell and were treated to a decent structure and lightning show.
iPhone pics below
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