This is a short post because I'm still out in the field in Springfield, MO. I'll update later. I've been having bad trouble with asthma and allergies keeping me  from being out on the road last few days and therefore in position for Thursday.  I tried to make it to the triple point but I left too late, and was a bit  further north than I hoped, and I had to keep stopping to try and breathe as it felt like I was driving with a plastic bag over my head at times. When I realized I couldn't make the ongoing storms and tornado warnings up toward KS  and my lower level cu was disappearing north of OKC near the KS border I knew I  had to get east. Cells began to develop in se KS and ne OK as I meandered along stopping to breathe occasionally. I finally realized I could possibly catch the  storms before dark so I started speeding up.

I took hwy 160 to hit 69 north near Crestline right before sunset. Stuff was ongoing mostly to my north  and northeast and I couldn't make out a lot because of moisture, failing light, and dark storm clouds. The area behind me began to build and a couple of tornado  warnings were issued north of me related to the Cherokee area. I tried to get in  and make out detail but couldn't. The cores were getting larger to my west and  southwest and the NWS radio was discussing new tornado warnings related to these if the storm strengthened. I bailed west on 160 between nice looking lowered wall clouds and a funnel lowering on the south of the road not far from me. The two lowered areas looked cool in the backlit sunlight but there wasn't that much  of it. I should have grabbed a picture then but was afraid I would be run over by potential developing tornado. Once I got far enough west I turned around and stopped and pulled out my digital cam and was surprised that it could take pictures in almost total darkness.

I followed the area east back across into MO as new tornado warnings were issued for Jasper headed for Miller. Once I was in Carthage I knew I could make Miller, or at least close if I tried hard. I boogied east and closed the distance with somewhat intense lighting starting to  strengthen ahead of me. I ran the dashcam. Along the southern side of the road and ahead of me when I was still about 4 or 5 miles from Miller I could see a lowering and intense strikes associated with it. A tornado warning was issued for this area near Mount Vernon, MO. The storm was supposed to be at Miller at 9:40. At about 9:52 I saw a greenish purple power transformer flash at what  looked like ground level and directly under the lowered area. I'm pretty sure it  was a tornado on the ground. Once or twice I thought I could see a narrow wedge shape, and I also jumped out a bit later and took some shots with my digital camera. Like Xray vision it shot the lowered wallcloud and appears to also show  a slanted condensation area extending down into the foreground trees. I got one  shot like this with and arcing CG bolt that looks pretty cool. I'll probably  post later. I should have called it in but I thought I'd see it better later  which of course I never did. When I get home I'll review the cam footage which  probably isn't that good because I don't know how to set it to low light. I need to study up and get some cheat notes to carry with me in the field. I did later  file a report with Springfield NWS of what I saw.

One note, this is the  second time I've chases MO. First time was in the ne corner. I always said I'd  never chase MO cause I thought it was terrible winding roads, hills, and trees.  So, instead I chase it in the dark in a tornadic thunderstorm - LOL go figure.  Strangely though the route I took was mostly flat with fewer trees and many open  farming fields with good visibility.
 

April 21st 2005 Accout: Chase Southeast KS & Southwest MO

Tornado Extreme Storm Chase