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Gary, do you see any severe/tornadic setups in our area anytime soon?  Today is yet another day that I've missed out on a chase with Sean.  I've chased with him a couple times early this spring that ended up as busts.  It seems like I've missed all of the "good" days because of work (dang responsibilities always getting in the way).  I know the window of opportunity in our area diminishes as we reach June.  

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Rod,

We don't see any near here anytime this weekend, but perhaps within the next two weeks we will see a better set-up for us.

Gary

Jeremy,

I like that Scott City, KS suggestion from the previous blog. Very funny.....nice one!

But yes, you do make a good point. Excellent road options from there. We will see how things shake out today.

Thank you for your input!

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Or if all else fails...find Sean Wilson.

Jeremy

Rain total...near 128th & Mur-Len, Olathe, Ks... 0.25" :-(

Yes, Im sure Sean is out there somewhere today. In fact, I think anyone that is interested in chasing, that is able to chase, will be out today. Its the last two weeks of May, and Memorial Day Weekend coming up. The roads will be crowded today. Im just hoping I dont see any tripods in the middle of the road. That always amazes me when I see that....

Adam, what are your quick thoughts on Friday and Saturday?  Today seems to be the better of the three.  I assume you'll be chasing all three.

RodB,

Tomorrow looks to be a SC Nebraska and NC Kansas event. Saturday is a bit further up in the air, because what happens today and Friday could have dramatic effects on the Saturday possibilites. However, at this point, Saturday looks good in SW Nebraka and NW Kansas. The KC metro area looks to be clear of "significant" severe weather through the weekend.

Again, these are just MY thoughts. Gary and Jeremy may feel differently.

0.38 of rain in sedalia

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Always great to hear from Sedalia!  Thanks!

Jeremy

.89" of rain 2 miles south of Reno.

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Nice total...thanks.

Jeremy

Thanks Team and Adam.  I've always been a weather fan and began trying to chase more over the last couple of years.  I've just recently tried my own forecasting but as you well know, there is so much information and data to take in.  It is nice to know that I was thinking NC Kansas and SC Nebraska for tomorrow.  Looks like a internet chase for me again today.

Hey guys, .20 here in Se lee's summit.

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Looks your backyard and Greenwood ended with a lower total.

Jeremy

PingBack from http://interesting3.freehostia.com/?p=50673

.13 at Pleasant Lea Middle School here in LS.

For those interested, I have added a new link with chaser tracking on my blogsite...just under the radar.

;-)

Stay here at nbcactionnews for the best and most accurate weather forecasts!

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Scott,

You are having fun now.

Gary

Adam, and anybody else who wants to jump in,

What do you use for chasing? What do you recommend? What's the total cost for all the equipment?

Thanks!

I don't have the equipment but I've chased with those that have.  Not including the cost of a laptop, if you don't already have one, you're looking at about $900 for software, about a $100 a month for XM service to get mobile radar.  Just for starters.  That's probably the costliest part.  There are a couple of software programs out there, I'd have to look up the sames to be accurate.  Most chasers are also spotters with HAM radios but I'm unsure of those costs.  Anyone else have thoughts on costs?  Don't forget the $3.72 gas.  OUCH!  The chasers may have to think about commuting soon.

its as inexpensive or expensive as you want to make it.  Depends on your skill level, financial situation, and use tolarance...

One could easily spend thousands if desired...

like the page scott.  looks different and better.

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON MDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL WELD AND SOUTHEASTERN LARIMER COUNTIES...

AT 1140 AM MDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS CONTINUED TO REPORT A
LARGE TORNADO 3 EAST OF MILLIKEN.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
MILLIKEN...OR 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GREELEY. THIS STORM WAS MOVING
NORTHWEST AT 29 MPH.

Rod,

I can probably find new laptops or refurbished laptops cheaper on Ebay!

1.40" just East of Ottawa.

http://www.mywindsorweather.com/wx12.html

I think I see the tornado!

That is a big tornado being reported!!

If that is the tornado it is HUGE and I pray for anyone in its path!

Andrew, those images, can you refresh or are they still images?

So, does the weather pattern next week look stormy/ I kinda have a feeling it is going to be... and to cinch it, I will be off on vacation trying to ride the horses. They are developing webbed feet. :)

I don't know, I'm trying to refresh them, but if that was the Tornado, the camera could be destroyed.

that was my thoughts too

i know that area has warnings right now but not seeing reports of an actual tornado

judging by the SPC outlooks, it looks like in the coming days, there could be lots of severe weather chances around here or just north of us.

I know ur having forecast problems, but what is it looking like for Friday here?

OHH and before i forget we got a nice rain of 0.42 inches :)

Interesting to note that the storm is moving to the northwest.  That doesn't happen very often.  Looks to be a crazy day out west.

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
EAST CENTRAL LARIMER COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO

* UNTIL 1245 PM MDT

* AT 1213 PM MDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO 6
MILES SOUTH OF WELLINGTON...OR 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF FORT COLLINS.
THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHWEST AT 36 MPH.

