{"id":21058,"date":"2018-06-07T00:00:28","date_gmt":"2018-06-07T08:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stormbruiser.com\/chase\/?p=21058"},"modified":"2018-07-27T22:48:23","modified_gmt":"2018-07-28T06:48:23","slug":"june-7-2018-alzada-and-ekalaka-chase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stormbruiser.com\/chase\/2018\/06\/07\/june-7-2018-alzada-and-ekalaka-chase\/","title":{"rendered":"June 7, 2018 Alzada and Ekalaka chase"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Start: \u00a0Gillette, WY<\/p>\n

Lunch: \u00a0Broadus, MT\/Stockman’s Grill<\/p>\n

End: \u00a0Belle Fourche, SD<\/p>\n

466 miles<\/p>\n

SPC Day One\/20Z<\/a><\/p>\n

SPC Mesoscale Discussion 662<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0SPC Mesoscale Discussion 663<\/a><\/p>\n

SPC Mesoscale Discussion 664<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0SPC Mesoscale Discussion 667<\/a><\/p>\n

SPC Mesoscale Discussion 669<\/a><\/p>\n

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Detailed notes and account<\/a>, with pics and video, by Tempest guest Lesleyanne Ryan<\/p>\n

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This day’s setup looked to have decent potential for a higher-end supercell and tornadoes. \u00a0However, the best spot for this sort of activity was not particularly clearcut. \u00a0It appeared that eastern Montana was the place to be, but I wasn’t sure if the tour needed to be way up near the border with Saskatchewan or down here near Wyoming. \u00a0After lunch in Broadus, the weather data suggested that Miles City would be a good middle-ground spot. \u00a0I still wasn’t sure where to target. \u00a0Some morning and midday storms well to my north or northwest were in progress, but I didn’t want to consider morning storms, even though they were moving into a decent environment. \u00a0The parameters around Miles City were good, and I was hoping that something could develop there.<\/p>\n

We drifted northeast to Terry via I-94. \u00a0Some weak convection sputtered a little to the west in an area with surface moisture convergence. \u00a0It was warm and a little humid, without much shade available away from town. \u00a0I was looking for a nice big shade tree outside of Terry, without any luck. \u00a0I was becoming concerned that the models, which were persistent and consistent in showing some good-looking storms in this area, were incorrect. \u00a0The cap was winning big time so far.<\/p>\n

My focus shifted from northeastern Montana to southeastern Montana. \u00a0We needed to get on a storm today, and this eventuality was looking a lot more likely to our south as we meandered north and west and south of Terry. \u00a0The map showed a gravel road south out of Terry, so we gave that a try. \u00a0I wanted to be on U.S. 12 east of Miles City, with a quick route to Baker and southward if needed. \u00a0This was a very pretty drive, and the road was great. \u00a0We stopped at the old and abandoned schoolhouse at the end of this road at Highway 12, and watched more weak storm towers to the west. \u00a0The cap was not permitting these to get strong. \u00a0The environment was pretty good here for supercells and maybe even tornadoes, but this stuff was junky.<\/p>\n

Another storm tower showed itself, well to the south. \u00a0The latest model runs suggested that the storms down that way might have a better chance at being strong to severe. \u00a0I committed to this south storm, now not too far from Broadus. \u00a0It was moving to the east, so we headed to Baker and then south towards Ekalaka. \u00a0Radar showed that one of three cells was quite good! \u00a0It took a while, but we finally got ourselves east of this storm, along Highway 323, northwest of Albion. \u00a0The supercell was so good that it was nearly stationary — out in the middle of a roadless void. \u00a0Please move east towards us!<\/p>\n

Well, the supercell was not very cooperative, and it soon got gobbled up from behind by a linear system surging eastward. \u00a0There was a wall cloud and wrapped-up area on the supercell just before it got interfered with. \u00a0Would this be offensive interference and a 15-yard penalty for the squall line? \u00a0Where is the flag?<\/p>\n

At least there was some pretty structure for a while — see my pics below! \u00a0The storm eventually forced us southeastward to Albion, when a wayward deer decided to end it all in an inglorious fashion by running in front of me and Van One. \u00a0The van still ran after impact and inspection and duct taping, fortunately. \u00a0But Van One was without air conditioning for the next couple of chase days. \u00a0And “thank you” to the lady at the convenience store in Alzada! \u00a0We needed that pit stop.<\/p>\n

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