May 18 to May 22 Mid-May Mediocrity

This entry covers a 5-day timeframe, during which we changed over from Tour 3 to Tour 4 in OKC.   Unfortunately, none of the chases from May 18-22 was interesting enough to warrant a separate Stormbruiser entry.  Here is a summary:

May 18

Start: Colorado City/lunch: Lamesa Pedrozas Mexican/end: Littlefield/366 miles

I targeted the western TX PH in the Dimmitt area.  The marginal risk wound up very underwhelming, as the boundary near Dimmitt was sagging south with cold air undercutting the thunderstorms.  Game over.  There was little happening in the sky worth photographing, though we did have a few nice CGs on the way to Plainview for dinner.

May 19

Start:  Littlefield/lunch:  fast food in Lamesa/End:  Big Spring/329 miles

Another Panhandle marginal risk, and another Panhandle blah chase.  My notes say that we were on a briefly strong storm from Andrews to Midland, but it was killed by a left-mover.

May 20

Start:  Big Spring/lunch:  Braums in Dumas/End:  Woodward, OK/about 600 miles

The area to chase today was from about Fort Morgan northward into eastern Wyoming, but it was the last day for Tour 3 and we had to remain reasonably close to OKC.  The NAMNEST model showed a good supercell in and near the Oklahoma Panhandle, so we tried for that in Baca and Cimarron counties.  Said forecast supercell did not eventuate.  The number of pictures taken by me equal the weather excitement witnessed. — zero.

May 21

Start:  Woodward/end:  Oklahoma City/end of Tour 3/about 150 miles

A slow severe-weather day on the Plains, thankfully.  We were changing oil and doing laundry.

May 22

Start: OKC/End:  Santa Rosa, NM/655 miles

The Logistical Weather Gods did not smile on us as Tour 4 got under way.  We needed to be deep into New Mexico (or Colorado) for the slight risk and 5% tornado risks.  We motored all day to New Mexico, and were approaching a good-looking tornado-warned storm south of Ramos.  Do I really have to review this chase?  The storm fizzled quickly as we got close, and the day was done.  I can’t even find Ramos on the map now, but we did stay in Santa Rosa for the night.  Ramos must be south of Santa Rosa.