Noticed surface obs just SW of the Metro including some PWS in Olathe showing temps at or over 70 degrees already.

;-)

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And what does that mean?

Jeremy

That is a monster, I hope it does not hit a city, Looks like the storm is weakening on radar as it passes near Fort Collins.
A GREAT morning hear in St. Joe with rain and thunder, the heavy storms kind of started weakening as they finally pushed through us but we still got a couple of heavy downpours, now it is cloudy with strong east winds with a damp and cool mid 50's air mass, now that is a good morning, although now the sun may be (trying) to break through a bit.

Where I live in Leavenworth, near 4th & Limit Streets, I found 3.50" of rain in my gauge this morning! Since we haven't had any rain to speak of in the past 9 or 10 days, I know every drop of water in there was from this morning's storm. It seems high to me, especially compared with some of the other regional totals, but it was definitely a ton of rain.

Leavenworth - 3.50" of Rain

-Ryan in LV

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I think your total is believable.  The radar estimates are pretty close.

Jeremy

Rain total 3 miles north of Pleasant Hill = 0.09"

crazy that it is 70 in someplaces barely 60 here in raymore with cloud cover

does anyone know if that tornado hit fort collins?  I have some family over there

i have a big family

Looking on the layered radar, its interesting to watch these storms at a street view level...

they have some pictures up on 9news in Fort Collins

http://www.9news.com/

The most conspicuous place for the Ft. Collins cell looks to be near HWY 287 near Laporte

1.20" in the rain-gauge over here in East Lawrence last night.

Oh..sorry Jeremy..you weren't watching yesterday...I had a slight difference of opinion with Gary on the high temps today.  He - short of calling me crazy -disagreed when I called for 73.

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But where was your 73 forecast for?

Jeremy

If I saw something like that coming towards me, ( the pics of the tornado ) I think I would be pooping in my pants lol

KMCI...we will see.

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You may be high for KCI, but low for Olathe:)

Jeremy

Great picture of the tornado.  It said it was moving northwest.  How often do tornadoes move in a northwesterly direction?

Scott -

I see you're ribbing Gary about your 73 versus his 69 forecast, but you seem to have left out your precip forecast:

Scott said:  "At best I would be suprised to see more than .10-.25 average across the viewing area."

Sure, there are some areas that only got 0.10-0.25", but I'd be willing to bet the "average across the viewing area" is higher than that, just from a cursory glance at the STP map above.  

Admittedly, it is tough to verify quantitatively, but when one takes all shades turquoise (very light blue) and above that are displayed on the map (that is the area that saw at least 0.50") that seems to cover a majority of the viewing area, in my view.

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Notes,

Scott should be in here praising our accurate forecast and not boasting about his inaccurate one.  I am sort of surprised, but I guess not really.

Can you believe what is going on in Colorado today.  WOW! 

Gary

So do you think that webcam captured that?

http://www.mywindsorweather.com/webcams.php

Man I missed out on alot of rain. I heard about 2 hours worth of loud thunder, the power went out for a bit but all I got was .20 of rain. T-ball practice starts tonight so I guess that is a good thing. I will just water my flowers tonight and all will be good. That tornado in CO looked like a monster in that pic...WOW. Did Jeri and Sean get to see it???
Monica
Pleasanton, KS

Yes, Gary...Colorado is sure getting hammered today.  

I haven't spent much time this week analyzing the synoptic-scale features of this system, but I know that today (Thursday) has been in the sights for many chasers for over a week now...and it sure appears as though things are panning out.

NW Lawrence received 0.81" as of 8:00 AM this morning.

High risk for severe weather in Western Ks.

Are we going to get Rain saturday during the day and saturday night into sunday? Is it to early to tell?

I am hoping this last entry is proven wrong by what's happening in OP. The clouds have thinned out, there's a nice breeze and it's 72 degrees out(according to my thermometer):). I sure hope that stubborn warm front can pull north and take the rain with it. I have family coming from Minnesota on Saturday and hope there's nice weather. Does OP and southward look to stay a little warmer?

.36 inches of rain at 151st and Mur-Len in Olathe.

2.3" for us directly west of KCI. The NOAA page for KCI's totals were much lower.
Maybe we were on the edge. Certainly looks that way from the rainfall total radar.

Gary/Notes...whatever to both of you.  LOL.

Notes - you are normally very crafty in your ability to use quotes to base your analysis.  I do the same.  Admittedly, I understand how Gary feels when I do this to him, especially when context and other details are left out [I try not to do this]

However, in this case, Notes..you did just this..much like you overlooked part of my post a day or two ago regarding other analysis... Maybe I could also include this thoughtt as it was the sentence before the quote you chose to use...

"So..all told, it gets close..and may clip the NW part of the viewing area, but think it leaves much of the metro wanting more!   "

So..noting that I anticipated the NW viewing area to get clipped, I think I clearly got that one.  Also, for the ENTIRE viewing area, I was a bit low, but certainly within range of .25-.5 for the average...

