June 17, 2016 Buster Near Douglas

Start/Selby, SD

End/Chadron, NE

637 miles

Lunch in Kadoka (Subway)

From Selby, SD, I had to decide whether to play the front or the upslope today.  The front was to the east and southeast (SPC’s slight risk was centered near Sioux Falls), but shear was not very good with any storms that would materialize.  The risk for severe out on the High Plains of eastern WY was even lower, due to so-so moisture.  Tornado prospects were low everywhere.  When in doubt, check Day Two.  We would need to be up in northeastern Montana on the 18th, so I took pity upon my drivers, Rook and Steve.  We headed west on I-90 in central SD.  (Oh, yes — the “mini A” half of our tour had to be back in Denver the following day, so a western target made easier those logistics.)

We came up to a developing storm that was moving off of high terrain near Douglas, WY.  It looked somewhat organized for a little while, but had problems as it moved to the east.  To make a long chase account shorter, the nearby cells weakened as we continued east on U.S. 20 to Lusk.  It was time to head to Chadron for the night.