Thursday 23rd June 2022 - Kansas (Slight Risk)
We started today in Pratt and had a very strong target of Hays to Stockton a little further north in Central Kansas. After a nice leisurely drive to Hays for Lunch at Gellers Brewery the atmosphere looked explosive. Temperatures today would be in the Low to Mid 80's and strong easterly winds would transport low to mid 70's dewpoints into the area well in time and with a Surface Low moving in from the west from Colorado this looked like a very good set-up today and the SPC agreed with a 5% Tornado Upgrade on the 1630z Update. A Warm Front would also be draped somewhere near to Interstate 70 setting up a Triple Point play. Storms would initiate and become High Based elevated storms before the possibility of becoming surface based as time went by aided by an arriving low level jet around 22z. After we came out from Lunch explosive towers were all around us and the first radar blips were showing up on radar. We positioned to the North East around Wilson Lake Reservoir and I noticed 1 storm anchoring itself onto the Warm Front whilst shedding left split elevated storms away to the North. Also noted at this time was an increase in Smooth Channel Lightning and a massive rotating Wall Cloud setting up. The Motion of the Storm was ENE so I re-positioned us to just north of Wilson along the Interstate with the Supercell now to our North-West and west and displaying stunning Classic Supercell structure at this time.
The Storm was also now Tornado Warned and Positive Cgs were landing around us making for some interesting Photography. The Rotation was now very strong and a Tornado Touch down occurred to our west near the Town of Bunker Hill.
Tornado Just to our West Below
The Tornado Sirens were wailing in the nearby town and the Tornado changed shape to a tall Stovepipe at this time
The Tornado was moving ESE and the Storms Meso was moving ENE so it wasnt long before the rope our stage came from this brief Tornado that was on the ground for about 5 minutes. I re-positioned us further east for the next occlusion and the Structure was still stunning all along the route from Russell to Salina.
This Cyclic Supercell rode along the warm front from about 5-9pm dropping 6 Tornadoes along the way, we definately saw at least 2 and maybe more once all footage has been looked at. Finally a Storm that produced some stunning structure along with Tornadoes with the ingredients we had in place. Ended the day in Salina with a Steak Meal to celebrate.