When you begin giving your forecasts, perhaps we may find some parity in critique...

;-)

Gary - Not nice either, but I know you are trying to get my goat.  LOL  I had not critiqued any part of today's forecast except for the high temp.  The only reason why I continued interest in this is based on your strong response back.  

When the day is over, and if your high temp verifies,  I will be the first to admit and congratulate.  We both recognized the difficulty in today's forecast, and clearly you have done well so far.

I would not say that I have been boasting about anything thus far.  I missed your segment last night, so I do not know how much rain you indicated would happen today.  I presume whatever you forecasted was accurate, so kudos!  

Anyway...thought I should get in and clarify a bit.

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Scott,

We were forecasting over one inch amounts in a few spots with 1/4 to 1/2 inch amounts in most spots.  And, the temperatures did almost exactly what we forecasted.  But, the high is just now being reached.

Gary

63 at KCI
68 Lees Summit
71 Downtown
71 Olathe

If those end up being the highs that average is 68.25.  That's a lot closer to 69 than I thought it would be today.  That is a tough forecast!  Yes, I thought it would be on the warm side.

Andrew,

It sure looks like the webcam caught a tornado.  Play/pause threw the time lapse and you will see what looks like an extremely large tornado to me.

The rain gauge said nearly .40" from this morning shower Gary.

laura in Raytown

Shawnee KS checks in with .48" from this morning's storm.

Thanks,
Tim

KCK near N 18th and State Ave:  Today 0.80; Month to date 2.67; Year to date 17.46

Talk about 'hit and miss' this morning.. wow.. just three miles to the east of my location at the downtown airport only 0.36 inches was recorded.  

I heard a guy at Wal-Mart today say that at 43rd & Wood.. KCK a little under 3 inches..    

I'm close to Wal Mart and had 1.72

Talk about a difference in rainfall amounts.  

Hi guys,  Rain total for Grandview is 0.60 Wow glad we don't live near Denver. That was a big tornado. Thanks for the info.

Melissa

1.65 in my rain gauge at I-29 & 64th up north.

This cool weather is amazing - and slightly irritating. It feels more like fall than spring!

I wish I went with Sean today, instead of Last Week!!!! :( I feel so...... I don't know how to explain it!!

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Andrew,

I understand how you feel.  Remember, sometimes it takes a lot of chases before you see your first tornado. 

Gary

Scott -

Wow - feeling a little feisty today it seems.  I just thought your precip forecast (not just your 73-degree high) was worth the conversation if you were going to be ribbing Gary about his (apparently accurate) forecast of 69.

You're right, I didn't put out a forecast for today.  If that causes you to discount my comments, that's no skin off my back.

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It sounds like I am not the only one who didn't get a lot of sleep. LOL

Well they said that the tornado was half a mile wide.  It killed 1 person and injured many others.  They showed coverage of it going over the highway.  That is the scariest thing I have ever seen.  I could never imagine going through that....

We received .52" here in beautiful Emma, MO, along with some dandy lightning and thunder in the early morning.

Walt Snyder

wow, I just happen to be in NE Colorado this weekend.  We passed thru Greeley
45-60 minutes before that tornado.  It was cool and drizzly at the time- sure didn't seem like tornado weather.   Coming back thru Greeley we saw downed trees and irrigation equipment and also heard that the same tornado stayed on the ground into Fort Collins and then Wyoming and did even worse damage to schools, churches and hospitals there.   The winds here have been constant at 40+ since yesterday- not fun driving at all.

I am hoping this last entry is proven wrong by what's happening in OP. The clouds have thinned out, there's a nice breeze and it's 72 degrees out(according to my thermometer):). I sure hope that stubborn warm front can pull north and take the rain with it. I have family coming from Minnesota on Saturday and hope there's nice weather. Does OP and southward look to stay a little warmer?

I haven't blogged forever, but guess where I moved back to ?  McLouth, KS.
You know, where all the snow fell this year!  LOL.  That means it will be south next year since I like snow.  Glad to be back, and actually have High speed internet, in the country now, so im happy.  
 Report from todays storm, I was in Overland Park, the light show from 330 to 6 A.M. drive to work was AWESOME!!!!  Didn't rain much in Overland P. though.  I am now located 12 miles NE of McLouth and 11 West of Lansing.  My wireless rain gauge measured 4.47 inches! WOW!!!!!  You should see Stranger creek, a creek that is normally very small looks like an ocean now.  In fact down right incredible.  I am sure it hasn't crested yet.  I am going to get pics, and send them in if you would like.   They will be closing 92 HWY/Springdale road soon, I am sure!  I am going to have to wait until tomorrow , im sure it will still be flooding tomorrow, Especially if the front fires tonight.   Great forecast guys.  I just saw your 20% chance for more rain tonight, but like you said, with a warm front to the south, there is a slight chance of a repeat.  If it rains that much here again, we will have SERIOUS problems in low lying areas.
 Anyway, glad to be back with you guys now.  Have a great evening.  - Brett