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Tornadic Storms - 15 May 2003 - Dalhart, Texas
Solo chase by Frederick "Fritz" Kruse III, and nowcast support by Jon Finch and Bryan McAvoy. Some digital stills are enhanced by Paint Shop Pro and taken from video on a Sony VX-2000 digital video camera. Time is within 10 seconds from GPS Time check. Dalhart is in the far northwest part of the Texas Panhandle in Dallam County. My first tornados occurred about 15 miles north of Dalhart, Dallam County, Texas.
My original target area was near Amarillo by 7 pm. ETA model was showing triple point area to push out across the Texas Panhandle as a very strong shortwave trough was moving out of the 4 corners region toward the Texas Panhandle by evening. Some early concerns were very warm air at 700 millibars to hold storms from going south of Amarillo. I left Dodge City before noon and went to Dalhart. Already storms were firing along and ahead of a dryline in northeast New Mexico and a Theta-E axis was ahead of the dryline with dewpoints in the low to mid 60s and southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph. I watched several storm go up southwest of Dalhart then after Jon Finch noted it was exploding north of Dalhart with 70 VIL I quickly drove northeast to Conlen trying to get ahead of the storms moving northeast. Then from Conlen or just northeast of Dalhart I drove north on county road 807 and watched the storms about 3 miles north of Conlen. The first set of tornados, pictured below, occurred looking northwest from that location, or about 15 miles north of Dalhart. The original storms north of Dalhart slowed down based on radar, then suddenly move east northeastwad toward me as a rear flank downdraft moved in. Shortly thereafter, or about 538 pm CDT the first tornado shown in the photos appeared. I crossed the damage path around 6 pm 10 miles northwest of Stratford on county road 807. Many power poles were snapped with power lines across the road, so I had to move back south on 807 to Highway 54 and toward Goodwell. Near Goodwell more tornados were reported but I did not see anything but a low hanging circular cloud. Finally went back west to 10 miles northwest of Texahoma where I crossed the damage path of the previous tornado. Several new storms were firing along the dryline and then filmed a white funnel cloud from 830 to 834 pm. It was half way down to the ground and could not see any ground contact. Then drove back to Dodge City in the hard rain. Liberal, Kansas was hit by a tornado earlier and the power was out. Lots of debris was strewn across Highway 54 and water was crossing the road in several spots making it hazardous. Near Kismet, Kansas I had to turn around because of what looked like a river crossing the road. Finally back home after 1 am from a long and fruitfull chase and my first tornados of the year. Thanks to Jon Finch, Meteorologist in Dodge City for providing the great nowcast support to get me to the tornados near Dalhart. Also thanks to Bryan for giving me more nowcast support toward the end of the chase and getting me through any hail cores.
Tornado about 20 miles north of Dalhart at 538 pm
Same Tornado area, close-up, at 539 pm
Distant view at 539 pm showing rear-flank downdraft
Dust swirl and Tornado at 542 pm about 15 miles north of Dalhart on east side of RFD
RFD and Tornado at 544 pm same location pushing east toward me. First tornado circulation
is back to the northwest on the west edge of RFD.
RFD and Tornado about 15 north of Dalhart near county 807 at 544 pm.
Tornado condensation funnel lifting at 545 pm
Same Tornado condensation touchdown for final time at 545 pm. Other tornado circulation in
background on the other side of RFD clear slot.